PUBLISHER COLUMBUS, MISSISSIPPI FIRE and RESCUE DEPARTMENT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF FIRE CHIEF KENNETH MOORE EDITOR ANTHONY COLOM DESIGN & LAYOUT ANTHONY COLOM PHOTOGRAPHY ANTHONY COLOM CONTRIBUTING WRITERS ASSISTANT CHIEF MARTIN ANDREWS CHIEF OF TRAINING DUANE HUGHES FIRE and LIFE SAFETY EDUCATOR / PIO CAROLE SUMMERALL STAFF KENNETH MOORE: FIRE CHIEF MARTIN ANDREWS: ASSISTANT CHIEF BOBBY BARKSDALE: A-SHIFT BATTALION CHIEF MIKE GIBSON: B-SHIFT BATTALION CHIEF MARK WARD: C-SHIFT BATTALION CHIEF NEAL AUSTIN: SPECIAL OPERATIONS CHIEF DUANE HUGHES: CHIEF OF TRAINING TODD WEATHERS: FIRE MARSHAL CAROLE SUMMERALL: FIRE & LIFE SAFETY EDUCATOR / PIO TABITHA BARHAM: ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Columbus Fire and Rescue Department 205 7th Street S. Columbus, MS 39701 (662) 329-5121 ON THE COVERS: Battalion Chief Mike Gibson (front), Captain Andy Grant (back) / Photos by Anthony Colom This publication may not be reproduced in whole nor in part without the written permission of the publisher. Copyright © 2013, Columbus, Mississippi Fire and Rescue Department.
VOLUME 2 NUMBER 1 Columbus Fire & Rescue Magazine
Firefighter Will McReynolds Firefighter Damon Estes Photo by Anthony Colom
CONTENTS EDITORIAL
Car Fire Safety .... PAGE 7 Clothes Dryer Safety .... PAGE 20 College Campus Fire Safety .... PAGE 23
CHIEF S CHAIR: ONE VISION ONE TEAM ..... PAGE 6 EDITOR S NOTE: FORWARD-THINKING IMAGINATION ..... PAGE 8
DEPARTMENTS THE TRAINING SECTION Photos ..... PAGE 9-13 and 28 AROUND THE STATION Photos .... PAGE 16 FIRE & LIFE SAFETY Safety In The Kitchen .... PAGE 18
SPECIAL STAFF SPECIAL: Columbus Fire and Rescue Pays Homage To It’s Own ..... PAGE 14 Remember When ..... PAGE 24 CFR Gives ..... PAGE 26
EXTRA FIREHOUSE RECIPES .... PAGE 17 CITY OF COLUMBUS RECEIVES NEW FIRE TRUCK .... PAGE 19 WORD SEARCH ..... PAGE 21 COLUMBUS FIRE AND RESCUE S 2012 CHRISTMAS PARTY ..... PAGE 27 72-HOUR EMERGENCY KIT IN A MILK CARTON ..... PAGE 29 -
PROMOTIONS, GRADUATIONS, & OTHER NEWS Photos .... PAGE 22
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FEATURES
IN THE COMMUNITY Photos ..... PAGE 25
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Photo by Engineer Wes Mims
VISION ONE TEAM BY CHIEF KENNETH MOORE kmoore@columbusms.org
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Columbus Fire & Rescue, as you know, has been working our way to becoming nationally accredited. The whole process has been enlightening, challenging, and in the end will be very productive and rewarding. Some of the most important jobs I have as Chief of CFR are: Creating a vision, setting high standards and strategic planning for the future, just to name a few. All of these issues have been scrutinized through the use of tools such as internal and external surveys and discussions among the staff, training coordinator and strategic planning committee. A lot of hard work has already been put into the process of national accreditation, and there is more hard work to be done. I have personally been humbled by the fact that our public perception is great and the citizens of our community are overall pleased with our services. We must not become complacent! We must strive to be better and take control and responsibility for the perception that the public has of Columbus Fire and Rescue. The perception the public has of Columbus Fire and Rescue controls our political climate, our budgets and our maintaining of services, perhaps most importantly, it controls the very existence of this department. In sharing my vision for Columbus Fire and Rescue, I have found areas to improve myself also. I strongly believe we are better than each of us believe, and to be great, we must all believe, act, and train as a team, as one. In order to do that the ground work has to be set, the cornerstones laid in place both as a department, or team, as well as individually. First we must have our faith, and then we must have our families. Without these priorities, there is little that the profession can offer. Once these are established, then we can take pride in ourselves, our occupation and our organization. I ask you, as I have asked myself, do I have my priorities right? Am I committed to Columbus Fire and Rescue, its employees and the citizens of Columbus? My answer to these questions is "YES!" Only I can make it better for me. Only you can make it better for you. Only we can make it better for each other. All of us can make it better for Columbus Fire and Rescue and the Citizens of Columbus
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Photo by Engineer Wes Mims
d r a w for nking thi n o i t a n imagi BY ANTHONY COLOM, PUBLIC RELATIONS
acolom@columbusms.org This issue, our 5th, marks the 1-year anniversary of Columbus Fire and Rescue Magazine. With each new issue we ve attemped to show you the training that our men and women perform on a daily basis, and hopefully we ve been able to help you all understand a little better what it is that we do in the fire service.
