July - Grand Traverse Metro Fire Department

Omnis Cedo Domus
July 15, 2010
Special points of
Interest:
 EFO Chief Parker
 Ground Breaking:
Station 12
The
Metro Insider...
 Message from Chief
Parker
 Message from Chief
Flynn
 Public Education
Events
 Fire Prevention
History
 New FD Chaplain
GTMESA would like to congratulate Chief Patrick Parker for his achievement and
accomplishment of earning the Executive Fire Officer designation through the National
Fire Academy in April 2010.
Chief Parker has spent the last four years working hard to reach this goal. Seen below is
the Superintendent of the National Fire Academy Dr. Denis Onieal awarding Chief
Parker his official Executive Fire Officer achievement award.
Phone Extensions:
Chief Pat Parker
1235
Asst Chief Flynn
1228
Asst Chief Schnaidt 1226
Brian Belcher
Robert Casey
Mike Lince
Kathy Fordyce
1232
1233
1238
1236
Robin Ehardt
Mary Griggs
Marcia Schwind
Meredith Hawes
1227
1222
1221
1234
Dave Lather
Randy Agruda vm
Mike Vaughn
1229
1240
1225
Troy Holliday
Brian Bloom vm
Tony Posey vm
1231
1241
1242
Admin Fire Office 3000
231-947-3000
Station One
3814
231-947-3814
Station Eight
****
231-938-9533
Station Nine
0299
231-947-0299
Station Eleven
7682
231-941-7682
Juvenile Fire Setter vm 1240
Grand Traverse Metro Emergency Services Authority 897 Parsons Rd, Traverse City, MI 49686 Phone (231) 947-3000 www.gtmetrofire.org
Omnis Cedo Domus
The Metro Insider...
Page 2
Station 12 Ground Breaking…
August 2010
Training Topics
Medical Training
Wed August 4, 2010 @1900
@Station 11 Medical (1L, 1P)
Monday August 16, 2010 @1900
@ Sta 8 TBA
Fire Training
Monday August 9, 2010 @ 1900
@ Sta 8 SCBA Training
(Required)
Wed August 11, 2010 @ 1900
@ Station 9 Hose Testing
(Required)
Thurs August 12, 2010 @ 1900
@ Station 1 Hose Testing
(Required)
Wed August 18, 2010 @1900
@Station 11 Vehicle Extrication
Visit www.gtmetrofire.org for
Current Training and
Public Education calendar.
July 6, 2010
Message from the Chief …
I hope all are having a wonderful summer. The weather has been great and we all survived the Cherry
Festival. Well, it finally happened! We broke ground on Tuesday the 6 th of July for
Station 12. About 40 friends of the department showed up for the ground breaking
ceremony, including the entire Metro Board, Garfield Township Trustees and
governmental and tribal officials. We opened the morning with the pledge of allegiance which was followed by comments by GTMESA board chairperson Wayne
Kladder, Chief Parker, Garfield Township Supervisor Chuck Korn, Gabe Schneider
(Senator Levin’s Aid), and finally Chairman Derek Bailey from the Grand Traverse
Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. As soon as the comments were finished,
the Metro board adorned the white hard hats, grabbed the shovel and took the first
ceremonial scoop of dirt. This was followed by all of the Metro firefighters taking
their turn. Moments later, the chainsaws began and a bulldozer was seen moving
dirt.
Depending on the weather, we hope to be occupying Station 12 in early April of next year. A big thanks goes
out to Asst. Chief Brad Schnaidt for his involvement in the process thus far. Brad wrote the successful
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grant we are enjoying for financing this project. We have
been working on this prototype station since July of 2008. Brad will act as our “Owners Representative” on
the project as well as overseeing the mounds of federal paperwork required when using government project
dollars.
As many of you know, this will be Captain Holliday’s station to manage. Captain Holliday is looking to the
future and is interested in talking to anyone who may be wishing to transfer or take leadership positions at
the new station. He is also in the process of picking out colors, furnishings, and location of electrical on
computer outlets. If you would like to be involved, please see him.
It is great to see so many new people getting involved in the department. A big thanks goes out to the
mentors and officers who are preparing them for regular membership or preparing them for the fall MFR
and fire school schedule. We have 12 new candidates that are wishing to advance their firefighting and
medical knowledge. We wish them the best of luck.
