BOCA FIRE RESCUE NET - City of Boca Raton
BOCA FIRE RESCUE NET - City of Boca Raton
BOCA FIRE RESCUE NET - City of Boca Raton
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A publication by the staff <strong>of</strong> the <strong>City</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Boca</strong> <strong>Raton</strong> Fire-Rescue Services Department<br />
Nov-Dec 2011<br />
Fire Chief Report<br />
By:<br />
Thomas R. Wood<br />
CFO, MIFireE<br />
Welcome Aboard to<br />
10 New Firefighters<br />
It was a long hard process, but we finally<br />
hired our 10 new firefighters on<br />
October 17 th . They are completing our<br />
eight week orientation program. We<br />
have a “Badge & Award Ceremony”<br />
scheduled for Friday, December 9,<br />
2011, at 2:00PM in the 6500 Building<br />
Auditorium. All are welcome to attend<br />
and see the “rookies” get their badges.<br />
Please join me in welcoming: Casey<br />
Denhard, Jonathan Emmons, Justin<br />
Ghanem, Travis Miller, Justin<br />
Pierce, Octavio Quinones, Zane<br />
Smith, David Weaver, Adam Ziegenfuss<br />
and William Zimmerman. See<br />
page 11 for pictures.<br />
Citizens Courage Award<br />
Mr. Bruce Evans (a retired Ft. Lauderdale<br />
firefighter), who was himself present<br />
to receive medical treatment in the<br />
area <strong>of</strong> 3848 FAU Blvd., noticed a large<br />
column <strong>of</strong> thick black smoke issuing<br />
from the doorway area on October 7,<br />
2011. Mr. Evans crossed the street,<br />
found a dry chemical extinguisher in a<br />
nearby <strong>of</strong>fice and utilized it to extinguish<br />
a large garbage can fire which<br />
was exposing the foyer <strong>of</strong> the building<br />
in question. Mr. Evan’s quick action<br />
enabled our response to be downgraded<br />
and handled with one suppression unit<br />
and ensured that there was no disruption<br />
<strong>of</strong> the businesses in the building.<br />
We are thankful for his willingness<br />
to “get involved”. On December<br />
9, 2011, Mr. Evans will be awarded our<br />
<strong>BOCA</strong> <strong>FIRE</strong> <strong>RESCUE</strong> <strong>NET</strong><br />
http://www.ci.boca-raton.fl.us/fire/newsletters.shtm<br />
From Left to Right:<br />
Shea Miller, Robert Parks, Evan Gaub, and Jeff Lazzeri<br />
“Citizen Courage Award,” which is inscribed<br />
with the following C.S. Lewis<br />
quote: “Courage is not simply one <strong>of</strong><br />
the virtues, but the form <strong>of</strong> every virtue<br />
at the testing point”.<br />
Winning Streak Continues<br />
Our ALS “A Team” took 1st Place at<br />
the Greater Baldwinsville Ambulance<br />
Corp’s 2 nd Annual International EMS<br />
Competition on Saturday, September 24,<br />
2011. Congratulations to the “A Team”:<br />
Jeff Lazzeri, Robert Parks, Shea<br />
Miller and Evan Gaub. They ran four<br />
scenarios over an eight hour period.<br />
Flagler County (Florida) finished 2 nd<br />
and FDNY finished 3 rd .<br />
On Saturday, October 1, 2011, our<br />
teams competed in Flagler County. The<br />
“A Team” took second place and the “B<br />
Team” took third place. Congratulations<br />
to the “A Team”: Jeff Lazzeri, Shea<br />
Miller and James Haag & the “B<br />
Team”: Robert Parks, Evan Gaub<br />
and Mike Sember.<br />
Have a save, healthy and happy holiday<br />
season!<br />
Until next time...be safe.<br />
QR Code<br />
Times are a-changing! The QR (Quick<br />
Response) code on the back <strong>of</strong> our<br />
newsletter will take you to Homeland<br />
Security’s “If You See Something, Say<br />
Something.” This is a public awareness<br />
campaign to raise the public’s awareness<br />
<strong>of</strong> indicators <strong>of</strong> terrorism and violent<br />
crime, and to emphasize the importance<br />
<strong>of</strong> reporting suspicious activity to<br />
the proper state and local law enforcement<br />
authorities. You can capture the<br />
code on your computer camera, smart or<br />
android phone, or your IPod.
