Академический Документы
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see pg. 3
Dedicated to Service
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May 2013
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Contents
Yours in service,
For 61 years the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) has worked in conjunction with the San Antonio Fire Department trying to make a difference in the San Antonio community by the annual Fill-the-Boot tradition. All donations go to benefit research and local services for the San Antonio Chapter of the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). According to MDA, the tradition began in 1952 when a father in desperate need ran to the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) member George
Graneys, who was part of Company 1 in South Boston. Immediately 20 firefighters set in motion a door-to-door canister drive that raised $5,000. Since then, firefighters have adopted and made this fundraiser an annual mission. MDA is mostly funded by individual and private contributions. In San Antonio, MDA serves more than 1,200 families providing them a wide range of services such as testing for diagnostic and follow up clinic care. Other services include x-rays, labs, occupational, physical, respiratory and speech therapy.
Furthermore, most of the Fill-the-Boot funds go to the week-long overnight summer camp program for kids who have muscle disease. During the press conference it was also announced that Captain Roger Lopez was the new National Coordinator for Fill-the-Boot. We had a good turn-out; we encounter a lot of generous friendly people. We enjoyed raising money for the foundation, said paramedic Dana Cornwell.
2013 Fill-the-Boot
Top single company: 43B Top double company: 37B A Shift - $70,252.71 B Shift - $70,926.43 C Shift - $64,804.69 The station that raised the most was fire
station 51.
A total of
Doctor D. Parisher
EAP services can be used not just in times of crisis, but at any time. Parisher indicates that it is important to receive assistance before problems become encompassing and significant. We have always encouraged others to use the EAP as a preventive measure just like preventive medicine, said Parisher. Firefighters have demanding lives. The occupational life is uncertain, at times dangerous, and what they are exposed to can lead to serious psychological problems. Firefighters would be well advised to take advantage of this great service, which doesnt require paperwork or insurance information. Furthermore, the counseling office is located away from other SAFD services in order to guarantee confidentiality. In addition to counseling services, the Department also provides a Peer Support system, an active Chaplain corps and a Critical Incident Stress Management team staffed by firefighters. Firefighters show their courage everyday, whether it is at a fire or a medical call. The decision to seek counseling takes courage of a different sort. The courage to look at your life in an honest way and want to make some changes or face an issue which has had an impact on you, said Parisher. The program was started and has continued throughout the years with the same goal: to be a support for firefighters and their families. Ultimately, the goal is Our family protecting your family and the EAP strives to help the firefighters family take care of itself so it can better take care of others. The office is located at 4204 Gardendale, Suite 205. You can contact Dr. Parisher at 614-1188, or if an emergency, he can be contacted through dispatch.
Help you prepare for Benefit Review Conferences; Help you prepare for Contested Case Hearings; Attend benefit review conferences and benefit contested cases hearing with you and communicate on your behalf with the parties, and; Help you prepare appeals and answer carrier appeals to the appeals panel of the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers Compensation.
For further information about the OIEC and Ombudsman services, contact customer service at 1-866-393-6432, visit the local workers compensation field office handling your claim or go to the following website: http://www. oiec.texas.gov Our Family Protecting your Family 5
P P E T 1
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Then the cleaning and disinfecting process begins! The hoods, earflaps, helmets and gloves are inspected for holes or any other kind of damage. Once the inspection is done, they are put in the washing machine under a delicate cycle. While the hoods and gloves are being washed, Captain Winn starts disinfecting the boots by pouring disinfectant cleaning solution into the boot. After approximately five minutes, any boot that starts leaking is failed and must be replaced. The boots and liners are put together in a rack in order to be drained. After the boots are drained, they are put on the Max Dry dryers for about six hours with a temperature of about 95 degrees.