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We ve also shown you new and retiring faces, new equipment, retirement and Christmas parties, our Kid s Fire Academy, community events, and introduced you to Dillon, our search and rescue dog. We even dedicated an entire issue to Fire Safety Month.
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Columbus Fire and Rescue Magazine has become a remarkable marketing and promotional tool for our department and the city of Columbus, but as a department, we re satisfied with only one marketing tool to supply you with important fire and life safety information. Our goal is to use and create as many conventional and unconventional ways of reaching the public as we can: Facebook, Twitter, local newspapers, television, radio, cell phones, billboards, vehicle wraps, open house station tours, a Citizens Fire Academy, school visits, coloring books, churches, and even clothing.
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We re proud of what our department has accomplished over the years, but in order to always be the best, one has to be willing to change. One must be creative, imaginative, and forwardthinking. Albert Einstein said imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited, but imagination encircles the world.
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If he s correct, and imagination is that important, then our imagination can take this publication, our department, and our city to any height we would like to them go.
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FIREFIGHTER TRAINEE JOSH REYNOLDS ENGINEER JEFF EDMONDSON Photo by Anthony Colom
SMOKE ALARMS SAVE LIVES
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trench rescue Photos by Anthony Colom
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Photo by Engineer Wes Mims
Columbus Fire and Rescue Pays Homage To It’s Own BY ASSISTANT CHIEF MARTIN ANDREWS mandrews@columbusms.org
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The fire service is a brotherhood that is forged by the fires fought, the lives saved, and those that, despite our best efforts, we lost. Because of this special bond, there is no sadder day than when we lose one of our own. It is only fitting that the department honors these individuals for their sacrifice and career as a public servant. One such way that we show this respect is through the Columbus Fire and Rescue Honor Guard.
Formed in 1990, the Columbus Fire and Rescue Honor Guard provides military-style honors to members that have passed. The goal of the Honor Guard is to pay respect to firefighters that have passed away through the highest degree of professionalism, honor, and dignity possible. To present the best possible image of the department and the city, the Honor Guard meets once per month for several hours to perfect each service offered until it can be performed with flawless precision. Presently, there are approximately 30 firefighters that participate on the Honor Guard. One question that I get asked is, "What does the Honor Guard do?" The Honor Guard's primary duty is to stand vigil during the wake or viewing period. This vigil is accomplished by a team of two standing watch in 15 minute intervals, one at the head and one at the foot of the casket. Honor Guard teams will continue this rotation throughout the viewing period. The Honor Guard also will perform other duties such as having Guard members line up in one straight line or two lines facing each other inside the sanctuary door, providing ushers for the service, folding the flag that draped the casket, and providing pallbearers. It is important to note that any service performed by the Honor Guard is based strictly upon the wishes of the family. The Honor Guard responds to requests from both current and retired fire department members. In addition to fire department members, the Honor Guard has also participated in services of past elected officials. For me, as with other department members, it is important to be a part of the Honor Guard as a way to recognize and honor the firefighters that came before us that have made the department what it is today, as well as recognize the bravery of our members that have made the ultimate sacrifice in laying down their lives in the line of duty. This finale tribute is the least we can do for our own.
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Honor & Service
CFR Honor Guard carrying the casket of retired Captain, Johnny Mathews. Captain Mathews, a West Point, Mississippi native, was employed with the department from 1973- 1994, and was the first African-American to serve as Captain with the department.
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1. Engineer Anthony Smith 2. Engineer Randall Beatty 3. Firefighter Trainee Cody Cantrell 4. Engineer Darren Allbritton 5. Engineer Lamarcus Phillips 6. Firefighter Dale Ballard 7. Captain Brett Thompson 8. Fire Marshal Todd Weathers 9. Firefighter Steve Loden 10. Engineer Richard McBride and Firefighter Matt Jones 11. Captain Mike Chandler 12. Captain Frederick Hargrove (All photos by Anthony Colom)
Chicken Alfredo
2 bags of Lipton’s Chicken Alfredo Pasta 1 can vegetable blend (carrots, peas, green beans, corn, potatoes) 4 boneless cooked chicken breast 1 can of creme of chicken soup 1 can of creme of broccoli soup 1 can of rotel tomatoes 1 (8oz.) bag of shredded cheese 3/4 cup of milk 2 1/2 cups of water 1 tbl. margarine
Mix vegetables and soup; simmer for 10 minutes. In separate pan mix milk, water, margarine and pasta, and cook 8-10 minutes. Add all ingredients with de-boned cooked chicken in a 2 1/2 qt. casserole dish. Stir thoroughly and layer with cheese. Bake at 400 degrees until cheese melts. Serve with salad and garlic bread. Makes 4-6 servings. 1 (16-ounce) can crushed pineapple 1 (21-ounce) can (cherry,apple,or peach) pie filling 1 (18.25-ounce) package yellow cake mix 1/2 cup butter Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease well a 13 x 9 x 2inch pan, and dump pineapples (including juice) into the prepared pan; spread evenly.