Page 2<br />
OPERATIONS<br />
By: Glenn Joseph<br />
Deputy Chief<br />
There were 72 firefighter line-<strong>of</strong>-duty<br />
deaths (LODD) in the NFPA’s 2010<br />
Report. In 2010, eleven (11) firefighters<br />
died as a result <strong>of</strong> vehicle crashes,<br />
nine (9) involved road vehicles. Four<br />
(4) <strong>of</strong> the nine (9) firefighters were not<br />
wearing seatbelts and were ejected during<br />
a road vehicle crash that caused<br />
their death, while only one (1) firefighter<br />
wearing a seatbelt was ejected<br />
and died as a result <strong>of</strong> the crash. Alcohol<br />
was a factor in one (1) <strong>of</strong> the<br />
crashes, excessive speed a factor in at<br />
least two (2) incidents; other factors in<br />
the rest <strong>of</strong> the incidents include inexperience,<br />
driver inattention and weather<br />
conditions.<br />
The numbers seem to indicate that the<br />
most significant behavior to reduce the<br />
risk <strong>of</strong> injury and death from motor<br />
vehicular crashes is a sensible operator,<br />
a responsible supervisor and the mandatory<br />
use <strong>of</strong> seatbelts. The operator<br />
must use due care when operating an<br />
emergency vehicle, especially in adverse<br />
weather conditions, and the supervisor<br />
must not allow dangerous behaviors<br />
to become the norm. Seatbelt<br />
use must be mandatory when the vehicle<br />
is moving.<br />
Let’s do the numbers:<br />
Sept Oct<br />
Total EMS Incidents 874 893<br />
Average Resp. Time 5.56 5.49<br />
EMS Unit (most alarms) M2-208 M5–219<br />
Total Fire Alarms 160 178<br />
Average Resp. Time 6.13 6.20<br />
Fire Co. (most alarms) TK1-188 TK1-213<br />
Sta. 5 (most alarms) 430 417<br />
Other 263 347<br />
Total Alarms 1,297 1,418<br />
Be Safe, Be Competent,<br />
Be Pr<strong>of</strong>essional.<br />
<strong>BOCA</strong> <strong>FIRE</strong> <strong>RESCUE</strong><br />
Administrative<br />
Services<br />
By: Raul Travieso<br />
Assistant Chief<br />
Bike Medic Team<br />
The Bike Medic Team has been expanded<br />
to 16 members, who attended a<br />
32-hour certification course through the<br />
International Police Mountain Bike Association<br />
(IPMBA). The course included<br />
classroom and day/night cycling.<br />
Bike Medics are being used more <strong>of</strong>ten<br />
at: the FAU Football games, “Meet me<br />
at the Promenade”, Holiday Parade,<br />
FAU July 4 th Fireworks, and other similar<br />
events. Firefighter David Weyer has<br />
been named the coordinator for the Bike<br />
Medic Team, and he will be responsible<br />
for the maintenance <strong>of</strong> the bikes, supplies,<br />
and inventory. See Photo <strong>of</strong> Bike<br />
Medic Team on page 3.<br />
CISM Team<br />
We have now provided and completed<br />
the education and preparation training<br />
for our 12-member Critical Incident<br />
Stress Management (CISM) Team. This<br />
is the first step in restoring our Department’s<br />
CISM Program. The purpose <strong>of</strong><br />
the CISM program is to provide a means<br />
<strong>of</strong> support to all employees during times<br />
<strong>of</strong> crisis through peer intervention in the<br />
form <strong>of</strong> debriefing with appropriate<br />
clinical follow-up if necessary. <strong>Boca</strong><br />
<strong>Raton</strong> Fire Rescue employees are encouraged<br />
to participate in the debriefing<br />
process in order to minimize the effects<br />
<strong>of</strong> the critical incident. Our ultimate goal<br />
is to be recognized and to serve as a key<br />
group <strong>of</strong> the Palm Beach County Critical<br />
Incident Stress Management Team.<br />
Fire Expo 2012<br />
We will keep reminding everyone that<br />
<strong>FIRE</strong> EXPO 2012 will be held at FAU<br />
on February 25, 2012. Please mark your<br />
calendars as we want to improve the<br />
event for the children and parents who<br />
attend the event. This year we are going<br />
to need everyone’s help to make Fire<br />
Expo a huge success. The word is out<br />
that this year’s expanded Fire family<br />
oriented Expo will be the “BIGGEST<br />
and GREATEST” in <strong>Boca</strong> <strong>Raton</strong> history.<br />
Our plans for this year’s Expo<br />
will include more exciting “ACTION<br />
FILLED” exhibits for children and<br />
adults to enjoy, coupled with great<br />
“FUN-FILLED” activities for the kids.<br />
You dare not miss this year’s expanded<br />
Fire FAMILY Expo.<br />
Seminar<br />
