Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Wanna Bet?

     I'm used to being lied to. It comes with job.  Everything from a life long 2 pack a day smoker who now has COPD and is on home O2 lying about smoking, when I can smell the smoke and see the cigarette in the ashtray.  Of course you weren't smoking that was somebody else and they just left right?  To politicians and management lying about how much they support us, while at the same time selling us out to keep themselves in a job.  I'm a cynic at heart, so Tuesday's news about firefighters getting physicals and being forced to complete a physical agility test to stay on the job rings all kinds of alarm bells. The article can be found here

     I support mandatory annual physicals for all firefighters.  Firefighter's have a significant increase in the rates of cancer's, hear attacks, strokes, heart stress are typically the number 1 killer of firefighter's every year accounting for over 50% of LODD reported. Annual physicals have proven their worth in cities all across the nation by alerting firefighters to potentially life threatening diseases at an early stage allowing for a greater chance of survival.  The department and the commision is now suddenly concerned for our well-being.  I don't think so.  It's an agenda, plain and simple.  The department provided physical a couple of years ago through an Assistance to Firefighter's Grant (AFG) that was intended to be a yearly physical complete with nutritunal and physical fitness support.  What happened to that program?  Oh, yeah it cost money. Scrap that plan. 

     Now we have a new plan that purports to include all "certified firefighters"  I hope this means all personnel who hold and maintain their certification.  This would include many in Administration and the Fire Prevention Bureau.  I'm not holding my breath. I'm sure they will find a way to weasel out of it and dump the entire program on the backs of us in suppression.  It's the nature of the beast, I suppose.  The more I read this the more this sounds like a rant. In a way it is.  While I support physical and to a degree the physical agility test.  What I want is physicals designed for fire fighter, not some physical you got in high school so you could play sports.  I want a support program in palce that is supported by the department and the county government that not only provides support for healthy nutrution/diets but actually "supports" the program. How about a physical fitness program that is designed to address issues specific to firefighters (flexibility, core strength, endurance) and tailored to each firefighter.  I'm not daydreaming.  I'm simply saying that if we are to mandated to do this then support it. 

     We are the only department that this applies to. Why is that?  Is is because we demanded it?  Not that I recall.  Is it because our leaders have our well being at heart?  Not based on past experiences.  Then why?  An agenda, plain and simple. Politics at its finest.  What about the Sheriff's department, the Marshal's department.  They are public safety, they represent the goverrment and interact with citizens. They are called on to confront life threatening situations. Yet they are not being mandated to confrom to this policy. Why? Because their bosses are elected and can do what they will as long as the voters keep putting them in office.  So the burden falls to the FD, because we have no recourse.  Beacause there is a political power struggle taking place (shocking I know) and we are caught in the middle.  I will support this program for the simple reason that some good can come of it. All I ask is that the program be done fairly and be fully supported by the county and the FD admin.  That means getting a physical and completing the physical agility test.  Set an example. Be a Leader.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

U.S. Fire Administration Firefighter Fatality Notification - Augusta, GA

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) has received notice of the following firefighter fatality:
Name: Antonio E. Jones
Rank: Firefighter
Age: 44
Gender: Male
Status: Career
Years of Service: 20
Date of Incident: 01/29/2011
Time of Incident: 1413hrs
Date of Death: 01/29/2011
Fire Department: Augusta Fire Department
Address: 3117 Deans Bridge Road, Augusta, GA 30906
Fire Department Chief: Howard Willis
Incident Description: Firefighter Jones became ill while on duty at his duty station and requested to leave in order to see his personal family physician. While enroute to the physician’s office he collapsed at the wheel of his personal vehicle causing a minor accident.  Firefighters responding to the accident immediately began advanced life support and continued treatment to the ER where Firefighter Jones passed away from a cause still to be determined.
Incident Location: 3400 block of Wrightsboro Road.
Funeral Arrangements: Visitation for Firefighter Jones will be Wednesday, 02/02/2011 from 1730–1830hrs at W. H. Mays Mortuary, 1221 James Brown Boulevard in Augusta.  The funeral will be Thursday 02/03/2011 at 1400hrs at Gilbert Lambuth Memorial Chapel, Paine College, 1200 Druid Park Avenue in Augusta. Interment will be at Mount Olive Baptist Church in Appling, Georgia.
Memorial Fund Contact and Address: In honor of Firefighter Antonio E. Jones, c/o Augusta Fire Department, 3117 Deans Bridge Road, Augusta, GA 30906.
Tribute is being paid to Firefighter Antonio E. Jones at http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/fatalities/
To date, 14 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2011; 12 from incidents that occurred in 2011 and two from a previous year’s incident.  Year-to-date monthly and annual USFA firefighter fatality reports are posted online @ http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/fatalities/statistics/ff_stats.shtm

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

The Silent Service

Americans are addicted to TV. At any time day or night millions of Americans are tuned in to be entertained and/or informed. Millions more are wired into the internet 24/7 through twitter, Facebook, and other social media. These two outlets provide the vast numbers of americans with the information they use to form options about the world araound them. What does this have to do with the fire service you ask? Simple, really. We have fallen behind. Missed the bus. We've been left in the dust. With the exception of a few forward thinking departments the fire service use of the internet has been to share information amongste its members primarily and the public is a distant second. Locally the use of the internet and TV by the fire service to not only inform the public is nearly nonexistent. We are the silent service. Quietly going about our jobs while the public and its opinion is informationally ignored. How many citizens really know what they are paying for? How many know the issues that face the modern fire service? How many care? Its our fault. The tools have been provides but we choose not to utilize them and insulate ourselves from the public unless we actually have to interact with them. Why? We should be taking a proactive approach to our citizens safety with weekly PSA announcements on local TV stations and social media. Providing up to date information on working incidents not only allows citizens to avoid those areas effected (the flip side is that some will be drawn to incidents ) it also provides citizens with the knowledge that their Fire Department is working. Training to provide a new or enhanced service such as technical rescue or advanced life support to your citizens? Announced it. Informing your citizens is the only way to keep them in the loop and the only way to ensure that when tough budget decisions have to be made citizens will demand that their fire department be funded to the level that they demand. Its time we stop being the silent service. It's time for us to heard.
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