Fire News Ohio, April/May 2024

Gorham-Fayette Handles Vehicle Fire

Firefighters from Gorham-Fayette Fire Department operated at a recent vehicle fire.

See story on page 4

Hazardous Waste Tanker Overturns in Russell

Hazmat technicians from the Chagrin/Southeast Hazmat Team evaluated damage on an overturned DOT407 tank truck.

See story on page 8

Breaking in New Equipment in Madison

Less than 48 hours after going in service Madison Township Rescue-101 took its first run.

See story on page 9

Pre-Hospital Cardiac System

Members of DCEMS and other agencies participated in a super-user training for the RQI Partners, LLC system.

See story on page 11

Looking Back

Fire News takes a look back to Mechanicsburg - 1980 and Sylvania1965.

See story on page 18

Atwater’s Chief Tom Nellis Retires after 30 Years

The Atwater Fire Department has announced that Chief Tom Nellis retired after 30 years of service. Serving Fire & EMS Heroes Since

See story on page 19

PLUS:

pages 11, 14-16

Gorham-Fayette Handles Vehicle Fire

Firefighters from Gorham-Fayette Fire Department operated at a recent vehicle fire. - Photo courtesy of Gorham Fayette FD

Cover Story

Lima firefighters operated at a structure fire on Ontario Stree t, in Lima, recently. - Fire News photos by Richard Parrish

Gas Leaks Handled by Madison

Madison Township Fire Department Rescue 101, Tanker111 and Chief 111 responded to a gas rupture on Swans Road recently. Upon arrival, crews found a gas metersheared off by an apparent collision with a UTV. High pressure gas was being discharged, but thankfully there was a steady breeze to dissipate the gas. The road was shut down forsafety and a handline was stretched and charged

in the event of an ignition. Energy Cooperative arrived within an hourand placed a temporary plug until repairs could be made. Priorto that Rescue 101, Tanker101, Medic 101, and Chief 111 responded to Pleasant Chapel Road on an inside gas leak.

- Photos courtesy of Madison Township FD

Hazardous Waste Tanker Overturns in Russell

Hazmat technicians from the Chagrin/Southeast Hazmat Team evaluated damage on an overturned DOT407 tank truck on State Route 306 in Russell Township (Geauga County) on January 2, 2024. The tankercontained environmentally hazardous waste when it left the road and struck utility poles and overturned. Multiple police and fire departments worked togetherforover11 hours to

Thanks to the Kids at Springmyer Elementary

resolve the incident. Also assisting were several utility companies, clean-up contractors, PUCO, OEPA, OSP, USEPAand others. No chemicals from the trailerwere lost. The product was transferre d to anothertanker. About 275 gallons of diesel was also recovered from the ground aftera breach of both saddle tanks.

- Submitted by Mark Vedder/Fire Chief, Solon Fire-Rescue

Green Township Fire and EMS gives a thank you to the students and staff at SpringmyerElementary School forthe recent lunch invitation. It was great talking with the kids!

- Photo courtesy of Green Township Fire & EMS

Breaking in New Equipment in Madison

Less than 48 hours aftergoing in service Madison Township Rescue-101 took its first run; a mutual-aid call to Newark for a two-alarm apartment fire. Additional volunteers staffed Medic-101

and Engine-102 responding to six additional calls in Newark during the fire.

- Photos courtesy of Madison Township FD

Single CarRollover

Girard Ladder24 and Chief 24 responded to a rollovercrash with possible entrapment on State Route 7-11 southbound. On arrival it was found a single occupant self-extricated. The person was later

transported to St. Elizabeth Hospital with minorinjuries.

- Photos by Girard Firefighters; submitted by James Petruzzi, Fire Chief

Pre-Hospital Cardiac System

Recently, members of DCEMS and other agencies participated in a super-user training for the RQI Partners, LLC system (a modernized, resuscitati on training system), hosted by Harlem Township Division of Fire. Thanks to funding from the Delaware County Ohio Prehospital Care Board, all member EMS agencies wil l now have access to this.

