AUTUMN 2005 CLIMBING MOUNT ELBERT IN THIS ISSUE. John Oprandy. Continued on Page 3

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1 S I R E N S AUTUMN 2005 CLIMBING MOUNT ELBERT John Oprandy The idea wasn t mine. The goal was similar to others I have on my list, but not one I had envisioned myself completing before my demise untimely or otherwise. It began with a simple statement, I m going to hike to the top of a fourteen thousand foot mountain while I m in Colorado at Fire Rescue International. Hey, I ll go with you, I said, a voice in my head immediately screaming, What the hell are you saying? Do you have a clue what s involved or how strenuous a hike at that elevation really is? I don t; but, I enjoy hiking; I love being outside, and I like a challenge. Besides, it would be a great team building exercise! So the goal was set and the initial plans laid; Dan and I would hike a 14,000 foot mountain, known as a 14 er in those parts. Dan combed the internet before we left Charlottesville and picked out a Class One hike on Mt. Elbert, just southwest of Denver. A Class One is an easier hike, but at such a high elevation, I wasn t sure what to expect. I packed my boots and camel pack and hoped for the best. Attending the conference in Denver allowed us to become somewhat acclimated to the higher elevation. By the end of the week we were ready for final preparations. Our plans to this point were very general; we knew we would wake up very early on Saturday morning, drive to the trailhead, and make the summit by about noon. We set out to the local REI store in Denver to purchase last minute necessities such as Cliff bars and a trail map. Once there, we discovered a park ranger stationed right in Continued on Page 3 IN THIS ISSUE Raintree Three-Alarm House Fire Page 4 First Responders Get Physical Page 7 Training Grounds Page 8 Caught in the Act Page 9 & 10 Calendar of Events Pages Station News Pages Fire Rescue News Briefs Pages 17-19

2 PAGE 2 S I R E N S Sirens is the official newsletter of the Albemarle County, Virginia Department of Fire Rescue and is published quarterly. The newsletter is printed by PrintSource of Charlottesville, Virginia. ORGANIZATIONAL DIRECTION Vision We will be home to the model volunteer-career fire and emergency medical services system. Mission We will provide the highest quality services to protect and preserve the lives, property, and environment of our community. Values We believe in excellence in public service through: Integrity Innovation Stewardship Learning Guiding Philosophies It takes the contribution of both volunteer and career personnel to make our system work. No one individual or organization s needs are more important than the service to our customers. We must respect an organization s identity and connection with the community they serve. We must balance an organization s need for local autonomy with the system approach for providing emergency services. Strategic Directions Develop a unified combination emergency service system at the operations level. Deliver services that are consistent with our customer s expectations. Further develop and support our volunteer and career personnel. Recruit and retain quality volunteer and career personnel. Customers Our external customers are all those in need of services offered by the department. Our internal customers are department personnel - career & volunteer, other county staff, and local elected officials. The opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the County of Albemarle and/or the Department of Fire Rescue. STAFF & PERSONNEL Administration Chief: J. Dan Eggleston Deputy Chief: John Oprandy Captain: Jason C. Nauman Administrative Assistant: Nellie Durham Operations Assistant Chief: Training Captain: Prevention Assistant Chief: Fire Rescue Advisory Board Chair: Vice Chair: Robert Brown M. Scott Lambert Robert Lowry George Stephens Doug Smythers HOW TO CONTACT US 460 Stagecoach Road, Suite F Charlottesville, Virginia Voice: FAX: jnauman@albemarle.org Website: SUBMISSIONS Articles, feature stories, cartoons, photographs, classifieds (buy or sell), upcoming training, station news, and station events and functions are welcome. The deadline for Winter 2005 submissions is Monday, 5 December REPRINTS/PERMISSIONS No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, including photocopying, or utilized by any information storage and retrieval system without written permission from the Department of Fire Rescue. Please direct requests for reprints and/or permissions to the attention of the editor. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The following individuals have made extraordinary efforts and contributions to make this newsletter possible: Christina Davis Rebecca Morris

