Oklahoma Firefighter Dec 2020/Jan 2021 by Oklahoma State Firefighters Assoc

December 2020 / January 2021 Volume 37, Issue 10

Official publication of the Oklahoma State Firefighters Association

19th Annual OSFA Volunteer Fire Caucus

Feb. 6 at Comanche County Fairgrounds in Lawton

Equipment Exchange at Caucus! Details on Page 15

I N S I D E

OSFA Executive Board Members’ Comments............................................................. 5-6 OSFA Executive Director’s Report - Tippy Pierce .......................................................... 7 OSFA Administrative Director’s Report - Sheri Nickel ................................................. 7 ORFA Report - President George Fina ........................................................................... 8 Women’s Auxiliary Report - Courtney Thompson ........................................................ 8 Firefighter Near-Miss Report - Greg Lindsay ............................................................... 12 Museum News - Gene Brown .........................................................................................13 In Memoriam .................................................................................................................. 18 Executive Board Meeting Highlights ............................................................................. 24 Oklahoma Fire Spotlight -- Keys FD ............................................................................. 26

ChangeService ServiceRequested Requested Change

OKLAHOMA STATE STATE FIREFIGHTERS FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION ASSOCIATION OKLAHOMA 2716 N.E. N.E. 50th 50th St. St. 2716 Oklahoma City, City, OK OK 73111 73111 Oklahoma

Non-Profit Org. Org. Non-Profit U.S. Postage Postage U.S. PAID PAID Okla. City, OK OK Okla. City, Permit No. No. 570 570 Permit

2December 2020 / January 2021Oklahoma Firefighter

klahoma Firefighter December 2020 / January 2021 Volume 37 — Issue 10

Official Publication of the Oklahoma State Firefighters Association

Oklahoma FirefighterDecember 2020 / January 20213 Check out our social media @IFSTA for more information and testimonial content!

Available Now! Leadership for the Wildland Fire Officer Leading in a Dangerous Profession SECOND Edition

2716 N.E. 50th Street Oklahoma City, OK 73111 (405) 424-1452 • 1-800-308-5336 Fax (405) 424-1032 osfa@osfa.info • www.osfa.info Published monthly by and for members of the Oklahoma State Firefighters Association to educate its membership, to improve the fire service, and to enhance the value and dignity of their profession, either paid or volunteer. Editor in Chief (Interim) Tippy Pierce tippy@osfa.info

Managing Editor Penelope Soldan penelopes@osfa.info

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Written to NWCG PMS 310-1

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Chapters 1-5 address leadership tactics for ANY leader in ANY position

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Don’t miss the Addendum – After Action Reports detailing some of the best known wildland fires and what could have gone differently.

ITEM# 36329

Letters to the Editor: Oklahoma Firefighter encourages the

open exchange of ideas, opinions and concerns among members of the fire service community. Letters to the Editor should: concentrate on issues, not personalities; be typed; be signed by the writer and include writer’s telephone number; and be mailed (or emailed) to the Oklahoma State Firefighters Association: 2716 N.E. 50th St., Oklahoma City, OK, 73111 (osfa@osfa.info). Oklahoma Firefighter reserves the right to publish, edit and condense letters according to space limitations and the editor’s judgement. Great care will be taken to ensure the message in the letter is not altered. Anonymous letters will not be published.

Official publication of the Oklahoma State Firefighters Association

May 2019 Volume 36, Issue 4

ACTA NON VERBA ( Actions not Words )

Oklahoma State Firefighters Association Oklahoma State 126th OSFAConvention Firefighters

Oklahoma State

Association

Firefighters

125th OSFA

Association

Hosted By Ponca City Fire Department

It’s an easy and convenient way to stay on top of what’s happening at OSFA!

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Read it on your smart phone, laptop or other digital device!

Newspaper

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Get your Oklahoma Firefighter newspaper the minute it goes to press!

ADvertisers’ INDEX Casco Industries Page 28

OAEVT Page 18

Chief Fire & Safety Page 13

OSU FST Page 22-23

Conrad Fire Equipment Page 25

Pension & Retirement Pages 22

FPP Wildland Book Page 3

Phillips Murrah P.C. Page 10

ITE Fire & Rescue Page 4

Roberts Testing Page 18

The Kloset Gifts Page 27

Sharp Testing Page 27

Convention

OKLAHOMA STATE STATE FIREFIGHTERS FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION ASSOCIATION OKLAHOMA 2716 N.E. N.E. 50th 50th St. St. 2716 Oklahoma City, City, OK OK 73111 73111 Oklahoma

Convention

Call to order 405-424-3440. Visit the online gift shop at www.osfa.info

June 5 - 8, 2019

for Digital 126th OSFA

Available in the OSFA Museum!

I N S I D E

2019 OSFA Convention Details .......................................................................................4 OSFA Executive Board Members’ Comments ............................................................5-6 OSFA Executive Director’s Report - Steve Lumry ..........................................................7 OSFA Women’s Auxiliary Report -Marti Carpenter ......................................................8 Firefighter Near-Miss Report - Greg Lindsay ............................................................... 10 Museum News - Gene Brown ........................................................................................13 ORFA Report - President Juan Rodriguez ....................................................................15 House Passes Firefighter Bills ............................................................................... 18-19 Chaplain’s Corner - Kim Hayes .....................................................................................19 Executive Board Meeting Highlights ............................................................................ 24 Oklahoma Fire Spotlight -- Ft. Towson FD .................................................................. 26

Simply call (405-424-1452) or email the OSFA office (osfa@osfa.info) and request digital editions! Please provide your name and address for verification.

