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Don't light a house on fire several times! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dSpoUUFBBM |
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www.fullyinvolvedfire.com has lots of info for firefighters. In the simulators section, there are 3 scenerios to teach firefighters about incident command. There is lots of other stuff as well. |
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Steve Tandy was voted on Station 51 on Sunday, September 6, 2009. Mr. Tandy has accumulated 15 years of firefighting experience, which will be a big help to the department as we are always needing help. |
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We're always happy to welcome new prospective firefighters. The information below can help you decide if you would like to consider joining us at Station 51 as a member of the Carterville Volunteer Fire Department (CVFD). Prerequisites Applicants must have completed high school or obtained a GED. Applicants must live within 5 miles of our primary coverage area before the membership process is finalized. If you plan to move inside this area in the near future, you can still apply now. Due to insurance coverage restrictions, applicants must be at least 18 years of age before the membership process can be finalized. To drive our apparatus, you must be at least 21 years of age. Applicants must be of good moral character, must not abuse alcohol, and must not use illegal drugs. (We reserve the right to perform random and post accident/injury alcohol and drug testing.) Applicants understand that they will be serving as a volunteer, without compensation. Applicants must be in good health and capable of performing vigorous physical activities requiring strength, agility, and stamina.
The Application Process Prospective members must first fill out an application. You can e-mail the Fire Chief ( chief at station51 dot org) to obtain a written application, or you can complete an on-line application right here on our web site. Once the application is submitted, the you'll need to attend any three regular meetings (meetings are generally held on the first Tuesday and third Thursday of each month-- we'll contact you with specifics) before your application is finally acted upon. The "three meeting" requirement allows you to get to know us, allows us to get to know you. It also demonstrates your genuine interest in becoming an active member of our department. At the third meeting, current members will vote on whether to grant you probationary membership. If the Fire Chief concurs, only a simple majority of "yes" votes is required. The probation period is six months, beginning on the day the vote was cast. As a Probationary Member, you'll have all the voting rights and other privileges afforded to regular members. However, probationary members may be removed with, or without cause during the probation period. Conversion from Probationary Member to Regular Member is automatic at the end of the probationary period. (FYI: Permits to operate emergency lights and siren on personal vehicles are provided at the sole discretion of the Fire Chief and are almost never issued to probationary members.) Member Responsibilities After acceptance, your duties and responsibilities are basically the same as a Regular Member. We will, of course, take your current level of training and experience into account and will not expect you to perform activities for which you have not been properly trained. You will be issued firefighter's protective clothing (turnouts), and a pager and/or portable radio. You will be expected to respond to the fire station (when available) any time our station is paged to respond to a call for service. Responding to the incident in your personal vehicle is almost always prohibited (Requires prior approval of the Incident Commander). Station 51 does not subscribe to the "Blue Aurora" method (massive numbers of personal vehicles clogging the scene-- all with blinking blue lights). When you arrive at the station, you'll receive further instructions. Don't worry, one of the "old hands" will be there to help you and look out for your safety. After the call is over, you'll be expected to stay a few minutes and take part in a team effort to clean things up and make everything ready for the next call. In addition to responding to calls, you'll be expected to attend most of our regular meetings. At these meetings, we'll conduct business, have a training class, or possibly both - depending on time constraints. Training occurs often, including special training sessions scheduled in addition to the regular meeting times. The last, and possibly least attractive, activity you'll be asked to help with is routine housekeeping. Each member is placed in a rotation schedule for these routine chores. The housekeeping duties are divided so that no one is asked to do more than their fair share. Housekeeping consists of things like sweeping the floor, taking out the trash, ... that kind of thing. Plan on being asked to put in an average of an hour once every two weeks or so on these tasks. Member Benefits You'll receive extensive, free training in a wide range of disciplines related to the modern Fire Service. You'll gain experience in managing critical incidents and dealing with hazardous environments. Your training and experience can prepare you for a career in a paid service. Many of our current and former members are currently employed by paid fire departments and ambulance services throughout the Midwest. You'll find yourself a member of an elite and close knit group of dedicated individuals. You'll literally be able to walk into any fire station on planet and be treated like a member of the family. If you're injured "in the line of duty," our insurance will pay for your doctor or emergency room visit and various other medical expenses up to the policy limit. Our general liability policy covers you while responding to or participating in any department sanctioned activity.
