From the Chief’s Desk:
Greetings fellow residents,
We are looking forward to a busy year in the fire department– training, tactics and logistics that is. The fire department had the opportunity to purchase fire grenades at the end of last year. We anticipate deploying their use in the department in the second quarter or sooner. The name is deceiving because their function is quite the opposite.
The shape and size of the device contributes to the name but, the fire grenade is actually a light weight, disposable fire extinguisher that can be thrown into a fire.
This new technology carries more punch than the familiar red fire extinguisher. What’s more, it is a self operating device once deployed and is non-toxic.
When the pin is pulled, the fire grenade will continuously spray a fire suppressing cloud to slow down or even extinguish a fire.
We will be carrying one on each of our apparatus and in our senior officer vehicles. Our senior officers respond directly to the scene of afire, ahead of our fire apparatus. If the circumstances permit, the senior officers would deploy a fire grenade to slow the fire ahead of the arrival of the rest of the fire department. This new tactic should hold the fire at bay,reduce the fire or possibly extinguish the fire while our Engine connects to a water source and arrives on the scene.
This leads us to our other project for 2012 – fire hydrants.Last winter proved that our aging hydrant markers need replacement. During the course of the year we will be installing new fiberglass reflective markers on to the hydrants. You can help us with this project as well as make the hydrant in front of your house or in your neighborhood as accessible as possible. Hydrants should have an open space of at least 24 inches around the entire hydrant. Itis also important to clear above it so that a person can stand straight up next to the hydrant. A lack of clearance around the hydrant only hampers our ability to access the water. Please help us help you by keeping fire hydrants clear of bushes and tree branches. Expect to see us coming around the town installing the new markers.
Water is a priority asset to the fire department in our effort to extinguish a fire. The faster we locate and connect our Engine to the hydrant the sooner we can put water on the fire.
Thank you for your continued fire prevention efforts.
Rick Herburger