Fire Line News Letter May 2013

Fauquier County Fire , Rescue & Emergency Management

F R O M T H E D E S K O F

CHIEF BILLINGTON….

THE FIRELINE NEWSLETTER

May 2013 Issue

FAUQUIER COUNTY

DEPARTMENT

OF FIRE RESCUE

& EMERGENCY

MANAGEMENT

Phone: 540-422-8800

“There’s a Whole Lot of Recognition-ing Going On”

Over the last few months, some very important recognition ceremonies have occurred recognizing the accomplishments of many of our volunteer and career members. These recognitions are in fact a testament to all of you and the work that each contributes. Rec-ognizing achievement, especially in a combination fire and rescue system such as ours, is a very important tool. I recall as a volunteer firefighter, the biggest day of the year for me was our annual awards dinner. Would I have the most training hours or the most calls answered?! It was definitely more exciting than my paycheck for cooking at Howard Johnson’s.

According to psychologist Abraham Maslow’s famous hierarchy of needs model, the third level of human needs – after the need for food and safety – involves feelings of belonging and love. And the fourth level is a need for esteem and to feel respected. Studies have shown that when we feel loved or appreciated, our bodies create oxyto-cin – popularly known as the love hormone. Even shaking someone’s hand or giving them a hug can create a burst of this hormone. Recent research also shows that peo-ple who work under the influence of oxytocin perform better and are more trustworthy at work. Recognition speaks to both of these important human needs.

By contributing to the building of another person’s self-esteem and sense of belong-ing, recognition helps fulfill the universal human desire to be accepted and valued. In other words, recognition and career advancement support our higher-level psychologi-cal needs. A 2012 study by Forbes magazine found that modern, reengineered recog-nition programs can have a huge positive impact on business performance. Compa-nies that scored in the top 20% for building a recognition-rich culture had 31% lower voluntary turnover rates. It also found that 83% of the organizations studied suffer from a deficit in “recognition,” and as a result, these companies underperform their peers. So recognition isn’t just good for our members; it is also good for our organiza-tions!

I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :

Asst. Chief & EM 2

Training/North 3

Logistics/EMS News 4

EMS Family Fun Night 5

EMS Council/Birthdays 6

Promotional Testing 7

Southern Battalion 8

Central Battalion 9

Valor Award Honorees 10

Incident Spotlight 11

Fire Chiefs Golf Tourney 12

DFREM Recruitment 13

www.fauquierfirerescue.org

and glow sticks; First aid kits; Cell phone chargers; Weather Band radios and NOAA Weather Radios; Portable self-powered radi-os, including radios with electrical power capability; Bottled water of any size, includ-ing flavored and carbonated; Two-way radi-os; Manual can openers; Tarps, plastic sheeting, plastic drop cloths; Bungee cords and rope; Ground anchor systems or tie down kits; Ratchet straps; Duct tape; Carbon monoxide and smoke detectors, fire extin-guishers; Empty gas, propane or diesel fuel tanks or containers; Water storage contain-ers such as buckets, barrels, canteens, cool-ers

Before tropical storms arrive, you can get ready and save money, too. Shop during Virginia’s Hurricane Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday, May 25-31, and you won’t pay sales tax on supplies for protecting your home and business! Many useful items qualify.

Shop for items on this list that have a price of $60 or less:

Artificial ice, blue ice, ice packs, reusable ice; Batteries, excluding car or boat bat-teries; Portable self-powered light sources, including flashlights and lanterns

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W H Y D O W E D O T H I S . . B Y A S S T . C H I E F S T E V E N S

Did you know? Fauquier County

Department of Fire, Rescue & Emergency

Management and VFRA sends out this monthly

newsletter (The FIRELINE) to all its

personnel and fellow County workers, every month? The FIRELINE

highlights monthly activities, response to

calls, accomplishments, awards, honors,

happenings and other news! This is put

together by Danica Low, Administrative Assistant in DFREM. If you would like to contribute a brief article, announcement,

or photo to the FIRELINE, we welcome your submissions! Just

email them to [email protected] by the last day of each

month.

May 2013

At some point each of us has asked this question of ourselves: why do we do this?

For many it started as a family tradition, others were brought in by close friend, a few just simply walked in the door and even fewer chose to become involved after experi-encing personal loss or tragedy; regardless of what brought you here, the question re-mains…why do you stay? For many of us we do this because we believe we make a positive impact on our community! We stay because we love what we do! We do this so that our children will have the safety and assurance they need in a community with strong fire rescue services. We do this because there is nothing like being able to make a difference in someone else’s life in a profound and meaningful way. We do this be-cause we were made to do this, and reminding ourselves that not everyone has been given this gift, we are thankful to have found one another, and come together in brother-hood.