Other agencies involved in the training included City of Delawa re, OhioGovernment Fire Department, Liberty Township/Powell Fire Depart ment, Concord Township Fire Department, BSTG Fire District, Orange Township, Delaware County, Ohio Fire Department and Genoa Township Fire Department. What m akes RQI unique is that it focuses on small chunks of frequent training on cardiac care skills included in the Basic, Advanced Cardiac, and Pediatric Advanced Life Suppor t courses. Providers used to recertify on these courses once every two years, but now will practice their skills once every three months! This method has shown to be incredibly beneficial to the care delivered by prehospital providers and the patients we are call ed to serve. This is one way we are collaborating so that should they need it, the residents and visitors of Delaware County receive the best in prehospital care.

- Photos courtesy of

Delaware County EMS

East Holmes Trains Training

East Holmes Fire and EMS conducts hazmat training with HazMatOhio, LLC. the annual operations renewal focused on safety measures, review of the ERG, and efficient decontamination methods.

- Photos courtesy of East Holmes Fire & EMS

Madison Gets New Rescue

Madison Township Fire Department Rescue 101 arrived recently and was placed in service. The current Rescue 101 will become Engine 101.

- Photo courtesy of Madison Township FD

Training

Mayday Training forGlendale

Members of the Glendale Fire Department delved into invaluable BlueCard Mayday Training. This dedicated session focused on understanding the critical factors that can lead to firefighters becoming trapped, injured orkilled. Analyzing past incidents, our team meticulously examined three line-of-duty deaths, identifying key factors to prevent such tragedies from recurring. March and April mark particularly challenging months forline-of-duty deaths in Hamilton County. It’s during these times that we honorthose that made the ultimate sacrifice by learning from the mistakes that factored into theirdeaths and ensuring the sacrifices of ourfallen comrades were not in vain. Training isn’t just a routine; it’s a lifeline. By learning from the past, we fortify ourreadiness forthe future. Together, we honorthose who have bravely served before us and recommit ourselves to safeguarding each otheron the front lines. - Photos courtesy of Glendale FD

Portage Attends TankerTraining

Acrew from Portage Fire District attended a rural watersupply class at the annual Fire School held at Penta CareerCenter. Tanker 37 along with multiple tankers from Northwest Ohio formed a onemile watersupply loop supplying over1000 gallons of waterper

minute. The annual fire school is provided by the Northwestern Ohio VolunteerFiremen’s Association. We were happy to be able to support this class by providing ourtanker.

- Photos courtesy of Portage Fire District

Looking Back Mechanicsburg - 1980

On October7, 1980 an injured contract workerwas rescued from the inside of a drained public watertower in Mechanicsburg. The 19-year-old workerhad constructed a 40-foot scaffolding inside the towerto allow him to work. While performing sandblasting procedures, the scaffolding became unstable and he suffered a 35-foot fall, into the belly of the empty watertower, and sustained multiple injuries. The Mechanicsburg Fire and EMS department orchestrated a rescue operation that proved to be one of the most spectacularrescues everundertaken by a rural fire and EMS department. Underthe sponsorship of then Ohio congressman Charles ‘Rocky’Saxbe, every individual involved in the rescue operation were issued a congressional citation fortheir heroic performance.

- Submitted by Steve Castle

Sylvania - 1965

Firefighters operated at afire that occurred in downtown Sylvania back in 1965.

- Photo courtesy of Sylvania Fire & EMS

Atwater’s Chief Tom Nellis Retires after30 Years

On January 8, 2024, the Atwater Fire Department announced that Chief Tom Nellis retired after 30 years of service. He joined the team as a volunteerin 1993 and served as a devoted member before moving through the ranks as Lieutenant, Assistant Chief and Interim Chief, before he was appointed Fire Chief in 2021. Nellis also served on the Portage County Fire Investigation Unit from 2010 until its dissolution earlierthis year. Thank you Chief Nellis, foryourmany years of dedicated service!