3 PAGE 3 CLIMBING MOUNT ELBERT Continued from Page 1 the store. After talking with him for a few minutes, we realized we would need to make some adjustments to our plans. To begin with, the mountain we had chosen would take twice the amount of time to drive to than anticipated. Looks like we ll be leaving tonight and staying closer to the trailhead, I said to Dan. The Ranger explained we would need to start early to get off the mountain before about noon or so to avoid any thunderstorms that may develop. To do so meant starting the hike at about 0500 Hours, while it was still dark; add headlamps to the list. It will be quite cold in the morning, the Ranger said, And then again once you get close to the summit. Add a pair of convertible hiking pants/shorts as well, that s another $ This is beginning to sound like a VISA commercial, I tell myself. The Ranger gives us several other tips and we leave REI feeling even more confident about our plans now that they ve been reviewed by an expert. We scour the internet and make a half dozen phone calls looking for a room for the night. Not as easy as we expected. We re competing for rooms with groups attending two major events, a mountain bike race in the town north of the Mt. Elbert, and a burro race in the town south. We find one room left in Buena Vista, the small town hosting the burro race. This is the semi-final race, the hotel manager explains, I m surprised we had this room. I m not sure what will happen this year. Last year Jeffery Salizar had it in the bag with at least a two block lead when his burro just quit; stopped right there in the street and wouldn t budge. Nothing he could do! He had the goal in sight, but just couldn t make it; that damn burro just sat there and the more Jeffery pulled on him or prodded him the less he d move. I know he wanted to leave it sitting there and run that last block, but then it wouldn t really be a burro race would it? No, I answered, contemplating the many parallels to our pending quest, I suppose not. The next morning we traveled north for about twenty-five minutes before leaving the paved road on a forestry trail that would take us to the start point for the hike. The road was increasingly rocky and narrow, and finally, we weren t sure whether or not to continue by truck or start walking. In lieu of ripping the undercarriage out of the rental vehicle, we decided to start the hike. Headlamps burning we lumbered up the roadway in pursuit of the summit. About a mile up the road we found the trail head and two or three other hikers who had camped there the night before. We spoke for a few minutes about the hike ahead. They had not hiked this trail, but had hiked other 14 ers so provided us with a few tips for our trek. As the sun began to rise over the mountains, we began our ascent. View of Mount Elbert from Independence Pass Photo by B.A. Saidel To this point, all progress made had been indirectly related to reaching the summit. Now, we found ourselves on the trail progress towards the top distinctly measurable. It was easy to look back over our shoulders, to take in the beautiful view of the valley, twin lakes, and distant mountains. It was rewarding to see how every step was taking us closer to our goal of reaching the summit. The trail ahead seemed long and difficult, but each time I looked back, I was encouraged by how far we had come and how much more beautiful the view was from the higher elevation. We met a number of hikers along the way. They were all very friendly, and we sincerely enjoyed the conversations. Each time we would learn something more about the hike, the mountain, or Colorado. Some would point out other peeks and provide the name of mountains and other points of interest within our view; others described the hike ahead, having accomplished the goal already. Some were local, and others were from other parts of the world. We all had something in Continued on Page 6

4 PAGE RAINTREE: THREE-ALARM HOUSE FIRE Stephen J. Elliott On Monday, 8 August 2005, fire and rescue units from Albemarle County were dispatched by the Charlottesville-Albemarle Emergency Communications Center (ECC) to 1250 Raintree Drive for a structure fire. This single-family dwelling was located in the first due response district of the Seminole Trail Volunteer Fire Department. Immediately after dispatch, responding units were advised of an occupant trapped in the residence. A second-alarm assignment was requested prior to first-due units arriving on the scene. While responding, the ominous message was relayed to responding units of an occupant trapped on the second floor of the residence, unable to escape. Upon arrival of first-due Engine 84, there was heavy fire showing from the garage and heavy smoke showing from the first and second floors of a two-story, wood frame, single-family dwelling. With the report of a person trapped, Firefighter Matt Ascoli (Acting Captain on Engine 84) marked on the scene with units in Fast-Attack mode. This radio signal indicates to other responding units that there is a suspected immediate life hazard and first-due units will be engaging in search and rescue operations and interior attack. Engine 84 took a hydrant while approaching the scene, laying a 4-inch supply line. Also arriving with Engine 84 was Tower 18, a 100-foot aerial platform. Tower 18 took a position in front of the house next to Engine 84. Engine 84 stretched a 2-inch attack line to the front door of the residence, while the crew from Tower 18 initiated an interior search with a thermal imaging camera. Crews encountered very heavy fire Raintree Drive Three-Alarm Fire Photo by John E. Burruss conditions on the first floor. The fire had started in the garage and auto exposed up side Bravo of the structure. This auto exposure spread through the attic portion over the garage bonus room. The door from the garage to the first floor of the house had been left open. This allowed for fire to easily spread from the garage into the first floor of the structure. The officer and firefighter from Engine 84 initiated an attack on the fire on the first floor, successfully protecting the interior stairs. The officer and firefighter from Tower 18 proceeded to the second floor and found high heat conditions. The area soon became untenable and the crew from Tower 18 abandoned their search. During the first few minutes after arrival of the crews, personnel were able to confirm that the trapped occupant had been assisted from the structure by a 14-year-old that was outside working in the yard and contractors that were working nearby just prior to apparatus arrival. When it was determined there were no occupants trapped, crews regrouped and the interior attack was continued. A command post was established by Assistant Chief Dennis Hahn, (Seminole Trail) who was the Incident Commander. Battalion Chief Danny Tawny, (Seminole Trail) assumed the operations position. Crews were able to control the fire in the garage and first floor, but the fire had taken hold of the attic over the two-story portion of the structure. Engine 41 (Earlysville Volunteer Fire Company) and Tower 18 were able to cut a successful vent hole in the roof, and handlines were stretched to the second floor to attack the attic fire. The attic became fully involved with the fire venting from the gable end on side Charlie of the structure. With the roof becoming fully involved and no civilian life hazard, Chief Tawny ordered the structure evacuated and the attack moved to a defensive operation. The ladder pipe from Tower 18 was operated from side Alpha of the structure, achieving knock-down of the main body of fire within 15 minutes of the change to defensive mode. Crews then rotated over the next several hours conducting Continued on Page 5

