Fauquier County Fire, Rescue & Emergenc y Management
June 2013 Issue
THE FIRELIN E N EWSLETTER, J UNE 20 13 FROM THE DESK OF CHIEF BILLINGTON
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: AC STEVENS & BATTALION 1
2
One Wednesday morning I was driv-
Hump-day employees as those that
EMS REPORTING & MEDIC-1
3
ing my son to school and I men-
look at every week as the process of
GEAR ROOM & BATTALION 2
4
tioned that its "hump-day”. My son
starting at the bottom of the hill on
asked me to explain and I began de-
Monday morning at 8 a.m., climbing
EM & TRAINING
5
scribing that “hump day” is the mid-
to the top by Wednesday at noon,
RECRUITMENT
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dle of the week, which means we are
and then coasting down to the bot-
half way to the weekend!!! My son
tom of the hill by 5 o'clock on Friday.
immediately responded with, “Don’t
These people haven't gotten any-
you like your job?”
where during the course of the week.
STATION 10 & COMPANY 2
7
BATTALION 3
8
They are back where they started on Monday morning, week after week after week. Imagine a college athlete who performs exactly the same way at the beginning of every season. Those kinds of players never get off FAUQUIER COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF FIRE RESCUE & EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT Phone: 540-422-8800 www.fauquierfirerescue.org
the bench, assuming they can even keep their spot on the bench. IntuiLater, I reflected on his wisdom.
tively, we know we must continually
Here is the good thing, volunteer or
improve if we want to take our ca-
career most of us (including me)
reers to the next level. So my wisdom
Love our profession. I couldn’t im-
to my son was that hump day is a
agine it any other way. So what
good remainder that we must contin-
could I later explain to my son was a
ually improve. Pheww...that was close!
better example of hump day? I recalled an article by business consultant Dan Coughlin who describes
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REMEMBERING OUR PAST… BY ASSISTANT
CHIEF
STEVENS
ensuring safe practices, adherence to SOG’s and remembering our first mission, “Everyone Goes Home.”
Last month I visited the National Firefighter Memorial on the grounds of the National Fire Academy. Originally constructed in 1981 and designated as the National Firefighters Memorial in October of 1990, this plaza serves as an idyllic setting to honor those that we have lost in the line of duty. This year’s preliminary report says that we will be adding 83 more names this October representing the 2012 LODDs, the same number as the previous year. Everyone must do their part to reduce LODD’s by
I NSI DE B AT TALIO N 1
On this same trip I also visited the Pennsylvania National Fire Museum in Harrisburg; located in a Victorian firehouse that originally opened in 1898, the museum has an extensive collection of restored apparatus and memorabilia. This station was used by the city into the late 1980’s and then remained shuttered for several years, looking as though it was about to fall in before being restored to it’s like new condition. The firehouse does an excellent job portraying what life was like in the firehouse in the early 1900’s. Take a moment to appreciate your past and honor those we have lost by bringing your best each time you walk in the station door. Have a great month and be safe.
BATTALION CHIEF R.J. ARFT
Everyone seems to be settling in nicely to their new homes across the 1st Battalion. A bunch of new faces mixed in with some old salts from my past assignments. Recently the on duty 1st Battalion personnel completed a walkthrough of the new addition to Fauquier High School. A lot has changed in the last year at that school with more renovations slated for this summer. Please get with me and I will point you in the right direction if you would like see some of the important points regarding the new layout. As we turn from spring into summer, remember to stay hydrated. Drink lots of water and try to stay cool during our down times, because you never know when we may be asked to exert yourself on a moment’s notice. Stay Safe!
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EMS REPORTING As you know, the National EMS Information System (NEMSIS) was scheduled to move to version 3 by the end of 2013. Virginia OEMS had been planning to start the migration on July 2013 and be complete by 12/31/2013. However, because there have been some glitches in the "National" part of NEMSIS, the switch over has been delayed to July of 2014. Because of this, we are going to update some fields in the system that we had been post-
poning for the NEMSIS update. This shouldn't cause too much problem for you in the field, since a lot of the changes will involve removing "Not Applicable/ Not Reporting/Unknown" from a number of fields. We will update the validity rules to ease any misunderstandings this may cause. We also want to advise everyone, and give you a big pat on the back, that the last set of statistics from OEMS shows that we have an overall validity
INSIDE MEDIC-1 The Heart of Fauquier County
Congratulations to Stephanie York for being released as an Enhanced Provider. Below, she is receiving her key from Lt. Bates.
