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Mission Statement

The objectives of this Division shall be to further enhance the education of all Fire Service Administrative Support by conducting workshops and seminars; to increase the proficiency of Fire Administrative Support by establishing a network sharing of information systems through various channels of communication; and to faciliate a statewide standardization wherever possible in all phases and aspects of the Fire Administrative Support field for the benefit of the Fire Service.

Recent Fire Administrative Support News

Posted: Oct 20, 2020
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Greetings all~

At the yearly business meeting of the WFAS, usually a part of the annual conference, 2020 elections were held. Two Regional Representative terms were up this year along with that of the Secretary and Chair. Cathy Blakeway, Tumwater Fire, will continue to serve as a Regional Rep and Tasiya Deering, Moses Lake Fire, was reelected to the position of Secretary. Kristen Cole chose not to run again for the Regional Rep position she has held but has opted to remain on the board as the Hospitality/Activity committee chair. Slita Bradley, Benton County Fire District 4, was chosen to fill that Regional Rep position. Caity Karapostoles, Clallam County Fire District 3, was elected to serve for the next two years as Chairman when Mykel Montgomery stepped down. Mykel will stay on the board as Past Chair, allowing her to help deliver the 2021 WFAS Conference in Chelan postponed from October 2020. A huge shout out to everyone for stepping up to run for positions on the board and to volunteer on the various committees, along with everyone who continues to serve as board/committee members. It takes all of us to create and maintain the valuable network that is the WFAS! And along those lines, the Vice Chair position is open if you or someone you know is interested, please let me know as soon as possible. In keeping with our policies and procedures, the vacancy will be filled by a majority vote of the Executive Board at our next meeting. The person chosen will serve until the next election at the 2021 WFAS Conference,

In lieu of this year’s conference and workshops, a number of webinars are being planned for our group. Check the website and the group’s Facebook page for more information as it comes available.

Please feel free to contact me or any of the other board/committee members, if there is anything we can help you with. I welcome comments, concerns and suggestions!

Take care and stay safe.

As always,

Caity K

WFAS Chair

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Posted: Apr 21, 2020
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Wednesday April 22nd

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Posted: Jun 27, 2018
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 A recording of the hour long webinar How to Apply for a Local Records Grant is now available at Washington State Archives’ website at:

 https://www.sos.wa.gov/archives/RecordsManagement/Local-Records-Grant-Program.aspx

 

The Online Grant Application form will be available on July 2, 2018.

If anyone has questions or would like assistance in planning and preparing their application, please email recordsmanagement@sos.wa.gov.

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Posted: Apr 25, 2018
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On behalf of your Washington Fire Administrative Support (WFAS) Board and Committee Members, we would like to acknowledge your hard work, dedication and commitment to the fire service and the work that you do. We all play an integral part in the departments we work for and the communities we serve, but perhaps don’t always get the acknowledgement that goes along with it. I hope everyone feels valued for their efforts and feels the support of your network of peers within the WFAS Section. Enjoy your day and I am so excited to see 96 of you in Walla Walla at our annual conference next week!

 

Ashley Becker, WFAS Section Chair

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Posted: Apr 2, 2018
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In accordance with the Washington Fire Chiefs' Bylaws, and the WFC Fire Administrative Support current Protocols, the recommended updated version of the protocols has been posted 30 days before conference

If you would like to see a version noting all of the changes, that document is shown as well. Feel free to share any concerns or comments regarding this updated document with us at: wfc@washingtonfirechiefs.org 

The updated protocols will be voted on by members at the WFAS conference in Walla Walla, Washington on Monday, May 7th.

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Posted: Feb 21, 2018
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Nominations need to be submitted to the WFC office by Friday, April 20, 2018 to kathleen@washingtonfirechiefs.org.

  • Nominee can be nominated by any WFC member, belonging to any WFC Section – please include: nominees name, position title, years of service;
  • The nominee must be a current member of the WFAS;
  • Nomination should list the nominee’s administrative accomplishments and contributions during the previous year as well as their leadership abilities, demonstration of professional performance and personal character.  A short story should be submitted to enhance the nominee’s accomplishments.
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Posted: Aug 8, 2017
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We currently have an opening on the WFAS Executive Board for an Eastern Representative, partial term, to serve through May 2018 (until the conference in which an election will take place for a two-year term).

 

Please submit a Statement of Interest to abecker@centralpiercefire.org, no later than Tuesday, August 15, for consideration at our upcoming Board Meeting in Walla Walla.

 

Feel free to reference the WFAS Board Campaign on the website for more information on Board involvement or reach out to a Board Member.

 

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Posted: Apr 26, 2017
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On behalf of the WFAS Board, we would like to thank you for your endless dedication to the fire service and your commitment to learn and grow.

