Trying to attract volunteer firefighters

Trying to attract volunteer firefighters
Ad campaign attacks dwindling numbers
By Jack Dew, Berkshire Eagle Staff
Article Launched: 10/26/2008 02:59:18 AM EDT


Sunday, October 26
LANESBOROUGH — Their numbers dwindling, volunteer firefighters from around the state are turning to the mass media in the hope of luring new recruits.
Yesterday, a video crew spent the morning at the Lanesborough Fire Department, interviewing volunteers and shooting action footage for a statewide ad campaign expected to kick off in the spring. Financed by a federal grant, the effort is being led by the Massachusetts Call & Volunteer Firefighters Association, which is hoping to boost the flagging numbers of men and women willing to take on a tough job.


Lanesborough Chief Charlie Durfee said his department had 44 volunteers a dozen years ago. Now, its down to 20.

"The guys got older, their kids got older, they don't have the time anymore and the time requirements (for firefighter training) are getting worse," Durfee said. "Now the problem is that a guy works days, he has to hustle home so his wife can go to work at night. They can't afford to volunteer time."

Williamstown Fire Chief Craig Pedercini said he has similar manpower problems, with only 18 volunteers. Ideally, he said, the town would have 35.

"It's harder to find people now who are willing to give up their time, their daily schedule, going to their kids soccer or football games," Pedercini said. "And it's only going to get worse with the economy the way it is. People need to work two jobs just to pay the mortgage."

While the
work, training and hours may be rigorous, the reward is great, said Paul Vallone, a 12-year volunteer firefighter in Clarksburg.
"I like to help my community, give it good service and be there in a time of need," he said.

The commercial is being made by VidBoston. Producer and Director Steve Melzer said the plan calls for shooting in four towns — Lanesborough, Shelburne Falls, Lakeville and West Barnstable. The concept is to capture the volunteers in action and let them describe their experience in their own words.


"They are so passionate about what they do, so we have been concentrating on just talking to the volunteers, finding out why they do it, what they get out of it, and how the need is there for more volunteers," Melzer said. "What will really make it work, form my perspective, is having people tell their heartfelt stories."



The chiefs said that anyone interested in volunteering should contact their local department.

To reach Jack Dew: jdew@berkshireeagle.com (413) 496-6241

Course teaches students fire safety

Course teaches students fire safety
By Ryan Hutton, North Adams Transcript
Article Launched: 10/18/2008 03:05:06 AM EDT



Saturday, October 18
CHESHIRE -- A darkened, smoke-filled corridor to navigate, a rocking, debris filled tunnel to shimmy through, a 165-pound body to haul and a baby to catch from a 20-foot drop -- these were just a few of the things students at Hoosac Valley High School had to deal with this week as the Cheshire Volunteer Fire Department set up their simulated fire training obstacle course.
The course is part of the community outreach and recruitment program funded by the $665,962 Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Staffing for Adequate Fire Safety & Emergency Response (SAFER) grant the town received in December 2006.

"The whole point of everything here was trying to spark interest in the youth," said fire fighter and EMT Corey McGrath. "We've had a great response and we've signed up a few junior fire fighters. We started our junior fire department last year and we've gotten some more kids interest. We're just trying to start a live forum. At the end of the class, I open it up for questions and we can talk with them."

Starting on Wednesday and ending Friday, the students took their gym class to go through an obstacle course that simulated a number of the different situations that fire fighters can encounter -- with the option of doing it in full turnout gear and oxygen tank. In teams of two, the first stop was hauling a coiled fire hose to the roof of the gym with a rope. Next was a closed off



trailer filled with harmless fog that simulated the lack of visibility in a smoke-filled building. After that, they had to drag a uncoiled fire hose 50 feet to a fire truck and use a connected hose to shoot a bucket on a line, always advancing to make sure it got to the top of the baseball field's backstop.
Next, they had to form a two-person bucket brigade to put out wooden flames on a fake house front and then it was target practice with water fire extinguishers. Then there was the tunnel crawl where they had to navigate a narrow plastic tunnel filled with cardboard and old clothing to get to the 165-pound "Rescue Randy" doll and drag the dead weight another 50 feet. At the end, they had to safely catch a weighted baby doll and raise an American flag to the gym roof. All the while making sure you didn't leave your partner behind.