5 PAGE 5 THREE-ALARM HOUSE FIRE Continued from Page 4 extensive overhaul. The fire was fought in heat that exceeded 95 degrees. Rehab was established early by Medic 140 (Charlottesville-Albemarle Rescue Squad) with an Albemarle County rehab bus arriving later into the fire. One firefighter was treated on the scene for heat exhaustion; one firefighter was that operating on the scene was transported from a station later in the day with heat cramps and exhaustion. The occupant that was briefly trapped was transported by Medic 842 (Charlottesville-Albemarle Rescue Squad, Berkmar Station) for smoke inhalation. Apparatus from Seminole Trail, Earlysville, Stony Point, East Rivanna, North Garden, City of Charlottesville, and Albemarle County operated on the scene for over five hours. The Albemarle County Department of Fire Rescue Fire Marshal s Office conducted the investigation, with the cause listed as accidental. Apparatus and personnel responding included: Engines 84, 41, 85, 61, CFD 4, CFD 1; Tower 18; Salvage 87; Support 47; Attack 22; Car 30; Chiefs 80, 81, 82, 83, 12; EMS 11; Recruitment 10; Medics 140, 842; Squad 135; FMs 10, 11, 13, 14; Rehab 10. Stephen Elliott is an EMS Supervisor for the Department of Fire Rescue. Mr. Elliott has been with the department since Mr. Elliott may be contacted at selliott@albemarle.org Raintree Drive Three-Alarm Fire Photos by John E. Burruss

6 PAGE 6 CLIMBING MOUNT ELBERT Continued from Page 3 common that day; each taking up a small piece of real estate in one beautiful part of the world, a type of bond to last forever in the memories of all who crossed paths, our lives intersecting for a moment. It was during one of these conversations that someone who had made the hike previously informed us that what we had believed to be the summit of Mt Elbert was actually not. The summit is actually over the crest of what you re seeing there, he explained, The real summit is another half mile or so beyond it. At this point in the hike, at this elevation, the news was like nearing the finish line of the Charlottesville 10-Miler only to find that the judges have decided to move it another mile down the road. I thought the goal was in sight, and that I knew exactly how much further I would need to go to accomplish it. Now, suddenly, I found myself physically tired, winded and at an elevation I was not accustomed to. I had been pushing myself along, drawing motivation from the fact that the goal was in sight. Now I felt somewhat anxious. Would I still make the summit? Exactly how much farther is it? Progress is much slower now, and a lot more difficult. Could I make it this far and then actually fail to reach the summit? The fear of the unknown began to take over my thoughts. After a short break and some time reflecting on how far I d come, I knew stopping at this point was just not an option. I knew I would not only let myself down, but Dan as well. I began to use a Lance Armstrong quote as motivation; Pain is only temporary, quitting lasts forever. The last four or five hundred yards of the hike seemed like an eternity. I became dizzy and nauseous and progress seemed to slow to a crawl. I was able to climb for about twenty yards or so, and then I d have to take a break. Dan was feeling the effects of the altitude as well, but seemed to be handling it better. He offered words of encouragement and the occasional thumbs up sign. Mostly, he stayed just far enough ahead of me to pull me along. I began to set easier goals for myself. Instead of looking at the summit, I would pick out a specific rock or turn in the trail as my next stopping point, making the task seem much more attainable. Finally, I found myself within steps of the top of the mountain. The view in front of me to this point had been the trail, the summit, and then blue sky. Now, with every step closer to the top I could see more of the mountains beyond Mt. Elbert and the valley below. The sky seemed to be opening up, my perspective changing with every step from a one-sided view to a 360 o view. Standing on the top, the majestic Rocky Mountains surrounded me; the peaks of some hidden by clouds and others by snow and glaciers. The valleys were deep, and the cotton ball clouds just barely out-of-reach. We had accomplished our goal; we had reached the summit. I felt an amazing sense of accomplishment. Yes, I did make it! Despite all of my doubts, the struggle, and the physical toll all of which, in fact, were temporary. This moment, this accomplishment, is forever. So what? You ask. I would have to agree, so what. Although I would encourage anyone to visit Colorado and enjoy a hike in the mountains, the purpose of writing all of this was not to promote tourism. About onequarter of the way up that mountain I couldn t help but notice the parallels to the process of attaining our fire and EMS related goals here in Albemarle County. Throughout the rest of the hike, I frequently drew comparisons to my everyday life as a part of the fire and EMS system in Albemarle. I will highlight a few here, but for the most part let you draw your own conclusions: Advanced preparation may not be required, but it s recommended. Many of the paths we are taking have been traveled before, let s ask for advice. We ll meet others along the path, take advantage of the opportunity. Plans may change, but the goal remains. We may lose sight of the goal, but the goal remains. The path will likely be difficult, and not everyone will make it. Let s encourage each other. Set small goals along the way. Stop along the way to look back, take a break, and enjoy the progress. Quitting is not an option; although some may not make it. Let s do our best to get everyone to the finish line. After all, if we abandon anyone it won t be a burro race. Try not to be the burro. Reaching the goal will be even better than we imagine. John Oprandy is the Deputy Chief of the Department of Fire Rescue. Deputy Chief Oprandy has been with the department since Deputy Chief Oprandy may be contacted at joprandy@albemarle.org

