October 15, 2010 The Metro Insider

Omnis Cedo Domus
October 15, 2010
Special points of
Interest:
 Fire Prevention Week
The
Metro Insider...
 Message from Chief
Parker
Fire Prevention Week 2010 wraps up as . . . a success!
 Statistics
Fire Prevention Week was packed with activity
 Message from Chief
Flynn
this year ranging from community kick-off
events to serving hot dogs and delivering
 Health News
pizzas. The Metro Open House served
approximately 500 meals on sunny Saturday,
 Public Ed News
October 9. Safety stations were offered inside
and outside the building and were packed
throughout the day. Elmwood Township Fire
Department jumped on board with Fire
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
Extinguisher training, Deputy Morton brought
along a K9 Unit from the Sheriff’s Dept,
American Red Cross was on hand along with
Safe Kids offering car seat checks. There were
obstacle courses, Hazard House training, a bounce house, and even Sparky and Little Sparky made appearances! A big thanks to all the volunteers of the day, especially Lt. Mike Scanlon for all of his efforts!
The Open House was packed with fun, but the real
message of home fire safety and home escape plans took
place in the schools over Fire Prevention Week. Visits
were made to classrooms throughout Grand Traverse
Academy, Courtade Elementary, Traverse Bay Christian
School, Kingsley Elementary, and East Middle School.
Thanks to all of the Firefighters who took time
out to add to classroom lessons by talking the
kids through their gear and giving truck tours!
Thanks FPW volunteers: Chief Parker, Capt. Tony
Posey, Capt. Troy Holliday, Capt. Brian Bloom, Lt.
Mike Scanlon, Tim Newton, Mike Courson, Rob
Harvey, Terri Newton, Lt. Chris Childers, Daren
Mansfield, Nick Hawkins, Randy Rittenhouse, Kyle Clute, Nick Lemcool, Jake Frank, Chris Comeaux, Marcus Plessner,
Joe Lambert, Kathy Fordyce, Cory Ellis, Brent Strom, Lee Bailey, and Christine Stalsonburg, and everyone else.
Grand Traverse Metro Emergency Services Authority 897 Parsons Rd, Traverse City, MI 49686 Phone (231) 947-3000 www.gtmetrofire.org
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The Metro Insider...
Page 2
Station 12 Construction…
November 2010
Training Topics
Call Statistics …
Medical Training
Wed November 3, 2010 @ 1900
@ Station 11
Special Considerations (1L, 1P)
Mon November 8, 2010 @ 1900
@ Station 8 Trauma (1L)
Wed November 17, 2010 @ 1900
@ Station 9 Medical (1L)
Fire Training
Thurs Nov 4, 2010 @ 1000 @
Station 1 Hazmat Annual
Refresher (Required)
Thurs Nov 4, 2010 @ 1900
@ Station 1 RIT/MayDay
(Required)
Message from the Chief …
Fire Prevention week is here and gone again and the department did a wonderful job in executing the plan.
In the one week, Metro firefighters touched over 1,000 citizens with a fire prevention message of some sort.
We were in schools, assisted living homes, retail stores, and our own open house. The open house at Station
11 was a huge success and thanks to all who helped with the event. A big thanks goes out to our public educator, Meredith for giving leadership to the entire week’s activities.
Wed Nov 10, 2010 @ 1900
@ Station 9 Fire Protection
Systems (Required)
It’s now time to turn our attention to preparing for winter and of course deer hunting! We are gearing up
for our 2011 plans. If you have any trainings you would like to see next year, get with your Captain or Chief
Flynn. We also got our 2011 budget approved and with that came the staffing and operating plan for Station
12. As it looks right now, the station will be open sometime in April. We plan on hiring a Captain and 2
Firefighters full-time. There will also be three 8 hour shifts per day open for part-timers at the new station.
Mon Nov 15, 2010 @ 1900
@ Station 8 Rope Rescue
At the direction of the Fire Board, we have put Tanker 12 back out to bid with hopes of awarding the truck
to a builder on October 26th.
Wed Nov 17, 2010 @ 1900
@ Station 11 SCBA Training and
Fit testing (Required)
Halloween is fast approaching and we again will have candy (donated) to take out into the subdivisions.
Please be careful with the little ghouls and goblins out there. This is also the time of the year to prepare and
plan for any potential chimney fires, lost hunters, hunting accidents, turkey fryer fires, and candle fires. Start
thinking how you would handle each one of these if they happened next week.
Thurs Nov 18, 2010 @ 1900
@ Station 1 High Rise training
Stay safe and good luck hunting!
Pat
Visit www.gtmetrofire.org for
Current Training and
Public Education calendar.
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 – the 2011 Training Schedule is in the process of being developed. In the past four years we have attempted to improve the quality
while increasing the quantity of required trainings for all members. The results have proven to be positive as witnessed by the outcomes on
this year’s incidents. An officers’ meeting will be held on October 19 th and we will be finalizing next year’s training. If you have any ideas for
new or improved training, please let your station officer know before Tuesday night.
The end of the year is almost here. Reminder: There are only a few REQUIRED Trainings left on the schedule. Here they are:
Oct 20 Hose Lead Outs at Station 11@ 1900 hrs.
Nov 4 HazMat at Station 1 @ 1000 hrs.
Nov 4 RIT/MayDay at Station 1 @ 1900 hrs.
Nov 10 Fire Protection Systems at Station 9 @ 1900 hrs.
Nov 17 SCBA Training and Fit Testing at Station 11 @ 1900 hrs.
Dec 8 Target Hazards/Preplan at Station 9 @ 1900 hrs.
Dec 9 Target Hazards/Preplan at Station 1 @ 1900 hrs.
Dec 11 Medical Skills Day at Station 1 @ 0900 hrs.