We have scheduled Gary Ludwig to<br />
speak to us regarding EMS Operations.<br />
Gary will conduct the 8-hour<br />
seminar on Wednesday, March 28,<br />
2012, and repeat the lecture on the following<br />
day. This is a lecture you don’t<br />
want to miss.<br />
Gary Ludwig currently serves as a Deputy<br />
Fire Chief for the Memphis Fire<br />
Department. He has over 34 years <strong>of</strong><br />
fire, rescue, and EMS experience, starting<br />
his career with the <strong>City</strong> <strong>of</strong> St. Louis<br />
two months after graduating from high<br />
school and rising through the ranks,<br />
retiring as the Chief Paramedic <strong>of</strong> the<br />
St. Louis Fire Department. Chief<br />
Ludwig currently serves as Chair <strong>of</strong> the<br />
EMS Section for the International Association<br />
<strong>of</strong> Fire Chiefs, and was appointed<br />
by the Secretary <strong>of</strong> Transportation<br />
to the National EMS Advisory<br />
Council in 2010. A noted speaker and<br />
writer, Chief Ludwig has written over<br />
500 articles for pr<strong>of</strong>essional publications<br />
and has spoken at over 250 conferences<br />
or seminars. He writes a<br />
monthly column in Firehouse Magazine<br />
and the monthly leadership column<br />
in the Journal <strong>of</strong> Emergency Medical<br />
Services. He has a masters degree in<br />
Management and Business, and has<br />
been a licensed paramedic for over 30<br />
years.<br />
REMEMBER<br />
Please mark your<br />
calendars to attend on<br />
March 28 or 29, 2012.
Page 3<br />
<strong>BOCA</strong> <strong>FIRE</strong> <strong>RESCUE</strong><br />
Medic Bike Unit<br />
Left to Right: Assistant Chief Raul Travieso, Firefighter/Paramedic David Weyer,<br />
Fire Inspector/Paramedic Scott Stinecipher, and Firefighter/Paramedic Val Polestina<br />
Operations<br />
By: Daryl Scott<br />
Assistant Chief<br />
The Battalion/Division Chief and<br />
Driver Engineer promotional exams<br />
have been completed. We would like<br />
to thank and congratulate all personnel<br />
that recently participated in the promotional<br />
process. The Department appreciates<br />
the time and commitment that is<br />
necessary when competing in any promotional<br />
process. The next exam will<br />
be posted sometime in January for the<br />
position <strong>of</strong> Lieutenant with the examination<br />
to be held in the Spring <strong>of</strong> 2012.<br />
Those <strong>of</strong> you eligible for this exam<br />
need to ensure that you meet all the<br />
requirements for the position.<br />
As the New Year approaches, there are<br />
several additional projects that the Op-<br />
erations Division has, and will be, working<br />
on. The first will be the balancing <strong>of</strong><br />
each shift’s personnel with all the different<br />
step-up classifications. All the<br />
moves will be completed by mid-<br />
January 2012. Next, vacation picks will<br />
be conducted and completed by mid-<br />
December. Following the personnel<br />
moves and vacation picks, the station<br />
bidding process will be conducted sometime<br />
in January.<br />
The Operations Division would like to<br />
wish everyone a happy and joyous Holiday<br />
Season along with a healthy and<br />
prosperous New Year!<br />
Until next time be safe.<br />
Recycle Your Holiday Lights<br />
Send them to:<br />
HolidayLEDs.com Recycling Program<br />
C/O Classic Turning, Inc.<br />
4905 James McDivitt Street<br />
Jackson, MI 49201-8958<br />
Logistics &<br />
Support<br />
By:<br />
Michael A. Gergora<br />
Assistant Fire Chief<br />
The new fiscal year brings a number <strong>of</strong><br />
exciting events for our Department.<br />
New fire apparatus, medic units, newly<br />
hired firefighters, winter jackets, safety<br />
vests, and side cutters just to name a<br />
few. Please join me in welcoming our<br />
10 new firefighters.<br />
Ladder Trucks/Medic Units<br />
We are scheduled to receive our new<br />
Sutphen SPH 100’ ladder truck on November<br />
2, 2011. This will be replacing<br />
our current 1996 100’ Platform that has<br />
served us well over the past 15 years<br />
and 160,000 plus miles. The new Platform<br />
is a state-<strong>of</strong>-the-art firefighting<br />
machine. Here are some <strong>of</strong> the highlights<br />
<strong>of</strong> this apparatus. It is more compact<br />
than our current truck resulting in<br />
more maneuverability. The hydraulic<br />
ladder is a 5 section configuration as<br />
compared to our 3 section ladder. The<br />