Thanks to all who participated in the agility test during the 2010 Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival
Week. The committee did a great job of preparing. Thanks to Kathy Fordyce for coordinating the agility test
and for preparing the wellness information. I think we could all agree, that we have work to do in getting in
shape for the upcoming fitness for duty evaluations. Let’s get walking, running, biking, lifting, etc.
Remember Omnis Cedo Domus- We all go Home! Heart attacks and strokes are killing 50% of the nation’s
firefighters. Let’s not add to the statistic. See you all soon, and be safe!
Pat
Grand Traverse Metro Emergency Services Authority 897 Parsons Rd, Traverse City, MI 49686 Phone (231) 947-3000 www.gtmetrofire.org
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Page 3
Note from Chief Flynn ...
Training- As we move into the second half of 2010, I remind all members that they should be aware of their responsibility to complete all the
required trainings before the end of the year. The Station Captains have sent out the training scorecards for everyone so each member should
be aware of what training sessions are needed to be completed.
In an effort to increase the quality of training to the Metro Fire Department, I have decided to establish a training committee. This training committee will
meet periodically and will be responsible for developing the next years training curriculum including objectives, requirements and locations. If you would like to
be included on this committee, please let your station Captain know.
HazMat- We have just taken delivery of two additional Tychem TK Level A suits and they have been tested and placed on Rescue 13 for use.
We now have the availability to dress an entry team and back up team if Level A is needed to enter an IDLH area involving a hazardous
vapor. We also have Level B and Level C PPE and they also are in Rescue 13. Lt. Doornbos will be placing identification tags on the bags for
each.
In August the department will hold one of two Hazmat meetings/trainings for HazMat Technicians regarding the guidelines for response to hazardous materials incidents in the Metro district. We will be reviewing PPE and equipment on Rescue 13 and the expectations if an incident occurs. Operations personnel
who would like to participate are also invited.
Right: Metro Hazmat team members dressing
for simulated ammonia leak.
Above: Station 1, 11 and 9 responded to this house fire on Rusch Rd.
Above: Truck fire in Acme – Stations 8 and 1 responded
to this truck fire at the Sleep Inn in Acme on Thursday evening.
Grand Traverse Metro Emergency Services Authority 897 Parsons Rd, Traverse City, MI 49686 Phone (231) 947-3000 www.gtmetrofire.org
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Page 4
Public Education ...
Firefighters from Grand Traverse Metro were
joined by Traverse City Fire Department, Grand
Traverse Rural Fire Dept, Blair Township Fire
and EMS, and Peninsula Township Fire Dept at
the National Cherry Festival Heat event on
Wednesday, July 7th. Thanks to support from
Mountain Dew, Northwestern Michigan College,
Classic Rock the Bear, Third Level Crisis Center,
and the AmericInn, local teens were treated to
safety activities such as the Distracted Driving
Simulator and Impaired Driving Goggles – special
thanks to Safe Kids North Shore, interactive
bowling, dancing, and live music. In the
backdrop of the evening was Fire Safety
information and Home Escape Planning, and
while only 3 teens went home with the large
give-away prizes that night, all went home with
goodies, fire prevention information, and safety
tips!
Grand Traverse Metro Emergency Services Authority 897 Parsons Rd, Traverse City, MI 49686 Phone (231) 947-3000 www.gtmetrofire.org
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Page 5
Who and/or What is the Metro Fire Prevention Bureau?
By Asst Chief Brad Schnaidt
Chapter 2: The start-up of the FPB
The actual commencement of the Fire Prevention Bureau began on January 2, 1992. A plans review area was set up in the
back corridor of the Administration office next to the back door. This area contained the print desk and plans review area
for the purposes of performing site plan review of proposed site projects and the plans review of the proposed
construction of new buildings. The FPB office was between the Metro Chief’s office and the Rural Chief’s office. This
office is now occupied by Meredith Hawes, our Public Fire and Life Safety Educator.
This office space was shared between the Fire Prevention Bureau and the Project Coordinator for the Regional Training
Center, which was just getting underway with the construction of the classroom/office building. With two desks, code
books, project manuals and blueprints for the RTC, file cabinets, shelving and other related furniture (chairs, typewriters
(before PC’s!), etc) this room was very crowded.