he National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 1851, Sec. 6.3.3 states: Advanced inspections of all protective ensemble elements shall be conducted at a minimum of every 12 months, or whenever routine inspections indicate that a problem could exist. The State of Texas has adopted the standard as law. As a result, the San Antonio Fire Department is mandated to follow this law. The PPE cleaning and inspection program for boots, gloves hoods and helmets, has been active for 10 months in the San Antonio Fire Department. It was initiated by Captain Roland Winn under the direction of Safety Division Chief Art Villarreal. This advanced cleaning and inspection program consists of inspecting and cleaning the firefighting boots, gloves, helmets and hoods. Captain Winn starts the process by sending an e-mail notifying the companies in advance that their Before Captain Winn starts equipment will be picked up. The disinfecting the items, he marks equipment gets picked up the every piece of equipment so that he morning firefighters get off duty can identify to whom it belongs. He and is returned by the next day. On also checks the date of manufacture average, Captain Winn picks up four to ensure that the equipment is not sets of gear per company per day. older than 10 years. PPE older than 10 yrs automatically fails. Equipment will also fail if the tag identifying the date of manufacture is missing.
Once the helmet is cleaned, it is rinsed and placed on a drying rack. If during the helmet inspection any cracks are discovered, the helmet will be condemned.
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In order to be dried, the gloves are placed on specialized Max Dry dryers for about six hours. Gloves cannot be dried in a regular clothes dryer. Hoods are washed for two cycles and dried in a regular dryer.
The boots are scrubbed and washed from the outside in order to take off all the dirt. The liners are taken out from the boots and are also washed in the washing machine.
The helmets are taken apart and sprayed with disinfectant cleaner. Foreign substances such as tar are removed as well as any stickers or decals that should not be there. Currently the only stickers that are allowed are the breast cancer awareness available from the Union Hall and the U.S. flag.
PPE continued
Before the gear is returned, Captain Winn logs the name of the firefighter, age of the equipment, date of the cleaning and whether or not the equipment passed the inspection. If a piece of equipment fails, an email is sent to notify the firefighter of the failure and a list of improper and failed equipment is sent through the chain of command. Items that failed the inspection are required to be replaced through the regular voucher system or throughFireDepartment Services.Boots and Hoodscan be replaced through Cowboy Cleaners. Vouchersfor bootsare to be acquired through the Battalion Chiefs. Furthermore, no voucher is needed for the hood; however, firefighters must have a hood for exchangeat Cowboy Cleaners. Helmets, helmet labelsand gloves can be obtained at the Fire Department Servicesoff Callaghan Rd. Failed gear is usually returned to the firefighter, it is however marked in some way to indicate that it needs to be replaced. Boots for example, are marked with a yellow marker. If an item is marked but returned, the firefighter may use that item until the replacement is made. In the case of boots, the replacement boots must be ordered and therefore a delay in replacement can be expected. The important thing to remember is that marked gear needs to be replaced as soon as possible. Captain Winn says that this program was set up for the safety of firefighters. A lot of money is being spent for the security of the firefighters, said Winn. At the end of the day it is up to the firefighters and the officers to follow through to ensure compliance.
A policy regarding the use of unauthorized personal protective equipment (PPE) was created in order to ensure the highest level of safety for each SAFD firefighter. However, when firefighters modify the City issued equipment, this equipment is no longer in compliance with the Texas Commission on Fire Protection and the NFPA. As a result it can put a firefighters life in danger, so it shall not be used. Any modification to any part of the PPE ensemble must first be approved by the Fire Department. Then, the manufacturers of both the original PPE item and the accessory item must provide letters stating that they have no objection to the modification. Modifications can be as simple as attaching a decal or sticker to a helmet. Since 2012, there has been new focus on the PPE regulations because the State called attention to the fact that the Department was not properly performing and recording the advance inspection and cleaning of some parts of the PPE ensemble. In previous years, the advanced inspections and cleanings were performed only on bunker gear by Cowboy Cleaners, an independent service provider. However, in order to comply with the regulations and starting this year helmets, hoods, gloves and boots are inspected and cleaned by trained, certified personnel. When an unauthorized, irreversible alteration to a part of the PPE ensemble is made, it could be considered damage to city property, and may render the item useless, said Safety Division Chief Arthur Villarreal. It is imperative that the City issued equipment remain compliant with all National, State, and Departmental regulations. This is important because it guarantees safety to firefighters and prevents the Department from violating adopted laws.
