Oklahoma Firefighter November 2019 newspaper

November 2019 Volume 36, Issue 9

Official publication of the Oklahoma State Firefighters Association

OSFA Awarded safer grant $1.6 Million 4-Year Grant for Recruitment & Retention of Volunteer Firefighters n

Sustain the historical level of training that is being offered to volunteer firefighters

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Increase the level of training being offered to volunteer firefighters Provide peace of mind to volunteer fire chiefs and firefighters to be able to determine new recruits are fit for duty by offering pension physicals

ChangeService ServiceRequested Requested Change

Provide PPE for new recruits who train to the level of Firefighter 1

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Reimburse firefighters for their time and travel for attending training

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Overall improvement of the Oklahoma Fire Service as a whole

SEE PAGE 9 FOR MORE INFORMATION

OKLAHOMA STATE STATE FIREFIGHTERS FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION ASSOCIATION OKLAHOMA 2716 N.E. N.E. 50th 50th St. St. 2716 Oklahoma City, City, OK OK 73111 73111 Oklahoma

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I N S I D E

OSFA Executive Board Members’ Comments............................................................. 5-6 OSFA Executive Director’s Report - Steve Lumry ......................................................... 7 Firefighter Near-Miss Report - Greg Lindsay ............................................................... 10 Museum News - Gene Brown .........................................................................................12 OSFA Women’s Auxiliary Report - Kenda Engle......................................................... 13 2019 ORFA Memorial Service Photos .................................................................. 14-15 In Memoriam .................................................................................................................. 17 ORFA Report - President Tippy Pierce ......................................................................... 19 Chaplain’s Corner - John Stokes .................................................................................... 21 Executive Board Meeting Highlights ............................................................................. 24 Oklahoma Fire Spotlight -- Freedom Hill FD ............................................................... 26

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2November 2019Oklahoma Firefighter

Oklahoma FirefighterNovember 20193

klahoma Firefighter November 2019

Volume 36 — Issue 9

Official Publication of the Oklahoma State Firefighters Association 2716 N.E. 50th Street Oklahoma City, OK 73111 (405) 424-1452 • 1-800-308-5336 Fax (405) 424-1032 osfa@osfa.info • www.osfa.info Published monthly by and for members of the Oklahoma State Firefighters Association to educate its membership, to improve the fire service, and to enhance the value and dignity of their profession, either paid or volunteer.

Editor in Chief Steve Lumry stevel@osfa.info

Managing Editor Penelope Soldan penelopes@osfa.info

Letters to the Editor: Oklahoma Firefighter encourages the

open exchange of ideas, opinions and concerns among members of the fire service community.

Letters to the Editor should: concentrate on issues, not personalities; be typed; be signed by the writer and include writer’s telephone number; and be mailed (or emailed) to the Oklahoma State Firefighters Association: 2716 N.E. 50th St., Oklahoma City, OK, 73111 (osfa@osfa.info).

Oklahoma Firefighter reserves the right to publish, edit and condense letters according to space limitations and the editor’s judgement. Great care will be taken to ensure the message in the letter is not altered. Anonymous letters will not be published.

Official publication of the Oklahoma State Firefighters Association Official publication of the Oklahoma State Firefighters Association

May 2019 May 2019 Volume 36, Issue 4 Volume 36, Issue 4

ACTA NON NON VERBA VERBA (( Actions Actions not not Words Words )) ACTA Oklahoma State State Oklahoma Firefighters Firefighters Association Association

125th OSFA OSFA 125th Convention Convention

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June 5 5 -- 8, 8, 2019 2019 June Hosted By By Hosted

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OKLAHOMA STATE STATE FIREFIGHTERS FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION ASSOCIATION OKLAHOMA OKLAHOMA STATE FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION ASSOCIATION OKLAHOMA STATE 2716 N.E. N.E. 50th 50th St. FIREFIGHTERS 2716 St. 2716 N.E. 50th 50th St. 2716 N.E. Oklahoma City,St. OK 73111 73111 Oklahoma City, OK Oklahoma City, City, OK OK 73111 73111 Oklahoma

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II N N S S II D D E E

2019 OSFA Convention Details .......................................................................................4 2019 OSFA Convention Details .......................................................................................4 OSFA Executive Board Members’ Comments ............................................................5-6 OSFA Executive Board Members’ Comments ............................................................5-6 OSFA Executive Director’s Report - Steve Lumry ..........................................................7 OSFA Executive Director’s Report - Steve Lumry ..........................................................7 OSFA Women’s Auxiliary Report -Marti Carpenter ......................................................8 OSFA Women’s Auxiliary Report -Marti Carpenter ......................................................8 Firefighter Near-Miss Report - Greg Lindsay ............................................................... 10 Firefighter Near-Miss Report - Greg Lindsay ............................................................... 10 Museum News - Gene Brown ........................................................................................13 Museum News - Gene Brown ........................................................................................13 ORFA Report - President Juan Rodriguez ....................................................................15 ORFA Report - President Juan Rodriguez ....................................................................15 House Passes Firefighter Bills ............................................................................... 18-19 House Passes Firefighter Bills ............................................................................... 18-19 Chaplain’s Corner - Kim Hayes .....................................................................................19 Chaplain’s Corner - Kim Hayes .....................................................................................19 Executive Board Meeting Highlights ............................................................................ 24 Executive Board Meeting Highlights ............................................................................ 24 Oklahoma Fire Spotlight -- Ft. Towson FD .................................................................. 26 Oklahoma Fire Spotlight -- Ft. Towson FD .................................................................. 26

Simply call (405-424-1452) or email the OSFA office (osfa@osfa.info) and request digital editions!

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4November 2019Oklahoma Firefighter

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measures the amount of oxygen your body uses at different exertion levels while you exercise on a bike or treadmill. It can help when diagnosing pulmonary disorders and also for identifying target heart rate zones to maximize weight loss and exercise endurance.

• Anyone who wants to take their workout to the next level • Patients who need diagnostics (Diagnostic VO2 max testing with physician interpretation requires a referral.)

Oklahoma Heart Hospital’s low-dose HeartView CT technology detects heart disease years before symptoms develop. The screening test produces clear, precise three-dimensional images that show the amount of calcium buildup in the artery walls of your heart. Calcium buildup is an indicator heart disease is developing.

What’s Included?

What Does The “CT” In HeartView CT Mean?

What Does The “VO2” In VO2 Max Mean?

The “CT” in HeartView CT means Computerized Tomography. Computerized Tomography is the process of using a computer that takes data from several X-ray images of the inside of a person’s body and converts them into pictures on a monitor.

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radiation than conventional chest CT scans when creating images. Our screening equipment is able to detect the disease at its earliest and most treatable stage. Let us help you or someone you know take control of the unknowns and be proactive.

There are risks and benefits to a lung cancer screening. We feel it is important for you to know them before making a decision. If you are in the “High Risk” category you should consider being screened. If you are in the “Moderate and High Risk” category you should engage your physician in the decision whether screening is beneficial for you. If you are in the “Moderate and Low Risk” category, the screening may cause more harm than it will benefit. For this reason, we only recommend patients in the “High Risk” category to consider a lung cancer screening.

High Risk

• Ages 55-74 • Current smoker • Former smoker who quit less than 15 years ago • Smoked at least 30 Pack Years*

Moderate & High Risk

• Over 50 years old • Smoked at least 20 Pack Years* • Has an additional risk factor besides second hand smoke such as exposure to some metals, fumes or a family/personal history of cancer.

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Oklahoma Heart Hospital complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race,color, national origin, age, disability or sex. ATENCIÓN: Si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al Oklahoma Heart Hospital North, 405-608-3200; Oklahoma Heart Hospital South, 405-628-6000; OHH Physicians, 405-608-3800. CHÚ Ý: Nếu bạn nói Tiếng Việt, có các dịch vụ hỗ trợ ngôn ngữ miễn phí dành cho bạn. Gọi số Oklahoma Heart Hospital North, 405-608-3200; Oklahoma Heart Hospital South, 405-628-6000; OHH Physicians, 405-608-3800.

www.okheart.com

Oklahoma FirefighterNovember 20195

PresidenT n

Mike Kelley

OKC FD

I would like to thank our staff and Memorial Committee for their hard work making our annual Memorial Service a success.

We have a great team that works to make sure that our members are honored and their loved ones cared for during this annual time of remembrance.

I love many aspects of the fire service, however one of my favorite things is that we get the opportunity to work as a team.

We are all team members regardless of rank or tenure, and without every member contributing, the task is infinitely more difficult. We also have the opportunity and the obligation to learn from each other and again regardless of position or years of service we all have something to offer.

None of us have all the answers, and the minute we think we do, we have forfeited the ability to learn from others and have lost our effectiveness as a team member. Nobody likes a know-it-all except

2019-20 OSFA Executive Board

mkelley@local157.org 405-623-4338

the know-it-all.

In sports, it’s about the team name on the front of the jersey and not the individual name on the back. And as in sports, it may be the rookie that hits the home run or the crusty veteran.

So, regardless of where you are in the organization, be open to learning. Even if you’re like me and the best and hardest lessons come from mistakes and vowing not to repeat them.

Admit mistakes and vow to do better. Encourage one another to be the best versions of themselves.

Build one another up and take the time to explain why you did what you did or why you failed to do something. Take the time to answer questions and pay it forward and help others succeed.

