February 19, 2008
February 19, 2008
Welcome to the Fire Corps E-Update. Fire Corps is a locally-driven Citizen Corps program that allows community members to offer their time and talents to their local fire and EMS departments in non-operational roles. Fire Corps serves as a gateway to information for and about fire and EMS department programs and meets a citizen's desire to serve as well as a department's need for support. In this issue:
February is American Heart MonthCardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke, is the number one cause of death in America. In fact, heart disease causes about 29% of all U.S. deaths. The emergency services are not immune to this tragic statistic. Heart disease remains the number one cause of on-duty firefighter fatalities, with about half of all line-of-duty deaths each year attributed to heart attacks. In recognition of the nation’s ongoing fight against heart disease, Congress issued a joint resolution in 1963 requesting that the President issue a proclamation each year designating February as American Heart Month. The purpose of this annual proclamation is to renew the nation’s commitment to fighting this deadly disease and increase public awareness of how to prevent cardiovascular illnesses. Fire Corps members can take this time to focus on activities to help their departments’ first responders become heart-healthy. Consider distributing literature about the causes of heart disease to department members. Host a “Healthy Heart Night” where you can provide a nutritious, heart-healthy meal to the firefighters and EMTs at the station and talk to them about cardiovascular issues. Encourage your department personnel to become physically fit and join the Fired Up For Fitness Challenge. The NVFC Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program, the only national program dedicated to saving America's firefighters and EMS personnel from heart disease, has created an American Heart Month Resource Center you can use to learn more about heart-health as well as connect you to the resources and tools that will help get your department members on the path to getting and keeping their hearts strong. Fire Corps members can take the initiative, utilize the Heart-Healthy Firefighter resources, and energize the department to live a healthier lifestyle. It takes a person with heart to do their job. Let's help keep our nation’s first responders healthy. Learn more at www.healthy-firefighter.org. Hamburger Helper - My Hometown Helper Grants Available: Application Deadline March 31General Mills Sales, Inc. and Hamburger Helper are searching for people in your hometown that are raising funds to help the community through projects both big and small. Hamburger Helper will fund initiatives to help hometowns across America with monetary grants of up to $15,000 per project between February 1 and March 31, 2008. Requests for project funding must be sponsored by organizations with a 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), or public school status. For more information, including application procedures and funding criteria and conditions, visit www.myhometownhelper.com. Fire Corps Visits Ohio Rural Fire CouncilFire Corps Program Coordinator Lori Moon attended the Ohio Rural Fire Council (ORFC) meeting at the Ohio Fire Academy on January 12. Over 60 representatives from rural departments across Ohio attended the meeting, which focused on fire and EMS department retention and recruitment. Moon spoke about the challenges of retaining and recruiting first responders and presented Fire Corps as an important solution to these challenges. “Fire Corps supports our nation’s fire and emergency service departments. These community volunteers help with retention by performing non-emergency tasks, allowing first responders to focus on the emergency functions and training they came there to do,” Moon explained. “It is also a great way to introduce community members to the fire and emergency medical services and recruit additional members who may want to pursue training beyond Fire Corps’ non-emergency activities.” Other guest speakers included Ohio State Fire Marshall Michael Bell; Volunteer Firemen’s Insurance Services representative Jeff Moore; First Vice President of the Ohio State Firefighters Association Captain Mark Roberts; and Certified Fire Protection Specialist and Medina Township Fire Department Staff Support Officer Parker Brown. While in Ohio, Moon also attended the Ohio State Firefighters Association (OSFA) quarterly business meeting. She distributed Fire Corps materials and encouraged members to advocate for Fire Corps throughout the state. The ORFC’s mission is to provide a unified voice for fire services to improve and increase information, education, and assets for the protection of life, property, and natural resources in and around rural communities and regions of Ohio. Learn more about the ORFC.
Program Profile: Green Valley Fire District, Green Valley, AZThe Green Valley Fire District (GVFD) in Arizona provides a wide variety of protection and emergency services to more than 40,000 residents throughout 40 square miles of suburban and rural areas. In 2000, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that 73.3% of these residents were 65 years of age or older. Recognizing this high percentage of senior citizens, the GVFD called on retired community members to help with various non-emergency activities of the department. Registering with Fire Corps in 2005, the Green Valley Fire Corps includes 25 members who provide administrative assistance as well as perform various innovative services for the GVFD. Members recently installed lock boxes for residential homes, making it easier for fire crews to access the homes during an emergency. In an article to the Green Valley News and Sun, Fire Inspector Greg Hernandez of the GVFD said, “In an emergency situation, a quick response time is critical, treatment is delayed if we have to break down your door.” The article went on to explain that homeowners keep a set of house keys inside the sturdy, 2x4-inch miniature safe, which is usually installed near the front door. Firefighters are able to open the lock box with a secured key to which only the GVFD has access. This not only saves precious time, but also money that would be spent repairing property damage caused by a forced entry. In addition to lock box installation, GVFD’s Fire Corps volunteers help provide snake control throughout the community. This may seem like an unusual duty for a Fire Corps member or a department for that matter, but the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center reported 6,000 calls regarding bites and stings in 2006. Snakes are a common problem in the Green Valley area, and residents often call 911 if they encounter these reptiles. To ensure safety for its Fire Corps members, the GVFD’s Battalion Chief, deemed the ‘snake specialist’ by the department, trains the volunteers on proper procedures to handle and remove desert pests in various situations. Other duties of the GVFD’s Fire Corps volunteers include clearing waste or vegetation from fire hydrants and marking the hydrants with reflective tape, which is required by the city. Administrative assistance consists of answering non-emergency phone calls, filing paperwork, and delivering interdepartmental mail. All Fire Corps members have completed approximately 20 hours of CERT training along with an additional 20 hours of specialized training which may include radio procedures, computer use, report writing, and driver operations. This training is done in-house by GVFD personnel. Fire Corps volunteers also perform 90 percent of the District’s smoke alarm installations and battery replacements for Green Valley residents. GVFD’s Fire Chief Bill Bohling said, “Our Fire Corps members have been a great asset, saving the District time and money. The program enables us to continue providing essential services and allows our first responders to remain on the front lines. It’s a great cohesive relationship that benefits everyone – the department, the community, and the taxpayers.” For more information about the Green Valley Fire Corps program, visit www.gvfire.org. Calendar of EventsBelow is a list of events that Fire Corps staff will be attending, as well as nationally recognized dates which Fire Corps would like to acknowledge. CFSI Showcase on the Mall Fire Department Instructor’s Conference (FDIC) Prevention, Advocacy, Resources and Data Exchange (PARADE) Co-Chairs Meeting Firehouse Expo Fire Rescue International (FRI) To be removed from this list please enter your email on the unsubscribe page.  |