Medical Notes..
for improving chances of survival Early defibrillation is critical for improving survival in patients with ventricular fibrillation Optimization of post-cardiac arrest care after ROSC can improve survival to hospital discharge and improved neurologic outcomes in cardiac arrest victims With these factors being KNOWN to improve survival and neurologic outcome after cardiac arrest, why
would we not want to make sure we are optimizing our CPR, defibrillation, and post-ROSC care?
We are using the data from the AEDs to assess our Chest Compression Fractions (CCF) and our effectiveness of CPR (correct rate and depth). We are also trying to determine where our interruptions in compressions are taking place and why this is where the voice recordings come in handy to help us determine where, as a system, we need to look at focusing training, improving our CPR, and decreasing interruptions. The AEDs also help us keep our rhythm checks and defibrillations optimized and our CPR at optimum rates and depths by coaching us while CPR is ongoing. Dale and other members from our office have started doing cardiac arrest reviews with crews on specific cases. Some of these reviews are to be attaboys for great cases, and some of them will be for training on how to further optimize CPR, minimize interruptions, and improve care. If you want Dale to review a specific case with you and your crew, just let us know! More on post-cardiac arrest care next month -Dr. Kidd
Letters of Commendation from the Office of the Medical Director April 2013
SAFD History
hroughout the first 20 years of the paid San Antonio Fire Department many positive changes occurred. The Department expanded to 13 fire stations, a new Gamewell Fire Alarm System was installed, and 25 pieces of apparatus and 52 horses were added in order to better serve the approximately 100,000 San Antonio citizens. The transformation of the Department was most noticeable during the leadership of Chiefs W.P. Bishop, Phil Wright, A.J. Goetz and J.G. Sarran. The growth and renovation occurring at the San Antonio Fire Department lead to many positive comments and recognition. For instance, in 1911, Solon K. Stewart a San Antonio Express reporter wrote: For the size of the City there is no better Fire Department in the United States than that of San Antonio. The statement may appear boastful, but it is true, proven so by facts regarding apparatus and efficiency of the men. There is no doubt the SAFD has given big steps for improvement and service of San Antonians throughout the years.
***Special thanks to Hector J. Cardenas, SAFD Museum Society, for providing the facts for the story.
The San Antonio Police Department also provided other actions and procedures that can be taken if crews come across crime scene scenarios while responding to a call. If anything had to be moved for firefighting purposes, it is essential that personnel remember where it was and where it was placed. If during the overhaul phase, and it is safe to do so, call in the SAPD Evidence Tech or officer to see what you need to move or if possible get approval prior to altering the scene.
Notify Police personnel immediately if during the scene assessment a gun, knife or any object that was used as a weapon is found. Notify Police personnel immediately if during the scene assessment illegal drugs or a strong odor of illegal drug, use near or around the incident are suspected to be present. Beware of chemicals (liquid or solid) not typically found in a residential dwellings. Look out for large quantities of household chemicals. Use the common sense approach (example does the residence have a pool to justify the quantities of Muriatic Acid). If possible always remember any scene you encounter which you can easily identify a crime has occurred, make the best attempt to exit the same path as you entered in order to minimized impact to the crime scene as much as possible.
SAPD asks EMS personnel to follow the same (above) procedure in addition to the following steps in order to better preserve evidence: If confronted with treating of a gunshot wound, please do not use the entrance or exit holes to start the removal of clothing with EMT sheers. If possible, try to be aware of spent cartridge casings and approximate location should they have been accidentally moved. If confronted with an obviously deceased person, remember not to touch the body.