"It was exhilarating," said 18-year-old Jason Duval said as he stripped off the Nomex/Kevlar turnout jacket. "I've never done this before, so I thought it was pretty cool. The stuff's pretty heavy though. It gets hot in there and it's hard to breathe when you first get the hit of that bottled air."

His partner on the course was 17-year-old Justin Clairmont. Justin said he had run the course last year during the event, but added that the smoked-filled trailer gave him trouble he wasn't expecting.

"Oh man, you can't see anything in there," he said panting after completing the course. "You're crawling on your hands and knees and you can barely see your hands."

Jared Gale, 17, took the opportunity to douse his partner with water at both the bucket brigade and the fire extinguisher stops but said seriously that the course was an eye-opener to what is to be a fire fighter.

"It was definitely a different experience," he said. "It's good to know what they go through every time they get a call. This wasn't even all of it and it's tough."

McGrath said the point of the course was two-fold -- it gives the students a taste of what being a fire fighter is like and it works as a fire safety refresher.

"At the same time we're working on fire prevention," He said. "Crawling low through smoke, using a fire extinguisher, stuff they may not remember form elementary school and it's been a huge success. Every year we get a little better at it and the program gets a little bit bigger. Other than that, it's just fun.

"It's definitely an eye opener and we try to use that. In my speech to the kids before we start, I tell them we're all fathers sitting at home and as much as we train, we don't want to fight a fire. We're prepared to do it, we're willing to go out and do whatever we have to, but it all starts with prevention. If we don't have to go fight a fire because it never starts, it's better that way."

So far, the department has recruited three new members for it's junior fire fighter program and had certified 16 students in its first responder classes, with another 20 signed up to take the next course. McGrath said the surprise of the week was seeing how the first-time students reacted to the program.

"They love the smoke trailer and wearing the gear," he said. "They really get excited about getting to wear the turnout gear. Especially the girls. The girls have been more receptive to this than the guys will ever be, I think. They're just ready to go, almost everyone of them. Now we just need to get them into the fire department when they're older -- either as a fire fighter or an EMT or both."

For Chelsea Tarsa, 17, and Jenna Laughlin, 17, going through the course just once wasn't enough, they came back later in the week to try it out with the turnout gear on.

"It was scary. It was really scary but it was fun," Tarsa said. "I did it earlier in the week without the gear on, definitely a lot easier than now. But I give fire fighters all the credit in the world. I could never be a fire fighter.

"Breathing was hard. With that mask on it was tough and you had, like, 20 pounds on your back and you're hauling all this weight when you're trying to do all these things that are hard normally."

McGrath said the next step is trying to establish an EMT program at the school and that the SAFER grant was going to be a huge help.

"It's working. We're getting kids," he said. "Our numbers are higher than they have been in a while. We've got about three or four kids that joined in the junior fire department and more want to join but they're not old enough yet, they're not quite 16."

Lanesborough store buys fire apparatus

Photo's taken by Butch Garrity - Lanesboro Fire Department

By Jenn Smith, Berkshire Eagle Staff

Article Last Updated: 10/11/2008 03:01:26 AM EDT

Saturday, October 11

LANESBOROUGH — The town of Lanesborough has been cashing in to save lives.

Several years ago, Lanesborough Supermarket initiated a bottle and can donation program called "Cans for Lives" with the Lanesborough Fire Department, with all proceeds going to purchase rescue equipment.

The department recently completed its training with a newly acquired Res-Q-Jack system, thanks to the fund.



Using rams and straps, the system will be able to help emergency responders stabilize a vehicle in any position following a collision or involvement with heavy debris.

"A lot of times, a vehicle in a precarious position can rock back and forth and could roll over rescuers," said Deputy Fire Chief Charles Garrity III.

Once the Res-Q-Jack stabilizes a vehicle, rescuers will be able to manually remove the person or utilize the Jaws of Life for a quicker extrication.

The department was able to purchase the new equipment and attachments for approximately $3,000.

Since the Cans for Lives program began, the fire department has been able to purchase nearly $10,000 worth of extrication equipment and other rescue tools that it otherwise would not have been able to obtain.

The other equipment includes cold-water rescue gear, an ATV and multi-seasonal rescue sled used primarily in mountainous terrain, all which have been instrumental in saving a significant number of lives.

"Every time someone




brings in a can or two, it helps," said Garrity. "The Lanesborough Fire Department is deeply indebted to the Lanesborough Supermarket and its owners Mike and Nancy Gomes and Mike Zaccaria, as well as to the residents of the town who make donations."

