One Columbus Fire Battalion Chief, one Lieutenant and two Firefighters will be honored on Friday, October 15, 2021 by the Benjamin Franklin Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, Fire Chief Jeffrey Happ announced today. Fire Battalion Chief Sandra Loeper, Lieutenant George Wallace and Firefighters James Janoski and William Longenette will be presented with medals and certificates during the organization’s annual noon luncheon meeting at TAT Ristorante de Famiglia in Columbus, Ohio.

The EMS Medal will be presented to Firefighters James Janoski and William Longenette who have shown dedication to the position in performing their duty with Battalion Chief Sandra Loeper, who will be presented the Heroism Award for actions taken on December 5, 2020 when she saved a woman from falling off a third floor balcony.

Firefighter Janoski “Shaggy”, a 27 year veteran of the department, has been a paramedic for over 20 years. He spent the majority of his career at Station 18 and just recently transferred to Station 30.

Firefighter Longenette, a 23 year veteran of the department, has been a paramedic for over 18 years. Bill has been assigned to Station 1 for his entire career.

After all of these years of serving the citizens of Columbus while assigned to extremely busy medic vehicles, they both have stepped up once again as the pioneering members of Stroke 1, 1-Unit, to which they ride every day. Stroke 1, a partnership with the Central Ohio Hospital Systems, provides state of the art on-scene stroke care to Central Ohio residents.  Both members also teach stroke care within the division and other Central Ohio fire departments.

Battalion Chief Sandra Loeper is awarded the Heroism Award.  While responding to a report of fire with people trapped, Chief Loeper observed an occupant on the balcony rail in obvious distress.  Battalion Chief Loeper climbed to the balcony to try and calm the victim down.  In her distress, the victim crawled over the balcony rail and fell head first.  Chief Loeper was able to grab the victim by the ankle, holding her dangling there until help arrived to stabilize the victim.  She was safely removed down a stairwell where she was treated by medics.

Fire Lieutenant George Wallace will be presented with the Life Saving Commendation.  Lieutenant Wallaceis in good standing and has spent many hours both on duty and off to supporting our members and members of other Central Ohio departments, both police and fire, in their time of need. His commitment to the mental health and wellbeing of our members as part of the Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) team has saved countless careers and families as they struggle with acute and chronic stress related to the job.  Lieutenant Wallace helps to get members help on off days as well as duty days seven days a week.  Lieutenant Wallace exemplifies the characteristics and work ethic that this award is wanting to recognize.

Although West Perth (Toronto, Canada) Fire Department (WPFD) firefighter Brad Brace has only been with the department for four years, he has—quite literally—left his mark on West Perth’s new station, reports o.canada.com.

Brace owns and operates Mitchell Ironworks, which designed the department logo sign on the new facility; the sign is 8×8 and made of powder coated aluminum and stainless steel. Prior to fixing it to the station on October 2, Brace wrote his name on the back, according to the report.

WPFD used its ladder truck to install the sign with 180 stainless screws, the report says. All firefighters who helped assist in hanging it signed the back as well and dated it.

Brace says he put in about 50 hours of work off and on for a couple of months to create the logo, which was paid for by the West Perth Firefighters Association.

The Beaufort-Port Royal (SC) Fire Department has a new $800,000 custom-built pumper with more pumping capacity and the ability to carry equipment such as extrication tools and a defibrillator, reports islandpacket.com.

The 33-foot-long, red-and-black rig replaces a 14-year-old apparatus and is the department’s fifth in-service pumper, including two reserves, the report says. Stationed at Station 4 on S.C. 170, the pumper’s first day of service will be Monday.

The pumper was purchased from Spartan Emergency Response in Summerville, but Pierce Manufacturing in Appleton (WI) built it. It can hold 1,000 gallons of water—250 gallons more than any other pumper in the department’s fleet—and carry 1,000 feet of supply line hose, as well as three shorter attack-line hoses, the report says.

The department has 48 shift firefighters and operates out of four stations serving Beaufort and Port Royal.

Portland Fire & Rescue is teaming up with CareOregon in an attempt to improve medical care and reduce the burden on the emergency 911 by providing a new response plan for low-risk medical calls, according to a report published by The Oregonian/Oregon Live.

According to the report, the Portland City Council accepted a $2.5 million grant from CareOregon to create a smaller pilot team of two fire medics that would respond to calls deemed low risk to help reduce the burden of repeat patients who need medical care, but do not need transport to the hospital.

Under the current plan, a fire engine, ladder truck and ambulance respond to all medical calls, the report said, adding the new nine-month trial program will begin on Nov. 15 with two fire medics working from noon to 2 am daily. A roving critical care nurse for each team hired by Portland would be available if needed to help the medics at any location, according to the report.

The newspaper/web site said Portland Fire and CareOregon will evaluate the program at the end of nine months with the hope of extending it throughout the city, if successful.