Whether it’s on the fire ground or at the State Capitol, play for the team. Without your contribution, we can’t be as successful as we can be with you in the game.

Your team -- our fire service family -- counts on you giving your best! Stay safe and watch out for your family!

PRESIDENT: Mike Kelley 405-623-4388 • mkelley@local157.org 1ST VICE PRESIDENT: Eric Harlow 405-520-2893 • ericharlow200@gmail.com 2ND VICE PRESIDENT: Cliff Davidson 580-554-1886 • davidsoncliff@yahoo.com 3RD VICE PRESIDENT: Jim Ed Nimmo 918-557-8379 • jimnimmo7@gmail.com PAST PRESIDENT: Dereck Cassady 580-761-5338 • IAFFLocal2479@yahoo.com

OSFA & Museum Staff Executive Director Steve Lumry stevel@osfa.info

Administrative Director Sheri Nickel sherin@osfa.info

Special Projects Tim Bartram timb@osfa.info

Event & Promotions Coordinator Trisha Chain trishac@osfa.info

Administrative Assistant Kristen Horton kristenh@osfa.info Receptionist Leesa Black leesab@osfa.info

OSFA Executive Board members at the Statewide Firefighters Memorial Service

Publications Penelope Soldan penelopes@osfa.info

Museum Director Gene Brown geneb@osfa.info Museum Assistant Quintin James quintinj@osfa.info Museum Assistant Bob Noll bobn@osfa.info

1st vice PresidenT n

Eric Harlow

Guthrie FD

Greetings fellow Oklahoma Firefighters!

Fall is officially here finally.

Some day it appears that we’ve skipped fall and went straight to winter.

Our fuels are quickly becoming dormant and our winter fire season will be here before you know it.

Be vigilant and at the ready as Oklahoma Forestry Services is anticipating a busy fire season due to the vast growth in fuels over the past several months due to the abundant moisture we’ve received.

The interim studies on the pension system COLAs are due to be done by Dec. 1, 2019.

Rep. Avery Frix (R-Muskogee), author of the HB 2304 to grant a 4% COLA last session, has his interim study meetings slated to begin Nov. 15. The Oklahoma Firefighters Pension and Retirement System Executive Director, Chase Rankin, will be presenting on the health of our pension system during these

ericharlow200@gmail.com • 405-520-2893

meetings.

As a pension board, we believe that our system can sustain the cost of a COLA for our retirees at this time without significant impact to our system.

This continues to be the primary goal of your executive board and staff as we rapidly approach the beginning of this next legislative session.

State Fire School 2020 will be here before you know it. The Educational Advisory Committee is working diligently on plans for next year’s school.

The deadline for submissions on course presentations is Dec. 1. If you’re interested in presenting at StateFire School or know someone who is, get your submission in as soon as possible so it can be evaluated by the committee for inclusion in the slate of courses.

This school continues to be one of the premier regional training events in the country, with hundreds of students attending annually.

The 2020 OSFA membership documents have been mailed and you should be receiving yours soon.

Please ensure your department administration gets your department’s roster filled out and turned back into the OSFA office as soon as they can.

We continue to see an increase in our membership every year. The Membership Committee continues to look at benefits for our membership and they’ve done a tremendous job thus far.

We are thrilled to have several of our tribal fire departments joining us as full members now.

If you have a department in your area that is not a member, please reach out to them and tell them about the benefits of being an OSFA member. If you need someone from the office to come make a presentation about joining the OSFA, please contact us and we will make it happen.

In closing, remember to talk amongst your department about winter/cold weather operations. The freezing temperatures can do expensive damage to your equipment if not properly protected. A frozen pump can equal big repair bills, but is easily preventable. Be safe and stay warm!

6November 2019Oklahoma Firefighter

3rd vice PresidenT n

Jim Ed Nimmo 918-557-8379

This November, I’ll reach a milestone in my career. It will be 20 years in the pension system and the fire service.

I guess it is not really that big of a deal, but it’s nice to know that if I needed to leave, or if I were ready to leave, I could. I guess there’s some comfort in that.

I was in Walmart the other day grabbing some diapers, and when I turned into pamper alley, there was what I thought was some sort of cleaning machine in the isle.

I didn’t pay much attention to it at first, but after I found what I was looking for, I heard it kick on behind me and turned to check it out.

There weren’t any employees around it and it dawned on me that this was some sort of robot.

Initially I thought it was some sort of “roomba,” a commercial version of the little vacuums that bounce aimlessly around your house sweeping autonomously until they come into contact with a wall or other obstacle.

It stood about 7 feet tall, with a base that was maybe 3’x3’x4’ with a tower making up the remainder of its height.

After a minute or two, I realized that it wasn’t cleaning anything. It made a neat 90 degree turn around the endcap, and another into the next isle and proceeded.

The branding on it said “bossa nova” so I pulled out my phone and googled it along with the tag “walmart robots.”

It turns out that these robots are used for inventory control. They basically roam up and down the isles taking real time inventory of what is on the shelves and I assume ordering product from the mother ship back in Bentonville.

They are also scanning customers and downloading the contents of their cell phones for future marketing and mind control. OK, I made that last part up, maybe?

I didn’t see anyone else in the store give it a second glance.

Anyway, it made me think of how things have changed in our attitudes towards robots since I was a kid and what it means for the fire service going forward in the not-so-distant future.

Admittedly, I came up during the Terminator era and possess an innate distrust for robots fueled by a somewhat evangelical Armageddon based spiritual upbringing. Consider this my disclaimer to the following insight.

I’ll just lay it out there -- these things are going to replace us. Not today, and probably not 20 years from now, but it will happen.

Don’t get me wrong, I think there will still be firemen, but they won’t be real firemen any more than a drone operator in the military is a fighter pilot (I guess I should throw in a disclaimer that I appreciate the military, as well as the sacrifices they make, and don’t mean any disrespect to those serving who operate unmanned aircraft, but Major Joe Foss or Lt. Pete Mitchell aka “Maverick”, if you need a pop culture reference, they are not.)

I’ve made a reference before about entire dis-

Tulsa FD

• jimnimmo7@gmail.com trict or battalions being replaced by a few nerds in a con-ex box.

So, I’ll downshift now from going into a conspiracy theory laden doomsday tirade about our future as humans (that’s for you Goins) and just talk about what technology could mean for service delivery to the public, and how it might change our financial futures.

First of all, it will change how fires are fought.

I think the surround and drown crowd will finally get their way.

I can see there being much more sophisticated and resilient versions of aerial arms that articulate enough to go deep into a structure to find the seat of a fire and extinguish it.

I assume that this will be followed by unmanned apparatus, combined by requirements for residential sprinklers or other alternative suppression systems which thus far have been largely unsuccessful because of their tendency to cause more damage (monetarily) than the fire they were supposed to extinguish would have.

I think the day will come when military-style robot/drones will be utilized in hazard areas to perform searches and rescues.

Second, and possibly before the fire issue, I think EMS delivery will change.

If you have any ability for abstract thought, I think you can see how hardware and software will be able to perform virtually every pre-hospital procedure or treatment utilizing algorithms based on protocols that are in place.

The shining star here being that with any luck and foresight, the machine will produce crystal-clear audio, visual and data based documentation of how the patient was diagnosed and treated pre--hospital (you’re welcome EMS branch).

I think it’s apparent that I could go as far down this wormhole as I want with no end, so I’ll finish off by talking about how it could affect what most folks reading this are likely concerned about -- their pensions.

In my mind, the nearest impact will be less boots on the ground paying into our system.

At the earliest, I think young millennials today might be affected by some of this automation when they reach retirement age the way retired baby boomers are looking into the future wondering who will pay into remaining pensions and social security to keep them solvent.

The issue will eventually have to be addressed as increased automation decreases the number of people paying in.

I’ll close by saying that if you think this sounds crazy, it does.

But I’d remind you that just the other day, I saw a robot roaming the isles of Walmart doing what just 20 years ago required a team of 10 or 20 specialists to do a few times a year in each store.

I’ll be sure and let you know the first time money managers or our investment consultants at the pension system start talking about investing in automation as its own asset class, because I think that will be the true sign things are changing in earnest.

2nd vice President

n

Cliff Davidson Ringwood FD 580-554-1886 davidsoncliff@yahoo.com

Hello everyone!

I would like to take a moment to thank the OSFA staff for a job well done for putting everything together for the Memorial this year. It takes a lot of behind the scenes work to make the Memorial happen. The staff worked very hard to make it a special event.

And also a big thank you to all the people who came and volunteered to help with escorting family members to their seats and helping wherever they could. It can’t happen without you.

As part of my duties as a volunteer board member, I get to serve as a delegate on the NVFC Board which works for all Volunteer and Combination Departments across the United States.

They work on the national front to improve things for Volunteers. Safety and health are two of the main topics they work on.

Cancer prevention has been one of the key topics. The Lavender Ribbon Report is one of the things they have been working on and produced a calendar and a set of posters explaining the steps you need to take in protecting yourself from cancer.

It is called The Eleven Best Practices for Preventing Firefighter Cancer. You can go to www.nvfc.org/cancer and download the info if you are interested.

The NVFC offers all kinds of information for Volunteer and Combination Departments. They also represent the Volunteers by lobbying our National Legislators for such things as the Fire Act Grants to make sure they are funded.