NAFECO Page 2

4December 2020 / January 2021Oklahoma Firefighter

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Oklahoma FirefighterDecember 2020 / January 20215

1st vice President

PresidenT n

Eric Harlow

Guthrie FD

ericharlow200@gmail.com

starting the new year. It’s that time of the year again. The Legislature will be in session here in short order. One thing is for sure, the Legislative Committee, Executive Board and OSFA staff will be working hard to monitor, support and fight legislation that affects the Oklahoma fire service. We will also continue working on a cost of living raise for our volunteers, who have not seen a COLA in over a decade now. Do you know your legislators? There are several new ones taking office, so now is the time to get acquainted with them. Your OSFA may need you to call on them for support during this upcoming legislative session. Our COVID numbers in the state continue to stay up. Our hospitals continue to stay full and many ICU’s are at capacity. Many cities have mask mandates in place while others are highly encouraging their use. Our agency continues to see an increase in responses to positive COVID patients. We all must stay diligent in our cleaning and disinfecting procedures and do our part in cutting the numbers. It appears the vaccine should be in Oklahoma soon according to the health department, so that will hopefully help our country in getting past this pandemic. I hope everyone has cleaned their chimneys for this winter season. I’d hate for Santa’s outfit to get all dirty from sliding down a nasty chimney! On that subject, home fires always increase during this time of year. Many times, fires are caused by people heating their homes in non-traditional manners, such as using a stove or oven to heat their home or combustible items left too close to space heaters. Please use every opportunity to educate your citizens on the dangers of home fires during the winter months. Fire prevention can be delivered yearround and it’s cheap and easy for departments to present! I know the school-aged children especially enjoy the firefighters visiting their schools. Take every chance you can to connect with your young ones. You may make a life-changing impact on them or even foster a future firefighting career! I hope all of you, your families and your departments have a holiday full of happiness and fellowship. I look forward to a great 2021 with our organization and the Oklahoma Fire Service. Stay safe and have a Very Merry Christmas!

2020-21 OSFA Executive Board

PRESIDENT

Eric Harlow • 405-520-2893 ericharlow200@gmail.com 1ST VICE PRESIDENT

Cliff Davidson • 580-554-1886 davidsoncliff@yahoo.com 2ND VICE PRESIDENT

Jim Ed Nimmo • 918-557-8379 jimnimmo7@gmail.com 3RD VICE PRESIDENT

Tony Lopez • 405-739-1343 tlopez@midwestcityok.org PAST PRESIDENT

Mike Kelley • 405-623-4338 mkelley@local157.org

Ringwood FD

580-554-1886 davidsoncliff@yahoo.com

405-520-2893

Greetings Oklahoma Firefighters! The holiday season is upon us and before you know it, we will be

Cliff Davidson

Hello everyone! These are some crazy times we are living in. As if Covid-19 wasn’t bad enough, we can’t even figure out who our next president is. I don’t know about you guys, but I am ready to wake up from this nightmare. The whole COVID thing seems to be not if you are going to catch it but when. My heart goes out to all those that have lost loved ones to this terrible virus. I live with a nurse, so I get told regularly to take my precautions. So far. she has kept me out of trouble. Even though I get a little aggravated at her at times, I know she is just looking out for me. I have heard every kind of expert opinion about wearing or not wearing a mask. I have decided to listen to the person dealing with it every day she goes to work. To all those on the front lines, I want to thank you all so much for what you do. What we all do as individuals should indeed be our choice. But in these times, our individual choices can affect so many others. I will continue to wear my mask while I am in public and keep my hands washed or sanitized out of respect for those around me. I think it is the least I can do. I hope you all are taking your precautions during these unprecedented times, especially through the holidays. Christmas is a time for giving, but we don’t want to give this to our loved ones. I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a safe New Year. Stay Safe!

3rd vice president n

Tony Lopez

Midwest City FD

tlopez@midwestcityok.org

405-739-1343

Greetings everyone! I hope all is well. I hope everyone is still surviving this pandemic. It is crazy the amount of cases and hospitalization that we have right now. I was kinda excited that they have come out with a vaccine so fast. I’m not sure if I will take it. I may have to wait and see what side effects people have first before I decide. We have had several more cases at our department, but thankfully no severe cases. We are still keeping the museum closed for safety reason. This has given Gene and the boys a chance to get a lot of needed maintenance done on the Memorial and Museum. Please stay safe and wear your mask, distance, and wash your hands. Well, we finally got the election behind us. I am so glad we don’t have to see or hear any more campaign commercials. I know the elections turned out good for some and not so good for some. It doesn’t matter which party affiliation you are, we are all still Americans and we need to come together to make our country whole again. The Safety and Health Committee met this past month and had a very productive meeting. They are working hard on putting together resources to address some of the issues in the fire service right now. Look for things to come in OSFA’s official publication and website. Also, check out these two sources for information on upcoming events, such as the OSFA Volunteer Fire Caucus, the OFCA Winter Workshop, OSFA State Fire School and more. I can’t believe how fast the year has gone by. We just celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas is around the corner. It will be a little different celebrating the holidays, but let us not forget the real reason will celebrate. I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and I pray we all have a blessed New Year. Like always, if you have any questions, please reach out to me. Stay safe and God bless.

