2020 Fire Tab

Firemen’s Salute

Wednesday, September 30, 2020

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FIRE SAFETY

Page 1

& PREVENTION

October 4-10, 2020

Into the flames Pfeninger discusses the safety of firemen on the job

BY KAYLA ALBERS | STAFF WRITER

VILLARD – When their pagers go off at all hours of the night, firefighters are quick to jump into action, risking their lives for the safety of their community. A lot of research and innovation goes into the gear, technology and equipment that is used by firefighters to ensure their safety when they embark on their missions.

“When the pager goes off, it is an adrenaline rush,” Villard fire chief Patrick Pfeninger said.

Pfeninger has been a member of the Villard Fire Department since 2001.

“It is an easy way to give back to our small community,” he said.

From the safety equipment firefighters use, to the training they go through to keep their skills up, safety continues to be an important aspect of firefighting.

The most crucial elements to firefighter safety are the turnout gear, a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and an air tank. The turnout gear covers the firefighter from head to toe in three different layers. The first layer is the thermal liner, which helps maintain the firefighter’s body temperature by keeping them cool and reducing heat stress on the body. The next layer is the moisture barrier. This layer works toward preventing water and chemicals from getting inside. This is also the most fragile layer of the gear.

The last layer is the layer people most commonly associate with firefighters, which is the outer layer. This layer provides the fire-resistant materials that prevent firefighters from getting burned or cut while battling flames. Most outer layers are fire resistant up to 400 degrees.

All of these layers are combined to create a protective suit of pants, jacket, a neck layer, boots and a helmet for turnout gear.

The SCBA is a mask and tank unit that the firefighter will wear into a fire or smoke to be able to breathe and PHOTO SUBMITTED

Pfeninger page 2

Patrick Pfeninger has been with the Villard Fire Department since 2001 and is currently the fire chief.

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Page 2

Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Pfeninger from front prevent particles or carcinogens from getting into their lungs.

The firefighter also wears an air tank that is connected to the SCBA that contains fresh air.

The tank is filled using a compressor that takes air from the outside, cleans it and pressurizes it into the tank.

All of the gear combined weighs about 50 pounds, with the tools and hoses the firefighters carry into fires adding even more.

When at a fire scene, wearing the SCBA is protocol when actively working near or in the fire whether it be a structure or vehicle fire. The Villard department is pushing to change old habits, and keeping the SCBA on throughout the overhaul process, too.

“It comes down to a lot of common sense; if you are going to be in smoke or dangerous odors, wear it,” Pfeninger said.

“The fumes and smoke at fires have become more toxic with the changes in manufactured building materials, and there is also a lot more knowledge on cancer-related firefighter deaths

index

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Villard fire chief Patrick Pfeninger stands by a recently obtained extractor that removes particles and carcinogens from the firefighters’ gear. The commercial washer/extractor spins at up to 4,445 rpm with up to 10 different cycles in one complete washing.

due to all of the carcinogens at active fires.”

Taking care of the gear is an important aspect of firefighter safety as well. To do this, the Villard Fire Department re-

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cently obtained an extractor to remove all of the particles and carcinogens from the gear. The commercial washer/extractor spins at up to 4,445 rpm, compared to a residential unit at up

Holdingford ..................................... page 10 Long Prairie...................................... page 11 Melrose.............................................. page 13 New Munich .................................... page 14 Osakis................................................. page 15 Sauk Centre...................................... page 16 Villard ................................................. page 18

to 1,800 rpm. The extreme gforce helps with cleaning the gear. The machine has up to 10 different cycles in one complete washing.

The department was able to obtain the extractor through the help of the Westport and Leven townships, as well as two local families who donated to help purchase the equipment.

One of the biggest challenges that small fire departments like Villard face is funding for their gear and equipment. Turnout gear lifespan is 10 years and SCBA life span is 15 years, according to OSHA, and needs to be replaced when the lifespan is reached. Each set of gear costs $1,300, with the SCBA costing another $7,500.

“Our townships are good to work with,” Pfeninger said. “If there is a big-ticket item, they will chip in to help.”

And, fundraising helps.

The Villard Fire Department holds two pancake breakfasts a year and works on area lakes putting docks and lifts in in the spring and taking them out in the fall. The money raised helps to battle the increasing costs of personal safety equipment for firemen.

“The safety equipment in the fire service now is like your phone, it is continually changing and it is hard to keep up,” Pfeninger said.

