Weekend Update, Friday, November 21, 2014

Changes to the Weekly E-mail:  I'm going start preparing this weekly e-mail as a blog instead of an e-mail.  I'll continue to send it as an e-mail for awhile longer.  The link to the "Chief 81 Blog" www.chief81gmfd.blogspot.com 

Open Shifts: November 29th; December 27th; January 5th and 14th; all 0700-1900. Feburary 21, 25  0700-1900, February 28th 1900-1900.

Busy day:  We've ran 5 times today! Starting at 0430. This is a link to WCSH's report. Alfred Road Fire  They some how forgot to mention Goodwins Mills as one of the responding mutual aid departments. Even after she spoke with  me standing right beside Goodwins Mills Engine 84. I told her we stretched 2800 feet of LDH. Atleast they got that right. As usual, unsung heroes. Thanks everyone who responded and covered the station.

Call Volumes: Today we ran call number 572. Last year on this day we answered call 558. We're 14 call ahead of last year at this time. 

'tis the season:  The Christmas Season is upon us. Yes, I know we haven't gotten through Thanksgiving yet. Let's look at Christmas from a fire prevention point of view. We bring a dried out fir tree into the house, hang electric lights all over it, put boxes wrapped in tissue paper under neath it, stoke up the wood stove, invite our friends over, light candles, break out the rum and egg nog, see where I'm going?  Before you know it, smoke detectors are going off,  the tree is on fire, the room is on fire and here comes the fire department! Hoses, axes, chain saws......is my insurance paid up?
OK, seriously....this time of year we can see an increase in home fires. A variety of situations and causes. We need to be prepared and ready. These are our "bread and butter" type calls. Give some thought to initial fire attack. How are we entering buildings? How are we recognizing (and preventing) back draft situations? Do we know how to get to the fire? Some of us may be thinking new school, some of us may be thinking old school, and I'm sure some may be thinking out of school. Regardless, we better be thinking about ourselves and our team! Your hose line is your life line. It not only puts out the fire, but it protects you too!  This is a link to a You Tube video done by the LA fire department. Fire Attack   In this video they talk about using the line to cool the ceiling. We used to call this "penciling the ceiling" a very good tactic to protect your team and check fire conditions.  I recently read some lessons learned from a OSHA/NIOSH investigations on firefighter fatalities. Two of the investigations were in communities our size and occurred in 3 bedroom ranch style houses. One contributing factor in both situations was the crew didn't open the line. They died in the hall way.   Think about this.....how can the penciling technique be used effectively?  Be ready!

Cardiac Code Team:  We need to keep practicing this! Just like pulling lines.  What's the most common fireground injury?  Heart attacks?  Perhaps. How does our code team apply to a down firefighter?  Exactly the same as to anyone else.  We just have to get the  turnout gear off the firefighter. Not a easy task. But, if it's planned, it can be easier. Lt Sarto found a real good technique for removing turnout gear.   This link  Firefighter CPR is to a Youtube video that shows this technique in great detail.  This is particularly good training for a RIT team. Not only is it useful in a cardiac situation, but for any reason we  need to get turnout gear off fast.

Smoke Detector Kits: We have smoke detectors on Engine 84 in Glove (under officer's seat) and on Ladder 82 in the glove box. These kits contain a (1) battery operated smoke detector, (2) 9-volt batteries and (2) non-damaging mounting hooks. The purpose of these kits is so when we go to a residence and the have a faulty detector or they do not have one, we can leave one knowing that the resident is protected. The batteries are for those calls where they have a dead battery and you can at least help them to have one working detector. These kits and their contents are made up of all donations. If you use these kits on a call please, document in your notes in the DataTrac Incident Report so we can follow-up. There are spare kits in the office supply closet. Just exchange and place used kit in Capt Lang's Mail Box. Any questions or concerns please see Captain Lang.
Tuesday's Thanksgiving Dinner at the Station: At noon time.  There's a sign up on the refrigerator and list of items needed.

Giving Tree; Applications have been extended to November 25.  Contact the Lyman Town Hall for more info

More on Ebola:  Mali, has been added to the list of West African countries that can trigger the EID protocol.

Coffee Break Training: Coffee Break Training: Portable Extinguishers - Monthly Inspections
Learning Objective: The student will be able to identify the requirements for monthly fire extinguisher inspections. (PDF, 155 Kb)

Live Burn: This Sunday we'll be burning the remainder of the Turf Farm house, at 0800.

Events: Tuesday Dinner at noon; Alpha Co. 1830; Thursday Happy Thanksgiving!

Duty Officer: Captain Hooper


Have a great weekend,
Chief


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Roger S. Hooper, Fire Chief
Goodwins Mills Fire-Rescue
481 Goodwins Mills Road
Lyman, ME 04002
Office: 207-499-7878
Station: 207-499-2362
Fax: 207-499-2893
www.gmfd.org