7 PAGE 7 FIRST RESPONDERS GET PHYSICAL Jessica Kitchin A group of 30 people exercising in bright red T-shirts stood out amid the bustling Wednesday afternoon crowd at ACAC. The Albemarle County and Charlottesville firefighters, rescue squad members and police officers represented an effort two years in the making one that local officials hope will result in healthier, betterprepared emergency responders. Using funds from a $430,000 homeland security grant, the emergency workers at ACAC in Albemarle Square were attending a comprehensive 40-hour course to become Peer Fitness Trainers. After this intense week of classroom and fitness preparation, the newly taught trainers will help others at their stations develop individual fitness and wellness programs. This really addresses the heart of the problems that firefighters face, said Chief J. Dan Eggleston of the Albemarle County Department of Fire-Rescue. Seven out of 10 firefighters retire from some sort of disability, and cardiac problems account for 50 percent of firefighter deaths, according to the United States Fire Administration. I think there s a direct correlation between total body fitness and job performance, which means this affects the services we provide to the community, said Captain Jason C. Nauman of Albemarle Fire Rescue, who is leading the effort. By developing these functional skills, we re directly benefiting job performance and keeping our firefighters safe and prepared. The federal government provided 70 percent of the money, but local governments had to put up the rest. Some of the funding is being used to install exercise equipment in every rescue squad and fire station. After Sept. 11, we realized our first responders are our nation s first line of defense, Nauman said. Tom Grimshaw, FDNY, instructs Albemarle County and Charlottesville fire rescue personnel as part of the Peer Fitness Trainer program held at ACAC. Photo by Rachel Zahumensky (The Daily Progress). Marty Hauer of the Kent Fire Department in Washington and Tom Grimshaw of the Fire Department New York led the week s daily programs at ACAC. Both are with the International Association of Firefighters. It s an intense class, but the amount of fun and the amount of knowledge we ll pass on to our respective departments will be quite beneficial, said Charlottesville firefighter Craig Williamson, who also volunteers in Albemarle. Nauman hopes to have the entire fitness project completed by the end of the year, with the new equipment in place and the Peer Fitness Trainers helping their fellow emergency responders. This has been great, I just wish we had it earlier, Charlottesville firefighter Elie Jones said. In our profession, 90 percent of our actions are physical. John Hurwitz, with the Seminole Trail Volunteer Fire Department, and Linda Uihlein, with the Earlysville Volunteer Fire Company, demonstrate bicep curls during peer fitness training at ACAC. Photo by Rachel Zahumensky (The Daily Progress). Reprinted with permission from the 29 September 2005 edition of The Daily Progress. Article by Jessica Kitchin jkitchin@dailyprogress.com