ladder has full length illumination with<br />
LED lighting to aid in visibility while<br />
climbing and any low flying aircraft.<br />
The “bucket” has multiple entry points<br />
and a driver’s side access toward the<br />
rear <strong>of</strong> the truck. Please see the pictures<br />
below <strong>of</strong> the new flagship <strong>of</strong> our<br />
fleet.<br />
A Sutphen representative will be here<br />
on November 17 th & 18 th to provide a<br />
train-the-trainer session for our personnel.<br />
The entire Department will then<br />
receive training once the Ladder Truck<br />
is fully outfitted and prior to being<br />
placed in service. This should occur<br />
during the week <strong>of</strong> November 29 th<br />
through December 2 nd . After the training<br />
has been completed, it will be<br />
headed to Fire Station 1 and ready for<br />
its first call.<br />
Our new Horton Medic Units will also<br />
begin to arrive on November 2 nd . They
Page 4<br />
<strong>BOCA</strong> <strong>FIRE</strong> <strong>RESCUE</strong><br />
too have some new features from our current Medic Units. The patient compartment<br />
has a roll-over protection system (air-bags) for occupants. This added<br />
safety feature caused the removal <strong>of</strong> the report writing shelf, but it was definitely<br />
a good trade-<strong>of</strong>f.<br />
Jackets<br />
Speaking <strong>of</strong> good trade-<strong>of</strong>fs; how about those new winter jackets! I know you<br />
thought that we would never get them, but a year and a few months later and<br />
they are here just in time for the cooler weather. Please note the cleaning and<br />
care instruction on the attached tags. These jackets are waterpro<strong>of</strong> and bloodborne<br />
pathogen resistant.<br />
Safety Vests/Cutting Pliers<br />
The two additional safety features mentioned above will be augmented by a<br />
couple <strong>of</strong> other new safety items. We will be replacing the safety vests on all<br />
the apparatus in order to provide you with better protection. The new vests have<br />
added visibility and a five point attachment system that will enable the garment<br />
to be removed easily. It is also shorter in length to allow you to have better access<br />
to equipment that you may be carrying. The final new items that will be<br />
provided to you are the Klein J2000 high leverage side cutting pliers. The decision<br />
to purchase these pliers was a result <strong>of</strong> the recent strategic decision making<br />
training that was conducted at our Department. These cutters will enable you to<br />
cut through wires and cables easily in the event you get entangled during a fire.<br />
As you can see, there are a lot <strong>of</strong> things that are happening behind the scenes in<br />
order to accomplish these improvements.<br />
Miscellaneous<br />
I thought that I would share some other information with you about activities<br />
that are occurring behind the scenes. The Logistics and Support Division continues<br />
to do an outstanding job in meeting the demands <strong>of</strong> the Department. Last<br />
fiscal year we received 3755 Work Orders with a 96% completion record. We<br />
have 86 open and 78 pending Work Orders. Some require the actions <strong>of</strong> another<br />
department and others are waiting for back ordered items. Please thank our staff<br />
for a job well done. How much fuel do you think our Department used last<br />
year? Well it is probably a lot more than you could have imagined. Collectively<br />
Fire Rescue Services used 65,314 gallons <strong>of</strong> fuel at a cost <strong>of</strong> $215,569.63<br />
($3.30/gal). Now that’s a lot <strong>of</strong> dinosaurs.<br />
Other outstanding Fire Rescue issues:<br />
Apparatus:<br />
New Apparatus: 2 new Ladder Trucks and 3<br />
Medic units arrive this month.<br />
Facilities:<br />
Miscellaneous: Still working with Facilities<br />
Maintenance to address the A/C ductwork problem<br />
at Station 2.<br />
Station 7 will have repairs to the flooring and<br />
kitchen on the second floor.<br />
Ro<strong>of</strong> leaks are being addressed as they arise<br />
Equipment:<br />
New Side Cutters: The new Klein J2000 pliers<br />
should be arriving before the end <strong>of</strong> December.<br />
I would like to wish all <strong>of</strong> you a healthy and safe<br />
Holiday Season!<br />
Please stop in my <strong>of</strong>fice anytime that you are at<br />
Fire Administration.<br />
Until Then - Stay Safe and Pr<strong>of</strong>essional!