- Submitted by Lindsay Davis, Paramedic, FFII, FSI

1st Ohio EMS forChildren Conference

Recently, several of Delaware County EMS providers attended the first-everOhio EMS forChildren-EMSC conference hosted at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. The conference was attended by EMS and hospital providers from across the state and featured pediatric subject matterexperts, many who practice here in Ohio. Part of ourclinical team including Doctors Panchal and McAllister,

and Captain Keating presented at one of the breakout sessions on unique and novel education techniques forEMS. It was an enjoyable and engaging learning experience and we look forward to anothergreat conference!

- Photos courtesy of Delaware County EMS

WOMEN'S WEEKEND ATTHE NATIONAL FIRE ACADEMY- JUNE 15-16, 2024

The U.S. Fire Administration’s (USFA) National Fire Academy (NFA), in partnership with Women in Fire, is pleased to announce the dates for our 2024 session in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Please place June 15-16, 2024, on your calendars and join us!

The below classes are FREE of charge, and ALL are welcome to attend. You do not need to be a certified or uniformed member of a fire or EMS agency; you need to be with a fire, EMS, or allied organization, and meet the class participant requirements for the class you wish to attend.

• Building Organizational Support for Community Risk Reduction (W0636)

• Building Resilience in Leadership: Strategies for Growth and Confidence (W0952)

• Command and Control for CompanyLevel Operations (W0296)

• Command and Control of Wildland Urban Interface Fire Operations for the Structural Chief Officer (W0612)

• Fire Investigation: Fire as a Weapon (W0756)

• Fire Investigation: First Responders (W0770)

• Incident Safety Officer (W0729)

• Initial Response to Terrorism: Basic Concepts (W0443)

• Leadership in Supervision: Creating Environments for Professional Growth (W0646)

• Leadership in Supervision: Perspectives in Thinking (W0647)

• Supervising Emergency Medical Services (W0146)

• Youth Firesetting Intervention Specialist (W0633)

We are accepting online applications NOWhttps://www.usfa.fema.gov/nfa/programs/national-weekend.html

Please take a look at the above webpage for more details!

Warren Professional Fire Fighters Excel in Donations

Warren Professional Fire Fighters Local 204 made theiryearly donation to the St. Joseph’s CancerCenterin the amount of $951. This amount was the total profit from theirbreast cancerfundraiserheld in October2023. This brings theirfive-yeartotal to $9134.14 in donations made directly to local cancerpatients from T-shirt sales.

- Photo courtesy of Warren Professional Firefighters Union Local 204

New Personnel, Promotions at Sylvania

Sylvania Fire and EMS is thrilled to announce some well-deserve d promotions and achievements within our fire department.

Congratulations to Jeffrey Bennett promoted to Assistant Chief; and to the newest members of Sylvania Fire-EMS, Nicholas Wentz and Christopher Weber. At the last trustee meeting we had the honor of pinning these outstanding Firefighter/Paramedics.

The badge pinning ceremony is a long tradition in the fire service, stemming from hundreds of years ago. There are many types of badges and insignias given to fire departments, some speaking to the history and origins of the profession, others signifying the ranks and positions of the firefighters wearing them.

By the very nature of firefighters, residents still invite us into their homes during potentially the worst day of their lives, knowing that we are there to make things better. This public trust is a tremend ous responsibility, and one rarely afforded to anyone.

So, every time you pin on your badge, whether to be sworn in as the newest firefighter, or a veteran firefighter, officer, or chief reporting to work, remember the trust it represents and the higher code of conduct we collectively must uphold.

Congratulations on this tremendous honor!

- Photos courtesy of Sylvania Fire & EMS

Showing Support fora Comrade

Firefighters live and work as a family. Recently The Cincinnati fire family went to visit one of theirown, retired FirefighterB ill Browne, who is currently undergoing treatment at University of Cincinnati Medical Centerforjob-related cancer. Bill is in isol ation and can’t receive visitors, but that didn’t stop ourfirefighters who gathered below his window in a show of support. Please join us in sending positive thoughts to Bill during his treatment and recovery.

- Photo courtesy of Cincinnati FD