The NVFC also works with Forestry to keep equipment coming.

It is a great organization and we all need to help by supporting NVFC. So while you are on their website, see what it takes to join.

Thank you for your time, and I hope you all enjoy your Holidays and get to spend quality time with your families.

And let’s all send a prayer to our brothers and sisters in California and all those affected by the wildfires.

SERVICES AVAILABLE FOR OSFA MEMBERS OSFA is constantly looking for valuable services to make available to our members. And these unique and valuable services have been added.

These services are available whenever you are.

No high pressure, no commitment to check them out.

Just like firefighters, they’re there when you need them.

Go to the OSFA Benefits of membership page at www.osfa.info to see what all is available.

Oklahoma FirefighterNovember 20197

OSFA executive director n

Steve Lumry

OCFD Retired

It’s hard to believe that it’s

already November. This year has flown by.

We have been working so hard to obtain a COLA that it seems almost every minute of every day is filled with working on contacting people, answering questions, responding to comments, providing information, and coming up with strategy to be successful on the COLA. The fact an independent board recently determined that the legislature should receive a 35% pay increase should help prove the point that the cost of living has continued to increase and thereby, so should our state’s retiree population’s pensions.

The Oklahoman newspaper said this in part about the legislative raise in an article that was published October 18, 2019: Two years ago, members of the board that determines Oklahoma legislators’ pay made it clear they weren’t pleased with what they were seeing at the Capitol. They cut pay by 8.8 percent; one member said he would have liked to cut salaries in half.

This week, the Oklahoma Legislative Compensation Board sent a different and more mixed message by approving pay raises totaling a whopping 35% for the 149 members of the Legislature. It’s a stark turnaround but not without some merit.

Instead of $35,021 per year plus per diem ($166 for each day the Legislature is in session), lawmakers will get $47,500 plus per diem when the raises take hold in November 2020. In addition, members who serve in leadership positions in the House and Senate will see bumps in their stipends.

It’s worth noting that the nine-person compensation board, consisting of nonelected officials, has all-new members since two years ago. At Tuesday’s meeting, some questioned why salaries had been cut by the previous board — the 2017 decision followed considerable criticism of budgeting decisions made by lawmakers in previous years.

Following that move, some including House Speaker Charles McCall wondered whether it would lead to more wealthy Oklahomans seeking office and fewer average folks serving. Current board member Jonathan Dodson, a developer in Oklahoma City, noted that a better salary should broaden the pool of potential candidates.

“We’re really trying to get the brightest from our state to go to run and represent us,” Dodson said. “Whether it is a single parent, or they’re in the fire department, they’re retired or it’s their first job, those are the people we’re trying to draw.”

We should point out here that there was an Okla-

homa City Firefighter that served on the Oklahoma Legislative Compensation Board. He heard the arguments for and against legislative pay raises, weighed the facts, considered the cost of living and the impact and voted to approve the pay raise.

Board member Jonathan Dodson was quoted in The Oklahoman article, “We’re really trying to get the brightest from our state to go to run and represent us.” Which I will paraphrase as, we want to draw the best and the brightest to the Oklahoma legislature.

That is a good thing because it improves the state as a whole. However, how about also considering drawing the best and brightest to be firefighters, teachers, police, and state workers? In their actions, not their words, we will see how the legislators believe when it comes to these professions.

stevel@osfa.info

•

405-424-1452

President Mike Kelley and I just returned from the

State Fire Marshal Washington D.C. trip.

We pointed out to many of our Oklahoma Members of Congress that it sure seems many politicians like to put their arms around firefighters and pat them on the back and tell us how much they appreciate us.

But, when the time comes to truly show appreciation by putting their money where their mouth is, we are left high and dry.

Don’t misconstrue my statement here. There are a lot of politicians who do stand with us and show their support through their actions. Such as the 98 members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives that passed a 4% COLA during last session (and one that voted no because he believed 4% was not enough – and he was right, 4% isn’t enough). Only to have those efforts dashed in the Senate Committee that reduced it to 2% and sent it to a study.

Again, putting their arms around us and telling us how much they appreciate us, then their actions showing differently. The three House members who voted against HB2304 were Rep. Denise CrosswhiteHader (R-HD41), Rep. Jay Steagall (R-HD43), and Rep. Ryan Martinez (R-HD39). Although, Rep. Martinez did debate from the floor against the bill saying that it was not a sufficient amount and should be higher.

We also should point out that Rep. Chris Kannady (R-HD91) did offer a floor amendment to increase the COLA from 2% up to 4%. He was successful in that effort and the bill went to the Senate as a 4% COLA. When the bill arrived in the Senate with great anticipation on the part of firefighters and other public service retirees, the Senate Retirement and Insurance Committee did not even bother to hear the bill and attempted to let it die.

After much uproar from the retirement community (pun intended), Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat (R-SD47) called a special committee meeting to address just this issue.

During that meeting, the only Senator to question and argue for passage of the bill at the 4% level was Senator Michael Brooks (D-SD44). However the committee voted to reduce the bill to 2% and send it to an actuarial study.

The committee vote to reduce the COLA and send to actuarial study went like this: Marty Quinn (R-SD2) YES; Ron Sharp (R-SD17) YES; Michael Brooks (DSD44) NO; John Haste (R-SD36) YES; Kevin Matthews (D-SD11) ABSENT; John Montgomery (R-SD32) YES; Gary Stanislawski (R-SD35) YES; and Brenda Stanley (R-SD42) YES. Now remember, a “yes” vote during this committee meeting does not necessarily mean that they aren’t our friends. Some voted yes just to keep the bill alive and give us an opportunity to move forward with it.

Although, some did have the ulterior motive to ensure that retirees never see a COLA and this was a way of hiding their motives. If one of these is your senator, you will have to ask them individually what their motives were.

Following this Senate drama, House Speaker Charles McCall (R-HD22) immediately used one of his shell bills, HB2485, and inserted the COLA language at a 4% COLA, called a special committee meeting with this being the only item on the agenda, and got it passed to go to an actuarial study at the 4% level so we would have the opportunity to still receive a 4% COLA.

This was a very heroic thing for Speaker McCall to do in support of the firefighters and public sector retirees, and it should be understood for that and appreciated as such.

Meanwhile, when in Washington we got to meet with each member of our Oklahoma Congressional delegation with the exception of Representative Tom Cole who was forced to cancel at the last minute.

During these meetings, we were able to express the issues facing the fire service at the national level.

State Fire Marshal Commission Chair Mike Karlin opened each meeting with the Representatives and Senators and then turned it over to individuals to discuss specific issues.

State Fire Marshal Commission OSFA appointee, Training Chief Julie Lynn from the Tulsa Fire Department, discussed the issues related to cancer in the fire service and the need for grants and research to help the situation.

Commissioner Brian Zalewski, Chickasha Fire Chief, discussed the need for continuing the SAFER and AFG grants at the same levels as in the past.

Commissioner Cary Williamson, Ardmore Fire Chief, discussed the bill to allow first responders to buy in to Medicare at age 50 and how that would benefit the fire service.

Mike Kelley, Matt Lay, and I discussed the need to fix the Social Security reduction issue that faces firefighters and their spouses.

We thanked Reps. Markwayne Mullin, Kevin Hern, Kendra Horn, and Tom Cole (even though he could not be there) for signing on to H.R. 141 as co-sponsors to fix the issue.

We especially thanked Reps. Mullin and Hern for advocating the issue for us. Rep. Mullin recalled us discussing the issue with him six or seven years ago.

Then he started looking into it and working to fix it.

We requested that Rep. Frank Lucas consider also co-sponsoring the legislation, which he stepped up and did shortly thereafter.

We also requested that Senators James Lankford and Jim Inhofe consider co-sponsoring identical legislation in the Senate. Both showed tremendous interest in learning more about the legislation and the issue.

We are still hopeful that they will co-sponsor S.521.

Now, I want to say “Thank You” to all of you that took the time to contact your state representative and senator after our Legislative Action Alert that went out over the last couple of months.

Many of you have heard back from your legislators and a lot of you have contacted me with those responses. It is working!

The COLA is still on their radar as they prepare to come back to the Capitol in February. Please remember to send them a short reminder that “We need a COLA” sometime in December or January.

Remember, Leave Nobody Behind.

Finally, with all of this talk about appreciation, I just wanted to remind you to show your family some true appreciation during the start of this holiday season. Without their unfettered support, we couldn’t do what we do each day. Happy Thanksgiving to each and every one of you. OSFA appreciates YOU!

8November 2019Oklahoma Firefighter

Question & Answers Oklahoma Firefighter asked last issue’s readers this question: “What’s the best fire training you’ve ever experienced?”

Here is what they said: w Trent Bryan, El Reno: My initial fire training academy at EOC, because it laid the foundation everything else was built on. w Greg Lindsay, Oklahoma City: The best fire training I ever received happened at the fire station. It was conducted by mentors that knew me and tailored that training to my specific needs. It gave me a firm foundation on the fire service. Thanks to the positive training I got at 8’s in my first few years on the job.

w Mike Bower, Midwest City Ret.: Hazardous Materials Technician training in 1983. Haz Mat was new to the Oklahoma fire service and we didn’t have any idea what we were doing, but eventually we got it. w Richelle Treece, Bethel Acres: Flashover training. It really gave me a perspective and appreciation for what fire can do. w Justin Hackworth, Tahlequah: For many years, I thought Mayday was one of the most helpful classes I ever had because it shined the light on the importance of being aware of where you are in a structure fire and be able to articulate where you are at all times.