Page 5<br />
EMS<br />
By: Mike O’Neil<br />
Division Chief<br />
ALS Competition<br />
Our Advanced Life Support Competition<br />
Teams placed First in a competition<br />
in New York, and placed Second<br />
and Third at the Flagler County ALS<br />
Competition last month. The <strong>City</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Boca</strong> <strong>Raton</strong>’s web site (http://<br />
www.ci.boca-raton.fl.us/fire/pdf/<br />
CompetitionResults.pdf) lists competition<br />
results from 1981 to the present.<br />
The next competition is at Fire Rescue<br />
East this January.<br />
Medical Protocol Revision<br />
The EMS Division will be releasing<br />
new medical protocols in November.<br />
We are adding several new medications<br />
and the new American Heart Association<br />
recommendations have been added<br />
to the protocols. Along with the revision,<br />
we have completely revised the<br />
format <strong>of</strong> all EMS related forms, vehicle<br />
inventories, created reference guides<br />
and operating instructions for major<br />
equipment. All <strong>of</strong> these will be available<br />
on our network and on the laptop<br />
computers.<br />
Patient Follow Up Program<br />
<strong>Boca</strong> <strong>Raton</strong> Regional Hospital has been<br />
updating the EMS Division on our most<br />
critical patients that are transported to<br />
BRRH. Delray Medical Center is also<br />
providing data outcome for patients.<br />
This process is accomplished using a<br />
secure electronic file exchange. We<br />
have received requests from other agencies<br />
around the State who are interested<br />
about our methods. This program was<br />
implemented as part <strong>of</strong> our Quality Assurance<br />
Program.<br />
<strong>BOCA</strong> <strong>FIRE</strong> <strong>RESCUE</strong><br />
Training & Safety<br />
By: Joe Majhess<br />
Division Chief<br />
As we put Halloween behind us, we are<br />
all eagerly anticipating the holiday season<br />
over the next few months. Whether<br />
it be to share a meal, the exchange <strong>of</strong><br />
gifts or any other special occasion, coming<br />
together to celebrate with family and<br />
friends is a blessing we can all enjoy.<br />
In the last month, I attended training at<br />
the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg,<br />
Maryland. Course discussion focused<br />
on how we, as a Fire Rescue service,<br />
can reduce risks in our community.<br />
In conducting research to prepare for<br />
attending this training, I discovered<br />
some interesting facts and statistics that<br />
are worth sharing.<br />
In the United States, the leading cause<br />
<strong>of</strong> death for persons ages 1 – 44 is unintentional<br />
injuries. Injuries stemming<br />
from Motor Vehicle Crashes is the number<br />
one cause <strong>of</strong> death in approximately<br />
98% <strong>of</strong> these cases. In fact, the industry<br />
has gone as far as reclassifying these<br />
events as “crashes” rather than<br />
“accidents.” Why? Because in a majority<br />
<strong>of</strong> cases, these incidents are not accidents<br />
at all, they are “PREVENTABLE”<br />
incidents. Other leading causes include<br />
drowning, fire/burns, suffocation, poisoning<br />
and falls. In these incidents as<br />
well, a majority <strong>of</strong> cases are preventable.<br />
I cannot tell you how many times in my<br />
20 years <strong>of</strong> responding to people’s<br />
tragedies that I have heard the victim’s<br />
family members express, through the<br />
hysteria, tears and sadness, a desire to<br />
have done things differently in the<br />
events leading up to their devastating<br />
loss. Folks, something as simple as putting<br />
a seatbelt or bike helmet on can<br />
mean the difference between life and<br />
death. Not allowing ourselves to be<br />
distracted when performing tasks such<br />
as driving or supervising children<br />
greatly improves our chances <strong>of</strong> avoiding<br />
“preventable” incidents.<br />
Sadly, in most cases, humans must experience<br />
a “significant emotional event”<br />
in order to change a negative behavior<br />
or habit. I share this information with<br />
you to raise your awareness <strong>of</strong> just<br />
some <strong>of</strong> the many hazards present in<br />
your everyday travels and educate you<br />
on the risks they pose to your health<br />
and safety and that <strong>of</strong> your family<br />
members. Will this be sufficient to<br />
motivate you to make the positive<br />
changes necessary to reduce your exposure<br />
to these hazards and risks or will<br />
you, like many, wait to experience your<br />
own personal “significant emotional<br />
event?”<br />
With these thoughts in mind, I ask you<br />
to observe your actions in the course <strong>of</strong><br />
just one day and count the number <strong>of</strong><br />
times you have the power to make a<br />
choice that could decrease the exposure<br />
<strong>of</strong> hazards and risks to you and/or those<br />
around you (family, friends, coworkers,<br />
the public). I believe the results will<br />
surprise you.<br />
