fire department connection newsletter - february 2013
TRANSCRIPT
-
8/13/2019 Fire Department Connection Newsletter - February 2013
1/16
A Fierce Fire see pg. 300000 0000
09Dedicated to Service
February 2013New Partnershipssee pg. 12
FireDepartmentConnection
-
8/13/2019 Fire Department Connection Newsletter - February 2013
2/16
Contents
2 Our Family Protecting your Family
Message from the Fire Chief
Yours in service,
Charles N. Hood,
Fire Chief
I want to personally thank everyone who took the time towrite their questions and concerns during the State of theDepartment address. I would like to start by addressing a
concern that gave me chills as I read it.Tired of being a sidewalk firefighter. Going defensive is our
motto. Let us fight fire with aggression.Unfortunately, I read this comment just after listening to a
wave file of the radio transmissions between the two Bryanfirefighters who used their radios to communicate their lastwords during the structure fire that took their lives.
Last month, Bryan firefighters entered into a large vacantstructure, which had no vehicles in its parking lot. The flames
grew and the fire rapidly consumed the unoccupied structure. Firefighters reportedthey were low on air, and they were ordered to evacuate the building. However, Lt.
Eric Wallace remained inside the structure. A Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) thatconsisted of Lt. Gregory Pickard, Firefighter Ricky D. Mantey and probationary
Firefighter Mitchel Moran were ordered to assist Wallace, but while firefighterswere still inside, the buildings roof collapsed in flames. As a result, Lt. Wallace waspronounced dead at the scene. Lt. Pickard died at the hospital while Mantey and
Moran remain in critical condition.
Since my arrival to the San Antonio Fire Department, safety has been my numberone priority. I understand some do not share this priority with me, but we shoulduse the Bryan tragedy as a learning opportunity. Its important to understand risk
management when you look at the loss the Bryan Fire Department experienced.I am very familiar with the adrenalin rush and the excitement of walking into a
burning structure, there is nothing like it. But, coming to a realization that this can
cost you your life or the life of your brother or sister, should be enough incentive tounderstand the reasons we as a department, sometimes, take a defensive stand.
It is therefore troubling reading this type of comment. It leads me to believe thatas an organization some of us may not understand what risk management really
is. I encourage you to be aggressive during training, aggressive in preplanning thehazards in your first due, and even more aggressive understanding risk management.
It can save your life.Operating in a defensive strategy and following the risk management policy ismore than just being a sidewalk firefighter. Its being able to measure and recognize
the thin line between risk and benefit. It is not putting your life or anyone elses life onthe line when there is nothing to be saved. Its about being a leader. I want each and
every member of this organization to understand there is no structure within this citythat is worth any of our lives.
Firefighting is one of the most dangerous professions on this planet. There is no
reason for us to make it more unsafe by falling into the trap of aggression withoutpurpose on the fire ground. There is nothing heroic about it. I feel that as your chief,
the least I can do while you perform this dangerous job is to try to protect you asmuch as possible.
I hope I addressed this concern clearly and you will all consider the safety measures
which were put in place with the sole purpose of protecting you. I dont want a tragicaccident to be the reason you understand my position.
-
8/13/2019 Fire Department Connection Newsletter - February 2013
3/16
Feb. 1, 2013 around 11:57 p.m. theSan Antonio Fire Department arrived
at a roaring fire engulfing the ChildressMemorial Church of God in Christ,
located at 901 North Pine Street.Ladder 1 was the first to arrive on
scene within three minutes of being
dispatched. Firefighters immediatelyentered the structure and attempted
containment, but the fire was spreadingvery rapidly. Firefighters noticed the
building could possibly collapse andstarted to operate in a defensive position
outside of the historic church.Firefighters not only faced the
challenge of extinguishing the rising
flames, but they had to protect thehouses and vehicles just feet away from
the church as well. A second alarm wascalled for.
Our main objective was to get inbetween the roaring church and protect
the residences next door. You try toprotect what is not protected, saidCaptain Fernando Sosa.
Oscar Gonzalez, FSC remarked, Myinitial assessment was of a fully-involved
church that was only going to be putout with master streams. We proceededto establish collapse zones and re-
positioned a couple of the trucks.There were no injuries or fatalities. The
houses nearby did not experience anykind of damage. Unfortunately however,
the church, built in 1908 and valued at
more than $3-million, was a total loss.Arson Lieutenant Kenneth Campbell
indicated that since the inside walls ofthe building were predominantly wood,
the fire extended rapidly into the wallscausing the collapse of the structure.