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Posted: Apr 6, 2017
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In accordance with the Washington Fire Chiefs' Bylaws, and the WFC Fire Administrative Support current Protocols, the recommended updated version of the protocols has been posted 30 days before conference

If you would like to see a version noting all of the changes, please contact us. Feel free to share any concerns or comments regarding this updated document with us at: wfc@washingtonfirechiefs.org 

The updated protocols will be voted on by members at the WFAS conference in Olympia, Washington.

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Posted: Jan 31, 2017
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Nominations need to be submitted to the WFC office by Friday, April 28th of this year, 2017.

  • Nominee can be nominated by any WFC member, belonging to any WFC Section – please include: nominees name, position title, years of service;
  • The nominee must be a current member of the WFAS;
  • Nomination should list the nominee’s administrative accomplishments and contributions during the previous year as well as their leadership abilities, demonstration of professional performance and personal character.  A short story should be submitted to enhance the nominee’s accomplishments.

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FIRE ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SECTION UPCOMING EVENTS

Upcoming Events

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FIRE ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT BOARD & COMMITTEES

Get the Most from Your Extrication Equipment

Extrication equipment is an important tool that must function as intended and advertised should the need for use arise. When incredible forces are needed to manipulate a vehicle are your tools ready to take on the job? Routine inspection of tools, general maintenance, cleaning, and a program that follows the manufacturer’s guidelines will not only maintain the tool’s function but your trust in its state of readiness. This month we will look at a few ways to prolong the life your extrication equipment and spot potential safety hazards.

As in every other aspect of the job, let’s start with safety. Identifying the potential causes for injury first will aid in your inspection of unsafe conditions. The instruction manual should be reviewed and available to spot specific hazards common to your brand of equipment. Rescue tools commonly operate with pressures in excess of 10,000 pounds per square inch, poorly maintained hoses that are allowed to be driven on, cut, or kinked have the ability to cause injections or laceration. Inspection of hose should include uncoiling or unrolling the entire assembly and checking for abnormal abrasions, blisters, bulges, kinks, or cuts. Use of unapproved fluids in some equipment may increase your risk of injury by introducing oils that may be classified as carcinogenic or that have an unknown adverse health effect if exposure occurs. For example, the MV1 oil used in Amkus and Shell Tellus 22 used in some Hurst tools state the oil is not classified as a carcinogen, which may not be the case with unapproved oils. High pressure leaks may also be possible from o-rings that are in poor condition, aftermarket couplings, failing gaskets, worn valves, and loose bolt on components. Missing engine guards or covers can cause burns, extremity lacerations, or flying objects. Cracks in the bodies of tools or implements have the potential for catastrophic failure when in use causing injury to yourself, other firefighters, or a vehicle occupant. Spotting these items early during inspection and cleaning can greatly minimize the potential for equipment malfunction and injury.

 

There are some parts of rescue tools that cannot be inspected when fully assembled, these items and types of service work will be outlined in your particular tool’s operation and maintenance manual. It may be necessary for full or partial tear down of a tool or power unit to properly inspect and maintain it. User manuals will often highlight what type of repairs or preventive maintenance may be performed by the operator and which levels require a factory trained person. It is often found on tear down that internal mechanisms of tools contain a large amount of glass, metal, dirt, and other byproducts of extrication that expedite wear. These items can cause premature failure of seals and moving parts leading to unnecessary expense. Over lubrication of moving parts or improper lubricant type can cause undue accumulation of these foreign abrasives. O-ring’s in older equipment can also be hardened and their likeliness of failure increased. Pump reservoirs may contain dirt, metal, sand, gravel, and yes-even broken parts. These contaminates cause early pump wear and degradation, this serious problem ninety nine percent of the time is caused from external sources. These points of entry are typically the couplings and fill ports on the reservoir. Couplings should be wiped prior to connection, cleaned when dirty, and capped whenever disconnected. Extrication pumps will wear slightly over time but following the recommended fluid service intervals will prolong the service life by flushing away these contaminates before they can wear the moving parts further.

Following the recommended maintenance schedule for equipment is important to allow the longest life possible for a substantial department investment. Often older extrication equipment is perceived as inadequate and the inability of it to perform well on the drill ground or scene is blamed on age. Some older units may simply need a complete service with pressure relief adjustment or replacement. For example, a department recently had a rescue system built in 1989 that would perform “ok” when one line was used and very poorly after five minutes when the other line was used. Upon inspection it was noted that the first line was about two thousand pounds per square inch under specification and the other line had a tube that had vibrated loose in the reservoir causing the fluid to aerate slowly, creating a severe reduction in pressure. The cost of repair was not much more than a typical bi-annual service for that model. When complete, this unit performed as well as a similar unit that was 20 years newer.

Getting the most out of your equipment always starts with proper care, inspection, and routine maintenance. Rescue tools will have the best chance for survival, optimum performance, and safety by adhering to manufacturer instructions, reporting deficiencies, and removing unsafe equipment from service.

Justin Claibourn, Board Member
Fire Mechanic Section

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Posted: Sep 16, 2013,
Categories: News, Fire Mechanics,
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