8 PAGE 8 THE TRAINING GROUNDS M. Scott Lambert Hello and welcome back to the Training Grounds! I ve decided to change things up a little for this installment, so please bear with me. I was watching the movie Ray the other day, and I found one particular scene interesting. While traveling to play a show in Georgia circa 1961, Ray Charles was approached by a gentleman in the crowd that implored him to protest the widespread acceptance of performers playing before a segregated audience. At first, Ray Charles said that there was nothing that he could do it was just the way it was. The young man in the crowd continued to plead his case, saying that sometimes it just takes one person to make a stand to implement change. These words must have struck a cord with Ray, for he stopped walking, and uttered that the young man was right. Ray Charles decided to be a champion of change that day, and for his vision he was banned from performing in the state of Georgia for 18 years. However, no matter how harsh the punishment, Ray Charles decided that he would no longer be satisfied with the status quo just because that was how it was always done. Well, as a society we are well removed from the days of Jim Crowe theatre. However, in emergency services, we still practice segregation on a daily basis. The three primary disciplines Police, Fire, and Rescue are perhaps more segregated today than the racially segregated crowds of the mid-20 th Century. I know that is a bold statement, and I am certain that it will ruffle a few feathers. I ve found an inspiration in Ray Charles, and feel that is time to make my stand. I m not happy with the status quo, and I will not be satisfied any longer with the statement: Because that is how it has always been done. Emergency services will not survive if we cannot get past ourselves. If you look at the mission statements of agencies involved in the aforementioned disciplines, you will find many similarities. Even though the vision may differ, most public safety agencies are in this business for just that providing for public safety. There are numerous examples in our locality of folks who embrace the mixing of the disciplines, yet there are still people in leadership positions who think that the disciplines shouldn t mix. I attribute these sentiments to turf wars more than I do to common sense. As a kid, I felt the same way on the playground. I wanted the playground all to myself, and I would protect it at all costs. I soon realized that it wasn t much fun to be alone at the playground, and learned that allowing others to play resulted in more happiness for me. If I can learn this valuable lesson as a kid, shouldn t we be able to learn it as adults? The only thing that has changed is I m now on a different playground. So, in the end, I plan to make efforts to integrate public safety as much as possible. In the upcoming months, look for new examples of this such as our regional school. There will be classes that pertain to all disciplines at the school, and hopefully it is a small step in the right direction. In addition, the Training Division is about to embark into the world of NIMS compliance training, and it will be directed at the leaders of all disciplines. I m hoping that we can use training as our playground, and make sure that everyone is welcome to play. Until next time, be safe! M. Scott Lambert is head of the Training Division for the Department of Fire Rescue. Battalion Chief Lambert has been with the department since Battalion Chief Lambert may be contacted at slambert2@albemarle.org DEPARTMENT WELCOMES SYSTEMS ANALYST Christina Davis The Department of Fire Rescue welcomes Jake Arlow, Systems Analyst to our Department. Jake was born in Ohio and lived in Washington DC, Blacksburg, and Harrisonburg. Jake attended the New River Community College, studying Architectural Technology. While in Blacksburg, Jake honed his culinary skills. Before joining Albemarle, Jake worked for the Kawneer Company. Jake says that Albemarle is where he will stay until he retires, gets fired, or is run over by a bus. Jake has two sons, James and Eric, both of whom attend Blue Ridge Community College. Please welcome Jake! Christina Davis is an Office Associate in the Department of Fire Rescue. Ms. Davis has been with the department since Ms. Davis may be contacted at cdavis@albemarle.org

9 PAGE 9 CAUGHT IN THE ACT SCENE I Stony Point personnel participate in company training on 20 August Left to right are Jon Wood, Erich Carter, Greg McFadyen, Mike Reid, Sarah Gulden and Rachel Woloski. Photo by Jack Mellott. Emergency responders pose with a successfully resuscitated sudden cardiac arrest victim at the County Office Building on 6 July 2005 following a recognition ceremony. Staff Photo James Barber and Joe Gould discuss the investigation at the 1250 Raintree Drive fire. 8 August Staff Photo Crews get rest in the Rehabilitation Sector at the 1250 Raintree Drive fire. 8 August Staff Photo Steve Elliott had his hands full as Accountability & Safety Officer at the 1250 Raintree Drive fire. 8 August Staff Photo Bill Schwab (Left) and Matt Stancil (Right) seem to enjoy a photo op at the 11 June 2005 live fire training evolution on Free Union Road. Staff Photos

10 PAGE 10 CAUGHT IN THE ACT SCENE II Above and Below: Personnel debrief following an MVC on Earlysville Road on 21 September Staff Photo Scott Keim enjoys time with his daughter at Monticello Fire Rescue. 5 August Staff Photo Virginia Pattison, Laurie Byers, and Lois Deane talk business during a volunteer recruitment drive at Hollymead Town Center on 20 August Staff Photo Left: Chip Walker performs SCBA face mask fit testing on his dummy. 5 August Staff Photo UVA Activities Fair 23 August Staff Photos

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14 PAGE 14 SEMINOLE TRAIL NEWS James Rowse NORTH GARDEN NEWS Training Accomplishments EMT-Basic Sam Kim Antoni Szachowicz Yousef Shakhsheer Fire Academy Robert Costello John Hurwitz Sam Kim Robert Knight James Chance Lacy Chris Winfield Successful 3-Month Reviews Tim Fiore Thomas Wellermann Dallas Kirby Corey King Andrew Lawrence Successful 6-Month Reviews Caitlin Allard Casey Davis Yousef Shakhsheer Michael Jangl Christina Devries John Hurwitz Patrick Ledford James Chance Lacy Seminole Trail & CARS personnel extricate three Priority Red entrapped victims from two vehicles on East Rio Road on 23 August Extrication of all patients was completed in 7 ½ minutes. CARS Courtesy Photo Welcome New Members Amis Shahiem Robert Pocvett Resignations Linda Johnson Jake Mello Promotions R-Dot Caitlin Allard Released Firefighter Patrick Ledford Sam Kim Sean O Connor Yousef Shakhsheer Antoni Szachowicz Stacey Logsdon Chantel Dean Luke Roloff Ben Murphy Kyle Tatton Released AIC Travis Paradis James Rowse is a Captain with the Seminole Trail Volunteer Fire Department. He has been with the department since Captain Rowse may be contacted at: ltrowse@hotmail.com George Stephens North Garden Volunteer Fire Company celebrated 35 years of service in August Line Officers Chief George Stephens Assistant Chief Chuck Pugh (Training Officer) Battalion Chiefs John Shifflett (EMS & Infection Control Officer) Harvey Morris (Fleet Maintenance Officer) Captains David Allen Scott Morris (Safety Officer) Bill Strother Warren Davis (Junior Firefighter Advisor) George Stephens is Chief of the North Garden Volunteer Fire Company. He has been with the department since??. Chief Stephens also serves as Chairman of the Albemarle County Fire Rescue Advisory Board. Chief Stephens may be contacted at: chief30@albemarle.org