Here recently, I have been trained on peer support and the importance of it to keep all firefighters mentally healthy. After several years of dealing with trauma, tragedy and death, I realize it affects all of us in someway or another.

During research of peer support, I found out a disturbing fact that every three days, a Firefighter commits suicide. That only means that we are doing something wrong.

Being a firefighter, I feel, is the best job on this planet, but sometimes our job has us do some pretty tough tasks.

So I feel educating all firefighters to stay mentally healthy is a must.

I tell all our new firefighters to always remember it is an honor and a privilege to be called upon to help somebody when they can no longer help themselves.

So that being said, I feel that the best class after serving Tahlequah for 19 years is the peer support class. w Bert Norton, Midwest City: I have enjoyed the training at the National Fire Academy.

w Aaron Burns, Broken Arrow Ret.: Simple; Bill Hulsey FF1 1991 FSTOSU. Watching how to throw another firefighter out of a live fire (through the wall). Baaahaaaaahahahahaaa. w Anthony Stewart, Kingfisher: It’s a tie between the burn room at OSU with Bill Hulsey 35 years ago and swift water in Broken Bow with R.B. Ellis. Great men and great training. w Bryan West, OSU-FST: The best fire training I ever experienced was my Instructor I training. It helped me take that knowledge and teach others, not only fire related but in other areas, as well.

NOTE from Bryan about Bill Hulsey, mentioned in above responses: Bill was a retired training officer from Broken Arrow FD and an FST Instructor. He was an amazing instructor, very stern but truly wanted all firefighters trained to the highest standard. He retired from FST around 2006 maybe. He left an impression on many firefighters -- some impressions could have been physical, as well.

(Haha). w Grant Wadley, Guymon: In 24 years, I’ve had many wonderful training experiences being an Oklahoma firefighter. The experience that stands out the most I’d say was more of a hands-on experiment during a class. It was a class on fire streams, “the use of fog nozzles vs. smooth bore” -- handson firefighting with each nozzle and self-determining which work the best, which was the safest, and which one got the job done.

We were re-introduced to what we had learned in FireFighter I schooling, but it was our experience smooth bore are the better option in most cases. There is a definite time and place to use the fog nozzle vs. smooth bore, and this class reiterated just what those scenes would be. w Tippy Pierce, Moore Ret.: The Hotzone Conference in Houston TX where Hazmat firefighters would come together to learn about new ways to do the job and new laws that effected you and your department with Hazmat response. w Eric Harlow, Guthrie: Flammable liquids firefighting at the University of Nevada-Reno’s fire training facility in Elko, NV.

w Cory Beagles, Deer Creek: I would say the most valuable hands-on training I have experienced recently was at the Metro Area Engine School in October. It was an expanded 2-day version of the First Due Engine class taught at State Fire School. It was instructed by PAR Training and Props, LLC. w Jeremy Goodrich, Yukon: Flashover simulator training. w Bre Horn, Marshall: I would have to say my Extrication B class with John, Gary, and Jeremiah in Logan County about 4 years ago. Not only were they extremely knowledgeable about it and taught us a lot, but the knowledge they gave me helped with questions I had in regards to my own accident. w Julie Lynn, Tulsa: Being assigned to the Tulsa Fire Department Training Division. It is amazing to see the time and effort spent by not just TFD members, but firefighters across the state. They are continuously putting their hearts and sole into training new upcoming firefighters and keeping up with the new trends and lifesaving equipment to further educate our senior members. w Donnie Bennett, Oklahoma City: I’ve had a lot of great fire training over the years, but the best fire training I’ve ever received has come in the form of impromptu teaching moments -- all of which were given to me by firefighters that I respect and consider my mentors. w Melanie Colvin, Lexington: I would say all of it. Training is so important to what we do as firefighters, and the environments we respond to are changing with advancements in technology and industry.

Oklahoma has so many training opportunities through OSU-FST, OSFA State Fire Schools, Regional Schools, IFSTA/ FPP, ResourceOne, NFA remote courses and many others. It is vital we make the effort to seek out training and continue to learn our craft and continually better ourselves and our profession. w Cliff Davidson, Ringwood: My Firefighter 1 training. I was lucky enough to be able to attend the Firefighter 1 academy in Stillwater. I got to meet a lot of great firefighters and had some awesome instructors -- probably two of the funnest weeks of my time in the fire service.

Next Month’s Question -- “What’s your favorite holiday treat?”

Everyone is Welcome to Participate!

Email Your Response to penelopes@osfa.info

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educational Advisory Terrell Thompson El Reno FD Educational Advisory Committee

Hello to all! I want to start out by saying that I hope everyone had a wonderful October.

I want to say thank you to everyone who took time out of their schedule to ensure that they were at the annual Statewide Oklahoma Firefighters Memorial Service.

It is great to show our fallen brothers and sisters, as well as the families, that we support the sacrifices that the loved ones have made for their communities.

I hope that fire prevention went wonderful for everyone across our great state, and that great life-saving information was passed to as many young individuals as possible.

We have been busy on the Educational Advisory Committee this month, as well. We are taking in applications from a multitude of instructors from across the state and country.

If you or anyone you know would be interested in submitting an application to teach, please reach out to the OSFA office (405-424-1452 or osfa@osfa.info).

Although the state fire school is still some ways out, I want to urge everyone to keep an eye out for the information we will be putting out through the OSFA website, as well as social media.

We are excited to see so many great classes and instructors coming in to help train the emergency responders from across our state for free.

We are hoping that we will be able to have an even greater turnout than last year.

Many members of the committee are also working hard to ensure that the evening activities are on track to be as good or better than the past, as well.

In short, if you are on the fence about taking the time off or taking classes at the State Fire School, please enroll and come enjoy the highest level of training that is offered in our state.

I also want to thank everyone on the committee for all of the hard work they have already put in, as well as the amount of work that will continue in our future.

I am honored to be able on this committee with so many hard-working individuals who enjoy training and want to pass the knowledge along to our new generations.

Oklahoma FirefighterNovember 20199

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SAFER Grant Sheri Nickel

SAFER Grant Coordinator

OSFA Awarded $1.6 Million

SAFER Grant for 2020-2024 Congratulations to the Oklahoma Fire Service!!!

Because of all of you all’s dedication to improving your departments, the OSFA was able to write another SAFER Grant for the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters and was awarded a $1.6 million dollar grant to continue this path that we are on -- and even step it up a little bit by offering Firefighter-2 (standby for details).

I will admit that when I was hired by OSFA three years ago, I wasn’t sure how we could spend all of this money. Since then, my atrocious attitude has been put to rest.

Perhaps it sounds like a broken record to those of you who actually read my articles in this newspaper, but you guys …”We are making history!”

As we complete Year 3 of the original grant, I cannot say enough good things about all of you who have taken advantage of the training opportunities. We are actually going to get the money spent this year. Yay!!!

I realize that some of you are exhausted by the time you complete one of John Vietta’s vehicle extrication classes, and others are motivated by John Burrow’s Leadership for Small Departments classes, but those classes are to extend your training and to motivate you for more.

I was told this week that half of the students from the Online FF1 class in Ardmore (100% pass rate), went on and completed Haz-Mat Awareness and Haz-Mat Ops to obtain their full IFSAC certification. To me, that is just amazing.

Now, to address the elephant in the room … what are the quality of the firefighters that graduate from an online program versus those who complete the traditional academy?

With the exception of those in the northeast part of the state, the majority of the firefighters in these classes would have never completed a traditional academy. The majority of these men and women have families and careers that would never let them sit in a classroom two nights a week for 6-months.

There are a few, here and there, that had started the traditional method and either the class dried up or their life commitments excused them from the class. But for the most part, obtaining a Firefighter-1 certification was never on most of these people’s radar.

By offering an Online FF1 class in the most rural parts of the state -- and actually having the success that has been proven -- demonstrates the fact that these volunteer firefighters have the personal discipline to learn the curriculum on their own time while working as farmers/ranchers, teachers/coaches, bankers, cops, oilfield workers, or whatever other jobs that may be required in small towns, and then report for skills days every other weekend for about 12-weeks.

If anyone ever doubts the quality of learning that is being acquired at the skills days, we welcome you to attend one. The instructors are taking these classes very seriously, and students are exhausted at the end of the day.

Additionally, the camaraderie that is being built by mixing firefighters and instructors from departments regionally far exceeds the expectations that we began with when designing this model.

I have heard career firefighters talk about the brotherhood that they acquired while attending a FF1 academy in Stillwater -- “lifelong friends” they say. I feel safe to say that this same “brotherhood” is being established with this model.

Firefighters from different departments have said that they were intimidated to be in a class with other area departments that are bigger or better trained in their eyes, but in the end, after 40-hours of hardcore skills days with each other, the confidence to work with those departments is well established.

With all of this being said, and leaving a lot of other things unsaid, I feel safe to say that the quality of firefighters that graduate from an Online Firefighter-1 program is different in the aspect that these men and women have a whole lot more on their plate while learning the curriculum because their lives didn’t stop for 2-weeks while learning it in an academy or they didn’t sit in a class two nights a week and be bored to death by a PowerPoint and an instructor telling war stories.