I spend two Thursday evenings a month with our Leadership team conducting the busi-ness of Fauquier Fire Rescue. I know that everyone in that room has company meet-ings, committee meetings, and training drills to facilitate but during these two late nights a month they dedicate the additional time needed to make decisions and to build strong relationships with each other. Each of us being a spoke in the wheel, each of us proud of the fire rescue services we provide and in the fire rescue community we have built together. Making a positive difference in your community is our civic calling, helping others through what may be the worst moment of their life is our greatest reward, but I have learned over time that helping another person develop the necessary skills so they can do the same is even greater. Each of us owe our newest members/employees all of the knowledge and leadership that we can provide, and they must be ready to learn every time they walk through that door, because on calls we don’t always get second chances. Don’t practice until you get it right, practice until you can’t get it wrong; the next call we run, the whole team could be depending on you.

E M E R G E N C Y M A N A G E M E N T U P D A T E

Before the storm save money! Hurricane Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday is May 25-31

http://www.tax.virginia.gov/site.cfm?alias=STHoliday

THE FIRELINE NEWSLETTER

The training division had a mock drill on Satur-day and Sunday, April, 6th and 7th. We includ-ed the Spring EMT class as well as the folks here for CEU training. We simulated a bomb explosion in the parking lot with multiple inju-ries. The training was a success and we learned how to be more prepared for a possible event such as this. We used the MCI trailer from the Northern Battalion and we all had an opportunity to see what items were in it. Thank you to Battalion Chief Arft for the use of his Bat-talion vehicle, and Company 1 for the use of their ambulance and Company 7 and Chris King for bringing the Fire Truck for the event. Thanks to all the participants and the instruc-tors for a job well done!

Page 3

Training Drill Event Submitted by Lt. Mary Hart and Lt. Russell Baker

http://www.firefightercancersupport.org/

We will be conducting FFI and FFII burns on May 11th and will soon be testing for both. We look forward to seeing these new faces on upcoming fire scenes. Don’t forget to sign up for the upcoming DPO and Instructor I classes.

For more information visit our website or go to the Depart-ment of Fire Programs website to sign up.

THE FIRELINE NEWSLETTER Page 4

L O G I S T I C S D I V I S I O N L T . B U T C H F L I P P O

Logistics has a new set of wheels!!

We have placed in service a new LOGISTICS MOBILE SER-VICE TRAILER. This trailer carries all the equipment neces-sary to repair and flow test the 250 SCBA packs and the 30 RIT PACK throughout the County. This fall, we will be do-ing the annual SCBA FLOW tests and FIT TESTING for the 340 personnel currently assigned face pieces, right from the trailer at your station!

Schedules will be posted on our website about this later.

For further details contact

Logistics at 540-408-4794.

ACQUIRED STRUCTURE BURN TRAINING

SUNDAY MAY 19th, 2013 8AM 7233 Goose Creek Rd. Marshall,

VA

Please come join us for a day of fire training. RSVP my May 12th with what you can provide and how many people will attend.

We are looking for apparatus, participants and facilitators RSVP to Lt. McEvily at [email protected]

Page 4 May 2013

Technician II Promotional Practical Testing

We’re happy to announce that we will be conducting Technician II promo-tional practical testing on Saturday, May 18, 2013. The test location will be

at New Baltimore, Station 10, 6550 Riley Rd., Warrenton, VA 20187.

Interested candidates that are eligible to participate in the process will need to submit a letter of interest to;

Deputy Chief Kurt Kight 210 Hospital Dr.

Warrenton, VA 20186

All letters of interest are due by close of business, Wednesday, May 15, 2013.

There will be four (4) practical stations to include; EMS, Basic Fire, and Driv-er Pump Operator (DPO). The candidate will draw one skill from a three (3)

skill group for each subject area. The process will begin at 0930 hrs. Candi-dates arriving late will not be allowed to test that day. The next testing cycle is expected to be in the fall of 2013. Candidates will not be compensated

for their time for this process. Please feel free to send any questions via email to: [email protected].

http://www.firefighterclosecalls.com/secret.php

Y E A H - T H E H E L M E T I S G O N N A D O A L O T O F G O O D !

