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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

ARFF Service: a Relationship Business

By Troy Padgett,
Director, ARFF Products,
Oshkosh Corporation

Picture this: A brand new Air Force recruit finishes up his technical training, where he learns everything there is to know about repairing fire trucks. It wasn't until he arrived at his first duty assignment that he realized there was much more to this job than what he learned in school. After all, he grew up in a part of the country where there were no fire trucks. If your house caught on fire, someone grabbed the garden hose while everyone else did their best to haul out the furniture. His recent education taught him the basics but in no way prepared him for what was to follow. In week two of his entry into the real world of aircraft rescue fire fighting (ARFF) vehicle maintenance, he got the "honor" of being assigned as the standby mechanic responsible for any afterhours repair needs at the fire department. Of course, he gets a call on his very first night.

One of the ARFF trucks broke down on the taxiway and had to be moved right away. As he drove in to "save the day," he couldn't help but worry that he had no clue what may be causing the problem with the truck. Fortunately, the firefighter that met him out on the taxiway had been the driver of that particular vehicle for a very long time and knew a lot about his rig. He pointed right to an air valve on the engine and said, "There's your problem, sonny." He was absolutely right, and the repairs were made in short order.

Yes, this is my story, and that night I learned a valuable lesson about building relationships between maintenance teams and firefighters. There are many ways to tackle the maintenance needs on ARFF vehicles, but constant and open communication between the operators and mechanics is at the heart of all successful plans. As mechanics, we need to remind ourselves that our firefighter friends are using these trucks to save lives and property. This is not the lawn mower we are repairing. We have one of the most important jobs in the world-making sure the vehicles we are responsible for are always ready for the stressful duty they will face in an emergency.

Improving Relationships

So let's look at just a few suggestions that may help improve these relationships.

Be present. In a best case scenario, each airport fire department has assigned mechanics on site dedicated to supporting the firefighting fleet. This allows for immediate reaction to any truck deficiencies found during the daily operator checks. Reacting immediately prevents a growing list of issues, which may hinder firefighting operations.

Unfortunately, reality kicks in and tells us that most airports cannot have a full-time fire truck mechanic on staff. In these cases, they use maintenance personnel assigned to a larger organization that also are responsible for all other pieces of equipment at the airport. All is not lost though. If these maintenance groups assign staff members a primary responsibility of supporting the fire department, those team members can take advantage of available training to stay proficient in the ever-changing world of ARFF maintenance. If this is the strategic plan, someone from the assigned group should arrange for a daily check-in with the fire department. During this check-in, they can correct any minor issues or make arrangements to correct larger ones. Either way, you will be able to promote the effort of minimizing defect lists.

Be educated. Training comes in many forms. Many of the daily maintenance challenges are easy to solve with a basic understanding of electrical, hydraulic, air, and mechanical systems. A background in heavy truck maintenance goes a long way when thinking about ARFF service. However, there are a number of systems designed specifically for aircraft firefighting that you will need advanced education to support. The million-dollar question is, "Where do I go for this advanced education?"

• Vehicle Manufacturers: Most ARFF vehicle manufacturers offer training on the products they sell. These courses range from a basic understanding of the product to advanced courses in electrical, hydraulic, fire systems, and so on. Information on courses is typically easy to find through a company's Web site or through your sales and service representatives.

• Mechanics Associations: Many states or regions have formal associations to support emergency vehicle mechanics. These associations are excellent sources for continuing education. They keep up with the ever-changing trends in the industry and partner with groups to offer training.

• Certification: Much like the local Chevy dealer has National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certified mechanics, there is an opportunity for you to become emergency vehicle technician (EVT) certified. The certification process is very similar to the ASE certification with different specialties and levels of expertise. There is an ARFF-specific track in the EVT certification program. The ARFF track provides for certification Levels 1, 2, and Master Level 3. Each level requires you to successfully pass certain ASE tests along with the assigned EVT tests for that particular level. Spend the extra time for this, as it is a huge step forward in developing confidence between you and your customer.

Be a "go-to" person. Your customer wants to have a "go-to" person-a person the customer knows will want to help no matter what happens. Your personality plays a huge role here. Don't worry as much about why customers had to call on you, but just be glad they did because they trust you to make everything right.

Simple principles? Absolutely. There is no better satisfaction as an ARFF vehicle mechanic than to know you have a personal bond with your firefighting partners and that they can depend on you to be by their side. So go ahead, reach out, and be that person. You will find yourself in a very rewarding relationship.

TROY PADGETT, director of ARFF products with Oshkosh Corporation, started in the aircraft rescue and fire fighting (ARFF) business in the early 1980s as a fire truck mechanic with the United States Air Force (USAF), eventually becoming a technical training master instructor. Since joining the civilian workforce, he has held management positions in training, service, production, and sales. He is also a former EVT certification test proctor and has served on the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers' Association (FAMA) Aerial and ARFF Product committees.

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Posted: Aug 2, 2013,
Categories: Fire Mechanics,
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