15 PAGE 15 CHARLOTTESVILLE-ALBEMARLE RESCUE PLACES FOUR NEW AMBULANCES IN SERVICE John E. Burruss On 1 September, the Charlottesville- Albemarle Rescue Squad (CARS) received four new ambulances which will be placed in-service by the time this article is printed. The new units, which replace Medics 141, 144, 146 and 147, are all identical Ford F wheel drive heavy-duty chassis, AEV Type I built boxes. A lot of time was spent drawing up specifications and incorporating suggestions for improvements, said Fleet Operations Manager Steve Hartman. We polled the membership to find problems with our old design and ideas for improvements, as well as using good ideas from other squads. CARS Courtesy Photo The new ambulances can carry three back-boarded patients, said Assistant Chief Benjamin Sojka. This greatly improves our flexibility and allows us to use one ambulance where two were needed in the past. The new ambulances will also carry forcible entry gear, safety helmets, and will have space for turnout gear. Additional features include a Whelen LED emergency lighting package, back-up camera mounted in the driver s visor, Opticom traffic control system, and carefully designed interior compartments with roll-up doors. Room to carry two drug boxes is also provided. We even looked at issues we had in the past and tried to address those problems, said Hartman. A great example is a completely separate battery system that can start the truck should the main batteries fail. If the crew leaves the batteries master switch on and kills the batteries, all they have to do is push the white switch on the console and the truck will always start. The biggest change you will see is the huge front bumper, said Sojka. CARS Courtesy Photo John Burruss is the Deputy Chief of Special Operations with the Charlottesville-Albemarle Rescue Squad. Deputy Chief Burruss has been with the department since Deputy Chief Burruss may be contacted at jburruss@hotmail.com

16 PAGE 16 STONY POINT NEWS Jack Mellott Poster Wins Bronze The 2005 Stony Point Volunteer Recruitment poster (shown right), designed by The King Agency in Richmond, VA, won a bronze award from The Summit Creative Awards. The competition received approximately 3,000 entries from over 20 countries. Generator Installed Thanks to a $7,000 grant from the Dave Mathews Band Bama Works Fund, Stony Point now has a propane-powered electric power generator. It is installed and working. Special thanks to Greg McFadyen and Tony Baugher for their hard work! Bay Floor Gets Makeover This summer, thanks to a product donation and equipment loan from the Tennant Company, we applied an epoxy coating to the station s apparatus bay floor. The entire fire company worked hard to make it happen, but the brigade gives a special thanks to Bill Lawrence and Mike Reid for their efforts! The floor looks great! Thanks! In July, Coleman Gentry became the day crew captain. As a military reservist, Coleman recently returned from a year of active duty; thanks Coleman for your service to the country! Training Accomplishments Fire Attack Joe Burchell Dan Langan Brian Roberson Basic & Light Duty Rescue Jon Wood Rachel Woloski Erich Carter Joe Burchel Mike Reid Live Burn Evolution We had a very successful company live burn at the training center in May. Thanks to the folks in the Training Division for their work to make it happen and run smoothly. NFA Virginia Weekend Mark Hefren and Jack Mellott attended the Virginia Weekend at the National Fire Academy in August. Congratulations John Chicago Loehr earned his PhD in Education from UVA. Best wishes to him and his wife Coleene as they move to Chicago. Congratulations to Josh Wilberger and Amy Godshall on their engagement! Membership Applications Stony Point is pleased to have received a number of membership applications late this summer and look forward to seeing a record number of new members join this fall. Jack Mellott is the Assistant Chief of the Stony Point Volunteer Fire Company. He has been with the department since Assistant Chief Mellott may be contacted at: chief61@spvfc.org