6December 2020 / January 2021Oklahoma Firefighter

2nd vice PresidenT n

Jim Ed Nimmo

Tulsa FD

jimnimmo7@gmail.com • 918-557-8379 Lately I’ve been giving a lot of thought to what I expected, and what I think others expected the job to be like. I’ve also thought a lot about what we look for in candidates in an effort to better understand a current phenomenon we are dealing with on the board. Speaking plainly, the number of “disability in the line of duty” pensions being granted for mental related illness, with PTSD being by and large the most often cited, to members who have not fulfilled their 20 year obligation to the system is alarming. I do not think it can be sustained over time. I have mulled it over many times and there are many facets to the issue. There are statutory constraints, past practices, ethical and moral conflicts, legal probabilities, personal feelings and monetary realities, to name a few. My obligation as a trustee and fiduciary of the system is to ensure the health of the system, and to ultimately insure service pensions for members, both volunteer and paid, who have fulfilled their obligation and dedicated a significant portion of their adult lives to the fire service in Oklahoma. That seems obvious enough, but when you factor in the facets I mentioned previously, things get complicated and the water gets muddy. This brings me back to my original statement. The vision and the reality of the fire service, and how candidates are vetted. There are many ways candidates are vetted, but practically speaking, it boils down to the formal processes each individual department uses to determine mental (intelligence) and physical aptitude -- what I would call the informal “eye” test -- and the personal relationships the candidate has with folks who are already on the job or in some way affiliated with the department. I am sure those who do the hiring cringe at the idea of the latter being spoken out loud, but to deny its place in the process, regardless of the illusions we create for legal purposes, is

just not reality. My question is this, what are you doing to vett candidates for what they will experience on the job? More so than that, what are you doing to paint a real picture of what the fire service experience is prior to appointment? My suspicion is we are not doing a very good job prior to the hiring, conditional offers of employment or appointment process. We do a good job of advertising positive intangibles like the sense of honor, duty, service, fraternal spirit and pride. When it comes to negatives like exposure, frustration, monotony, filth, fear, finances, family dynamics, and how all these among others will effect personal lives and longevity, we don’t do much to access how candidates will deal with it prior to hiring them. I’m not sure mental health professionals are truly equipped or willing to do it either, at least not in a critical light. When I started in the late 90s, one of the canned questions I was asked in an interview was something to the tune of “will your spouse be able to handle you being away from home for 24 hours at a time?” A better question may have been “will YOU be able to handle not knowing what’s happening at home for 24 hours at a time?” I mention that because it seems to me that that (and related factors) are just as big of contributors to mental health issues as job exposures. No one would ever question whether a member, regardless of time in service, was physically paralyzed in performance of their duty, and in turn granted a pension for the rest of their life. When the reason for disability is so vague, and the diagnosis and prognosis subjective, how can the benefit be sustained over time in a job that produces more baggage than most, coupled with the baggage of life in general? I am not writing this to cast blame, shame or shade on anyone. What I do hope is that it will open a dialogue and cast some light on an issue that is likely to become bigger in the future without some very tough decisions and action.

past president n

Mike Kelley Oklahoma City FD mkelley@local157.org

While Thanksgiving this year may have looked different than in years past, it was still a time to reflect on what we are thankful for regardless of the current circumstances. I am thankful for a God that works all things together for good for those who put their faith and trust in him. While individually we may have had more challenging years than this one, I would have to say collectively we’ve never experienced a year quite like 2020. Don’t let the chaos of this year rob you of the opportunity to acknowledge the blessings along the way. I’m thankful for my friends and family, and as firefighters a lot of people fall in both categories, friends and family. Because firefighters know that when you become a firefighter, you are joining a family. And as you work side by side at both the mundane and life harrowing tasks, you build bonds of friendship that are unequaled. I’m thankful for the blessing of having had the opportunity to serve alongside my best friends. As the fire service, we have continued the long tradition of bringing order to chaos in this most chaotic of times. Doing so, however, can take its toll on you and those around you. So, if you’re hurting or feel overwhelmed at any point along your career or retirement, please reach out to your firefighter family! We are there for each other! While the museum and offices remain closed to the public, your staff, board and committees continue to work on firefighter issues. The Legislative Committee is preparing for the upcoming legislative session, and the other committees are engaged and working hard on various ideas and solutions to the challenges we face. As of now, the Chief’s Winter Workshop is scheduled for Jan. 20-22, 2021, in Stillwater and the Volunteer Caucus will be held Feb. 6 in Lawton. In the last month, the pension system finally received a ruling on just the temporary restraining order concerning what many of us call the Plan B lawsuit. Let me make clear that the lawsuit itself has not been settled. In fact, it hasn’t even been litigated. The ruling on appeal was that interest on Plan B accounts will not be required to be paid out unless the member has achieved the age of 70.5 at which point the IRS RMD (Required Minimum Distribution) takes effect. This ruling is in effect until the lawsuit is definitively settled. May you and yours have a happy and blessed holiday season!

Help support your Oklahoma Firefighters Museum Expansion and Oklahoma Fallen and Living Firefighters Memorial PURCHASE AN OKLAHOMA FIREFIGHTER LICENSE TAG! Money received from the purchase of each tag goes directly to financing upkeep on the Oklahoma Fallen and Living Firefighters Memorial and Oklahoma Firefighters Museum. Oklahoma Firefighter tags cost $40 a year (on top of regular tag fees) and $20 goes directly to the Museum/Memorial.

Tags can be purchased from local tag agents any time during the year -- not just with your regular plate. And they can be customized to 6 letters as approved by the Tax Commission. Forms for Oklahoma Firefighter tags can be downloaded from www.osfa.info.