But on test days, there is no difference -- the quality is the same.

I encourage each and every one of you to pursue some type of training over these next few years. Refresh your knowledge, learn something new or just downright challenge yourself.

As always, I encourage you to call me if you want to talk about this great opportunity.

2016-2020 OSFA SAFER GRANT

Recruitment & Retention

First Time Firefighters FF 1 - Bunker Gear

Goals for 2016-2020 SAFER Grant (info from Nov. 2016)

n Locate & Identify All

Volunteer Fire Departments in Oklahoma

n Develop Sustainable & Efficient

Method of Communication for Sharing Important Information

n Free Training – FFI,

Leadership, Basic FF Training (making one eligible for Tax Incentive)

n Provide Reimbursement for

Travel & Expenses to Attend Approved Training

n Provide PPE for New

Firefighters Who Complete Approved Training

n Work with Volunteer

Departments to Establish Ongoing Recruitment & Retention Programs

Year-4 of SAFER Grant Opens Nov. 29, 2019 Funds dispersed on a first-come first-served basis

OKLAHOMA STATE FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION Sheri Nickel Grant Coordinator www.OSFA.info sherin@osfa.info 405-424-1452 office 580-554-7123 cell

ALL Goals have already been met -- even before Year-4 begins!

And because of the success of the first grant, we were able to write the new grant to sustain and enhance what we are already doing!

Classes Covered by first SAFER Grant n Firefighter 1 n EVDT n UTV/ATV n Leadership for Small

Departments

n Calling the May Day n Responding to the

May Day

n Water Shuttle n Pump Ops n Wildland Fundamentals n Wildland Skills n Wildland Foam n Vehicle Extrication

Fundamentals n Vehicle Extrication Tech 1A

Classes Covered by new SAFER Grant n Firefighter 1 n Firefighter 2 n Vehicle Extrication n LPG (Tentatively)

n EVDT n TIMS n Other classes TBA

10November 2019Oklahoma Firefighter

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NEAR-MISS REPORT

By Greg Lindsay

Looks Like a Firefighter When we respond to a call, the public sees a firefighter.

The first clue is arriving on a fire apparatus, the second clue is the uniform we wear, and the last clue is when we help to resolve whatever problem is evident.

To every person observing this situation, it is a sure thing that the firefighters are there. Why is it different for our peers?

When other personnel see us, they know we are firefighters. There is no need to be at the station; they still recognize us as members of the department.

They may think some are more effective than others are and may consider certain qualities we possess are more beneficial than others given different conditions.

Some are just more skilled in specific elements.

Why is it that some personnel consider the amount of smoke staining on our helmet is equal to being a good firefighter?

The featured report this month identifies how a crew risks their safety in a fire situation to “smoke their helmet.”

As you read the report, look for elements from this event that either compares to or contrasts from events you have seen. The risks may be more significant than we know.

Freelancing During Structure Fire EVENT NARRATIVE

I had just become the incident commander at a fire in a single-wide mobile home with fire in one room and turbulent, dark smoke throughout. The initial engine company was staffed with three and the officer had not entered the fire with his crew to take an outside command role.

I was the officer on the second arriving apparatus, and my crew was responsible for the back-up line, which was being charged when this event occurred. I was responsible for incident command until the arrival of the battalion chief.

The fire was brought under control before the arrival of the BC. Upon my arrival, I told the first due officer to join his crew and lead the way. As he was joining his crew, another company was entering the home through a door also on the A-side. This crew had two members who immediately began opening windows on the A and D sides while the engine crew was working on the A and B sides.

The nozzle firefighter sprayed water into the room on the B end and quickly turned towards the D side, believing he had knocked the fire down. Fire had been rolling across the ceiling from the B towards the D side when he sprayed water, and this stopped it immediately.

However, the atmosphere where the other crew was working was charged with unburned particles of combustion, high levels of heat, and lacked only oxygen, which they were rapidly allowing into the area. This was the moment of a rapid fire progress event where the smoke on the D side ignited and quickly moved towards the B side.

The nozzle firefighter opened up the bale, and the fire overwhelmed his position. The officer of the crew had not made his way inside the building but recognized the situation. Four firefighters

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were inside when this event took place, and none of them made their way out.

These firefighters stayed in (two completely engulfed in flames) to “smoke” their helmets.

The officer of the engine did get his crew out, but not before the nozzle firefighter had actually burned plenty of the paint off his helmet. The other crew did exit the building moments afterward.

LESSONS LEARNED

This event illustrates a lack of awareness of the situation and fire behavior on the part of the two interior crews, in addition to the need for officers to lead the way. An officer should watch for changing conditions and manage the aggressiveness of the firefighter.

When I was a firefighter, I would always want to go forward. The officer paid more attention to the conditions and would slow or stop us and prevent us from being harmed. Nobody was hurt in this fire, which took place in a small single-wide mobile home. There is great potential for this situation to occur again in a larger, more complex building, which could result in injury or death.

My critique of the event was not taken well as the firefighter’s mission was to have the darkest, nastiest helmet around. They have acquired the mentality that the helmet’s appearance makes the firefighter instead of what is inside the helmet.

The officer did not initially lead the way for his crew. The battalion chief on his normal shift requires the officer to remain outside in command rather than enter as a combative commander. In our department, there are many policies applying to uniforms or tardiness, etc., but little to no operational SOP/SOGs that govern who does what and when.

Each of the nine battalion chiefs operates differently than the others and has their own agendas and ideas about how calls should be handled. This results in a huge disparity between crew performances.

Managing a dynamic fire scene can be challenging. The reason we try to limit the span of control in these situations is for the safety of all involved.

Consider these elements in discussing the following concepts: • Who are the aggressive firefighters in your department? Does reputation or a smoky helmet identify them? What does this indicate about the culture of that crew?

• How is leadership indicated in this report, and how do you personally compare to these activities?

• For the first arriving crew, there are multiple tasks to accomplish. How does your department address fireground operations when multi-tasking on the fire scene?

• In your department, how do you determine who will lead a fire attack?

Are there written protocols addressing who will be inside, or are the decisions about crew management less formal?

• How often do you discuss the safety risks of fire attack, post-incident decontamination, and after-action critiques?

Entering a structure fire is one of the most challenging things we do. Keeping the remnants of that fire on our clothing is risky to our health and longevity.

The most significant thing we can do to protect our health is conducting gross decon at the scene, a shower within the hour, and thoroughly cleaning all of our protective equipment before we wear it again.

Finding a place to carry contaminated gear away from crew spaces, and a strenuous workout involving a good sweat within the next 24 hours is also recommended.

A video I saw a few years ago that left me thinking about the realities of our job.

In the video, Cancer Prevention in the Boston Fire Department, it identified that 67% of Boston’s Fire Department faces a diagnosis for cancer. Looking around the table at the station and considering that if I were a Boston firefighter only every third person seated would avoid that type of diagnosis left me worried.

We have to think about how we display our prowess on the fire ground. Contaminated PPE is covered in carcinogens; we can’t keep doing what we have done for years and expect the results to change.

I have two questions to ask myself about this report, first, is a smoky helmet the badge that identifies me as an experienced firefighter, or is it my reputation and the actions for which I am known? Second, what kind of leadership do I want to exhibit for newer firefighters?

The national reporting system found at www.Firefighternearmiss.com is provided for us to use free of charge. Entering a report can help share our story, and reading the reports can help us learn from others. Every report is from and for our firefighters. Let your badge as a firefighter be the legacy you leave for others.

Oklahoma FirefighterNovember 201911

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12November 2019Oklahoma Firefighter

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Museum news

OSFA Staff report Tim Bartram

Gene Brown Museum Director geneb@osfa.info 405-424-3440 Hello everyone! This year’s Memorial was a great success!

Thanks to Del City FD and Guthrie FD for the use of your aerials during the event. We couldn’t do it without your help! The Midwest City FD Honor Guard also did a great job! Thank you very much.

We also held the ORFA Golf Tournament Oct. 9 at Shawnee’s Firelake Golf Course. We had seven teams that played. Please plan to play next year.

The tourney is open to anyone who who would like to play, not just retirees!

We had a great day. The weather was

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almost perfect.

Things are slowing down here at the museum. We have started back working on the 54 Ward LaFrance. The brakes are fixed and we are working on getting it started. It’s a slow process but worth the work.

Thank you all for your support to the museum! Have a great fall!

VISIT YOUR OKLAHOMA FIREFIGHTERS MUSEUM Mon. thru Sat. 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Sun. 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

FREE for OSFA Members & Immediate Family AVAILABLE AT MUSEUM GIFT SHOP Children’s Bunker gear with helmet and suspenders (Limited Supply) Purchase online (www.osfa.info/ gift-shop) or visit the museum!

Help support your Oklahoma Firefighters Museum Expansion and the Oklahoma Fallen and Living Firefighters Memorial by purchasing an Oklahoma Firefighter license tag.

Money received from the purchase of each tag goes directly to financing upkeep on the Oklahoma Fallen and Living Firefighters Memorial and Oklahoma Firefighters Museum.

Oklahoma Firefighter tags cost $35 a year (on top of regular tag fees) and $20 goes directly to the Museum/Memorial.