17 PAGE 17 FIRE RESCUE NEWS BRIEFS Becky Robinette Wright Firefighters Battle House Blaze in Dangerous Heat Conditions The alarm sounded at 1922 Hours on July 22 for a structure fire at 1490 Briery Creek Road. The fire troops responded in full force. Captain Jason Nauman of Albemarle Fire Rescue said upon arrival crews found a single family dwelling heavily involved. Responding apparatus included: Engine 72 (Scottsville), Tankers 26 and 27 (East Rivanna), Tanker 77 (Scottsville), Truck 115 and Car 111 (Monticello), Charlottesville City Engine 5, Engine 24 (East Rivanna). Also responding was: Chief 10, Chief 70, Recruitment 10, FM14, and other personnel from Scottsville Volunteer Fire Department and Fork Union Volunteer Fire Company. Officials said the fire fight was all defensive. Due to extreme heat conditions from the weather, Nauman said firefighters required extensive rehabilitation. The occupants were not home at the time but away on vacation, officials said. The cause is under investigation. Avon Street Fatal MVC July 12, in Albemarle, a minivan collided head-on with a tractortrailer, causing the truck to jack knife and burst into flames. The accident caused traffic to backup and with the truck sideways, rescuers were challenged to get to the scene. "We had to hand carry the hydraulic equipment to extricate the van driver who was severely pinned," said John Burruss of CARS. "Just 30 feet away from us, the truck was blazing while we performed the operation." The patient died before transport. Personnel battle a structure fire on Briery Creek Road on 22 July Staff photos. A mini-van collided head-on with a tractor trailer on Avon Street on 12 July Photos by John E. Burruss.

18 PAGE 18 FIRE RESCUE NEWS BRIEFS Continued from Page 17 Albemarle Fire Rescue Chief Awarded International Accreditation Dan Eggleston is swiftly climbing the ladder of success in fire/rescue work and his service to the fire/rescue community began humbly in Chesterfield County. Eggleston, Fire Rescue Chief for Albemarle County, recently was awarded International Accreditation as "Chief Fire Officer by the Commission on Chief Fire Officer Designation. Worldwide there are only 459, statewide only 23. Eggleston became a firefighter in 1977 at Station 13 (Phillips) in the Matoaca area of Chesterfield. "My Dad is the most influential person in my fire service career. He is a charter member of Station 13 and the former Chief. My Dad instilled in me the importance of training and education." Helping to build the first fire station in the community made me want to be a firefighter, Eggleston explained. I didn't really have much choice then, as a 15-year-old I was free labor. Eggleston retained his knowledge gained in those early years and now is expanding his vision of fire/rescue in Albemarle County. "Our goal in Albemarle is to be the model combination/career department. Harmony comes and goes. What we strive for is establishing a partnership between our stakeholders to deliver the best service to our citizens. As an organization, we often disagree. However, it is this diversity that makes us an innovative and a dynamic organization." Eggleston has experienced many milestones in his endeavors. "A Chief J. Dan Eggleston Staff Photo turning point in my life was becoming 16 years old and officially becoming a volunteer firefighter," Eggleston said proudly, "I have opportunities on a daily basis, and I feel so fortunate to work with a great group of people and within the best profession." The Chief Fire Officer Designation program is a voluntary program designed to recognize individuals who demonstrate their excellence in seven measured components including: Experience, Education, Professional Development, Professional Contributions, Association Membership, Community Involvement, and Technical Competencies. A Board of Review consisting of members of the fire and emergency services profession, academia, and municipal agencies review each application and recommends successful candidates for designation to the Commission. Eggleston has served as Albemarle County's Director of Fire Rescue since Summit Seeks to Educate the Masses on Combination Departments August 27 th & 28 th launched the Second Annual Combination Summit in Albemarle County at the Doubletree Hotel. "Over 100 participants attended," said Captain Jason Nauman of Albemarle County Fire Rescue. "Many were return attendees from last year." Just what was offered? Challenges, insights, and success stories were offered on such topics as: Citizen Complaints, Infighting Among Volunteers, Clashes Between Paid and Volunteer Members, and Challenges Recruiting & Maintaining Volunteers. The one-and-a-half day program was designed to provide decision makers clear guidance on how to manage the unique challenges associated with volunteer-based and combination emergency services. Best practices and proven strategies were presented, along with workshops designed to allow the stakeholders from the local delegations to work through delicate issues together. Delegations of various jurisdictions included personnel such as: County Administrators, Town Managers, Mayors, Elected Officials, Fire and EMS Chiefs and Volunteer Organizational Leaders. County Administrators and Elected Officials were offered the opportunity to ask questions and share ideas about creating a successful volunteer/combination system. Continued on Page 19