The fire wasnt discovered until itwas very advanced and little from thestructure was able to be saved, said Lt.
Campbell.The 2ndalarm fire involved 79
firefighters and 30 fire units. The fire wassubstantially controlled by about 2:30
a.m.Arson investigators were called to the
scene to try to determine the cause of
the fire but more resources were needed.The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms
and Explosives (ATF) was called to thescene in order to have a more complete
investigation.Recently, there have been seven
other fires in the area, which were
classified as arson. Circumstances aroundit have to be cleared, said Lieutenant
Campbell.After five days of scene excavation
and investigation, the origin ofthe fire was found to be in the
mechanical room located on thesecond floor of the building. Thecause of the fire is undetermined;
however, there are no indications ofa criminal act.
Investigators concluded that itwas not a criminal act partly because
upon the fire departments arrival atthe church, all doors were closed
and locked and there were no signsof a forced entry. Also, the areawhere the fire started was hand
sifted and the accelerant detectingK-9 was utilized at the scene but
no remains or indications of anincendiary device were found. In
addition, ATF reviewed hours ofsecurity camera video recovered
during the scene excavation, butno unauthorized individuals wereseen entering the church and
those authorized were not seenintroducing anything that could
have caused a fire.At the end of the investigation, it
was concluded that there were several
possible accidental sources of ignitionsuch as a light fixture, a heater, the air
conditioning unit, and continued heatingin the electrical wiring and/or appliances
in the room.
Our Family Protecting your Family 3
***PictureprovidedbyCalebMacias
a
FIERCE
fIRE
-
8/13/2019 Fire Department Connection Newsletter - February 2013
4/16
Making a decision and beingdetermined changed Lieutenant Eric
Ernsts life. As a firefighter he kept inshape, but when he got transferredto EMS, staying fit became more
challenging and he gained some weight.But he significantly gained even more
weight 15 years ago when he startedgetting chronic back pains and he
stopped working out on a regular basis.However, life provided Lt. Ernst with
the opportunity to become the cadet
trainer. His new job required him to trainthe cadets with high intensity exercises.
His aches, pains, and long time awayfrom maintaining fitness, prevented him
from keeping up with the cadets.I then noticed that I wanted to be
able to perform at the same level as the
cadets, said Ernst.It was at that point that Ernst decided
to make changes in his life. He first wentand saw a doctor to receive clearance
and clarification of the kind of exerciseshe could perform. Then he started to
become more physically active. Yet, hisfirst try was not very successful. It wasuntil he decided to give CrossFit a chance
and make better food choices that hestarted to see results.
The CrossFit program changed theway I worked out and ate. It was hardwork and small changes in my diet that
gave me great results, said Ernst.Within a year of gradual progression,
Ernst lost 20 pounds and 4 inches aroundhis waist and is now able to per form
every single high intensity exercise.This decision made a few years ago
has also improved Ernsts injury. He
mentions that since he started workingout, his back pains are not as severe and
his back has gained strength. He invitesall firefighters that are injured not to be
afraid of being physically active. As acertified CrossFit trainer, Ernst explained
that he is able to adapt and modifyexercises and create a fitness program forindividual needs.
Lieutenant Ernst is 49-years-old. He
has aches and pains but he still goesto work everyday and performs the
same physical exercises as the youngcadets.
If I can do it, you can do it. You just
have to stick with it and dont give up,
said Ernst.
4 Our Family Protecting your Family
Celebrity of the Month
LIEUTENANT
ERIC ERNST
BEFORE
AFTER
-
8/13/2019 Fire Department Connection Newsletter - February 2013
5/16Our Family Protecting your Family 5
The SAFD Running Team, fueled by the goal of helpingThe Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, participated in theHero-thon Half-Marathon race on Jan. 27. The main goal
of the race was to raise awareness in the community.It was very nice to be able to represent the SAFD and
show its support for this good cause, said Firefighter Joe
Urias.
Organized and developed by Roger Lopez, JosephMunoz, and Jay Cardenas, the running team and someof their families came together at the Alamodome and
completed the race. The spirit to help was such thatLopez and Munoz decided to run the 13.1 miles in theirbunker gear.
The running team has been a work in progress with
the intent of creating camaraderie, fellowship amongfirefighters and our families, and brotherhood for ahealthier fire department, said Engineer Jay Cardenas.
Currently, the running team does not have anyscheduled events but they are open to suggestions. For
further information, questions and suggestions, contactCapt. Roger Lopez 28-A, FF Joseph Munoz 34-A, or Eng.