Oklahoma FirefighterDecember 2020 / January 20217

OSFA Administrative director

OSFA executive director (interim) n

Tippy Pierce tippy@osfa.info

• 405-424-1452

Well this has been a very strange year! Last month, we had thanksgiving in it and it looked anything but normal. Some families did not even get together. Many only had one or two

that got together. Now it is Christmas, and the OSFA Christmas party was canceled. The ORFA Staff Christmas Dinner may or may not happen, depending on if we can find a restaurant that can accommodate that many people. Things that were commonplace are now very different. Oh, how our lives have changed! Every time we turn on the news, the Covid numbers for our state are going up. Here at the OSFA Office, we have made changes to keep staff and others that come to the building safe. We have not shut down committee meetings as we did in March, but by the use of zoom, we have a very limited amount of people coming to these meetings. The plus to the use of zoom is that you can still be here but you’re not here and you don’t have to wear the masks! You can relax in your own environment and you are safe. The Volunteer Fire Services Committee has made great progress to insure the Volunteer Caucus will be a success on Feb. 6, 2021. They are doing something new, which is an equipment

Moore Retired

exchange program. It will work like this: If your department has equipment that is no longer being used, you can bring it to the caucus and other departments that need it can pick it up and take it to their fire department for use. This is brothers helping brothers. The Legislative Committee has met and is looking forward to what bills come out over at the State Capitol this month. They continue to work on last year’s ideas that were not taken to the legislature. The Safety and Health Committee is working on a recommendation about ways of protecting the firefighter from cancer due to the workplace environment. You will see this coming out in the future. The first phase of the Museum Expansion is still waiting on the building permit from Oklahoma City before we can start to move dirt. I hope by the beginning of the year that we have that under way. I want to wish each and everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the OSFA Staff and Executive Board Members. Please be safe, and we are all looking forward to a better 2021. God Bless each and every one of you!

2016-2020 OSFA SAFER GRANT Recruitment & Retention First Time Firefighters FF 1 - Bunker Gear

Year-4 of SAFER Grant Opened Nov. 29, 2019 Funds dispersed on a first-come firstserved basis

ALL goals were met even before Year-4 began!

And because of the success of this grant, OSFA was awarded a new SAFER Grant for 2020-2024 to sustain and enhance what is already being done!

OKLAHOMA STATE FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION

Sheri Nickel Grant Coordinator www.OSFA.info sherin@osfa.info 405-424-1452 • 580-554-7123

Classes Covered by first SAFER Grant n Firefighter 1 n EVDT n UTV/ATV n Leadership for Small Departments n Calling the May Day n Responding to the May Day n Water Shuttle n Pump Ops n Wildland Fundamentals n Wildland Skills n Wildland Foam n Vehicle Extrication Fundamentals n Vehicle Extrication Tech 1A

Classes Covered by new SAFER Grant n Firefighter 1 n Firefighter 2 n Vehicle Extrication n LPG (Tentatively) n EVDT n TIMS n Other classes TBA

Sheri Nickel

Orlando FD

sherin@osfa.info

405-424-1452

How many of you all wake up every morning wondering if this will be the day that you are struck down with Covid? Perhaps you have already suffered through it and have a sense of relief that it’s over with, or maybe your family is grieving due to the loss of a loved due to this terrifying pandemic. I remember back in the beginning of all of this, a few of us were sitting around the table in the kitchen inside the OSFA office in a light hearted-conversation about all of the “pandemics” that we have worked through as firefighters. The swine flu, West Nile virus and SARS, to name just a few. “BSI and the scene is safe” resonates in our minds with every medical call. And we are taught that the most effective way to prevent the spread of disease is hand washing. As firefighters, we know how to protect ourselves, but this pandemic has hit us differently than it has in the past, and our light-hearted conversation around the kitchen table has turned into more concerning conversation about how are we going to protect our staff. The Oklahoma State Firefighters Museum remains closed until further notice. While the office remains open and we have started committee meetings again, we are encouraging Zoom video conferencing. (Let me just say to those of you that don’t want to embrace this technology, that if George Fina can Zoom, anyone can.) If you want to attend in person, no problem, but a mask is required to enter the building. At this time, we have one staff member assigned to all committee meetings. Madelyn will be in the office daily to continue day-to-day operations and take care of in-person communications. Trisha and Diane will be working from home indefinitely. We have made that decision based off personal health issues affecting either of them personally or close family members. We want to keep our small staff as safe as possible so that we can continue to serve our members as we always have. As for the rest of us, we will be in and out of the office and do our best to stay safe ourselves. None of us are fond of the mask mandates, but as this virus continues to creep up on our family and friends, we don’t have a choice except to embrace the effectiveness of them and keep one in our pocket at all times. The show must go on and we will continue to plan our traditional events but always have it in the fronts of our minds that all of our efforts may go down the drain at a moment’s notice. We hope to see you at the Chief’s Winter Workshop in January and the Volunteer Caucus in February. The Chief’s board and the OSFA Volunteer Fire Service Committee have both lined up great events. Social distancing and mask requirements are most likely going to be required as this has become the norm of society, but don’t let it stop you from attending. Whatever your belief is and how ever it is that you pray and worship, now is a good time to do it with vengeance. Our world is a messy place and although it may never be what we consider normal, a new sense of peace has to be on the horizon.

8December 2020 / January 2021Oklahoma Firefighter

ORFA REport

RAFFLE FOR Kubota RTV-XG850

George Fina

1 Ticket for $25 • 5 Tickets for $100

Oklahoma City FD Retired Well, it is over. By the time you read this, I hope we have a President-elect. We have a lot to look forward -- to no more political ads and the ice storm is gone, but not the tree limbs. No matter how you voted, President-elect Biden loves firefighters and that cannot be all bad. I am looking for a new battle at the Capitol. I pray to God that this Covid-19 virus is gone as fast as it came here in Oklahoma City. We have lost members all over the state and even a married couple passed away within two days of each other. When you bend your knees tonight, please pray for those families who have lost loved ones. They are gone from our firefighter family, also. Thanksgiving will have been here and gone by the time you read this, and Christmas is just around the corner. We have much to be thankful for. One thing is our raise that may open the door for more to come. You belong to the strongest brotherhood in the world. Stand tall, my friend. Wear that mask!

page to ponder Donnie Bennett Oklahoma City FD Safety & Heath Committee

The past several months have been challenging to Oklahoma firefighters, to say the least. Updates to policies and procedures regarding COVID-19 are still a continuous thing. Although we are several months in, new and important information is still being administered on a daily basis, so our organizations can continue to operate and safely serve the community. Usually around this time of year, we typically reach out to our family and friends more than normal due to the holiday season. While most people enjoy the holiday season, the holidays can be a very difficult time for some, for a variety of reasons. This being said; we should always be more vigilant and willing to assist those in need around this time of year. But due to the current climate, we need to be twice as vigilant and willing to assist if at all possible. As you help others, please remember to take care of yourself, and please reach out to someone if you are in need of assistance, and take advantage of the many recources available to Oklahoma Firefighters. Stay safe, stay healthy and stay ready.