Tags can be purchased from local tag agents any time during the year -- not just with your regular plate. And they can be customized to 6 letters as approved by the Tax Commission.

Special Projects

Over the last couple of years, OSFA has become more engaged in EMS Issues.

The OSFA Executive Board understood that more and more EMS was what we as Firefighters do, and that the association needed to be more involved in the regulation and funding issues that

were coming up.

The Executive Board submitted a resolution to the membership to create a Constitutional Committee on EMS. That committee has been able to work directly with the Oklahoma Health Department and the Private Ambulance Services on many issues.

As part of these discussions with the OSFA EMS Committee and others, the Health Department created several working groups of stakeholders to work on various issues.

I have been able to represent OSFA on the Rules Committee. We have worked on several issues affecting both Fire Based Ambulance Services and Emergency Medical Response Agencies (almost all are fire departments).

Some of the issues the committee has addressed and are now being moved through the Health Department’s rule-making process include allowing a fire department to use NFPA Standards for the design on a new ambulance, placing a traction splint as optional equipment for EMRA, addressing certification for retired military personnel and other issues.

Some of the other issues which the committee is in the process of addressing include making I-85 renewal uniform with the other levels, clarification of vague or misleading wording, and removal of outdated language.

There some issues which are very difficult to address as they are affected by State Statute, other state agencies or Federal regulations. And some are just plain hard and are going to require much discussion and compromise.

As part of this process, both on the Rules Committee and the interaction of the EMS Committee, we received a much better understanding of the rules themselves, and the reasons behind some of the rules.

If you have questions about the EMS Rules, becoming an EMRA or other question or issues relating to Fire Departments and EMS, feel free to contact the office and we will see what we can do to help you.

Oklahoma FirefighterNovember 201913

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Women’s AuxILIARY report Kendra Engle Jr Board Member

Hi Ladies!

I would love to start off by thanking everyone who was involved in the annual Oklahoma Fallen and Living Firefighter’s Memorial Service held Oct. 6. The cooler temps and great turnout made for a great service.

If you have never been to the Oklahoma Fallen and Living Firefighter’s Memorial, you are missing out. It is quite impressive. And while you are there, be sure to visit the Oklahoma Firefighters Museum and Gift Shop!

I hope everyone had a safe and Happy Halloween, and I would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! This is a great time to reflect on all we have to be thankful for.

I am excited to report that Lawton had an informational meeting on starting their local auxiliary and, boy, did they have an awesome turnout!

If you are interested in joining the State Auxiliary or need information, please feel free to contact me or any of the Women’s Auxiliary Officers. You do not have to be a member of your local auxiliary to join.

Until next time!

n www.CONRADFIRE.com

2019-2020 OSFA Women’s Auxiliary Executive Board

Kendra Engle took these photos at the Lawton Women’s Auxiliary Meeting and Statewide Memorial Service

PRESIDENT Susan Walker 580-351-4116 sw233821@gmail.com VICE PRESIDENT Michele Cole 918-698-4488 momachel@aol.com SEC/TREASURER Marti Carpenter 405-590-4608 marticarpenter@att.net JR BD MEMBER Kendra Engle 405-630-8898 kedamo10@yahoo.com PAST PRESIDENT Erica Koch 405-308-2010 ejv97@cox.net

@conradfire

@conradfireequipment n (913) 780-5521

@conradfire

Conrad Fire Equipment and Roger Brown would like to thank and congratulate the Tulsa Fire Department on the recent purchase of their fleet of Pierce Impel Pumpers.

ROGER BROWN STEVE MARTIN (785) 865-6941 (405) 620-1891

RYAN REEVES (405) 269-3844

CARY PROVENCE (405) 623-8216

Firefighters Serving Firefighters

14November 2019Oklahoma Firefighter

20th Annual Oklahoma Fallen & Living Firefighters Memorial Service KOCO-5 covered this year’s Statewide Memorial Service, at which 274 people gathered to hear the reading of 144 names in a moving tribute to our fellow firefighters who have passed in the last year.

In addition to 178 family members representing 25 firefighters, attendees included Oklahoma County Commissioner Carrie Blumert; Oklahoma City Ward 7 Councilwoman Nikki Nice; OSFA board members, past presidents and staff; firefighters from Orlando, Langston, Sooner, Slapout, Stroud, Shawnee and Elk City; and students from the OSU Fire Protection Society.

Helping make the day a success were OSFA Women’s Auxiliary members; Guthrie FD and Del City FD for the loan of their ladder trucks; the Midwest City FD Honor Guard; Oklahoma Fire Pipes and Drums; Chaplains Ted Wilson and Steve Harris; Herb Bradshaw for singing and Rusty Stowe for playing Taps.

The ceremony, rich in fire service traditions, began with a processional led by Oklahoma Fire Pipes and

Oklahoma Firefighterď źNovember 2019ď ź15

e n Honoring Our Own n October 6, 2019 n Oklahoma City Drums, followed by the laying of the wreath and a 21-bell salute.

The tribute concluded with the ringing of the bell for each fallen hero.

Family members also had the opportunity to see -- and make etchings of -- the names of their loved ones on the granite walls.

Each year since our founding in 1894, the Oklahoma State Firefighters Association has offered special recognition to fellow firefighters who have passed.

It is a time-honored tradition that we are still proud to continue 125 years later.

The Memorial Service became an official part of the proceedings of the Oklahoma State Firemen’s Association at the 29th annual Convention in 1923.

And on Oct. 8, 2000 -- exactly four months after the Fallen and Living

Firefighters Memorial was formally dedicated -- the inaugural Statewide Memorial Service was held. More than 100 gathered, and 256 names were read.

Photos By Leesa Black, OSFA Administrative Assistant

16November 2019Oklahoma Firefighter

OSFA Snapshots

Got something going on at your Fire Department? Share the news! Email photos to osfa@osfa.info

Rep. Kendra Horn with Steve Lumry

Rep. Kevin Hern with the OK Fire Marshal Commission

OSFA Executive Director Steve Lumry & OSFA President Mike Kelley had a successful trip to Washington D.C. in October. They met with our congressional delegation along with the OK Fire Marshal Commission.

Added new Co-sponsor to HR141, the Social Security Fairness Act. Thank you @RepFrankLucas for your support along with @RepMullin @repkevinhern , @TomColeOK04, and , @RepKendraHorn.

That makes a clean sweep of OK Congressional delegation supporting OK firefighters and first responders. @SenatorLankford and @jamesinhoff both listened intently and are considering co-sponsoring S521.

Deer Creek Fire Protection District closed a partnership with Austria’s Freiwillige Feuerwehr Zell-Gurnitz in September.

This was a very unique connection in the fire department. It showed that firefighters, whatever origin, pursue the same goal -- to extinguish fire and help the next one.

Our friend, OFM Markus, served as an ambassador between the two departments. He had a chance to be a full-time member of Deer Creek FPD last year. Pictured are various fire brigade members.

Norman FD Recruit Training Academy Graduation Oct. 25

Mooreland FD’s Derek Richmond received a set of Fire-Dex bunker gear for completion of the Woodward Online Firefighter 1 Class last fall

Oklahoma FirefighterNovember 201917

n

in memoriam

DID YOU KNOW …

Kenneth Farber, Nichols Hills FD The Final Fire Alarm sounded for retired Nichols Hill Fire Chief Kenneth Farber on Sept. 14. He was 86.

He worked various jobs until being hired by Nichols Hills FD in 1953. He worked there for 30 years and attained the position of Chief.

Kenneth was always a hands-on guy, from fixing a car to remodeling a house. He was always involved. He and Wanda, his wife of 67 years, loved to travel and go to the lake.

PaPaw will be missed.

John King, Sentinel FD The Final Fire Alarm sounded for Sentinel Volunteer firefighter John King on Oct. 7. He was 57.

John was a hard worker who spent his life farming. He also worked for Sentinel Western Producers Co-op and was a volunteer firefighter who drove Tanker 5. He felt it was an honor and privilege to serve on the fire department.

He was driving eastbound on the highway in a 1995 International when another driver, operating an agricultural sprayer, traveling southbound on the county road, failed to yield from a stop sign.

You can have a powerful impact on society with one simple sentence.

By making provision in your will or trust to leave a gift the the Oklahoma City Community Foundation, you can provide a lasting gift to support charities important to you while also creating a charitable legacy

3 Firefighter Funds Accepting Charitable Donations Through Oklahoma City Community Foundation (https://donate.occf.org)

• Pete and Lela Stavros Scholarship Fund • Oklahoma Fire Chiefs Association’s Keith Bryan Memorial Scholarship Fund • Oklahoma State Firefighters Museum Endowment Fund

Roger Wickey, Ceder Country FD The Final Fire Alarm sounded for retired Cedar Country Fire Chief Roger Wickey on Oct. 12. He was 77.

Roger was inducted into the U.S. Air Force in August 1960. The military moved Roger and his family to Oklahoma from Indiana in February 1978. After serving a little over 22 years, Roger was honorably discharged as a Chief Senior Master Sergeant.

He served as Chief with the Cedar Country Fire Department for many years until

he retired. Roger enjoyed his time as a firefighter and helping his family and friends in the community.