Jay Cardenas 19-B.Firefighters who participated in the Hero-thon Half
Marathon include: Lopez, Munoz, Chris Johnson, Urias,Kenny Cook, Roger Fuentes, Michael Borrego, Jenny Park,
Dean Solis, Justin Johnson, Tyler Herrera, Rolando Garza,Fernando Sosa, and Austin Cain; plus several spouses,significant others, and/or family members.
2012 Hero-thon
At the request of uniformed and civilian personnel, the San Antonio Fire Department has created a follow
up video about DWI awareness. The department understands many employees have teenage children andwould like to extend the DWI message to them as well.
This video targets young adults and shows them the importance of not driving while intoxicated as well asthe dangers of texting and driving.
Showings are available at the SAFD Training Academy, every Wednesday from March 13-20 beginning at
7:00 p.m.This is an opportunity to take care of our family, said Deputy Chief Noel Horan.
IMPORTANT MESSAGE
MIGHT SAVE YOUR CHILdS LIFE
-
8/13/2019 Fire Department Connection Newsletter - February 2013
6/166 Our Family Protecting your Family
Fire Department Overview
Currently, for Fiscal Year 2013,there are 1,660 uniform positions and
164 civilian positions. Since 2006, theaddition of firefighters has increased.
Within the Department there are atotal of 1,113 EMTs in the Firefighting
Division (197 at Paramedic level)manning 51 engines, 20 trucks and16 squads. In addition there are 393
EMT-Paramedics in the EMS Divisionmanning 33 full-time ambulances.
Accomplishments
Chief Hood was proud toannounce during the presentation
the great value of the Advanced LifeSupport Program (ALS). The program
began in 2010 and increased thenumber of trained paramedics on fire
trucks. The number of ALS responsesby fire paramedics has increasedreducing EMS hectic work load.
Another accomplishment wasthe addition of the Computer Aided
Dispatch (CAD). This technology hasimproved information gathering,
dispatching of fire units, expandedGIS data, and improved preplanning
by tying hazardous materialinformation to specific premises.Chief Hood acknowledged that
not everybody may be happy with
this new system, however it hasincreased the service provided to thecitizens.
In addition, in an effort to keepthe department healthy, the SAFDhas implemented and successfully
accomplished a wellness program.Thanks to the program 1,573
physicals have been completed andtime lost due to fire ground injuries
has decreased by 42% from FY 2011.
Additionally, there were 20 new
medications added to all medic units,180 officers have been trained aspart of the Officer Training Program,
a new planning and researchdivision was created, and the 2012
International Fire Code was adoptedby the department.
Furthermore, the State of theDepartment revealed five fire stationreplacements including 28, 2, 32, 18
and 30, as well as new vehicles.Stations are being built for future
growth of the city, said Chief Hood,while answering a question about
why new fire stations are beingconstructed so big?
Finally, the presentation
introduced firefighters to the newFusion Center and the Strategic Plan
which is currently underway.City Manager Sheryl Sculley and
Deputy City Manager Erik Walsh werepresent at some of the presentationsand both expressed their concerns
and wanted to hear what thefirefighters had to say.
The presentations concluded withan anonymous survey that allowed
firefighters to express their opinionsabout different topics. The results
of these surveys will be utilized toimprove internal and external serviceand management throughout the
department.
Everybody was able to providetheir input. Hopefully decisionsreflect the results of the survey, said
Lieutenant David Momone.
SAFD State of the Department Address
The San Antonio Fire Department State of the Department Address presentations kicked off the first week of February. Theaddress was presented by Fire Chief Hood, who reminded firefighters and civilian personnel about the mission, vision, and core
values of the department. An overview of the department, improvements, accomplishments and the strategic plan were alsothoroughly discussed.
It was a good way to communicate expectations and information in order for us to see the course the department is taking, saidCaptain Michael Moore.
-
8/13/2019 Fire Department Connection Newsletter - February 2013
7/16Our Family Protecting your Family 7
If you answered yes to any of these questions, it is important
that you verify your beneficiary information is still accurate.It is important to remember that every employees personnel
file should be updated in the event of a marriage, birth, deathor divorce. Changes can include name, address, and/or maritalstatus changes. This applies to employee dependants as well. In
addition, any changes to already existing beneficiary electionsshould be updated as well.
It is always best to be prepared, especially in the dangerousprofession of a firefighter. Its critical that this information is
kept as current as possible in the case of an emergency or loss oflife, said Lucia Puente senior management analyst.