Page 6 May 2013

EMS COMMITTEE- We would like to take this opportunity to announce and congratulate the new chairperson of the VFRA / DFREM EMS Committee, Battalion Chief Natasha Randall. We look forward to Chief Randall continuing on the past efforts and leadership of our recent chairperson Angela Arm-strong and also to the challenging future of this committee’s work on addressing new State regu-lations, much needed updated protocols and medical director liaison (to name a few)! Congratu-lations, BC Randall! She may be reached at [email protected]

EMS WEEK- This year, National EMS Week is May 19-25, 2013. This year's theme is "EMS: One Mission. One team". On Thursday evening May 9, the Fauquier County Board of Supervisors will recog-nize this important week with a proclamation.

EMS for Children Day 2013- As part of the larger National EMS Week celebra-tion, EMS for Children Day 2013 will be celebrated on Wednesday, May 22. An EMS for Children Day Promotional Guide is available providing useful ideas about planning for the day-long celebration, and contains many downloadable items, which can be used to help promote pediatric emergency med-ical care within your community; to decorate letter-

head, websites, and emails; and to educate and entertain children. It is available for download at.

http://www.childrensnational.org/EMSC/Events/NEMSC_Day.aspx

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T H E E M S C O M M I T T E E P R E S E N T S ……. . .

May 2013

Page 8 May 2013

Tech. II Hunter, Jr., 5/6

Tech. I Krieg, Jr., 5/7

Lt. Hart, 5/7

Lt. Johnson, Jr., 5/9

Shirley Allen, 5/9

Tech. I Burnthorn, 5/10

Tech. II Klinkenberger, 5/11

Lt. McEvilly, 5/22

Lt. Kidwell, 5/25

MAY BIRTHDAYS!

Fauquier County Government Annual

Benefits Open Enrollment Period

Begins Monday, April 29th and ends Friday, May 10, 2013 at midnight!

Calling all DFREM Employees!

Contact Renee McNemar in Human Resources at 422-8300 if you have questions or need assistance in making your elections. You may also access the link below: http://www.fauquiercounty.gov/government/departments/HR/index.cfm?action=open_enroll Plan to attend one of the Open Enrollment Info Sessions to learn more! The schedule of info sessions is on the Open Enrollment webpage listed under “Important Dates.”

REMS 11th ANNUAL GOLF

TOURNAMENT

Interested in sponsoring, donat-

ing or playing in the Golf Tour-

nament this year? The REMS

Council will be holding their

11th Annual Golf Tournament

on Thursday, May 9th, 12:30pm

at Fawn Lake Country Club,

Spotsylvania County. We will be

sponsored by Spotsylvania Re-

gional Medical Center and all

proceeds will benefit the REMS

Council. Go online to

http://rems.vaems.org for more

information or contact Kate

Gardella at 540-645-6225 or

[email protected].

INVITATION FOR REMS

COMMITTEES

You are invited to participate in

any of the various REMS com-

mittees such as: By-Laws, Crit-

ical Incident Stress Manage-

ment (REMS CISM Team), Dis-

aster, Finance, Grants, Guide-

lines and Training, Nominating,

Personnel, Pharmacy, Public

Information and Education,

Quality Improvement, Strategic

Planning, Stroke Triage and

Trauma Services committees.

For more information on any

of the above committees please

contact the council office at 540-373-0249 or

[email protected].

THE FIRELINE NEWSLETTER Page 9

NORTH BATTALION (3) Submitted by Technician Elliott Foster

Training: Driver pump operator training continues for the proba-tionary technicians at Company 5. The Northern Battalion has

welcomed its new recruits with open arms, and trains each day so everyone will be up to speed with much help from the senior “Salty Dogs” that the Northern Battalion has to offer. The experi-ence and training the new Techni-cians are receiving from all the senior Tech I, II and their LTs, is not only helping them now, but will make for a great starting block to jump-start their new careers with the DFREM family.

Community: Not only is the Northern Battalion helping with the introduction of their new tech-nicians but they are also make time for their folks in their area! In the Month of April, the North-ern Battalion reached out to the community and invited a group of Girl Scouts up to Station 9, to

show them the equipment and the turnout gear, and to show our DFREM support to their troop. DFREM employees, their families and the Girl Scouts came together for a fun-filled public educa-tional day topped off with a cookout!

The Northern Battalion uses its time wisely, split between training its new probationary Technicians and serving its community. It may be hard some days, but they find a way to make it all come together!

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F R O M T H E C E N T R A L B A T T A L I O N

Another month as gone by, faster than the speed of light, with a lot of good news to pass.

First, I would like to say congratulations to two of the crews who received awards at the Annual Fauquier Cham-ber Awards Banquet last week; Techni-cians Miller, McGrath and Myers re-ceived an award for their participation in the incident that occurred in New Baltimore, involving a man who had fallen into an unfinished basement.