19 PAGE 19 SUMMIT Continued from Page 18 Fire and EMS Leaders had the chance to air concerns and discuss challenges associated with increasing expectations on the volunteer system. They also received pointers on how to be successful in the future to ensure volunteers remain an active part of the emergency services system. A later meeting was held to report on the findings and outcome of the session. Panel members and facilitators included: Richard Johnson (Hanover County Administrator-Retired), Chief John Buckman (German Township Volunteer Fire Department, Evansville, Indiana), Chief Gary Scott (Campbell County, Wyoming Fire Department), Chief Fred Windisch, EFO-CFO (Ponderosa Volunteer Fire Department, Houston, Texas), Chief Shane Ray (Pleasant View, Tennessee and Lieutenant of Brentwood, TN Fire Department), Deputy Chief Adam Thiel (Goodyear, Arizona Fire Department), Chief Fred Crosby (Hanover County Fire & EMS), and Chief Dan Eggleston, EFO-CFO (Albemarle County, Virginia Fire Rescue). "The summit was an excellent opportunity for Fire/EMS leaders, County Managers and local politicians to come together and discuss the need for, and difficulties and challenges of, combination volunteer and career systems," said Steve Elliott, EMS Supervisor for Albemarle County. I sat in on the political and county managers workshop, Elliott continued. This was extremely valuable as it gave me a greater understanding of what the decisionmakers need from fire and EMS managers. They are concerned about cost, but they are even more concerned about accountability from fire and EMS agencies that the taxpayer s money is well spent. The policy/decision-makers are also concerned that they receive the correct information so they can make the right decision concerning fire and EMS services. By interacting with the policy makers in government, Elliott explained, It made me acutely aware that we all need to become more active with government managers and politicians on a regular basis. Assuring leaders are educated as to our needs is very important," Elliot said. Does the summit make a difference? "Absolutely!" said Albemarle County Fire Rescue Chief Dan Eggleston. "I believe the largest benefit of the summit was to get the system stakeholders (volunteers, career administrators, elected and appointed officials) together to discuss the issues from their perspective. "A highlight of this conference," Eggleston said, "was learning from others. Often times, we believe that we are the only ones dealing with a Over 100 participants engaged in workshops at the Second Annual Combination Summit. Staff Photo difficult issue. The fact is, others are either dealing with the same issue or have found a successful solution. It's all about establishing those working relationships and sharing ideas and solutions." I consider the summit a huge success, Chief Eggleston said, I have received s from other jurisdictions raving about the opportunity to share successful strategies with other participants and the facilitators. Most, if not all, plan to attend next year and bring a larger crowd. Event partners included: Albemarle County Fire Rescue, Hanover Fire & EMS, Virginia Association of Counties, Virginia Department of Fire Programs, Virginia Association of Fire Chiefs, and the Volunteer/Combination Officer's Section of the International Association of Fire Chiefs. Becky Robinette Wright is a freelance writer based in Chesterfield, Virginia. Fire, rescue, & EMS writing is her contribution to some of Virginia s bravest. Ms. Wright may be contacted at fungirlwriter@yahoo.com

20 PAGE 20 WELLNESS & FITNESS PROGRAM Wellness & Fitness Program In December 2003, the Department of Fire Rescue put together a team of career and volunteer personnel to work on a wellness and fitness program and 2004 Assistance to Firefighters Grant proposal. The Department was awarded the grant in November The total program cost is $430,484 ($301,339 federal, $129,145 local). The grant allows the implementation of a continuing proactive wellness and fitness program for the Department's volunteer and career personnel. Fitness Equipment The installation of flooring and equipment has been completed at Scottsville Fire, Scottsville Rescue, Crozet, Seminole Trail, Charlottesville-Albemarle Rescue, COB-5 th Street, and North Garden. Renovation is underway at COB- McIntire to accommodate the fitness equipment. The flooring and equipment for Western Albemarle, Stony Point, Earlysville, and East Rivanna are in storage until arrangements are made for placement. The Fitness Center at COB-5 th Street and COB-McIntire will be open 24-hours-per-day, 7-daysper-week to both career and volunteer personnel. Staff is working on a process for all personnel to receive key cards to the office buildings so they can access the Fitness Centers. Fitness equipment orientations have been scheduled for some stations, and additional orientation sessions will be scheduled later. Fitness Trainers During the last week of September, over thirty fire, rescue, and police personnel participated in the Peer Fitness Trainer course. After the participants receive their certification results, the Department will implement programs and assessments to promote total body fitness and wellness. Vaccinations Hepatitis-B Vaccinations All active personnel are provided Hepatitis-B Vaccinations, if desired. All personnel who have patient contact should receive the Hepatitis-B vaccination. To receive the Hepatitis-B vaccination, contact your supervisor. Influenza Vaccinations All active personnel are provided annual influenza vaccinations free-of-charge, if desired. Family members are not eligible for the free vaccination. The vaccinations are administered through a contracted provider, and schedules for vaccinations are determined annually by the Department of Human Resources. Wellness Education Personnel are provided monthly Wellnotes newsletters and Wellness Challenges that provide valuable information and tips for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The newsletters and challenges are available online at Additional wellness education initiatives will be announced soon. Fitness Center at COB- 5 th Street. Staff Photo Critical Incident Stress Management The Department of Fire Rescue participates cooperatively with the Thomas Jefferson EMS Council to maintain a team of Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) personnel. The objective of the team is to promote staff health, mental health, emotional well-being, and retention. The team works to prevent critical incident stress reactions and cumulative stress difficulties, along with the reduction in frequency, intensity, and duration of stress-related problems. To request CISM services, follow regional EMS protocol, and contact the shift supervisor at the Emergency Communications Center. Physicals/Medical Assessments Comprehensive physicals/medical assessments are provided annually for career personnel. It is the desire of the Department to eventually provide annual physicals/medical assessments for all personnel (career and volunteer). The Department has submitted a 2005 SAFER grant application to the Department of Homeland Security to help fund this initiative. For more information, visit