Most of us dont want to think about our own passing, butthe truth is there is no guarantee we will be here tomorrow. Ifthe worst does happen, you definitely want your beneficiary
information to be correct. In addition, having a living will canbe also very helpful to your survivors, said Deputy Chief David
Martinez.To review your file, please contact HR Benefits at (210) 207-
8705. To make any changes or update your file, please contact
HR Specialist Rosalva Acosta at (210) 207-7958. Also, make sureto check with the SAFD Personnel Office to ensure all contact
information is still accurate.You can find the Beneficiary Form in the Intranet Portal
under Human Resources. Click on Employee Benefits, then click
on Benefit Forms. Scroll down to Life Insurance and click onBeneficiary Form.
Have you recently married?
Had a baby?
Been divorced?
Lost a family member?
Benet Forms
-
8/13/2019 Fire Department Connection Newsletter - February 2013
8/168 Our Family Protecting your Family
Fire station 10
Towards the end of January, Fire Chief Hood received an e-mail describing a situation that not only made him more
humble but also increased his pride in his SAFD family. The e-mail which described real life heroism, gave Chief Hood
goose bumps. It was written by Paramedic Jason Aguilar:
Dear Chief Hood,
I would like to take a moment to shine some light on an act of kindness that I was fortunate enough to witness
today. I am a paramedic at M10-D and around 5:30 this morning we were dispatched to a structure fire at the intersection ofW. Woodlawn and Elmendorf. Upon arrival, E10-A (along with backup companies) was making an offensive attack on a single
story structure that was fully involved. The occupants of the house were fortunate enough to escape the flames with only minorsmoke inhalation. The fire quickly grew and became too dangerous for an offensive attack and the crews were pulled out to go
defensive. After the completion of our patient assessments, it was determined that transport to the hospital was not necessaryand M10 stood by as a shelter for the occupants to get out of the cold weather while awaiting the arrival of the Red Cross. The
occupants were asleep when the fire started and ran out of the house in what little clothing that they were sleeping in. Thefire was determined to have been started by a heater in the garage that was left on for their pets and the homeowners homeinsurance had just been cancelled making the fire a total loss. After sitting for a couple of hours, the men began asking if they
could use the restroom and since we were located close to the station we took them back to the station. When we walked into thestation the crew of E10 greeted the men with condolences and fresh coffee to warm them. The men walked in distraught, as you
can imagine, and barefooted. Several members of the crew left the room and came back with socks and other various items ofclothing for the men. When the men left the station they kept telling me how thankful they were and how we truly were heroes.Crews like this make our department what it is by continuing to act admirably when it really counts and when the cameras arent
rolling. Although this was only a small act of kindness, it was a gesture that will never be forgotten in the eyes of those three menthat now had a newfound respect and gratitude for the SAFD. Im sure that E10 is not the only company that has served the public
in this manner but it seems that there just arent enough people that are willing to sit down and write a letter thanking them for it.The selflessness that the guys displayed was inspiring and made me proud to be a member of the Mens of Tens.
-
8/13/2019 Fire Department Connection Newsletter - February 2013
9/16Our Family Protecting your Family 9
QUIZ YOURSELF? Answer
SAFD History
Stories about horses being part of the San Antonio Fire Department are some of the favorite anecdotes among firefighters
Horses became part of the department in 1881, after the fifth annual convention of the State Firemans Association. The first horsedrawn fire apparatus was assigned to Alamo Fire Company No. 2. The newly arrived apparatus was rated at 700 GPM, weighed
7,020 pounds and was complimented with a hose carriage (todays engines weigh roughly 60,000-65,000 pounds). Shortly after, thesecond horse-drawn steamer arrived in the Alamo City and was delivered to Milam Company No.2.
In an effort to improve service and remain up to date, the Turner Hook & Ladder Company sold all of its fire apparatus, trucks and
equipment to the Fredericksburg Volunteer Fire Department and invested in its first horse-drawn hook and ladder truck. A few yearslater, Turner Hook & Ladder Company acquired a second horse-drawn hook and ladder truck and named it the Davy Crockett. By
1888, San Antonio had a total of 192 men, two horse-drawn steamers, five horse-drawn hose carts and seven fire companies.
Davy Crockett remained in service until 1917 when it was placed on the reserve apparatus list.
Because it refers to possesive aspects of that station. Anything in the station like the crew, equipment,and apparatus belongs to that fire station.