“You’re a life saver!” This is a common saying in our day and age. But here at Medic One (or what I’d like to call “Medic Fun”), that saying is a reality. Medic One is a great place to work. “Why”, you may ask? Well, it’s a great station to either get better at EMS skills or to sharpen your existing skills. With all the different types of calls you’ll have, you will become a quick thinker and never complacent. And, complacency will not reside at Medic One with Paramedic Marc Monroe leading the new crews’ efforts of quality improvement. Being stationed at Medic One isn’t just about all the calls you’ll run. You also get to work beside many of the Chiefs, Battalion Chiefs and
BATTALION CHIEF JUSTIN CLAYTON
score in excess of 95%. Based on the new rules, we must be 95% or above in order to be considered compliant. We are shooting for 100%, so keep up the good work. Last, but not least, if you have problems, questions, or comments, please feel free to let either myself or Technician Bankston know. (by e-mail is best) We rely on you to let us know when you find anything that is causing a problem. Again, thank you for your cooperation.
BY STEPHANIE YORK, TECHNICIAN
some of the HR representatives. You can learn a lot from these good people. Combined, they have years upon years of knowledge, all you got to do is pick their brains. I’m sure they won’t mind! But, the new crews at Medic One have great minds too. One of those great minds is Chuck Myers. He will be leading the training for Medic One crews on all aspects of the medications that Fauqiuer County EMS providers can administer. Now I know Medic One doesn’t have an engine and most of us would like to keep up with our fire skills as well as our EMS skills. But, just down the street you’ll find Company One. This station has a great group of volunteers willing to share their knowledge. It’s a good idea to join in with their training, that way Medic One and Company
One will work smoothly with each other during calls. Also, the new crews at Medic One are going to do more than train with Company One. Jonathan Bankston is designing a fire training program for the Medic One crews so that our fire skills can be regularly maintained. And, Matt Wyne is going to ensure that Medic One crews stay abreast of special operations issues. So if you’re still not convinced that Medic One isn’t a good place to work, here’s summing it up. There is a plethora of knowledgeable people all around you. You’ll never get bored with the call volume. And if you aren’t good at EMS, give it a year and you’ll be one of the best!
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G E A R R O O M U P DAT E BY BATTALION CHIEF BRIAN LICHTY
Beginning in July 10th, the “Gear Room” will be open on the SECOND WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH from 1600 – 2000. This means that any full-time or part-time employee can come to the Gear Room during this time and change worn out gear, request new gear, replace OOS gear, be measured for gear, and so on. Please come by and see the Gear Room and take advantage of these new open hours. These new open hours will stay in effect until the end of 2013, and at the end of the year this system will be evaluated to determine if extended hours are needed. As always if you have any questions please feel free to contact either myself or Technician Butler. OPEN HOURS 1600-2000 EACH DAY LISTED FOR 2013 July 10th, August 14th, September 11th, October 9th, November 13th, December 11th
I NSI DE B ATALLIO N 2 Summer is upon us and things are beginning to heat up a bit. It has been a busy month for the Southern Battalion with a noticeable increase in EMS calls and several different events. The Goldvein Volunteer Fire Department completed another successful year of the annual car show with a great turn out. The Remington Volunteer Fire Department has started their annual Fireman’s Carnival and Parade.
We have a new Enhanced provider in the SouthSo, Asst. Chief LeDrew, tell us… ern Battalion, say did you find a girlfriend?? congratulations to Technician Willis when you see him. Technician Miller is not far behind and should complete his precepting by the first week in June. We cannot let the month go by without saying congratulations to the Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Moore who tied the knot on June 1st.
The Fauquier County Fire, Rescue and Emergency Management Gear Room has been preparing for Fiscal Year 2014. After many months of planning and preparations the Gear Room has completed a much needed face lift, thanks to Technician Butler, new storage areas for hanging Bunker Gear, Dress uniforms and much more. You will also see a new Fire Helmet in the field; a couple of Technicians in the field are testing this new helmet—do you know who? Technicians will test this new helmet for a period of 6-12 months.