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Statistics show that the incidence of house fires increases during the winter holiday season - fueled in part by holiday decorations, candles and Christmas trees. "We see that fires caused by candles increase fourfold during the holidays, and each year some 200 house fires occur where Christmas trees are the initial source of ignition," said Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response. "Preventing these fires helps keep the holiday season joyful for this nation's families." Nationwide, house fires during the winter holiday season kill about 500, and injure about 2,000 people, and cause more than $500 million in damage. But, there are some easy, commonsense things people can do to reduce the risk of fire. Station 51 recommends: - Selecting a fresh Christmas tree that is kept in water at all times. Needles on fresh trees should be green and should not fall off easily. Don�t put your tree up too early or leave it up longer than two weeks. Dried out Christmas trees can ignite easily and boost a fire by spreading it rapidly to nearby combustible materials!
- Placing your Christmas tree in a safe place, away from heat sources such as a fireplace or heat vent.
- Maintaining your holiday lights. Inspect your lights before you use them to ensure they don�t have frayed wires, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets or excessive wear. Only use lighting that is listed by an approved testing laboratory and don�t leave the lights on when you�re not home.
- Avoiding overloading electrical outlets. Don�t link more than three light strands unless the directions indicate it is safe. Periodically check the wires. They should not be warm to the touch.
- Using only nonflammable decorations that are placed away from heat vents and if you�re using an artificial tree, make sure that it�s flame retardant.
- Avoiding using candles. If you do use candles, ensure they are in a stable holder and place them where they cannot be easily knocked down. Do not leave lit candles unattended, never put candles on a Christmas tree and never leave the house with candles burning.
It's also important to know that fires caused by children increase during the holiday season. According to our National Fire Incident Reporting System, children will cause close to 60 house fires a day in mid-December, with another sharp increase on New Year's Day. Parents should take precautions to prevent such tragedies. |
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Here are some things you can do to keep you and your family safe at home. Install and maintain an adequate number of smoke detectors in the home. One isn't enough unless you live in a one room apartment.Put a detector in each sleeping room, bedroom hallways, the kitchen, the garage, and at least one on every level of your home. Change the batteries at least twice a year. A good way to remember is to change batteries when Daylight Savings Time changes - once in the spring and once in the fall. Test the detectors often. Plan two escape routes for every sleeping room in your house.If fire strikes, your normal method of egress may be blocked by smoke or fire. Make certain that bedroom windows can be opened easily. If the room is on the second floor, consider purchasing a roll-up emergency escape ladder and keep it near the window. If possible, handicapped or elderly persons should sleep on the lower floor and as near to an exit as possible. If you smell smoke, drop to the floor and crawl to the exit. The temperature near the floor may be nearly normal while the temperature at head level can be over 300 degrees. Floor level may also be less smoky. Decide in advance where family members will meet outside.Pick an easy to remember landmark well away from the house. A nearby fire hydrant is usually not a good place since that's where the fire truck will most likely go to first. We don't want someone to get hit by a 20,000 pound fire engine! Be safe with electricity.A high percentage of home fires are caused by faulty wiring, bypassed fuses, and overloaded circuits and extension cords. Have an electrician check your wiring. Install ground fault breakers or outlets on all outside receptacles, all bathroom and kitchen outlets, all outlets in a room with a concrete floor (such as the garage), and any other outlet where water is, or can be nearby. Doing so will minimize your chances of death from heart arrhythmia or cardiac arrest due to electrocution. Maintain and Inspect Open Flame or Heat Generating AppliancesIn addition to house wiring, heat generating appliances like furnaces, dryers, hot water heaters, and fireplaces account for most home fires. Have a professional inspect and clean your furnace and flu at the beginning of each heating season. Keep flammables away from the combustion chambers on any gas furnaces, gas hot water heaters as well as away from fireplace openings. Never operate a gas appliance without having all protective covers in place. Keep the clothes drier free from lint buildup and never leave the house while the dryer is running. Vapors from solvents like gasoline are heavier than air. They can travel along the floor to an open flame such as a pilot light. Many homes have burned down because the owner was cleaning parts in gasoline in a closed garage where a gas water heater was present.
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