-
8/13/2019 Fire Department Connection Newsletter - February 2013
10/1610 Our Family Protecting your Family
News FlashS a n A n t o n i o F i r e D e p a r t m e n t
To: Have I reached the person to whom I am speaking?
From: Head Cheese of the Fiscal Division
Copies: Budget Kahuna, File 11
Subject: Interdepartmental Communication
The Fire Department receives numerous requests daily by either email or by other forms of written correspondence. Often the re-
quests are not very clear making it difcult to understand what is actually being requested and often delaying the response to the re-
questor. Good communication is the fundamental skill that helps us successfully navigate in our business world. It is also the tool tha
helps us communicate effectively with our customers and helps us build strong business relationships.
When communicating with customers we have found that using the ve (5) W processis most effective. When requesting
information or providing information, ask/answer the following questions:Who, What, When, Where, and Why
HOW? Choose the right medium for your written communication
Email - electronic mail the most popular way to exchange communication in an organization.
Memorandum used for internal customers and is usually brief and sticks to the facts
Letter more formal and contains the Citys Letterhead; includes return address, the date, the recipients address, a subjectline, salutation, message, closing and signature.
Additional Guidelines:
1. Simplicity simple sentence structure
2. Avoid Jargon know your audience
3. Specicity avoid writing in ambiguous or unclear details
4. Easily readable format present the information with bullets, tables, and/or formatted lettering so you can get your point
across and highlight the most important information
5. Be Conversational as a rule of thumb, write in a similar fashion as talk
6. Avoid Gendered Language avoid attaching masculine or feminine
7. Avoid Passive Language use active voice
8. Be Personable if you know to whom you are writing
9. Appropriate Humor use in moderation, and only when appropriate for the situation
In all cases, the creator of the correspondence is the originator and the correspondence becomes an official record.
The City has many directives on communications and the use of IT (AD 7.X), including those below.
For additional information see: http://www.sanantonio.gov/hr/admin_directives/index.aspA.D. 6.14 City of San Antonio Communications Policyand the City of San Antonio Communications Manual- P44-49 provide
guidelines/restrictions for e-mail signatures, as well as outlook out-of-office messages, and voice messages.A.D. 7.4Acceptable Use of Electronic Communications prohibits the use of HTML format for e-mails.
-
8/13/2019 Fire Department Connection Newsletter - February 2013
11/16
Wellness Connectionn
Our Family Protecting your Family 1
Tips for a
Healthy-Heart Lifestyle
Vidya Sharma, MA, RD, LD, CDE
Registered Dietitian
The month of February marks AmericanHeart Month and we would like to take
this opportunity to provide informationabout heart disease, the leading cause of
death in the United States.Heart disease is observed commonly
in men above the age of 45 years andwomen above the age of 55 years.Nearly 28 percent of San Antonio
area deaths each year are attributedto cardiovascular disease. Certain risk
factors, such as having high bloodpressure and high blood cholesterol,
smoking, excessive consumption ofalcohol, being overweight, leading asedentary lifestyle, and diabetes, can be
controlled by eating a healthy diet andstaying physically active. Here are some
recommendations in order to reduceones risk of heart disease:
Choose a combination of healthyfoods such as fruits, vegetables,
whole grains including bread and
cereal, which contain fiber. Dietaryfiber helps in reducing cholesterol,
maintaining body weight andcreating a sensation of fullness that
helps in controlling how much oneeats.
Include foods rich in omega-3 fattyacids found in fish such as salmon,
sardines, albacore tuna, trout andherring in your diet. Consumption
of these foods has been proven tobe beneficial for the heart by their
ability to reduce blood pressure andcholesterol.
Choose low fat or lean meats suchas skinless chicken, turkey, and fish
instead of beef, pork and lamb.Prepare them using less added fat.
Grilling, baking, and broiling arebetter options of cooking foodsinstead of frying them.
Choose fat-free or low-fat dairyproducts such as skim milk or
reduced-fat milk, low-fat cheese, andlow-fat yogurt.
Trans fats, also known as partiallyhydrogenated vegetable oil, are
notoriously popular for raisingblood cholesterol. These types of
fats are found in hard margarinesand several commercially prepared
baked products, cookies, crackers,chips, and candies. Read thenutrition facts label carefully to
check for the presence of trans fats.
Choose foods with less added saltsince salt increases blood pressure.
Try using herbs and spices insteadof salt to flavor your food or use salt-free seasonings such as Mrs. Dash
that is available in most grocerystores. Optimum requirement of
daily salt intake is 2300 milligramseveryday. Keep in mind that all kinds
of processed foods such as cannedsoups or sauces, deli meats, baconand sausage are high in sodium.
