MSA, DuPont, and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) are helping volunteer fire departments obtain much-needed gear through MSA’s and DuPont’s Globe Gear Giveaway. Now in its tenth year, the program has provided over $1 million worth of gear to assist volunteer fire departments in need. In 2021, 13 departments will each receive four sets of turnout gear and four helmets to help enhance the safety of their firefighters. The first 500 applicants also received a one-year NVFC membership, courtesy of MSA.
The latest recipients of MSA’s and DuPont’s Globe Gear Giveaway are the Geneva (AL) Volunteer Fire Department and Hope (IN) Volunteer Fire Department.
Geneva Volunteer Fire Department
The Geneva Volunteer Fire Department (GVFD) is an all-volunteer department located in rural southern Alabama near the border with Florida. GVFD’s 22 members protect a population of 26,270 over 100 square miles, responding to an average of 120 calls annually.
Of the 30 sets of turnout gear GVFD has, only five are less than 10 years old, meaning the rest are out of NFPA compliance. The department relies on a tobacco tax to purchase new gear, yet this source of income has dwindled year after year due to declining smoking rates. The local government is unwilling to raise taxes to provide GVFD with an alternative source of funding, and donations and fundraisers alone are not enough to cover both day-to-day operations and new gear.
“Due to the costs involved, large ticket items such as turnout gear are unfortunately beyond our financial reach,” said fire chief Ben Latimer, noting that the donation was their only hope for obtaining the much-needed gear. “Thank you for your support of our volunteer firefighters who proudly protect the residents of Geneva, AL.”
Hope Volunteer Fire Department
Located in rural central Indiana, the Hope Volunteer Fire Department (HVFD) is an all-volunteer department made up of 30 members. Serving a population of approximately 3,600 over 26 square miles, HVFD responds to an average of 425 calls annually. The department is committed to working with the town to ensure everyone has a safe living environment and is doing what it can to keep its firefighters safe.
HVFD only has eight sets of turnout gear that are in compliance with NFPA 1851, and many of these are nearing their expiration date as well. The department is striving to replace the outdated gear to make every member NFPA compliant for the next 10 years. However, they recently had to build a new fire station to replace a century-old building as well as purchase a piece of fire apparatus to replace one deemed unrepairable. With the payments on these items along with operating expenses, there is little left for other big purchases such as the new gear they need.
The donation of four sets of Globe turnout gear and four helmets will go a long way in helping HVFD reach its goal to make sure all firefighters have sufficient protection to do their job safely. “HVFD will place the new turnout gear into use immediately upon the completion of a compliant training program,” said assistant fire chief Christopher Allen.
Additional awards will be made monthly throughout 2021. Stay tuned to the NVFC web site, Dispatch newsletter, and Facebook and Twitter pages, as well as the Read more
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Posted: Sep 21, 2021
An out-of-service Warren (MI) ambulance that saw years of heavy use is heading to rural West Virginia, reports candgnews.com.
The apparatus will be refitted and put back into service by volunteer firefighters and paramedics in the town of Cairo, the report says. The alternative, officials say, was simply scrapping the ambulance; officials say that would have netted between $4,000 and $7,000.
According to the report, the MI and WV connection was forged when visitors in Cairo met with volunteer firefighters during an emergency response.
Cairo fire officials say the department’s 20 volunteers serve a population of 382 in the city and about 2,500 in the area; it’s dispatched to about 200 runs a year over an area of 50 square miles, 85% of which require EMS, the report says.
The department’s fleet consists of five vehicles: a 30-year-old main engine, a tanker, a medical rescue pickup truck, a brush truck, and a reserve tanker.
Officials say the last time Cairo had an ambulance was 40 years ago. The department has an annual budget of about $30,000, the report says, and holds raffles and dinners and even started a GoFundMe page two years ago.
The Type III ambulance would have cost about $190,000 new before it was fitted with equipment, the report says.
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Posted: Sep 21, 2021
Surprise, AZ (September 20, 2021) Construction is complete on Fire Station 308, located on the south side of Cactus Road, east of Litchfield Road, and the station is operational as of today.
This public safety project was completed as part of the voter-approved 2017 General Obligation Bond to meet the needs of our city’s growing service call demand. The southeast portion of Surprise, where this station is located, continues to see growth in new homes, schools, commercial businesses and large manufacturers.
Fire Station 308 is approximately 16,000 square feet with four bays for fire apparatus. It houses an Engine Company and Hazardous Materials Response Team – an important component due to the station’s proximity to the city’s industrial district. The station is designed to provide training specific to responses to hazardous materials emergencies and also has room for a future ambulance.
As part of City Council’s commitment that one and one-third percent of the budget for capital projects be set aside for art, there is an art piece in the works for this station that is expected to be completed this fall. It consists of large staggered metal panels that have the word “courage” cut out.
The city will host a public ribbon-cutting event at the fire station this fall. Details will be released at a later date.
Fire Station 308 is one of two stations that were constructed with General Obligation Bond dollars. Fire Station 304, located in the city’s northern area on 163rd Ave. near Happy Valley Rd. was completed in January of this year. It replaced a temporary, modular fire station to better serve another high growth area of the Surprise.
To learn more about the city’s 10 General Obligation Bond Projects, please visit surpriseaz.gov/decidesurprise.
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Posted: Sep 21, 2021
According to a report from WJLA, approximately 20 percent of DC Fire & EMS workers (DCFEMS) are requesting a exemption to avoid a mandate requiring city employees to get vaccinated against COVID. The figure comes from the office of Mayor Muriel Bowser. The requests represent the vast majority of religious exemption requests across Washington, D.C.
Out of the 475 requests for vaccine exemption across the city, 419 work for DCFEMS, which employs 2,124 members.
Despite many DCFEMS employees already being vaccinated, hundreds still have not reportedly still received a shot. Bowser said that should change.
The city is requiring firefighters and other health care workers to receive at least one COVID-19 vaccine shot by September 30. If they don’t, they face potential disciplinary action.
Those DCFEMS workers who receive the exemptions can submit weekly negative COVID tests in lieu of receiving the vaccine. Other D.C. government workers were required to be fully vaccinated by September 19.
Some firefighters have pushed back against the city’s mandate, saying they would accept a compromise they consider less strict.
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