Tickets can be purchased at www.osfa.info/gift-shop/donations/

ORFA organized this fundaiser for the Firefighters Museum Expansion Project

PRESIDENT George Fina, OKC gomsoc38@gmail.com 1ST VICE PRESIDENT A.K. “Yogi” Cole, Tulsa ycole@ipa.net 2ND VICE PRESIDENT James Fullingim, Norman nfdchief@hotmail.com 3RD VICE PRESIDENT Mike Duncan, Dewey mduncan51@aol.com

Drawing for the Kubota ATV side-by-side will be held the Saturday of the 2021 OSFA Convention (dates to be decided). Winner will not have to be present to win. Deadline to enter is the Sunday before the 2021 OSFA Convention. Sales are online only

PAST PRESIDENT Tippy Pierce, Moore fftip@swbell.net

Women’s Auxiliary Report

Courtney Thompson

Jr Board Member

Hello all! I hope your Thanksgiving celebrations, whether at home or at the station, were full of love, laughter and a lot of priceless memories. The Covid 19 situation may have made your holiday a bit different than usual, but I pray that each of you had still had plenty to be thankful for. The Statewide Memorial Service was a bit different this year but no less special. I hope you grasped the opportunity to join virtually, as those who are no longer with us were recognized for their service to the Oklahoma Fire Service, and their families were shown appreciation and gratitude for the dedication and time each of their firefighters gave to their departments and to the fire service. The same day as the Memorial Service, the ground breaking ceremony for the museum expansion took place. There will be a lot of changes coming in the future, and I am excited to see the progress on the expansion! I wish I could have attended these events in person, but with Covid 19 concerns and two very immune compromised family members, I had to remain as isolated as possible. The volunteer caucus will be taking place in February. If you or your firefighter is a member of a volunteer department, please encourage them to attend this event. This caucus is an opportunity for them to discuss the issues and concerns facing the volunteers and their departments. If there are any of you that have questions on how to become a member of the state auxiliary, what the state auxiliary does or how to start a local auxiliary, I would love to help. Please contact me and I will share with you how to get involved with this great group! I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year! Be safe and keep warm, as I am sure our Oklahoma weather will have some chilly surprises for us during the next couple of months.

PRESIDENT Michele Cole momachel@aol.com VICE PRESIDENT Ashley Corbett ashleyc814@att.net SECRETARY/TREASURER Kendra Engle kedamo10@yahoo.com

JR BD MEMBER Courtney Thompson courtneythompson524@gmail.com PAST PRESIDENT Susan Walker sw233821@gmail.com

Oklahoma FirefighterDecember 2020 / January 20219

Public Education Committee Report Louis Marschik OKC FD

On behalf of the Public Education Committee, we would like to wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Our wish for you is that you all have a safe holiday season. To help you stay safe, here are a few friendly reminders during the winter holidays and cold weather: • Never leave any heat sources unattended while cooking. • Keep the children out of the kitchen if possible. • Unplug and extinguish all ignition sources before going to bed or leaving the house. A few examples include decoration lights, portable heaters, candles, stoves and fire places. • Keep little items away from kid’s mouths. Example: Button batteries can do major damage to a child’s internal organs. • Test your Smoke Alarms and Carbon Monoxide Detectors. • Have an escape plan that all family members have practiced. • Please check in with family members and friends who may live alone or have physical limitations. Take a walk through their house and help them prepare to be safe. Do you know of someone in your community who could use smoke alarms? How about someone who is deaf, hard of hearing or blind? • The OSFA has alarms for your community at no cost. They also have specialty alarms. Please have a representative from your department contact Gene Brown at the OSFA (405-4241452) so we can quickly assist your community. • The smoke alarms were donated through Vision 2020 representative Cody Banks and the specialty alarms were obtained by Dereck Cassady. The Public Education Committee is presently establishing two sub-committees: Curriculum and Special Needs. With these two committees we hope to reach more people with quality fire prevention education. Our committee would also like to inform you of a great opportunity that NFPA is offering. Community Risk Assessment (CRA) is a comprehensive evaluation that identifies, prioritizes, and defines the risks that pertain to the overall community. It is a critical first step in the Community Risk Reduction process and results in a full understanding of the community’s unique risks, capabilities, and characteristics. NFPA is seeking new fire departments to join its CRA pilot project. For more information, go to https://www.nfpa.org/crr. Deadline to apply is Dec. 16.

live long & prosper Terry Essary

Stillwater FD

I want to start out by saying “Hi” to everyone and how honored I am to serve on the Safety & Health Committee with such awesome people. I don’t know about you, but I was excited to ring in this last year. It was like anticipating the visit of a family member only to see cousin Eddie pull up in his RV, and start emptying his black water tank into your driveway! But one thing this year has definitely reminded us of is the need to take care of ourselves. We all work in a highly competitive atmosphere that takes pride in being able to work long hours with minimal rest. In fact, we often look at the need to rest or sleep as a sign of being weak, and we often hear the phrase ‘I’ll sleep when I’m dead.’ But we are learning that we need to stop and take a close look at what the science is telling us about sleep. We now know that sleep is not merely a luxury, but it is essential to many aspects of our physical and mental health.