Dump Cake
Dump (cherry, apple, or peach) pie filling over pineapples; spreading evenly.
Dump yellow cake mix over the top; spreading evenly. Cut butter into 1/4-inch slices and arrange over the top. Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean (about 40 minutes). Makes 8-10 servings.
Photo by Engineer Wes Mims
SAFETY in the
KITCHEN
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BY FIRE and LIFE SAFETY EDUCATOR / PIO CAROLE SUMMERALL csummerall@columbusms.org
Everyone enjoys cooking. Okay, maybe not everyone, but it is safe to say that everyone enjoys eating. Food brings families and friends together for many festive occasions. For those of you who enjoy cooking or have to cook, here is some food for thought. Simply because someone forgot a meal cooking on the stove, people were needlessly burned and thousands of dollars of damage was done to property. There are a few simple things we can do to make cooking a safe and enjoyable event: - Never let children play in the kitchen while food is cooking - Clean grease, oil and food from all of your appliances. - While cooking, keep all pot handles turned in so they won't be knocked off of the stove. - Wear tight fitting clothes. Loose sleeves can catch fire if they get near hot burner. - Don't store combustible items on or over your stove. They can easily catch fire and you can get burned by reaching over hot burners. - Heat all cooking oils slowly. - If a pan containing grease or food catches fire, cover the pan with a lid and turn off the heat. If a fire starts in your oven or microwave, close the door and turn off the heat. Never open a microwave or oven door if a fire starts. It will only worsen the fire by giving it fresh oxygen. - If a fire happens in your kitchen, no matter how large or small you think it is, call the fire department. Better safe than sorry ! - And please, don't go off from home and leave your stove turned on. If you do, you may come home to find unexpected guests with big red trucks !
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CITY OF COLUMBUS RECEIVES NEW FIRE TRUCK
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Photo by Engineer Wes Mims
REMEMBER WHEN..... BY CHIEF of TRAINING DUANE HUGHES
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With the start of each New Year, we often find ourselves thinking back. Remembering the highs and lows of the previous months, and the people we shared them with. Many of our friends and loved ones continue with us on life's journey, creating new memories of fun times and laughter. Other dear ones have reached the end of their passage. We recall them in this New Year only in our minds eye. We remember the good times and close bonds formed. These thoughts often bring smiles to our faces, and often tears to our eyes. Humor plays a large role in the lives of emergency responders. Facing the grim reality of trauma and loss, these men and women compose themselves and present a professional appearance to the public. It is only in the privacy of the stations that their guard is lowered, and often the tears fall. Most responders are trained to recognize stress in themselves and fellow co-workers. Communicating with counselors and physical exercise are just a couple of avenues for dealing with the stress of the job. One of the most effective and widespread forms of stress reduction is laughter. The sounds of laughter are as common to the firehouse as fire hose and sliding poles. Fire fighters are notorious practical jokers. Heaven help any new member that lets it slip that he is afraid of spiders. They will soon find plastic critters in their lockers and beds! The best jokes are remembered for years, and sometimes become the stuff of legend. Everyone at Columbus Fire and Rescue can tell you about the five gallon water buckets that drenched the unsuspecting back porch victim. Some older members can speak of the bank deposit bag that jumped whenever someone tried to pick it up. Whether it was frozen mashed potatoes in the ice-cream box, or salted sweet tea, these fire house pranks live through the years. They often grow with each retelling. The best prank stories are handed down to each new generation of firefighter. Long retired members are celebrated for their quick wit or ingenuity. The passage of time doesn't dull the memory of those long gone, or the laughs they still create. That healing laughter is just one of many gifts given by those that have gone ahead of us. So with the beginning of a New Year ahead of us, let's remember when‌
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Words and Photo by Anthony Colom Every year, Columbus Fire and Rescue raffles off a few items at it’s annual Christmas party. The money raised is then divided among each engine company on all 3 shifts. The engine companies are allowed to give the money to anyone, or any organization in need during the holidays.
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Some of the crews will stand in front of local retail stores and give money to
parents and ask them to buy toys for their children. Some will help the elderly purchase expensive medication at local pharmacies, while others have purchased groceries for families, or simply purchased toys to hand out to kids passing by. The recipients always smile and thank the firefighters. Some have asked the guys to give the money to someone more deserving, and some
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will even look around as if they’re being filmed by hidden camera. The citizens of Columbus have always supported the men and women of Columbus Fire and Rescue, and CFR Gives is simply a way for the firefighters to show gratitude for the blessings they receive all year long.
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