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18November 2019Oklahoma Firefighter

n

2019 ORFA Fun & fellowship golf tournament

1st Place Team: Retired OKC

Photos By Leesa Black, OSFA Administrative Assistant

Oct. 9 at Fire Lake

2nd: Place Team: Retired MWC

n

Oklahoma FirefighterNovember 201919

ORFA REport Tippy Pierce Moore FD Retired

Greeting to all firefighters and retired firefighters.

It is the time to remind all retirees if your are above the age of 65, you need to check on your Medicare Supplement. We are in open enrollment, and even if you are happy with yours, please look into others that might save you money or give you more benefits.

You can do this by contacting the Oklahoma State Insurance Commission office, which has a Medicare division. Some cities have their own plans. Make sure you have what you need and at a price that you can live with.

I would like to thank the OSFA and all that helped put on a great Memorial Service for all firefighters that have passed away over the last year.

I also want to thank all that were involved with getting the Oklahoma Firefighter’s Memorial back in shape for this service. They did a great job and it is something that all firefighters can be proud of.

The ORFA Golf Tournament was held in Shawnee at the Firelake Golf Course.

We do this for not only for retirees, but anyone can attend. We continue this event not to make a profit, but to get firefighters together to spend time together, have a good time and talk.

Steve Lumry and Mike Kelley went to Washington D.C. to talk about firefighters issues. One of the issues was the Social Security Windfall Reduction Bills that are in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives . We are gaining support on the Windfall Reduction Bills.

Please keep all firefighters and families in your prayers this time of the year, because it can be a very difficult time during the Holidays for people. There is travel, loss of loved ones and other situations that come at this time of the season.

I hope you all have a very blessed month and a very Happy Thankgiving.

2019-2020 ORFA Executive Board

PRESIDENT Tippy Pierce, Moore 405-924-1104 fftip@swbell.net

1ST VICE PRESIDENT George Fina, OKC 405-373-2409 gomsc38@gmail.com

2ND VICE PRESIDENT A.K. “Yogi” Cole, Tulsa 918-231-3591 ycole@ipa.net

3RD VICE PRESIDENT James Fullingim, Norman nfdchief@hotmail.com

PAST PRESIDENT Juan Rodriguez, Lawton jrod911@gmail.com

n

FSIO REPORT Rodney Foster

Shawnee FD

Greetings from FSIO! Our conference was Oct. 2426 at the Edmond Fire Training Center.

We had some great people nominated for Instructor of the Year, and we are so excited to have a new process in deciding the winner (which will be announced next issue).

I would like to take this time to thank Jared Williams of the Lawton Fire Department for his vision for the process. Four great firefighters have been nominated and we voted at our business meeting at the conference. Looking forward to honoring the great work of these nominees.

This may be my last article as the President of FSIO. I would like to give a special thanks to all of the board members. We have had a great time throughout this year.

Melanie Colvin has been a complete rock star. She kept us all in line and made sure all aspects of the conference were ready. We had some great speakers coming to make the fire service instructors better.

Be safe and train hard!

Owner Chris Hayes is a Retired Volunteer Fire Fighter and has been rebuilding Transmissions for more than 30 years.

HHH Transmission diagnoses and rebuilds brush truck heavy duty transmissions.

We welcome the opportunity to work with your fire boards and purchasing departments!

Oklahoma’s Source for Service and Repair for All Transmissions

The ONLY Shop in Oklahoma that has Transmission Dyno Test Equipment!

9726 E 46th Place Tulsa, OK 74146 (918) 665-7229 • 9726 E 46th Place, Tulsa, OK 74146 www.hhhtransmissionheavyduty.com

20November 2019Oklahoma Firefighter ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF Chase Rankin Executive Director

James Reynolds

6601 Broadway Ext., Oklahoma City, OK 73116 405-522-4600 • 1-800-525-7461 toll free • 405-522-4643 fax www.okfirepen.state.ok.us

n MEETING (Sept. 20, 2019) Members Present: Mike Kelley, Cliff Davidson, Dana Cramer, Jim Ed Nimmo, Buddy Combs, Tippy Pierce, Dereck Cassady, Matt Lay, Eric Harlow, Brent Bryant, Brent Baggett, Brandy Manek.

Member Absent: Janet Kohls.

Others Present: Chase Rankin, Executive Director; Timothy Vanhorn, Assistant Director; James Reynolds, Assistant Director; Terri Williams, Executive Secretary; Marc Edwards, Legal Counsel; Troy Brown & Tim Nash, &CO; John Haug & Wills Small, Ardian; Vivian Flynn & Patrick Madaus, Pomona; Varinia Giacalone & Jara Habib.

Dennis Dudley/Guymon - Application For “Disability In The Line Of Duty” Pension, Effective September 11, 2019: Motion was made by Lay and seconded by Harlow to approve the Application for “Disability in the Line of Duty”, effective September 11, 2019. Ayes: Kelley, Harlow, Nimmo, Davidson, Pierce, Cramer, Cassady, Manek, Lay, Combs and Baggett.

Nayes: None. Motion carried.

Scott W. Crow/Muskogee – Application For “Disability In Line Of Duty” Pension, Effective September 1, 2019: Motion was made by Cassady and seconded by Harlow to modify Application for “Disability in Line of Duty”, to “Service” effective September 1, 2019. Ayes: Kelley, Harlow, Nimmo, Davidson, Pierce, Cramer, Cassady, Manek, Lay, Combs and Baggett. Nayes: None. Motion carried.

Lori L. Palmer/Nescatunga - Application For “Disability In The Line Of Duty” Pension, Effective September 10, 2019: Motion was made by Harlow and Cramer Davidson to modify the Application for “Disability in the Line of Duty”, effective September 10, 2019. Ayes: Kelley, Harlow, Nimmo, Davidson, Pierce, Cramer, Cassady, Manek, Lay, Combs and Baggett.

Nayes: None. Motion carried.

Mark Howard/Oklahoma City – Application For “Disability In Line Of Duty” Pension, Effective September 1, 2019: Motion was made by Cramer and seconded by Cassady to modify Application for “Disability in Line of Duty”, to “Service”, effective September 1, 2019. Ayes: Kelley, Harlow, Nimmo, Davidson, Pierce, Cramer, Cassady, Manek, Lay, Combs and Baggett. Nayes: None. Motion carried.

Jeffery D. Aberathy/Pauls Valley – Application For “Disability In Line Of Duty” Pension, Effective September 1, 2019: Motion was made

by Cramer and seconded by Combs to approve Application for “Disability in the Line of Duty”, effective September 1, 2019. Ayes: Kelley, Harlow, Nimmo, Davidson, Pierce, Cramer, Cassady,

Manek, Lay, Combs and Baggett.

Nayes: None. Motion carried.

Gary W. Luis/Ponca City – Application For “Disabilty In Line Of Duty” Pension, Effective September 1, 2019: Motion was made by Cramer and seconded by Lay to modify Application for “Disability in Line of Duty” to “Service”, effective September 1, 2019 and to send to the State Doctor. Ayes: Kelley, Harlow, Nimmo, Davidson, Pierce, Cramer, Cassady, Manek, Lay, Combs and Baggett. Nayes: None.

Motion carried.

Brian Prater/Norman - Request To Modify Pension From “Service” To “Disability In Line Of Duty”: Motion was made by Davidson and seconded

by Harlow to approve the request of Prater to modify from “Service” to “Disability in the Line of Duty”. Ayes: Kelley, Harlow, Nimmo, Davidson, Pierce, Cramer, Cassady, Manek, Kohls, Lay, Combs and Baggett.

Nayes: None. Motion carried.

Raymond Coppedge/Oklahoma City - Request To Modify Pension From “Service” To “Disability In The Line Of Duty”: Motion was made by Lay and seconded by Harlow to approve the request of Coppedge to modify from “Service” to “Disability in the Line of Duty”. Ayes: Cramer and Nimmo, Nayes: Kelley, Harlow, Davidson, Pierce, Cassady, Manek, Lay, Combs and Baggett. Motion failed.

Dewane Torres/Oklahoma City Request To Modify Pension From “Service” To “Disability In The Line Of Duty”: Motion was made by Lay and seconded by Cramer to approve the request of Torres to modify from “Service” to “Disability in the Line of Duty”.

Ayes: Kelley, Harlow, Nimmo, Davidson, Pierce, Cramer, Cassady, Manek, Lay, Combs and Baggett. Nayes: None. Motion carried.

John T. Haynes/Tulsa - Request To Modify Pension From “Service” To “Disability In The Line Of Duty”: Motion was made by Lay and seconded by Nimmo to approve the request of Haynes to modify from “Service” to “Disability in the Line of Duty”. Ayes: Kelley, Harlow, Nimmo, Davidson, Pierce, Cramer, Cassady, Manek, Lay, Combs and Baggett.

Nayes: None. Motion carried.

Gregory J. Hewin/Tulsa - Request To Modify Pension From “Service” To “Disability In The Line Of Duty”: Motion was made by Lay and seconded by Cramer to approve the request of Hewin to modify from “Service” to “Disability in the Line of Duty”.

Ayes: Kelley, Harlow, Nimmo, Davidson, Pierce, Cramer, Cassady, Manek, Lay, Combs and Baggett. Nayes: None. Motion carried.