In closing, I learned a lot in my recent<br />
training about reducing risk in our community.<br />
While the Fire Rescue Service<br />
can play a major role in educating the<br />
public on hazard awareness and ways to<br />
reduce their risks, only the public’s<br />
willingness to act on the information<br />
provided can lead to a reduction in the<br />
number <strong>of</strong> deaths due to unintentional<br />
injuries. Together, we can all play a<br />
part in reducing the risks in our community.<br />
We can all make choices that<br />
not only increase our safety, but also<br />
foster good habits in the youth that look<br />
to us for examples.<br />
I would like to take this opportunity to<br />
recognize and thank Ms. Cindy Cevallos<br />
for all her assistance with the research<br />
conducted on emergency reporting<br />
data in the <strong>City</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Boca</strong> <strong>Raton</strong> for<br />
this project.
Page 6<br />
Communications<br />
By: Pat Kelly<br />
Division Chief<br />
Hello once again,<br />
On October 1, 2011, Deerfield Beach<br />
Fire Rescue was absorbed into the Broward<br />
County Sheriff’s Office (BSO).<br />
We have a long history <strong>of</strong> mutually<br />
beneficial assistance to each other both<br />
within our respective cities and on I-95.<br />
Communications on these mutual aid<br />
calls was as simple as switching to<br />
Tactical Channel 5 as they also had this<br />
channel on their radios. Unfortunately,<br />
they no longer have this channel on the<br />
BSO radios. The procedure will now<br />
involve our personnel accessing the<br />
Broward County Mutual Aid channels<br />
which are located on Zone G on our<br />
radios. If either receiving or giving<br />
mutual aid to Deerfield Beach units,<br />
expect to be instructed to switch to one<br />
<strong>of</strong> these channels for direct communications.<br />
We have already tested the<br />
system and it works well.<br />
We have long expected the arrival <strong>of</strong><br />
Next Generation 911. This is a technologically<br />
enhanced version <strong>of</strong> the 911<br />
system, which gives the address and<br />
phone number <strong>of</strong> a caller. The system<br />
is being installed throughout Palm<br />
Beach County and unfortunately has<br />
run into some difficulty. We were expecting<br />
to go on-line in October, but<br />
our installation has been postponed till<br />
early next year. We will keep you advised.<br />
Each month I investigate all calls that<br />
do not meet our response criteria. Recently<br />
we have had several calls with<br />
extended response times. Most <strong>of</strong> these<br />
were due to units arriving in the area<br />
and not being able to locate the incident<br />
either because the parties had left<br />
<strong>BOCA</strong> <strong>FIRE</strong> <strong>RESCUE</strong><br />
the scene or the call was unfounded. Please remember that as soon as your unit arrives<br />
in the area, you must advise Dispatch <strong>of</strong> your arrival, with nothing found, and<br />
you are investigating.<br />
Till next time, be safe.<br />
Frank Correggio, Public Information Officer<br />
Tractor Trailer Accident Ties Up Traffic On I-95<br />
In October, <strong>Boca</strong> <strong>Raton</strong> firefighters responded to a report <strong>of</strong> a vehicle accident involving<br />
a tractor trailer that happened on on I-95 northbound between Palmetto Park<br />
Road and Glades Road. When fire crews arrived, they found a tractor trailer and a<br />
vehicle had collided causing a fuel leak from the truck’s saddle tank. Firefighters<br />
closed down two lanes <strong>of</strong> the interstate as they began to handle the haz mat incident.<br />
Crew used a special pump to help <strong>of</strong>f-load the fuel from the tank and absorbant to<br />
pick up fuel that was on the ground. Approximately 100 gallons <strong>of</strong> diesel fuel was<br />
transferred into a waiting container and removed. It took crews approximately two<br />
hours to clean up the spill. Members <strong>of</strong> Florida DEP and the DOT were on-scene to<br />
assist. There were no injuries reported. The accident is under investigation by<br />
Florida Highway Patrol.<br />
Photo by Jay Bell
Page 7<br />
VISITORS!<br />
<strong>BOCA</strong> <strong>FIRE</strong> <strong>RESCUE</strong><br />
Above is Colton Liebl, son <strong>of</strong> Amanda Liebl who is the Youth<br />
Program Director at the <strong>City</strong>’s Community Center. Colton visited<br />
Fire Station 2 with his grandfather, and one <strong>of</strong> the things he learned<br />
was that all firefighters love cookies. With the help <strong>of</strong> his mom, he<br />
baked up a batch <strong>of</strong> cookies and colored a thank you card for the<br />
firefighters.<br />
The Cloran Family<br />
We also had a surprise visit from<br />
retired Platoon Captain Dave<br />
Cloran and his daughter, former<br />
<strong>Boca</strong> firefighter, Laura Cloran<br />
Haase. Laura brought in her<br />
daughter, 10 month old,<br />
Hadley, to visit also.<br />
This was quite a surprise as Laura<br />
and her family now live in Alaska.