When using canned vegetables,discard the water and rinse them
thoroughly before eating.
Choose foods low in dietarycholesterol. Limit cholesterol
consumption to less than 300milligrams per day. Cholesterolis usually found in foods from
animal sources such as liver, shrimpand egg yolks. Egg yolks are
high in cholesterol, so limit theirconsumption to no more than four
times per week or better still, useegg substitutes.
Watch out for beverages and foodswith added sugar. Instead, use sugar
substitutes or sugar-free products.
Drink at least 6-8 glasses of watereveryday. Based on a six-year studyconducted on more than 20,000
healthy men and women aged38-100 that was published in the
American Journal of Epidemiology,it was found that women who drank
more than five glasses of water dailywere 41% less likely to die from a
heart attack than those who drankless than two glasses.
Alcohol is digested in the body justlike fats; hence, excessive alcohol
consumption can increase bloodcholesterol and body weight. If you
drink alcohol, drink in moderation.For men, this means no more than
two drinks in a day and for women,no more than one drink per day.
Regular physical activity helps totone our muscles, maintain a healthy
body weight and lower bloodpressure and cholesterol. Aim for
at least 30 minutes of activity onmost days of the week. Even routinetasks such as cooking, mopping
and vacuuming help lose thoseunwanted calories.
Quit smoking. Cigarette smoking
accounts for nearly 440,000 deathseach year, of which more than135,000 are due to smoking-related
cardiovascular diseases. It has beenestimated that cigarette smokers are
two-to-three times more likely to diefrom heart disease than nonsmokers
So, opt for a smoke-free and risk-freelife!
-
8/13/2019 Fire Department Connection Newsletter - February 2013
12/1612 Our Family Protecting your Family
The San Antonio FireDepartment recognizes
there is always room forand a need for professional
improvement. As a result,the SAFD has taken the
opportunity to participate in a 90-hour
course delivered by the CommunityEducation Division of the Emergency
Health Sciences (EHS) Department at theUniversity of Texas Health Science Center
San Antonio (UTHSC).The Critical Care Transport Paramedic
(CCP) Course consists of classroom,
laboratory, and critical care clinicalhours. Expanded scope of practice topics
include hemodynamic monitoring,diagnostic lab studies interpretation,
critical thinking skills, and clinicalapplication. This expanded scopecurriculum also includes troubleshooting
ventilators, intraortic balloon pumps,arterial lines, laboratory study reports,
and intracranial pressure monitoring(ICP) waveform monitoring. This new
knowledge and skills set is designedand intended to decrease morbidity andmortality while caring for San Antonio
citizens.
This first class had participants fromthe Medical Special Operations Unit aswell as Technical Rescue paramedics.
Twenty-one firefighters engaged inclassroom and clinical education. Atcourse completion, all participants will
be eligible to take the Flight ParamedicCertification Examination (FP-C).
Improving knowledge and skillsis always advantageous and patient-
care centered in the field of medicine,said Director of Community EducationDivision Leslie Hernandez.
Dr. Craig Manifold, SAFD MedicalDirector, believes this program will
enhance the critical thinking skills ofour paramedics. Additionally, he hopes
to use this core group of personnelto improve the care provided to our
critically ill and injured patients.This will stimulate the medics to
anticipate issues in care of patients as
opposed to being reactive to a change in
the patients condition, said Manifold.
Partners from San Antonio AirLIFE,University Health System, and Methodist
Healthcare System are participating byallowing SAFD medics to observe andperform patient care in their facilities.
This partnership with local institutionsalso assists in improving communication
and building long-term relationships.The UTHSC Community Education
Division is dedicated to providing initialand continuing medical educationthroughout the state of Texas to EMS,
nursing, physician, and other alliedhealth professionals.
The course began on Feb. 4 and lasteduntil March 6, 2013.
I am very excited and looking forwardto applying the knowledge in the field.
This program will bring up the level
of care we can provide to the citizens,Paramedic Travis Haecker said.
A New Partnership
-
8/13/2019 Fire Department Connection Newsletter - February 2013
13/16
Hurricane Sandy arrived to the
United States on October 29 destroyingthousands of homes and taking 131lives. After the enormous destruction
and some much needed volunteerhelp, the New York Office of Emergency
Management reached out and requestedhelp from the State of Texas. Without
hesitation, Texas sent the Lone StarIncident Management Team whichconsists of experienced experts from
throughout the state.San Antonio provided the expertise
of eleven individuals. On December26 there were a total of eight SAFD
firefighters, two SAPD sergeants and onemember of the San Antonio Office of
Emergency Management who traveled
to New York to assist with HurricaneSandy recovery efforts. They assisted
by visiting residences with no heat, byinforming the public of the different
services which were available, andby distributing care packages which
included meals, electric blankets, waterand heaters.