On May 6, Engine 19 responded to a call that after 2 minutes and 20 seconds it was found to be a crime scene. Walsh explains that 19s and Battalion 8 did an excellent job on preserving the evidence. Before the fire was out they identified and declared the incident a crime scene, said Walsh. This declaration allowed the on scene crews to take the appropriate actions to preserve the crime scene.
Before the fire was out they identified and declared the incident a crime scene, said Walsh.
Rescue 11 not only gains knowledge and expertise while training but they also collect reptiles that have a special bony shell developed from their ribs. They rescued their first mascot two and a half years ago, when firefighter Sean Wiatrek found the little turtle at Alazan Creek. Although 11s was unsure whether it was a male or female, they named it Mitch. Since Mitch was rescued, he has grown big and doubled in size, said Firefighter Rick Denson. However, about a month ago, Mitch had to start sharing the attention with Pete. Pete was found upside down and was rescued by Rescue 11s at Calaveras Creek. These two webbed feet mascots are expected to be as skillful as their masters. In order to achieve these skills, Firefighter Robert Vazquez mentions that both turtles have been rescue trained too. Since Mitch and Pete train very hard they need to be fed well. So every month, in addition to their turtle food, they are supplied with a live Gold Fish to snack on.
FF Pointers
From Battalion Chief Chris Varelas: Chief Varelas has been in the department for 28 years, of which 14 have been as a Battalion Chief. Anyone can put out a residential fire with unlimited water, but how often do we create more damage with extinguishment than what was consumed by flame? Next time you open the nozzle in a residence; Dont spray smoke, Locate and identify the fire, Use enough water to do the job, and no more.
It is everyones job to keep loss to a bare minimum. This is not just good customer service, but common sense. Ultimately, treat the residential house fire as if it were our own house.
I never realized they were giving something, said Martinez. It is pretty exciting because I have never won anything in my life.
Batallion Chief
BC1 BC2 BC3 BC4 BC5 BC6 BC7 BC8 Totals 31 161 25 122 32 149 29 107 34 151 41 165 41 136 76 309 309 1300
YTD
Total # of Fires
Structure Fire Vehicle Fire Brush/Grass Fire Totals
YTD
Ladders
L01 L06 L08 L09 L14 L17 L22 L29 L33 L34 L35 L36 L37 L40 L41 L46 AP01 AP11 AP32 AP38 AP51 0 157 142 143 98 214 128 166 205 82 194 168 161 146 117 52 76 176 220 168 94 2,907
Other Units
AC26 AC29 AC39 AC41 FSC FSO HR11 HR51 R7 RHB1 WT22 WT25 WT43 AIR1 AIR2 AIR3 AIR4 AIR5 BIK1 BIK2 BIK3 BIK4 MOF1 MOF2 MOF3 MOF4 MSC R5 5 5 0 3 2 14 91 41 4 2 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 14 14 7 2 100 92 85 71 1 49
Totals
HZM1 HZM34 SPL1 SPL34
153 611 540 614 451 795 507 665 762 297 780 652 670 692 487 318 253 759 989 652 431 12,078
YTD
YTD
Haz Mat
10 2 6 5 23
49 14 42 21 126
Totals
Brush Trucks
BT20 BT22 BT30 BT36 BT40 BT42 BT43 BT44 BT48 BT50
Totals
Squads
SQ01 SQ08 SQ09 SQ11 SQ14 SQ17 SQ22 SQ29 SQ32 SQ33 SQ34 SQ35 SQ36 SQ37 SQ38 SQ40 SQ44 SQ46 20 98 55 187 58 211 40 165 24 97 3 44 34 86 78 323 153 682 53 188 18 88 13 145 104 371 89 302 67 249 62 279 3 18 17 58 891 3,591
3 4 2 4 1 1 5 9 3 0
32
28 23 34 36 12 26 19 42 19 3
242
Totals
8,735 35,247
Totals
12,171
48,345
Totals