Safety & Heath Committee

A leading sleep scientist has discovered some very interesting facts about what has historically been a blind spot (Walker, 1997). He has dedicated his life’s work to discovering why we sleep, and he discovered that sleep is vital for protecting the immune system, reducing the chances of strokes and heart attacks, logical thought and memory, preventing weight gain and type 2 diabetes, and the list goes on and on. So we have to start looking at getting at least six hours of sleep every night, with the optimal amount to be between seven and nine hours, in order to function at the highest level we possibly can. So as this new year starts, I challenge all of us to take control of all aspects of our health so we can make this upcoming year the most enjoyable and most productive year we’ve ever had. Merry Christmas, and stay safe my friends! References: Walker, Matthew (2017). Why We Sleep: The New Science of Sleep and Dreams. Published by Penguin Random House.

The Perfect Storm: The Onset of Burnout 10December 2020 / January 2021Oklahoma Firefighter

By Asa Don Brown, Ph.D., C.C.C., D.N.C.C.M., F.A.A.E.T.S. Member, Board of Professional and Scientific Advisors American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress Diplomate, National Center for Crisis Management Fellow, American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress It has been a year of chaos, confusion and complete madness. The pandemic is not the only thing to blame for the pandemonium plaguing our global community. For many within the medical community -- from the responders, nurses, physicians, paramedics, and other essential workers -- there has been an increased demand upon their overall performance. The demands have included an increase workload, a decrease in support staff and the list goes on. The demands have created a perfect storm arising from a number of negative and unpredictable factors. Then there are the effects of a political season that has been unlike any other. It has been the icing on the cake for many throughout our global community. The onset of burnout occurs when an individual is feeling overwhelmed, exhausted and completely depleted. It may feel as though they have been submerged into a bottomless abyss unable to return to the surface. For many individuals who are experiencing burnout, there is a lack of personal support. The lack of support may cause an individual to feel an increased sense of vulnerability, hopelessness and an overwhelming sense of impeding endangerment. For many individuals with preexisting mental health conditions, such a calamity of concern, may only perpetuate their looming sense of doom. Even for those without preexisting mental health conditions, the year of 2020 has been a lesson in vicarious trauma. Vicarious trauma occurs when an individual has been exposed to a traumatic event indirectly. Unfortunately, there has been no escaping this water-cooler conversation. The vicarious trauma has been prolonged by the uncertainty of this pandemic. While burnout is a very common issue for nurses, social workers and clinicians of all types, it can have an effect upon anyone, at any time, and any age. In simple, burnout occurs when an individual has experienced prolonged demands, chronic stress, fatigue, a lack of support and a decrease satisfaction in what they are doing. Children have been known to experience burnout with the demands of school and their extracurricular activities. There has been a recent uptick in the reported number of cases of burnout amongst children and youth. Given the pandemic and remote schooling, children are now being expected to perform at a higher pace and with greater productivity. The demands not only affect the children,

but the demands are overflowing onto their parental caregivers. The flooding of these demands are causing parents to feel a heftier obligation and an increase of expectations of the school and society in general. It, too, has been a perfect storm placing greater demands upon children and the family.

Dr. Asa Don Brown is an author, international speaker, psychologist and consultant. He was born in Tulsa, attended Westmoore High School and currently lives in New York where he trains as a New York State volunteer firefighter.

The Warning Signs of Burnout • An overwhelming sense of despair. • Self-imposed isolation. • Procrastination or lack of motivation. • Detachment or feeling withdrawn. • Decrease enthusiasm or pleasure. • Increasingly cynical or having a negative outlook. • Chronic fatigue. • Significant change in appetite or sleep habits. • Emotional exhaustion. • Feelings of entrapment, despair, and helplessness. • Lack of personal responsibility. • Decreased ability to feel pleasure. • Reliance on drugs, alcohol, or other substances to cope. • Feeling emotionally disengaged from others. It is always important to rule-out conditions that may be the causation of your burnout. Burnout may be caused by other significant medical or psychological conditions. Please be certain to always consult a medical or psychological physician regarding your concerns. Recognizing the early onset of burnout is of the utmost importance. Burnout has significantly risen throughout our global community. It has been reported that there are many individuals feeling isolation burnout. There has been a significant number of individuals choosing to be around others despite the risk of being exposed to COVID. Self-awareness is an essential ingredient in preventing or combating “burnout.” Burnout is often driven by the demands that are placed upon an individual. Burnout is not caused by lack of motivation or a weakness of one’s character. Rather, it is an issue that is fueled by one’s environment. When demands are placed upon an individual, they can prove detrimental to an individual’s ability to cope and manage. Burnout is a combination of issues involving one’s physical, emotional and psychological self. It is most commonly experienced when an individual has had prolonged stress or demands placed upon them. It is not uncommon for an individual to experience burnout when they have a preexisting psychological or mental health condition. Burnout can be prevented with proper self-care and a supportive environment. When children are supported they are equipped to fend off negativity. Refrain from constantly watching or engaging in conversations about COVID, the political atmosphere or negatively fueled conversations. While it is important to be aware of our surroundings, do not make this your mainstay. It is best to do everything through moderation. In some cases, an individual may experience burnout without any underlying conditions. Yet, burnout is commonly experienced when an individual is not receiving adequate support and the demands outweigh the benefits. When an individual is experiencing burnout, they are not only feeling hopeless, but they approach each day with a cautious hesitation.