The second crew to receive an award was Technician Davis and Smith for their role in the pedestrian struck on route 29 in Opal. It was nice for our crews to be recognized, and again, good job.

May 11th brings the transfers through-out the County. I would like to say thank you to Lt. Kidwell for his support over the last few years. He has shown great leadership here at Medic 1, and I

expect him to continue with the same type of hard charging leadership in the Southern Battalion. I would also like to say thank you to all of the Technicians that are leaving the Central Battalion.

Along the same lines, I would also like to welcome all of the new Tech-nicians coming to the Central Battal-ion. Lt. Bates, Lt. Kidwell and I met yesterday to discuss our plan for the changeover. Lt. Bates had a lot of new ideas to improve things here at Medic 1. I will also be meeting with all of you over the next few weeks to communicate expectations. Lt. Grogan will be remaining at FS 10 for the time being, and we will be working with his new Technicians as soon as they arrive. I look forward to working with all of you.

Battalion Chief Arft

Congratulations to Station 10’ s Newest ALS Providers: Paul Holsinger

Mary Brown Mike Shea

Matt Anderson Bruce Marrow Jake Walker

Page 11 May 2013

F R O M T H E S O U T H E R N B A T TA L I O N

FDIC 2013

I was fortunate enough this year to attend the Fire Department Instruc-tors Conference in Indianapolis. At-tending this conference is a great opportunity to hear from some of the industry’s leaders such as Chief Alan Brunacini, Chief Rick Lasky, Chief Bobby Halton, and Battalion Chief Michael Walker just to name a few. You also get the opportunity to see some of the latest products and

advancements in fire service today.

These conferences are important to help all of us communicate and find better ways of doing things. We can always use a little brush-ing up on our skills as well, such as SCBA confidents Command and Control and so much more. The lessons we learn today will help us grow for tomorrow.

Battalion Chief Brian Lichty

Boy, what a month for the Southern Battalion! We’ve had everything from an increase in EMS calls to several working house fires. In one single day, the Southern Battalion ran a Pedestrian struck, three working house fires, a false alarm house fire and two addi-tional EMS calls with critical patients. This diverse day of calls reminds us of how important it is for all of us to stay as proficient as possible on all of our skills, because we never know what the day will bring us. On plate for the month of May is Lifepack maintenance, Technician II testing, Open Enrollment and new applicant testing – just to name a few. We will also be looking forward to the remainder of our staff completing their precepting and driver release. We cannot allow the month to pass without congratulating the Valor Award winners from the Southern Battalion, Congratulations Lieutenant Gillam, Technician Butler, Technician Willis, Firefighter Jenkins, EMT Bowen, Firefighter Jacobs, and Firefighter Johnson!!!

Page 12 May 2013

2013 FAUQUIER VALOR AWARDS HONOREES2013 FAUQUIER VALOR AWARDS HONOREES2013 FAUQUIER VALOR AWARDS HONOREES

This past month several individuals and stations were honored by the Fauquier Chamber for their service to our community. Pictured below are WVFC’s Technician Lance Davenport and Captain Rodney Woodward and DFREM’s Technician Lisa Davis

and Lt. Mike Gillam

Pictured Below (L-R) are Catlett FF/EMT Justin Jenkins. Chamber President, President Marable, DFREM Tech. Tom McGrath, New Baltimore President Todd Rosamond , DFREM Chief Billington and Warrenton’s Captain Rodney Woodward.

Chief Billington and Remington’s Asst. Chief Billy LeDrew.

Thursday, April 4, 2013, Box 1310 was struck for a reported structure fire. Most of the Southern units were already com-mitted to Midland Rd, so some units were released to help make up the compliment. Tanker 1 arrived on scene with a large, Balloon Frame, two story, single family structure with fire showing on side Charlie. Tanker 1’s officer established Elk Run Command, and advised the next in Engine to lay a line to Tanker 1 and prepare for rural water operations. Tank-er 1’s officer performed a 360 and noted fire on side Charlie of the house, with an attached breezeway fully involved, which was attached to another small structure that was fully in-volved. A two inch attack line was advanced to side Charlie by Tanker 1’s crew for initial fire attack. Once Engine 1514 and Engine 1 arrived on scene, crews advanced a line into the main house to start knocking the remaining fire. Units re-mained on scene for four hours fighting fire and performing overhaul. Units on Scene: K-1, E-13, E-1. E-2, E-1514, E-506, E-1504, W-10, K-11, K-1209, K-10, K-1202, X-8, U-13, CF-13, AC-10, BC-502

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I N C I D E N T S P O T L I G H T

May 2013

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