Local departments plan events for Fire PreventionWeek

and Meghan Foley
By Ryan Hutton, North Adams Transcript
Article Launched: 10/04/2008 03:06:58 AM EDT


Saturday, October 4
Next week is National Fire Prevention Week, and fire departments in North Berkshire are preparing for this year's theme "Prevent Home Fires."
In Williamstown, Chief Craig A. Pedercini said his department will have its annual open house on Saturday, Oct. 11, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The main area of the station behind where the trucks are kept will be where training videos will be shown for children, including "Smoke Detectives," which is about identifying and fixing fire hazards in the home.

The fire trucks will be on display outside the station, and there will be a fire extinguisher display where trucks are usually kept, with someone there to answer questions for those interested in getting extinguishers for their homes. Firefighters will also be available to meet with children in local day care centers and to show them fire equipment. The children can try on and touch the turnout gear, so they won't be afraid of it in a real emergency.

"Our primary concern when we have little kids is to teach them not to be afraid of firefighters," Pedercini said. "It's hands-on and the best training we can give them."

Cheshire Fire Chief Tom Francesconi said his department will focus on older kids.

"We're up at the high school all week," he said. "We do fire drills with the kids, then the rest of the week we do a firefighter obstacle course. We have the kids dress in full turnout gear and breathers, and they do


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different activities simulating firefighting -- stuff like spraying fire extinguishers at bottles to knock them down, a hose drag, going through a smoke trailer and crawling through a tunnel in full gear. It's a lot of fun."
Cheshire will also have programs in the elementary school.

"We're having a firefighter go in and talk about fire safety and fire prevention in the home, what to do when you hear the smoke detectors, having an escape plan, stuff like that," Francesconi said.

The North Adams Fire Department will host an open house at its station on American Legion Drive on Sunday, Oct. 12, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. That's one day after Fire Prevention Week officially ends, but the Fall Foliage Parade is this Sunday. The event will feature fire-safety activities and likely cookies and punch.

Lorraine Carli, spokesperson for the National Fire Protection Association, said the premise behind this year's theme is that roughly 3,000 people die in home fires every year, and the majority of them can be easily prevented by taking simple steps.

"The leading cause of home fires is cooking, and the majority of those fires result from people leaving the food unattended," Carli said. "The easiest thing people can do is stay in the kitchen when they have food on the stove top."

Another major fire concern for both chiefs this winter is people finding alternative ways to heat their homes, with the price of oil and gas still fairly high.

"People may buy a wood pellet stove, and the biggest fear we have is that it's not installed properly," Pedercini said. "Stoves need to be installed to manufacturer specifications, and permits need to be pulled from the inspector's office, and devices need to be inspected after installation."

Francesconi said Cheshire does not get a lot of house fires typically, but he is worried that the increased heating costs may lead people to use more plug-in space heaters.

"I just get nervous when people misuse space heaters, don't get their chimneys and furnaces cleaned to save money and then start using them," he said. "That's how you get furnace blowback."

Carli said people should always be sure to get their chimneys inspected and cleaned because failing to do so is the leading cause of chimney fires. She also cautioned against using space heaters.

"Space heaters are particularly dangerous," she said. "They cause about three quarters of the heating-fire deaths, usually because people place them too close to things that can burn."

Francesconi reiterated the dangers of space heaters being left unattended and used improperly. He said he has been to numerous calls where sleeping people have left them plugged in and they have ignited something.

"I say don't use them, but if you do, don't leave anything close to them -- don't plug them into an overloaded outlet, don't put them near anything combustible," he said. "Don't leave them running for any length of time and certainly not when you're sleeping. That's what scares me the most."

More information can be found at the National Fire Protection Association Web site, www. firepreventionweek.org

LOWERING THE FLAG THIS COMING SUNDAY:

The law requires the American flag be lowered in tribute on only a few days each year. One of these days is the observance of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service.
On October 16, 2001, President Bush approved legislation requiring the American flag to be lowered to half-staff on all Federal buildings to memorialize fallen firefighters. Public Law 107-51 requires this action to occur annually in conjunction with observance of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service.
Let your local media know that American flags across the country will be lowered on Sunday, October 5, 2008. This includes the U.S. Capitol and the White House, as well as buildings in your local community