American Canyon Fire Protection District News-Ladder, October 2023

AMERICAN CANYON FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT News-Ladder

A Message from the Chief

Dear AmCan Community,

Welcome to the October edition of the American Canyon Fire Chief Newsladder! As we transition into autumn, we have several exciting updates and events to share with you.

** Upcoming Open House for Fire Prevention Week:**

Fire Prevention Week is just around the corner, and we ' re excited to invite you to our Open House, THIS SATURDAY, October 7th from 10am to 1pm. The first hour is our ‘quiet hour’. This is a lights and sirens-free time, a more gentle environment for our friends in the community that may be a bit more sensitive to louds noises or bright lights. Join us at Station 11, 911 Donaldson Way E, for a fun and informative day dedicated to fire safety education. There will be live demonstrations, tours of the Fire Engines, an opportunity to meet our dedicated firefighters and several of our partner agencies including American Canyon Police Officer Hudson and his K9 partner Brick, American Canyon CERT, Napa CART, Napa Firewise and their mascots, the baby goats, City of American Canyon Parks and Recreation Department and Napa Central Dispatch.

**Welcome to Our Newest Firefighter **

We are thrilled to welcome our newest Probationary Firefighter, Jack Billeci, to the American Canyon Fire Protection District family. Probationary Fighter Billeci joined the team mid-September and completed an in-house academy led by Captain Pilkington. When you see Probationary Firefighter Billeci in the community make sure to give him the AmCan welcome!

**Office of Traffic Safety Grant Award**

We are proud to announce that our department has been awarded a grant by the Office of Traffic Safety in the amount of $100,000 for the purchase of Extrication Equipment, more commonly known as the ‘Jaws of Life’. This grant will play a significant role in ensuring the safety and well-being of our community.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

** Safe Trick or Treating at Station 11**

This Halloween, we are hosting a Safe Trick or Treating event at Station 11, located at 911 Donaldson Way E, starting at 5:30 PM. Bring your little ghouls and goblins for a fun and safe Halloween experience with our firefighters. Costumes are encouraged, especially cute firefighters!

**Remembrance Memorial for 9/11:**

We recently held a solemn Remembrance Memorial to honor the lives lost on September 11, 2001. We stand in solidarity with the nation in remembering this tragic event and paying tribute to the heroes who responded with courage and selflessness. We would like to thank our Law Enforcement partners; the Napa County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard, American Canyon Police Department, and all of our elected officials for their support.

**Hands-Only CPR with High Survival Rate in Napa County:**

We're proud to report that our ongoing efforts to promote hands-only CPR in Napa County have contributed to a high survival rate for cardiac arrest victims. The National average survival rate once CPR is initiated is 10-12%. In Napa County, the average survival rate is 38-42%! Your knowledge of this life-saving technique could make a crucial difference during emergencies. Come to our upcoming Open House and learn how to perform Hands-Only CPR!

Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events. Stay safe and have a wonderful October!

Stay safe and take care.

Geoff Belyea, Fire Chief

Operations Division

OUTREACH COMMUNITY

9/11 REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY

AMERICAN CANYON

ARE YOU READY?

TEXT 94503 TO 888777

TO RECEIVE EMERGENCY ALERTS AND UPDATES

READYNAPACOUNTY.ORG

October is ‘National Community Emergency Response Team Month’

The American Canyon Fire Board of Directors issued a proclamation at the September 26th Board Meeting recognizing American Canyon CERT, and proclaiming October 2023 as ‘National Community Emergency Response Team Awareness Month’

September Events

September 11th - Triage Setup and Paperwork

September 13th - Joint Training with Napa CERT hosted by AMR

September 20th - Joint Training with Napa CERT Skills Refresher: Mass Casualty Incidents

September 20th - Placed on heightened readiness status due to the ‘Red Flag Warning’

September 23rd 0530-1600 Radio Training: ALS Ride, Napa

Monday, October 9th @ 7pm 225 James Rd, Station 211

To learn more about the 'Basic CERT Class' scan the QR Code www.americancanyoncert.org

EXPLORER EXPLORER CORNER CORNER

September’s Explorer Training has shown the program progressing.

Sunday, September 10th, the Explorers participated in a forcible entry drill. This consisted of using tools such as a flat-head axe and a halligan to properly force a door open. This is a critical skill when attempting to gain entry in an emergency.

Sunday, September 24th, the drill focused on Search and Rescue. The Explorers utilized the Thermal Imaging Camera (TIC) to perform searches to locate potentially trapped victims.

These continual drills and skills are building blocks for the next level of training.

As always, each drill starts with 1 hour of physical fitness training as well

Explorer Soto-Gonzalez is currently enrolled at Napa Valley College in the Nursing program.

Career Goals: To become a Firefighter and Registered Nurse.

Favorite Drill: Search and Rescue. It was a thrilling experience to be in a controlled simulation of a situation where me and my peers would have to rescue someone in a burning, smokey environment.

Fire Explorer Garcia said 'I decided to join the AmCanFire Explorer program because I knew I didn’t only want to be a nurse, but a firefighter as well. This program has givine me more confidence as a person and the opportunity to know my capabilities.

Moises Soto Gonzalez, 17

SUCCESS WITH SAFETY

October - Smoke Alarms