Work began by setting up inspection areas based on a priority of life safety risk (large public assemblies, restaurants,
hotels, motels, etc.), large retail and manufacturing facilities, smaller retail and manufacturing, multiple-housing
complexes, smaller manufacturing facilities and the very small business establishments. One the priorities were
established, inspections were scheduled and began to be performed.
In the early years, there was no budget set for the operation of the FPB. It was determined that this program should run
on the fees that it generated. That meant that each inspection had to be invoiced and the occupant was charged a fee for
the inspection, as well as having to spend dollars (perhaps LARGE dollars) on making the necessary corrections to gain
compliance with the Fire Prevention Code. In many instances, these costs ran very high because there had been no
previous inspections performed prior to the establishment of the Bureau.
The collection rate on the invoiced businesses was dismal, at best, and taking the businesses to small-claims court only
made the businesses more upset. The inspection fees continued for approximately three years until the out-cry from the
business community forced the Fire Boards to drop the fees and fund the FPB entirely through their respective budgets.
While all of this establishing of the Bureau was occurring, and the inspections were underway, it quickly became apparent
that the workload was far too large for one person to handle. Plans were made to hire an additional person and the
establishment of a job announcement, a job description, budgeting, and approvals to begin the hiring process
commenced.
End of Chapter 2. Chapter 3 coming soon.
If you have any information or articles that you
would like to submit to The Metro Insider…
Please e-mail them to Capt. Troy Holliday by the 15th of the month.
tholliday@gtmetrofire.org
Grand Traverse Metro Emergency Services Authority 897 Parsons Rd, Traverse City, MI 49686 Phone (231) 947-3000 www.gtmetrofire.org
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Page 6
Fire Department Chaplain...
Introducing the Reverend Wayne Kiser. The Reverend Wayne Kiser is a new chaplain
with Grand Traverse Metro Fire Authority. The following is a brief biographical sketch
to assist you in getting to know him. (Photo not readily available for publishing)
Wayne was born in Springfield, Illinois. His father was employed for Western Electric
which resulted in several moves while Wayne was growing up. Wayne is a graduate of
Traverse City Central High School and while attending East Bay Calvary Church met
his wife Ruth Ann (Lemcool). Wayne and Ruth Ann have been married for fifty two
years and have been blessed with three children; sons Dan and Tim, and daughter
Debra. Wayne possesses a Masters of Arts in Communications from Wheaton College in Illinois. Both he and his wife
Ruth Ann enrolled and attended Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Illinois.
Wayne has extensive pastoral care experience having been pastor and served many diverse church groups in Tennessee,
Illinois, and Indiana.
His denominational affiliation is with the Independent Fundamental Churches of America. He has authored and published four books, one of which is entitled Getting More Out Of Church. Wayne brings chaplaincy experience having
been an integral member of the Du Page County Illinois Office of Emergency Management. His hobbies include Amateur Radio (his call letters are KF9JC) and automotive restoration including a 1952 Studebaker and a 1958 Jaguar.
He would like to renew his interest in the sport of fishing having been away from it the past thirty years. He and his wife
have recently purchased a house in the Traverse City area. They both enjoy the friendly atmosphere and meeting new people. Wayne enjoys the challenges of the chaplaincy program and advises that working with firefighters and within the fire
service is a new and exciting adventure. Please kindly welcome him and introduce yourselves.
I was recently asked to help out with the process of uniforms. Kathy and I are working on getting out the order forms for
our Fall order in the next few weeks. In the meantime if you have any ideas for future uniform updates, questions, or
concerns about uniforms email myself or Kathy. If you have ideas on what to use for duty uniforms Kathy and I will try
and find out what we can do about them and present them to the Chief for approval as he has the final say in what is
worn on duty.
Thank you, Nick Lemcool - nlemcool@gtmetrofire.org
Kathy Fordyce - kfordyce@gtmetrofire.org
Grand Traverse Metro Emergency Services Authority 897 Parsons Rd, Traverse City, MI 49686 Phone (231) 947-3000 www.gtmetrofire.org