INSIDE STORIES: Into the flames ............pages 1-2 Fire Safety ......................pages 9 and 11 New Firefighters .........pages 12 and 17

Firemen’s Salute

Not only are the gear and equipment important to firefighter safety, but training is a crucial aspect to remaining safe on fire calls as well. The firefighters at the Villard department do training once a month, and this summer they were fortunate enough to do two live house burns as training.

“We were able to do some live training with the new guys by starting the house on fire and putting multiple rooms out,” Pfeninger said of the live house burns.

In October, the department will have a training event where they will start a liquified petroleum tank on fire in a controlled environment to practice turning the valve off and keeping the tank cool and below a certain temperature so it does not explode, and put out the fire.

The department trains with grain bin rescue equipment annually.

“We try to do some type of ag-related training each year because that is a huge part of our community,” Pfeninger said. “We are steadily training with our own equipment,” All of the safety gear, equipment and training is used to ensure that the firefighters who work tirelessly to protect the community, are also protecting themselves and each other.

“It is a lot of good camaraderie for the department,” Pfeninger said. “There is a lot of common ground and people who share the same interests.”

Firemen’s Salute

Wednesday, September 30, 2020

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• Above all, REMAIN CALM • Call 911 • Use a fire extinguisher to put the fire out if possible • If your way is not blocked by fire, GET OUT as fast as you can, staying low to the ground until you get safety. DO NOT RUN THROUGH THE FIRE. • Help others get to safety ONLY if you are not putting yourself at risk. This is a judgment call.

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Fire safety from page 9 “You need to have a plan beforehand,” he said. “You need to have a meeting place outside of the home for the members of the household and to make sure all family members are accounted for.”

If a fire occurs, there are a series of actions that can save both lives and property:

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per level and unable to get right out, SHUT THE DOOR, block the cracks and vents with a wet towel if possible, open the window for fresh air and stay there DO NOT jump out of the window; wait for the fire department to come Ostendorf said the LPFD often has children from the schools visit the fire hall to tour the trucks and equipment, and explain to them what to do in case of fire.

“If you explain things to the kids often it sinks in, then if a fire happens, instead of panicking they will use what they know,” he said.

Ultimately, each household should have a solid plan for fire prevention and safety.

“Most firemen have a plan,” Ostendorf said. “But, most [other] people don’t and they should.”

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Otis Ostendorf and his daughters, Brynlee and Brea, are pictured at the Long Prairie Fire Department in 2017.

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Page 12

Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Firemen’s Salute

PHOTO BY CAROL MOORMAN

New Freeport firefighters (in blue T-shirts, middle front, from left) Josh Pung, Matthew Beste and Ryan Meyer; and new Melrose firefighters (in black shirts, back, from left) Carlos Aguilar, Dustin Rademacher, Al Wieling, Joe Matt, Josh Leaf and Dakota Husten are pictured Sept. 14 at the Melrose Fire & Ambulance Station.

A career

helping people

3 firefighters join Freeport crew, 6 for Melrose

BY CAROL MOORMAN | STAFF WRITER

G

rowing up in Freeport, Matthew Beste tagged along with his dad, John, when he went to the fire hall. John was a Freeport firefighter, as was his dad, Al. Now Matthew is also, making him a third-generation Beste on the department. Beste, Ryan Meyer and Josh Pung joined the department in August, filling the Freeport squad of 25.

After Al Wieling’s cousin died in a house fire in Melrose in 2001, this Melrose resident’s goal was to one day become a firefighter. Mission accomplished. Wieling, Dakota Husten, Josh Leaf, Joe Matt and Dustin Rademacher joined the Melrose Fire Department in August and Carlos Aguilar became a firefighter late last year. The Melrose department now has a squad of 27.

Many of the openings on the departments occurred after long-time

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firefighters retired. Men or women interested in joining were encouraged to fill out an application. There was an interview process and a physical before being hired on these volunteer departments.

All nine new members said helping people and giving back to the communities were two reasons they joined.

“The biggest thing is helping people who are in need,” Meyer said.

The camaraderie between members and departments was also brought up during a Sept. 14 interview with each new firefighter at the Melrose Fire & Ambulance Station.

A return back to Freeport prompted Beste to join the department, as well as following in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps.

Firefighters page 17

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Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Firemen’s Salute

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Pfeninger

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