WEST BEND FIRE DEPARTMENT

Transcription

1 WEST BEND FIRE DEPARTMENT Planning to Protect......Acting to Save Inside this issue: Fire & EMS Run Report EMS Bureau Report 2 Fire Prevention/ Public Safety Bureau Operations Bureau 6 Training Bureau 7 In Their Own Words 8 YEARS of SERVICE ~ August B.C. C. Beistle...8/23/ August 2014 Volume 2, Issue 8 T-Shirts Support Those Fighting Against Cancer..Fighting For A Cure The West Bend Professional Firefighters Local 2025 is once again selling Fighting For A Cure T-Shirts to raise money for Chix 4 a Cause and promote cancer awareness. Chix 4 a Cause is a local organization that gives gifts of love to the individuals and families that are affected by a cancer diagnosis. To learn more about Chix 4 a Cause check out their website at Anyone can purchase this years T-shirt to help raise funds for a good cause. City employees who purchase the shirts will be able to wear the shirts to work every Thursday during October. T-Shirt Purchasing Information West Bend Fire Department 325 N. 8th Avenue West Bend WI Phone: williamsk@ci.west-bend.wi.us Sizes and Pricing Available Sizes SMALL-XXXLARGE Pricing $15.00 Each (Past Years Shirt Available for Purchasing for a Discounted Price of $10.00.)..Acting to Save Emergency Activities Types of Calls Aug-14 Jul-14 Year to Date (2014) Year to Date (2013) Fires Emergency Medical Calls Paramedic Intercepts Interfacility Transports Hazardous Conditions Service Calls/Good Intent Calls False Alarms/False Calls Other/Special Incident Types Totals Town of Barton Calls Town of West Bend Calls

2 Emergency Medical Services Bureau Battalion Chief Todd Van Langen & Captain Tom Thrash Page 2 Our Aging Population-Geriatric Safety tub or shower. Install grab bars on the walls of the bathtub and toilet area. Make sure to have adequate and accessible lighting throughout the living areas. Make sure all pathways from room to room are clear. Arrange furniture and other items so that they are any change in surface height with contrasting colored tape. When outside the home it is important to always pay attention to the surfaces that you are walking on. Be alert for wet or dry leaves, grass and other areas which may EMS is the system responsible for prehospital care of the elderly. A recent poll showed that 85% of elderly adults wish to remain in their homes up until their death. The elderly can be some of the most unique and challenging patients we thritis, dementia, and side effects from medications are all factors that can lead up to problems. Falls are the most common cause of injury/ fatalities to the elderly due to the fact that they have brittle bones and will see. This group of patients continues to grow reflecting our aging population. Safety in the home is an important concern for older adults. Poor eyesight and hearing, ar- thin skin. Good safety habits are important to keep from getting injured. There are some simple things that can be done to help prevent injuries. Use a non-skid mat or strips on the standing area of a bath- not in the way. Always be on the lookout for low lying objects that could be a potential tripping hazard and move them well out of any pathway. All carpeting should be securely fastened down and any throw rugs should be of the skidresistant type. It is a good practice to mark the top and bottom of steps on stairways or be slippery. Mark concrete or wooden edges with non-slip colored tape to avoid tripping. Wear shoes that are flexible and mold to your feet, shoes with backs are best. The most important thing to remember about safety is to stay alert.

3 Emergency Medical Services Bureau Battalion Chief Todd Van Langen & Captain Tom Thrash Page 3 Where have we transported this year? Hospital Total AREA NURSING HOME 1 Always trying to Improve AURORA MED CTR-GRAFTON 124 AURORA MED CTR-WASHINGTON CO 85 Aurora Medical Ctr Summit 2 AURORA SINAI MEDICAL CENTER 1 CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF WI 44 Clement J Zablocki VA Medical Center 12 COMMUNITY MEM HOSP-MENOMONEE FALLS ELMBROOK MEMORIAL HOSPITAL 1 78 FROEDTERT MEM. LUTHERAN HSP 214 SAMARITAN HEALTH CENTER 3 ST AGNES HOSPITAL 1 ST FRANCIS HOSP 1 ST JOSEPHS COMMUNITY HOSP 1128 ST LUKES MED CTR 15 ST MARYS HOSP MED CTR-MADISON 1 ST MARYS HOSP-MILWAUKEE 1 ST MARYS HOSP-OZAUKEE 15 The Wisconsin Heart Hospital 1 UW HOSP & CLINIC AUTHORITY 5 WAUKESHA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL 2 WINNEBAGO M H I 1 Grand Total 1736 As part of our paramedic operational plan for quality assurance we continually try to maintain and improve our EMS skills and professionalism. One way this is done is through monthly EMS run reviews. On any given day our highly educated and dedicated paramedics respond to numerous medical emergencies. They perform advanced skills and use sophisticated procedures and complex medications on these calls. When these calls are completed the paramedics may indicate on the run report that they would like a review of the call. This may be to follow up on patient outcome or so that other paramedics on the department can learn from the call. Anytime crew members request a review or anytime advanced skills or medications are used the training/ EMS captain forwards the run reports to Dr. Gesteland, a Froedtert/St. Joseph s Hospital emergency department physician and Medical Director for The West Bend Fire Department. Dr. Gesteland will then review the runs and gather information on patient outcomes. The information is then shared with EMS personnel on the third Tuesday of each month in the classroom at WBFD. All WBFD members who were on the reviewed calls attend along with the surrounding fire departments who may have been involved in the calls. Dr. Gesteland discusses actions taken on the calls, alternative actions that could have been considered and provides information on patient outcomes. This process of reviewing the most critical and challenging calls allows us to continually improve the service that we provide.- Captain Tom Thrash