Every day there was a good thing
because we were able to help. We wereable to provide food, blankets, and
heaters, said Captain Mark Trevino.After a three-week deployment in
New York, the eleven San Antonianscame back home proud to say that theirmission was successful and the goals
established by the City of New York wereachieved. They were able to identify
and respond to the needs of the publicby visiting over 100,000 homes. They
distributed 6,362 blankets and 41,880meals to those affected by HurricaneSandy in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten
Island.
This unique experience not only
allowed SAFD members to help, but alsoto practice the skills they learned duringtraining and further those skills.
The sheer magnitude of theoperation was phenomenal. The Lone
Star State IMT we were part of oversawan operation that reached out to over
100,000 residences spread over 26square miles in the hardest hit areasof 3 different boroughs of NYC. The
operation reached out to each of theseresidences an average of five times to
ensure that they had heat, as well asto offer other basic commodities and
assistance.The lessons learned from practicing
on someone elses disaster could be very
beneficial in Texas, since we could be in anearly identical situation if the Gulf Coast
experienced a large magnitude stormlate in the hurricane season followed by
an early, severe winter, said BattalionChief Mark Black.
Below are the members of the SAFDwho volunteered and provided relief tothousands of people in New York.
Lawrence Trevino, Emergency
Operations Manager SAOEMPatrick Zepeda, Battalion Chief
Mark Black, Battalion ChiefMark Trevino, CaptainJesse Davila, Engineer
Jesus Ramon, FirefighterErnest Salazar, Engineer
Danny Wilks, EngineerChris Strokes- Special Projects
Manager SAOEM
We are always here, we will always be here aslong as Chief Hood allows us to,
said Capt. Trevino.
Our Family Protecting your Family 13
HURRICANE SANdY
-
8/13/2019 Fire Department Connection Newsletter - February 2013
14/1614 Our Family Protecting your Family
Even though Fire Station8 is gated, a veryundernourished, furry,
four-legged friend was ableto sneak in and hang out.After continually showing
up, firefighters startedfeeding him. He was very
shy, and would barely getnear anybody. With time, he
became friendlier and madeStation 8 his home. Since he had become part of thefamily, firefighters named him Buddy.
Without being trained, Buddy rapidly learned toget ready for emergencies.
After two weeks, he learned to get out of the waywhenever he hears the station alerting go off, said
Andrew Walla, firefighter.In addition, Walla mentioned that Buddy is so
smart that without even being properly potty
trained, he doesnt dirty the yard. He makes hisnecessities outside of the station.
Buddy is not only a mascot, he also helps the crew.He alerts us whenever the public comes to the
station to request our help. Every single time he barkssomeone has been standing at the door, said Walla.
All crews and shifts are happy to have Buddy atStation 8. They all take turns buying his food andwhatever he needs. He sleeps in the yard, but when
its cold he has a bed inside. Buddy is approximatelythree-years-old and is a mixed breed. Whenever he
needs a hair cut, Enginer Adrian Alvarado and Wallahelp buddy look handsome.
Unfortunately for Buddy, he has gained someweight and now its difficult for him to sneak out ofthe station.
BUDDY
The sudden good-bye of Firefighter Matthew Whitley has
resulted in a powerful smoke detector campaign within the SanAntonio Fire Department.
In an effort to communicate to firefighters that they tooare susceptible to be affected by fire, Lieutenant Jerry Whitley
started a smoke detector pledge program.The program was created in honor of his son, MatthewWhitley, who passed away on December 28th, 2012 in the hands
of a fierce fire. While Whitley slept, his heater had a malfunctionand created a fire which he did not notice in time.
If only he would have had something that had woken himup, said the elder Whitley.
His best friend and neighbor explained that in many
occasions they talked about installing smoke detectors on theirhomes. In fact, Whitley helped his friend install smoke detectors
at his house.
Lt. Whitley is amazed by the number of firefighters whoadmit to not having smoke detectors in their homes even
though they have the expertise to install them and informationabout how to obtain them free of charge.