Bringing Calmness to the Storm What does your environment look like? Are you living or working in a hostile environment? Do not accept or identify with messages that are blatantly negative or hostile. It is not only important to establish healthy boundaries, but to understand that you do not have to take ownership of other people’s messages. Likewise, avoid allowing your own mind to create such negative messages. Remember that positive self-talk is an intrinsic part of a healthy mind. An individual’s social environment has a tremendous impact upon their ability to prove resilient. It is critical that you reduce your exposure to negativity. Be a driving force behind empowerment. Empowerment is giving someone the authority, or the power, to prove triumphant. What supports do you have in place? An individual that is well insulated and empowered is a person who is less likely to develop burnout. Be certain to limit your exposure to negative people and environments. Focus on areas of your life that bring peace. The following tools have been proven to provide comfort or reprieve from stress: meditation, breathing, journaling, singing, exercise and psychotherapy. It is important that you listen to messages that are uplifting, inspiring and that provide a new skillset. Self-care is essential to combating burnout. At the end of the day, be certain to establish healthy boundaries and relationships; to request help when it is needed; to avoid taking on more than you are capable of managing; and to implement an exercise routine that involves your physical and psychological self.

Oklahoma FirefighterDecember 2020 / January 202111

Question & Answers

Oklahoma Firefighter asked last issue’s readers this question: “What’s your favorite thing at your Fire Station?”

Here is what they said: w Bre Horn, Marshall: My favorite thing at the fire station would probably be our Brush Truck 8 (pictured at right). She is a beast and takes a moment to get out there, but I love fighting fire with her. w Darren Alexander, Cedar Country: Since we are very rural, we have raccoons that show up from time to time. One of our captains left their shoes out by their truck during a fire call, and when I pulled in the parking lot, a large male raccoon was having ... well ... an intimate encounter with the captain’s shoes. We made eye contact, I grabbed a tanker and left him alone. So raccoons are my favorite thing at the station, but not my captain’s.

w Bert Norton, Midwest City: Here at Midwest City Fire Department Station One, we have a slide from upstairs to the rig room (pictured above).

w Tom Marcum, Mooreland: I’m not one who gets attached to things. People yes, things not so much. So my favorite “things” at my station is my Fire Family. Cheesy answer? Maybe. But it’s truthful. They’re awesome!

w Juan Rodriguez, Ret. Lawton: I’m retired now, but when I was at Central Fire Station, there is an old church across the street. From 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. the church bells would play a hymn every hour on the hour. The church is old and the bells are old and it would play old hymns. When the weather allowed, I would open my windows. Whenever I am in town, I occasionally hear them. The sound always brings me back.

w Donnie Bennett, Oklahoma City: Definitely the kitchen table at 31’s! Great memories ... from building the table to many years of enjoying my Doghouse Family around the table during meal time. w Randy Rose, Ret. Oklahoma City: Rosebud has been retired for 17 years, but my favorite thing at the station back then was the coffee pot! w Colton Castle, Jet: Brush 78 (pictured at right). Thanks to our county sales tax, we were able to purchase this brush rig. It is our first out rig and has so many capabilities. It is part of the county task force to go help other countries in the state for mutual aid. It also has CAFS system which helps conserve water and put out fires quickly. w Aaron Burns, Ret. Broken Arrow: I would have said my recliner at Station 5 and my crew. I am no longer at a station. I wish I was, though. w Cory Beagles, Deer Creek FPD: The stations themselves are probably my favorite thing. The changes we have made as a department as we grow has left its mark on our stations. From adding living quarters, bunker gear rooms, work benches, workout areas, training props, the new stations as a whole.

The stations serve as a progress report of our growth and the good times spent with our members doing those projects, creating pride and ownership, learning knew things and just having fun together. So perhaps its as much the people at the stations who provide for that growth and helped create those good times, and the station is more of a time line for remembering what we have accomplished.

w Greg Lindsay, Oklahoma City: My favorite thing at the station is my crew. Dedicated and passionate about their work. w Louis Marschik, Oklahoma City: The discussion after getting back from working a tough fire. Everyone is nasty and stinky, but there a sense of pride and teamwork that is hard to replicate anywhere else.

w Bruce Anthony, Ret. Tuttle: My favorite thing has always been spending time at the kitchen table visiting with the crew about family. But if you are asking what is my favorite physical thing, well, it has to be the fire pole. Having a brass pole where firefighters slide down from the second floor to the bay to respond to alarms is what makes a fire station a historic and iconic attraction. I’ve seen firefighters so talented they can slide the pole while holding a cup of coffee and never spill a drop. Good times. I miss those every day now that I’m retired. w Terry Essary, Stillwater: One of my favorite things at the fire station are the coffee-fueled conversations we have as we start the day. w George Fina, Ret. Oklahoma City: The pole at No. 5 Fire Station.

Next Issue’s Question -- “What’s one thing that can instantly make your day better?

Everyone is Welcome to Participate! Email Your Response to penelopes@osfa.info

12December 2020 / January 2021Oklahoma Firefighter

NEAR-MISS REPORT

By Greg Lindsay

Road Work

when they retrieve equipment like EMS supplies, hand tools, air bottles, or other things specific to where they are located on the apparatus? The lessons shared from this event discuss many of the same points. This is the review posted with this incident

Responding to an incident is a common thing for firefighters. We have been taught that size-up begins when the alarm is received and continues throughout the

incident. Each time a new piece of information is discovered, a new decision is generated from all involved. The decisions begin when we hear the tones drop and continue throughout the incident. For each position on the apparatus, the decisions are different, but each decision will affect the other crew members and could impact the entire event. The featured report this month involves a response to a fire in a high-rise building. As the apparatus arrived on scene, the personnel deployed for the incident. The factor that was not controlled for this incident was another motorist driving through the incident scene. As you read through this report, consider how you would choose each element of this response. The entire report, Struck by Vehicle While Donning PPE, can be found at http://firefighternearmiss.com/ Reports?id=16019.