4 Fire Prevention & Public Safety Bureau Battalion Chief Chuck Beistle & Captain Tammy Lamberg Page 4 August Fire Inspections Follow-up Compliance Semi-Annual Annual Total Violations Inspections Cards Station # Station # Station # Bureau Captain Totals Silverbrook Intermediate School Tours & Pre-Planning By Captain Tammy Lamberg Hardhats and fire helmets work together when it comes to fire safety. The West Bend Fire Department Fire Prevention Bureau coordinated with VJS Construction Services to allow our personnel a chance to become familiar with the new building layout and fire protection systems at the recently renovated Silverbrook School. Captain Lamberg and Mark Ruder, Site Supervisor for VJS, took time to show each of the fire department shifts the new building configuration at the school. By walking through the building our members were able to identify specific features and components of the building that may be factors when they are responding to fire calls or medical calls. Some of the features identified were location of fire alarm panels, Knox boxes, sprinkler connections, fire wall separations, and above ceiling access points. Personnel also identified key areas that they may likely respond to such as the school clinic and the gymnasium. August Permits and Fees Count Permit Type Total Fees 2 Sprinkler System Installs heads $ Sprinkler Alterations, heads $ Fire Alarm Installs, 1-50 devices $ Sprinkler Install 250+ heads $ Total= Total Permit Fees for August $

5 Fire Prevention & Public Safety Bureau Battalion Chief Chuck Beistle & Captain Tammy Lamberg Page 5 Plan Reviews, System Acceptance Testing, Consultations and Site Investigations for August OCCUPANCY TYPE ACTIVITY NOTES Residential Follow-up Numerous violations addressed Retail Referral/Investigation Electrical concerns corrected Commercial Acceptance Test Alterations to Sprinkler system Assembly Follow-up Occupancy limits established and egress concerns addressed Health Care Acceptance test Pre-action sprinkler system final acceptance testing Business Plan review Plan for tenant build-out & fire protection systems reviewed for retail space Residential Follow-up Non-compliant alarm system and monitoring concerns addressed Storage Follow-up Improper storage of flammable liquids and hazardous materials addressed Business Consultation New owner consult on outstanding violations Retail Plan review Tenant build-out/renovation plan reviewed for multi-tenant building Manufacturing Acceptance test Sprinkler system/alarm system in new addition hydro tested. Commercial Follow-up Addressed chronic violations Retail Acceptance testing New alarm system acceptance testing completed Assembly Follow-up Discussed corrections needed to alarm system to avoid false alarms Fire Extinguisher Guidelines By Captain Tammy Lamberg Fire extinguishers can be an effective early response to a developing fire and more importantly they can be used to protect an exit path should a fire occur. The National Fire Protection Association recommends that offices, classrooms, businesses and occupancies with ordinary combustibles have one extinguisher for every 3000 square feet. Extinguishers should also be located so that occupants do not have to travel more than 75 feet to find one. Locations that contain higher hazards like garages, work shops, warehouses, service and manufacturing areas should allow for occupants to have access to an extinguisher within 50 feet of travel distance. Extinguishers come in different classes according to the potential size and type of fire that could occur. Basic guidelines are as follows: Class A-Ordinary Combustibles Class B-Flammable liquid hazards Class C-Energized Electrical hazards Class D-Combustible metals, dusts and shavings Class K-Grease, oil & commercial kitchen hazards Always keep the following things in mind before attempting to use a fire extinguisher. *Only attempt to extinguish SMALL fires. Examples of small fires are a small trash can burning, a fire involving a single piece of furniture or a fire contained to the stove top. *It is more important to get out of the building safely than to put out the fire. If you are close to an exit it is better to just leave the building and the firefighters will do the rest.