Smoke detectors might be seen as just another object butthey are more important than a cell phone that helps youcommunicate, or a car which serves for transportation. Smoke
detectors can save your life.Please make the commitment to install smoke detectors,
maintain them, make sure they are working and if you dont doit for yourself, do it for your family, said Lt. Whitley.
Fire Chief Hood invites all the SAFD family to keep Matts
memory alive by taking the pledge to install smoke detectors
in your homes.
TAKE THE PLEDGE
-
8/13/2019 Fire Department Connection Newsletter - February 2013
15/16Our Family Protecting your Family 15
Firefighter Tim (Nemo) Menchacas first instrument was
a guitar that his dad gave him. After that, his life revolvedaround music. Menchaca was in the marching band andwith time he learned to play all sort of instruments. As time
has passed, music has prevailed in the life of Menchaca.Although he knows his calling is helping people, he doesnt
let go of his passion: music.Menchaca mentioned that even though music has been
part of his life for many years, he was never the lead singer.This year, in hopes of making one of his dreams come
true, Menchaca took the opportunity that he was presentedwith to audition for a reality show. He gave it a shot atthe auditions for The Voice. He produced a video where
he showed his talent and sent it to the reality show. It willtake a few weeks for Menchaca to know whether or not
he was selected to participate in the new season of TheVoice, however he is confident knowing that he has theunconditional support of his firefighting brothers and family.
I never considered myself a singer, but I wanted to give ita shot, said Menchaca.
Menchaca performed Me & Mrs. Jones by Jay Perez andTakin It to the Streets by The Doobie Brothers.
Currently, Menchaca is waiting for the call.
A Firefghter
with a Voice
BC1
BC2
BC3
BC4
BC5
BC6
BC7
BC8
47
33
41
23
29
44
26
89
Batallion
TOTALS
Total # of
Reported Fires
91
42
70
TOTALS
Structure Fires
Vehicle Fires
Brush/Grass Fires
YTD
YTD
203
332
-
8/13/2019 Fire Department Connection Newsletter - February 2013
16/16
YTDNumber of
Runs
Responses
Unit Number
Engine E01
E02E03E04
E05E06
E07
E08E09
E10E11
E12E13
E14
E15E16E17
E18
E19E20
E21E22
E23E24
E25E26
E27
E28E29
E30E31
E32E33
E34E35
E36E37
E38
E39E40
E41E42
E43E44
E45E46
E47E48
E49
E50E51
9,233Totals
124
221
169
194
149
181
131
170
178
233
197
53
162
115
195225
228
271
309
175
261
125
97
305
253
196
226
239213
165
206
338
231
100
205
190
177
182
246
199
149149
108
325
193
85
35
100
78
60
117
Unit
Number
Number of
Runs
YTD
12,644Totals
M01
M02M04
M05
M06
M07
M08
M09
M10
M11
M13
M14
M15
M16
M17
M18
M19
M21
M22
M24
M25
M26
M27M28
M29
M31
M32
M33
M34
M35
M36
M37
M38
M39
M40
M41
M42
M43
M44
M45
M46
416
87159
319
377
380
416
387
391
189
383
297
394
436
335
353
375
167
350
391
367
139
372325
379
315
203
413
224
372
298
364
336
362
157
253
318
49
343
286
167
L01
L06
L08
L09
L14
L17
L22
L29
L33
L34
L35
L36
L37
L40
L41
L46
AP11
AP32
AP38
AP51
LaddersYTD
3,097
104
157
166
150
132
180
131
171
197
73
186
160
163
187
130
106
192
243
165
104
BT20
BT22
BT30
BT36
BT40
BT42
BT43
BT44
BT48
BT50
Brush Trucks
46Totals
10
1
1
11
1
5
1
12
2
2
AC26
AC29
AC39
AC41
FSC
FSO
HR11
HR51
R7
RHB1
WT22
WT43
AIR1
AIR2
AIR3
AIR4
BIK1
BIK2
BIK3
BIK4
MOF1
MOF2
MOF3
MOF4
MSC
R5
Other Units
0
9
0
10
3
11
73
35
9
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
6
3
0
0
148
98
73
105
0
36
Totals 620
Totals
SQ01
SQ08
SQ09
SQ11
SQ14
SQ17
SQ22
SQ29
SQ32SQ33
SQ34
SQ35
SQ36
SQ37
SQ38
SQ40
SQ44
SQ46
39
53
59
23
3
34
3
102
16059
23
65
97
65
81
88
4
9
Squads
Totals 967
HZM1
HZM34
SPL1
SPL34
14
1
12
2
Haz Mat
Totals 29
YTD