LESSONS LEARNED Maintain situational awareness. Apparatus positioning / Angle apparatus appropriately. Where the air pack will be donned, position the apparatus off the road if possible. Don air pack on sidewalk or parking lot out of the roadway. Need for a deployable speed bump. Front of Apparatus

EVENT NARRATIVE Initial size-up: Fire alarm in a high-rise. Event Description: While responding to a fire alarm in a high-rise, the driver operator of an apparatus was struck by a vehicle while donning his air pack next to the apparatus. The driver of a four-door sedan was maneuvering around the engine, positioned roughly fifty feet in front of the squad on a two-lane road. While the driver of the sedan drove around the engine they were looking up at the building when the mirror struck the firefighter’s right elbow. The car was estimated to be going approximately 10 miles per hour. The firefighter saw the vehicle traveling in his direction and noticed the driver was unaware he was there. The firefighter reacted by jumping towards the apparatus in an attempt to dodge the car. The firefighter was transported to a local hospital and discharged later that day with a high elbow contusion. Pictures of the driver’s PPE compartment were included with this report. The gear is placed in a side compartment on the driver’s side. From the event narrative, there are some things that we do not know about but can predict based on our own department. As you discuss the following, place yourself in the driver’s seat on this apparatus and consider these points: • When arriving on the scene, how would you have spotted this apparatus? • The report stated a squad was about 50 feet in front of the apparatus. Would your decision about apparatus placement hinge on arrival placement? If you were the second apparatus to arrive, would it make a difference? • Some departments have protocols to determine assignments for large incidents like high-rise fires. Take a moment to discuss arrival/assignment protocols. • Assuming that other apparatus would be arriving and needed to access the building, would it have been appropriate to take more than one lane at this incident? • Do you consider where each piece of gear is placed on the apparatus when arriving on scene? Do you spot the apparatus to protect crewmembers from other drivers

OKC Fire Department

Rear of Apparatus

Where Firefighter Stood

It is common for the driver to don PPE on the scene. Where the gear is stored should be a consideration during apparatus placement, but other arriving apparatus may have gone into this driver’s decision-making process. The reporter mentioned positioning the apparatus where the operator can exit and don PPE from the road’s side rather than in a lane of traffic. Spotting on the other side of the road in the oncoming lane of travel may have placed the driver in a safer position without blocking ingress for other apparatus. The reporter mentioned angling the apparatus to provide more space. The challenge is how much to angle while keeping the area available for other apparatus. The report noted the compartment where the driver’s gear is stored extends about 14 inches from the side of the apparatus, forcing the operator at least that much more into the roadway; a minimum of half the next lane would be necessary to provide protection. Given this circumstance of a four-lane road, do you think taking half of the interior lane would have blocked the other arriving apparatus from access? The next decision about angling the apparatus involves the front or the rear for blocking. Should the back of the apparatus take up part of the next lane or the front angle? Each position has its advantages on protection and awareness for visibility. When a member of a crew is injured, two crews can be removed from an operation. The first crew is now shorthanded, and a second crew is assigned to provide medical for the injured person. In most jurisdictions, two extra crews are not readily available. We know the first five minutes of a fire alarm can dictate the next five hours. Occasionally the circumstances outside of our control drive the process, and sometimes our decisions do. If you have had an event where the things that happen early made a significant difference in the outcome, I would like to hear about it. Click on the website at www.Firefighternearmiss. com and select “Submit a Report.” The experience is free, anonymous, and easy to use. If you get stuck, send me an email, and I can walk you through it. For more information about traffic management at an incident, go to Respondersafety.com and review the free resources available there. The program is sponsored by the United States Fire Administration, among other national organizations, and provides valuable information for all responders.

Museum news

Oklahoma FirefighterDecember 2020 / January 202113

Support Oklahoma Firefighters Museum by shopping at AmazonSmile

Gene Brown Museum Director geneb@osfa.info 405-424-3440

Hello Everyone! The museum is closed until after the first of the year. This is an effort to protect the public from Covid. We are working on the Memorial to get everything fixed. It is coming along slow but sure. It’s showing its age, but it’s looking great. The ice storm hit us hard. It took its toll on all our trees. There are several loads of limbs that we are hauling off. The New shop is coming along. We are near to getting our building permit. We hope we can begin construction in the near future. This will really help with our educational area. The dream is coming into focus. Thanks to all that are making this a reality. I hope everyone has a great holiday season! Be Safe!

SMILE.AMAZON.COM

When you shop on AmazonSmile (smile.amazon.com), the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases to the charitable organizations selected by customers. The Oklahoma State Firemens Museum Inc. is one of the charitable organizations, and that is your museum. There is no cost to charitable organizations or to AmazonSmile customers. The shopping experience is identical to Amazon.com with the added benefit that the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate to your Museum, if selected! Just make sure to shop at smile.amazon.com instead of the regular Amazon site. Simply add it as a bookmarked page to your home screen, so it will basically be an app. The link that automatically adds the Oklahoma Firefighters Museum as the charity is https://smile.amazon.com/ ch/73-6109355.

14December 2020 / January 2021Oklahoma Firefighter

19th Annual OSFA V Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021

n Coma

2021 OSFA VOLUNTEER FIRE CAUCUS (TENTATIVE AGENDA)

7:30

Registration

8:30

Opening Session - Cliff Davidson, Ringwood Fire Chief & OSFA 1st Vice P

Presentation of Colors - Oklahoma Fire Pipes & Drums

Pledge of Allegiance - Eric Carranza, Springer FD Prayer - Tim Martin, Valley View FD

Introduction of Executive Board & Guests - Cliff Davidson

OSFA Welcome/Introduction of Staff - Eric Harlow, Guthrie Fire Chief & OSFA President

8:45

Progress Report on Resolutions from Last Year’s Caucus

and Don Armes and Julia Jernigan-Smith, OSFA Lobbyist

OSFA Legislative Update - Tippy Pierce, OSFA Executive Director,