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Happy Birthday to You! 6/4—Jonathan Frinks 6/6—Anderson Weeks 6/8—Sandy Chamberlin 6/28—Robert Willis
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FAUQUIER COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
URGES CITIZENS TO PRACTICE HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS
Warrenton, VA – May 31, 2013 – The Fauquier County Department of Fire, Rescue and Emergency Management (DFREM) – a combined career and volunteer fire and rescue system and emergency management department that serves the citizens of Fauquier County, Virginia – encourages residents to prepare themselves, families and property for hurricane season. The recently released 2013 Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center predicts an active/ extremely active season this year for the Atlantic Coast. Hurricane season officially begins June 1 and runs through November. “Fauquier County Emergency Management wants to impress upon our residents the importance of being proactive and preparing for emergencies such as hurricanes in advance of an actual event,” said Sara Makely, Fauquier County’s Deputy Coordinator of Emergency Management. “Although Fauquier County is located in-land, some hurricanes may affect us in the form of flooding, power outages and blocked roadways, for example. The safety and well-being of our citizens is of the utmost importance to us, and we can achieve this by working together.” Be informed, make a plan, build a kit and get involved. Learn more about how you can prepare by visiting http:// www.ready.gov/hurricanes and signing up for Fauquier County’s CodeRed weather alert system at http:// tinyurl.com/FauquierCodeRed. The Town of Warrenton and Fauquier County Government collaborate together in emergency planning and by notifying residents of critical information via WKCW (1420AM) radio. “Preparing before an event can be the most important thing a person can do to protect themselves and their family,” adds Makely.
The LZ Class conducted by PHI Aircare on Saturday, June 1, 2013, was enjoyed by all 18 EMT students and instructors. A BIG "Thank you" to them for the presentation. Contributed by Lt. Mary Hart Marshall Fire & Rescue assists a fly out rescue
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S T A T I O N 1 0 , P R E PA R A T I O N BY TECHNICIAN SAUNDERS
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AND
DISCUSSION
Over Memorial Day weekend, a 6 yr. old girl drowned in Lake Anna. According to reports, the child was on a fishing trip with her family when she fell from the rocks. She was not reported wearing a life preserver. Her grandfather tried to rescue her but was unable to reach her in time. Divers did not recover the body for two hours after the incident because of the undertow and current. This is just one of a handful of drowning deaths that has occurred at Lake Anna. Station 10’s Lt. Grogan has been working with his crew to express the importance of preparation for such events. Things that were discussed pertaining to this accident were: the importance of knowing what is on your apparatus, that PDFs are checked and practiced with, that those with swift water certifications exercise their skills, uses of water rescue rope and possible treatments for water inhalation victims. Training and discussion of events such as this are paramount in appropriate preparation. For more information about water safety, take a look at this Pool Safety Check Sheet and pass along to friends, FAUQUIER COUNTY FIRE AND RESCUE ISSUES POOL SAFETY CHECKLIST Warrenton, VA – June 5, 2013 – The Fauquier County Department of Fire, Rescue and Emergency Management (DFREM) – a combined career and volunteer fire and rescue system that serves the citizens of Fauquier County, Virginia – today issues a reminder to its residents to be mindful of pool safety. DFREM has created a Pool Safety Checklist and urges its citizens to review it thoroughly. “When we hear of a loss of life due to drowning, we are starkly reminded of the dangers that can come hand in hand with a fun, recreational activity that we all enjoy,” said Fauquier County Fire Rescue Chief Thomas Billington. “Drowning and pool-side accidents are preventable, and by following these precautions, you can eliminate drowning risk.” As pool season has commenced, citizens will attend pools, lakes and beaches – and enjoy pools in their own backyards – in the coming months. Drownings occur every year, and in our area, the summer months have the potential to bring the highest rate of incidence. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), ten people die every day from unintentional drownings in the United States, making it the fifth-leading cause of unintentional injury death. Although 20% of these are under the age of 14, more than half of drowning deaths in people older than 15 occur outside of pools. Only 35% of Americans know how to swim, according to a report by CNN. For additional information, visit the Virginia Department of Health’s drowning report.
Thank you to all the volunteers that helped with this event!
Funds raised will be used to support Co. 2!
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I N S I D E B ATA L L I O N 3 BY BATTALION CHIEF NATASHA RANDALL
Fauquier County Fire & Rescue * Firefighter Rescue Training May 14-17, 2013 Marshall, VA
LEFT: Fire & Rescue personnel gathered for morning and afternoon training sessions every day during the week.
LEFT: Briefing on hose hoist, different methods practiced and explained. RIGHT: above view of hose hoist.
LEFT: Fauquier County Firefighters practice window bailout drills
ABOVE: During this series of training exercises, Fauquier firefighters prep for entry into smoke-filled building
RIGHT: Battalion Chief Natasha Randall leads the training event. An overview of the week’s training events include sessions on ladders, window bailouts, hose hoist, Air Packs, TIC (Thermal Imaging Camera) briefing, RIT packs, Mayday discussion, rescuing unconscious firefighter, and Search and Rescue with Pack Tracker (personal tracker).