Page 8<br />
<strong>BOCA</strong> <strong>FIRE</strong> <strong>RESCUE</strong><br />
Left to Right: Firefighters Scott Hauss, Captain John Luca, Dan Rush and Paula Ursini<br />
Photo by PIO Correggio<br />
Vehicle Fire On West Yamato<br />
On October 24, 2011, fire crews responded to a report <strong>of</strong> vehicle fire at 1000 West Yamato Road. Emergency crews arrived to<br />
find a blue, late model Acura Legend on fire in the eastbound lane. Crews quickly extinguished the fire and used a special saw<br />
to cut open the hood and truck. The driver <strong>of</strong> the vehicle was not injured. The cause <strong>of</strong> the fire is undetermined at this time.<br />
Friends Forever<br />
Firefighter James Haag and his new friend, 4 y/o Madalyn, meet for the first time up close. Fire Captain Randy Hunsinger,<br />
Driver Neil Duffy and Firefighter James Haag from Truck 1 in <strong>Boca</strong> <strong>Raton</strong> visited MECE PreSchool for Fire Prevention Week.<br />
Students were taught fire safety including Stop – Drop – and – Roll, Know 2 Ways Out, Stay Low (under smoke) and Go, and<br />
Firefighters are our Friends! After the safety talk, students and teachers went outside with their new friends and were treated<br />
to a tour <strong>of</strong> the 100 ft. aerial platform that protects their school.
Page 9<br />
Years <strong>of</strong> Service<br />
November<br />
Joe Ramsey 34<br />
Joe Hauck 30<br />
Pat Kelly 24<br />
Tom Carroll 21<br />
Mike Francis 14<br />
Brian Ward 14<br />
Mike Young 13<br />
Mario Eaton 7<br />
Dave Rosenthal 5<br />
Carlos Vidaurreta 4<br />
December<br />
Frank Correggio 34<br />
Dan Grader 34<br />
Dave Covert 30<br />
Daryl Scott 30<br />
Scott Stinecipher 30<br />
Brett Lea 28<br />
Joe Majhess 20<br />
Ray Lintner 14<br />
Matt Welhaf 10<br />
Andrea Entus 9<br />
Jordan Flaschner 9<br />
Brian Shapins 9<br />
Craig Ashley 8<br />
Chris Burden 8<br />
Bob Cervi 8<br />
Mark Dell 8<br />
John Elliott 8<br />
Joe Ildefonso 8<br />
Chad Kozloski 8<br />
Pat Lao 8<br />
Brian Marlen 8<br />
Curt Berryman 6<br />
<strong>BOCA</strong> <strong>FIRE</strong> <strong>RESCUE</strong><br />
BIRTHDAYS<br />
November<br />
11/02 John Lamey<br />
11/03 Dorrant Mowatt<br />
11/06 David DiPierro<br />
11/07 Sean Migone<br />
11/09 Kim Puchalski<br />
11/11 Francine Chokanis<br />
11/15 Val Polistena<br />
11/23 Warren Cann<br />
11/24 Arnaldo Rodriguez<br />
11/25 Loyd Putnam<br />
11/25 Ben Frederick<br />
11/26 David Eddinger<br />
11/26 Scott Hauss<br />
11/27 Paul Ursini<br />
11/27 Alejandro Callegari<br />
11/29 George Fox<br />
11/30 Bryan Walton<br />
December<br />
12/01 Pat Murray<br />
12/01 Michael Davanzo<br />
12/02 John Gibson<br />
12/04 Jesus Barrera<br />
12/06 Tomas Martin<br />
12/07 Scott Stinecipher<br />
12/07 William Pazanski<br />
12/08 Ed Guinn<br />
12/11 Scott Clark<br />
12/14 Kim Bunting<br />
12/15 Bruce Angier<br />
12/20 Jordan Flaschner<br />
12/24 Joanne Barnes<br />
12/25 Brian Ward<br />
12/25 Robert Parks<br />
12/28 Michael Altamuro<br />
12/29 John McClain<br />
12/29 Octavio Quinones<br />
12/30 Todd Withrow<br />