Dec 13 Special Programs at Station 8 @ 1900 hrs.
Dec 15 Fire Protection Systems at Station 11 @ 1900 hrs.
Left: What may seem ordinary in an emergency
may turn into a clandestine drug lab. Good job to
Capt. Holliday and the first due units responding
in recognizing this methamphetamine operation.
Below: Be aware that sometimes a wildfire late at
night may not actually be a wildfire. This late
night fire off South Airport Rd turned out to be
ruled intentionally set.
Standard Operating Guidelines - All members will be
responsible for reviewing all the Standard Operating Guidelines
on the Metro website and complete the checklists. The checklists will be turned in to your Captain and will be part of the
annual requirements. Your station officers will be reviewing this
new procedure in more detail in the near future so stay tuned.
CONGRATULATIONS
SCOTT AND STACY ALLMAN!!!
Sept 17, 2010 — Adriana Elizabeth
8 lbs. 15 oz. — 22 inches long
Grand Traverse Metro Emergency Services Authority 897 Parsons Rd, Traverse City, MI 49686 Phone (231) 947-3000 www.gtmetrofire.org
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Tobacco Free Metro?
By Beth Pryde, Wellness Coordinator
I thought that might catch your attention.
It may not be out of the question or that far in the future. According to the National Survey on Drug use and Health
data, 24.1% of firefighters and other protective service workers smoke cigarettes. Recognizing that by reducing the
prevalence of tobacco use amongst its members, the health and well being of its members will be improved, the IAFF
decided to work towards achieving the status as the first smoke-free union in North America. Fire Stations like the
FDNY, in 2002 after 9/11,recognized this and launched a tobacco cessation program. In 2007 the IAFF introduced
its current smoking cessation program, and encouraged its state affiliates and locals to follow. In 2009 the
Pennsylvania Professional Fire Fighters Association became the first state FFA in the U.S. to offer a comprehensive
smoking cessation program. Fire departments in Ohio, Tennessee, Missouri, Florida and a minimum of 19 other
state affiliates are following suit and calling for tobacco free fire houses and providing comprehensive tobacco
cessation programs, and resources to their firefighters.
The IAFF and IAFC recognizes that "under responsible presumptive laws" that firefighters are exposed to carcinogenic agents in the line of duty,
not completely controlled by PPE and safety procedures, that increase the risk to firefighters of developing certain cancers. They have taken measures appropriate to accommodate and compensate when such circumstances present. It only makes sense to facilitate programs that can minimize
known cancer causing habits and deaths amongst their members. The IAFF website for the Campaign for a Smoke-free Union is : www.iaff.org/
smokefree/.
Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Cigarettes cause 1 in 5 deaths in the U.S. per year. More deaths
occur by the use of tobacco per year than deaths caused by HIV, illegal drug use, alcohol use, motor vehicle accidents, and murders, combined.
Tobacco use kills 5.4 million people per year (that is on average 1 person every 6 seconds). Tobacco kills up to half of all users. Tobacco use is a
risk factor for 6 of the 8 leading causes of deaths in the world.
Smoking triples middle aged men's and women's risk of dying from heart disease, and on average a smoker will die 14 years earlier than a non
smoker. Almost half of the world's children breathe air that is polluted by tobacco smoke. Approximately 49,400 deaths annually are caused by
second hand smoke related exposures. And lung cancer deaths have now exceeded deaths due to breast cancer for women. Smokeless tobacco
users are not excluded from the fold, as this habit is a known cause of cancer, and the nicotine used in smokeless tobacco may increase the risk of
sudden death from ventricular arrhythmias.
There are a lot of statistics to be aware of and absorb. But the bottom line, truth of the matter is, tobacco use causes deaths from Cancer, Heart
Disease, and Respiratory Disease. As a firefighter willing to put your life on the line for strangers, as hero's demanding more of yourselves to
rescue those in your community, why engage in a habit that can only shorten the life you have, give to your family, and share with your friends
and neighbors?
November 18th is the Great American Smoke Out Day campaign, started 35 years ago by the American Cancer Society. It is a day to begin or
contemplate the quitting smoking process. Quit for one day, and take each day one at a time to complete the process. And note, it is a process
that takes time, dedication and effort, as well as support from friends and family. As one firefighter put it "Quitting smoking is often a long and
challenging process, but making a commitment to quit is one of the best decisions a person can make.” ( David J. Prezant, MD, FCCP, FDNY’s
deputy medical officer and co-designer of the FDNY program).
The Grand Traverse Metro Wellness Program will be sponsoring a tobacco cessation program
every day, all year for any Metro Emergency Response personnel wishing to kick the habit of
smoking or smokeless tobacco. Contact Beth Pryde via email: bpryde@gtmetrofire.org to get
the process started.
Grand Traverse Metro Emergency Services Authority 897 Parsons Rd, Traverse City, MI 49686 Phone (231) 947-3000 www.gtmetrofire.org
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Public Education News...
Following the Public Fire Educator of the Year award, Grand Traverse Metro Fire and Life Safety Educator, Meredith Hawes, was asked to present a synopsis of Metro’s Public Education programs during the Code Officials Council of Michigan’s annual dinner banquet held recently at
the Great Wolf Lodge. Hawes presented on Risk Watch, the Unintentional Injury Prevention program, Remembering When, Fire and Fall Prevention for Older Adults, and on receiving the Rolf Jensen Award for outreach to the disabled. Pictured here is Hawes with the newly elected
board members of the Code Officials Council of Michigan.
ADDITIONAL OPEN HOUSE PHOTOS……….
Fire extinguisher demonstration, Vehicle Extrication demonstration, and Sparky!
Grand Traverse Metro Emergency Services Authority 897 Parsons Rd, Traverse City, MI 49686 Phone (231) 947-3000 www.gtmetrofire.org