6 Fire Department Operations Bureau Battalion Chief John Spartz & Captain Jon Coutts Multiple Incidents During August Keep Fire Crews Busy Page 6 Dust Collector Fire Crews responded to Metalcraft of Mayville, 2600 Metalcraft Rd, at 1 a.m. on August 5 for a fire in a dust collector. Metal filings inside of a collection unit started the filters on fire. Crews removed the filters from inside the unit and moved them to the exterior of the building where they were extinguished. Smoke from the fire was ventilated and production resumed when smoke was cleared from the building. Balcony Fire A fire on a balcony was reported on the morning of August 10 at 1341 Marcia Drive. Neighbors discovered the fire on the outside balcony of an apartment where the neighbors were out for the evening. They used a garden hose from the ground and put water on the fire until crews arrived. Truck 2 s crew used a handline and ground ladder to access the balcony where they extinguished the remaining fire. Smoking materials were suspected as causing the fire. Vehicle Fires Two vehicle fires occurred during August. The first occurred at 703 Mulberry Drive on August 11 and the second on August 19 at Highway 45 and Mile View Rd. Both vehicle fires were extinguished by fire department crews and resulted in heavy damage to the cars. Hotel Air Conditioner Fire A fire was reported at the Americ-Inn Hotel on August 25 at 7:39 pm. A room occupant was returning from dinner and found smoke coming from his room. He attempted to retrieve a fire extinguisher but the fire had grown too much when he re-opened his door. The fire alarms alerted the fire department and fire crews found a moderate smoke condition from a small fire when they iarrived. They extinguished the fire and ventilated the room to clear the smoke. Fire damage was confined to an air conditioning unit and smoke damage to the room and immediate hall area. Damage was estimated at $15,000 and the hotel remained open that evening. Contractor Strikes Gas Line A construction crew struck a gas line on the morning of August 28. WBFD responded and secured the area until WE Energies could arrive on scene and shut off the gas supply. Businesses located next to the site were allowed to remain open during the incident. Germanfest donations to the fire department have helped the department to purchase fire fighting equipment. Captain Coutts is shown working with a Germanfest banner on a downtown building. Did You Know?...An annual respiratory exam is required for fire fighters to use self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) because of the extra stress breathing apparatus place on the body during firefighting and hazardous materials operations. The exam consists of a physical exam, blood analysis, vision, hearing, and a spirometry test to measure lung function. Department members completed the occupational respiratory exams with the help Aurora Occupational Health during August.

7 Fire Instruction & Training Bureau Battalion Chief Chuck Beistle & Captain Tom Thrash Page 7 Airport House Training Complete: The West Bend Fire Department has completed its training in the abandoned house on the newly acquired West Bend Airport property. This training started in the last week of July and was completed with the burn down August 26. The first segment of training was designed for our department s fire investigators and members of the Washington County Fire Investigation Team. The remainder of the training evolutions were designed to work on tasks that are difficult to do without real structures. Some of the drills that were completed were search and rescue in a blacked out environment, Rapid Intervention Team Tactics, Self-Rescue Strategies, and Roof Ventilation procedures. Rarely do you get the chance to sit and watch a structure burn for educational purposes. After all of our practical training was completed that is exactly what we got to do. The time of ignition to the time the structure was fully involved is remarkable. This is an excellent reminder to our members about how important it is to have good response times and efficient fire ground operations. Photos: Top) House prior to burning. Burning started at 9:19 a.m. Top Left) Smoke and Fire was showing at 9:32 a.m. Top Right) At 9:42 a.m. fully involved structure fire. Bottom Left) At 10:08 a.m. only the front wall remained with the rest of the structure all burning in the basement. Bottom Right) At 10:14 a.m. with a little help from the backhoe the complete structure was in the basement.

8 In Their Own Words... The back page of our newsletter features a note or card that we have received from our customers.the people we serve. Whether it is during an ambulance call, fire call, or a public education assignment, the members of the West Bend Fire Depart- ment are always dedicated to making their contact with area residents a positive experience. Personnel Spotlight: FF Joe Weinert Our featured employee of the month is FF Joe Weinert. He recently successfully completed his 18 month probation on July 6, Joe grew up and lived in St. Lawrence where he volunteered on their fire department. Joe was also on Allenton and Hartford Fire Department prior to coming to WBFD. He recently bought a house in West Bend with his fiancée Alison. They are planning a wedding in June of Joe enjoys ATVing, golfing and manicuring his new lawn. Joe is currently enrolled at UW-Oshkosh where is working on a bachelors degree in Fire and Emergency Response Management. Congratulations to Joe and good luck with your future endeavors. WEST BEND FIRE DEPARTMENT Planning to Protect...Acting to Save 325 N 8th Ave. West Bend, WI