12/31 Aaron Fix<br />
January<br />
01/01 William Puchalski<br />
01/04 Mike O’Neil<br />
01/05 Shaun Fix<br />
01/07 William Fowler<br />
Gas Leak In East <strong>Boca</strong><br />
Residents Evacuated<br />
On October 25, 2011, fire crews responded<br />
to a report <strong>of</strong> natural gas leak<br />
at the corner <strong>of</strong> NE 25th Terrace and<br />
NE 5th Avenue. Fire Rescue crews<br />
arrived in minutes to find that a crew<br />
working in the area had hit the underground<br />
2-inch gas pipe with their<br />
backhoe. Police services quickly<br />
evacuated surrounding homes and<br />
shut down roads from Federal Highway<br />
and NE 25th Terrace west to NE<br />
4th Way and from NE 26th Terrace<br />
south to NE 24th Court, while fire<br />
crews worked to stop the leak. Hazardous<br />
Material Technicians from<br />
<strong>Boca</strong> <strong>Raton</strong> Fire Rescue lifted the<br />
backhoe bucket <strong>of</strong>f the pipe, removed<br />
excess dirt, then used a special clamp<br />
to stop the leak. Residents were then<br />
allowed to return to their homes.<br />
There were no injuries reported. Florida<br />
Public Utilities were contacted to<br />
repair the pipe.
Page 10<br />
<strong>BOCA</strong> <strong>FIRE</strong> <strong>RESCUE</strong><br />
Fire Prevention Week<br />
On Monday, October 3, 2011, firefighters from<br />
FS2 visited students and teachers at St. Paul Lutheran<br />
School. Firefighters spoke about fire<br />
safety, gave the students a tour <strong>of</strong> their state-<strong>of</strong>the-art<br />
fire truck, and let them handle the hose<br />
just like a real firefighter.<br />
This year the theme for Fire Prevention Week is<br />
“Protect Your Family From Fire.” <strong>Boca</strong> <strong>Raton</strong><br />
Fire Rescue Services wants you to know that fire<br />
safety is everyone’s responsibility. Students<br />
were reminded to practice fire safety, ask their<br />
parents to test their smoke alarms, have in place<br />
and practice an escape plan and use battery operated<br />
lighting instead <strong>of</strong> candles. Firefighters also<br />
talked about Stop, Drop and Roll, dialing 9-1-1<br />
for an emergency, know two ways out, and stay<br />
low under smoke.<br />
FF Scott Kovi gets hugs from students<br />
FF Scott Kovi, FFD Marcus Cooper and<br />
student Andrew Majhess
Page 11<br />
Casey Denhard<br />
David Weaver<br />
<strong>BOCA</strong> <strong>FIRE</strong> <strong>RESCUE</strong><br />
William Zimmerman<br />
<strong>Boca</strong> <strong>Raton</strong><br />
Fire Rescue<br />
Services<br />
Welcomes<br />
Their newest<br />
Members.<br />
Adam Ziegenfuss<br />
Zane Smith<br />
Octavio Quinones<br />
Justin Pierce Travis Miller Justin Ghanem<br />
Jonathan Emmons
Smoke Detectors<br />
Save Lives<br />
Thomas R. Wood, CFO, MIFireE<br />
Fire Chief<br />
<strong>Boca</strong> <strong>Raton</strong> Fire Rescue Services<br />
6500 Congress Avenue, Suite 200<br />
<strong>Boca</strong> <strong>Raton</strong>, FL 33487-2851<br />
Homeland Security<br />
If You See Something, Say Something