Member Services Coordinator

Terri Williams

Vicki Mulbery

Executive Secretary

Accounts Payable Administrator

Than Dinh

Assistant Director (COO)

Controller

Tim Van Horn

Keely Swonger

Assistant Director (CFO)

Martha Pierce

Thelisha Clark

Records Administrator

Latoya Battle

Assistant Controller

Data Processor

n CONSENT AGENDA (October 18, 2019) CHECKS TERMINATED IN SEPT 2019 (Deceased):

APPLICATION FOR SURVIVING SPOUSE:

Arapaho Nicky W. Smith (Deceased) Boise City Frances N. Collins (Deceased) Carter Pauline Street (Deceased) Enid Thomas F. Ogburn (Deceased) Grandfield L.D. Due (Deceased) Okeene Willard J. Brownsworth (Deceased) Perry Lois C. Luthye (Deceased) Ravia Patricia R. Love (Deceased) Sand Springs Laben Fisher (Higher Ed) Savanna James Harper (Deceased) Sayre Stanford Perkins (Deceased) Soper Jackie Hill (Deceased) Stigler Ronald G. Scroggins (Deceased) Walters Janie Sheppard (Deceased) Woodward Noce Evans (Deceased) Wyandotte Naomi Black (Deceased)

$5,000.00 DEATH BENEFIT:

06/25/2019

Arapaho

Barnsdall

Bartlesville

Bethany Cherokee Collinsville Collinsville Comanche Elk City

Enid

Gould Ketchum

Langley OKC OKC Poteau

Soper Stigler

Tipton Tishomingo Tulsa Tulsa

Wakita

Kiesau-Lee Funeral Home On Behalf Of Nicky W. Smith Stumpff Funeral Home On Behalf Of Billly Jack Dildine Collinsville Dolton Funeral On Behalf Of James P. Core Marie G. Coody, Widow Of Louis N. Dale Glennis White, Widow Of Jimmie W. White Bobbi D. Felkins, Heir Of Randall L. Felkins William Felkins, Heir Of Randall L. Felkins Kathleen Blackwell, Widow Of Billy Blackwell Whinery Funeral Home On Behalf Of Orville Word Henninger-Hinson Funeral On Behalf Of Thomas G. Ogburn Judie Gallagher, Widow Of John Gallagher McMahans Funeral Home On Behalf Of Teddy M. Vanschuyver Mary E. Long, Widow Of Gary D. Long Velma L. Dale, Widow Of Louis N. Dale Denise Scrivner, Widow Of Cletus Scrivner Evans & Miller Funeral Home On Behalf Of Don Goforth Laverne Pence, Heir Of Jackie Hill King & Shearwood Funeral On Behalf Of Ronald Scroggins Ellyn M. Huff, Widow Of Marvin D. Huff Patsy Hutchens, Widow Of Reid Hutchens, Jr. Wanda Ramsey, Widow Of Max R. Ramsey Hayhurst Funeral Home On Behalf Of Russell G. Reynolds Susan E. Duncan, Widow Of Gary D. Duncan

APPLICATION FOR ENTRANCE INTO THE PENSION: Ardmore Catoosa Catoosa Chandler Collinsville Elk City Enid Guthrie Holdenville Lawton Lawton Midwest City Midwest City Monkey Island Oak Cliff Okmulgee

Nicholas Sager James Noriel Cole Osborne Cody Paige Steven Scott Kendall Brown Surles Scott Miller Matthew Dornan Shon Taylor Chayton Humble Bailey Spencer Drake Davis Kevin Rock Jacob Barnes Ryan Darcy Heath Lee

Roosevelt Kellene Henson, Widow Of William L. Henson Deceased 6/24/2019

APPLICATION FOR SURVIVING SPOUSE FOR CONTINUATION: 10/01/2019 Altus Denice Sadler, Widow Of

Thomas F. Sadler 10/01/2019 Amber Judy D. Null, Widow Of

Don Null 10/01/2019 Ardmore Shirley A. Pierce, Widow Of

Theodore L. Pierce 10/01/2019 Barnsdall Roberta A. Dildine, Widow

Of Billy J. Dildine 10/01/2019 Bartlesville Margie M. Core, Widow Of

James P. Core 10/01/2019 Bartlesville Linda M. Lawrence, Widow

Of Jimmy S. Lawrence 10/01/2019 Camargo Nicki Sue Day, Widow Of

Dewayne Day 10/01/2019 Cherokee Glennis B. White, Widow Of

Jim E. White 10/01/2019 Enid Marilyn Hendryx, Widow

Of Harry G. Hendryx 10/01/2019 Minco Minnie Davis, Widow Of

Jasper B. Davis 10/01/2019 Nichols Hills Wanda N. Farber, Widow Of

Kenneth R. Farber 10/01/2019 OKC Dixie L. Kindrick, Widow Of

Charles V. Kindrick Sr. 10/01/2019 Sand Springs Tammy Davidson, Widow Of

Curtis G. Davidson 10/01/2019 Sapulpa Lana D. Galatian, Widow

Of Billy F. Galatian 10/01/2019 Tulsa Katy Purcell, Widow Of

Owen W. Purcell APPLICATION FOR SERVICE PENSION: 10/01/2019 10/01/2019 10/01/2019 10/01/2019 07/01/2019 10/10/2019 0917/2019 09/18/2019 10/01/2019 10/01/2019 10/01/2019 10/01/2019 10/13/2019 09/07/2019 10/01/2019 10/01/2019

Antlers Clinton L. Williams Colony Kenneth A. Shipp Dickson David J. Conger Elmore City Edward D. Stewart Jr. Geronimo John E. Bowles Hinton Douglas E. Cooper Joy Jason W. Rogers Lakemont Shores Joesph M. Hill Nashoba Garyle L. Cagle Noble Bobby R. Hall Oak Cliff Terrance M. Darcy Onapa Gregory W. Moore Pawnee Jarrod L. Scott Quinton Donald W. Cox Tecumseh Guy C. Hurst Whitefield Lonnie R. Williams

Application For Vested Benefit: 03/03/2019

Haworth

Richard M. Owens

REFUND OF CONTRIBUTIONS: Hired Taylor Miller Scott Keeler Clem Ohman III Lynden Lantz Kyle E. King Jake R. Pierce

Altus Broken Bow Guymon Holdenville Norman Ponca City

Terminated

01/01/2012 08/12/2019 08/01/2012 02/18/2019 09/29/2017 02/19/2019 12/01/2013 08/19/2019 07/15/2016 08/26/2019 09/30/2002 08/02/2019

Oklahoma FirefighterNovember 201921

FIRE EXTINGUISHER TRAINING FOR VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS

n

NVFC & First Alert partner to offer Online Course and Donation of Fire Extinguishers to Increase Safety

Noble FD Chaplain

When a fire starts, every second counts. Fire extinguishers can help save lives when used quickly and effectively.

Yet an astonishing 70% of fire extinguisher owners say they would not be comfortable using an extinguisher in the event of a fire according to recent research.* For this reason, First Alert and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) have developed a new fire extinguisher training course for volunteer fire departments nationwide, supplemented by an extinguisher donation program for community outreach initiatives.

Called “Home Fire Preparedness: Fire Extinguisher Best Practices,” the course educates volunteer fire department personnel about the role fire extinguishers can play in fire safety, and how proper extinguisher placement and maintenance can help reduce the risk of severe fire incidents.

Cooking fires are the leading cause of home fires, with ranges or cooktops accounting for 63% of home fire incidents according to the National Fire Protection Association. Many small kitchen fires could likely be resolved with a fire extinguisher if caught early.

However, research* revealed 50% of fire extinguisher owners have never operated one, while 60% of respondents stated they would very likely use one in the event of a fire.

“Operating a fire extinguisher can make people feel uneasy, which is why First Alert provides tools to help educate the community through local fire departments,” said Tarsila Wey, director of marketing for First Alert, the most trusted brand in home safety.** “Fire extinguishers are an integral part of a home safety plan, along with smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms and having – and practicing – an escape plan.”

The training provides insight about the different types of fire extinguishers, when and how to use them, and detailed information on proper maintenance and appropriate placement of fire extinguishers.

Participants will also learn the importance of knowing when not to use an extinguisher, but to instead call 911 and exit the home safely. This training will enable volunteer firefighters to educate their community on how to properly and safely use this important line of defense.

In the home, a simple way to remember how to operate a fire extinguisher is with the acronym PASS: • Pull the pin on the extinguisher • Aim the nozzle low toward the base of the fire • Squeeze the trigger • Sweep the nozzle from side-to-side To complement the training, First Alert donated 500 rechargeable 1-A:10-B:C fire extinguishers to volunteer fire departments to help them make an immediate impact in their communities.

Departments that receive the extinguishers are part of the NVFC’s Fire Corps program, which utilizes community volunteers to assist resource-constrained fire departments with non-operational tasks such as community education and smoke and CO alarm installations.

“The education provided in this fire extinguisher course, combined with First Alert’s donation, helps our volunteer departments keep communities safe,” said NVFC Chair Steve Hirsch. “We are thankful for the commitment our volunteer firefighters make to keep their own neighbors safe from threats of fire and carbon monoxide.”

The “Home Fire Preparedness: Fire Extinguisher Best Practices” course is now available in the NVFC Virtual Classroom. Access the course at www.nvfc.org/ access-the-nvfc-virtual-classroom.

The course will be free for the first 500 participants, compliments of First Alert.

For more information on home safety, go to www.firstalert.com. * Source: Fire Extinguisher Category Research, Survata, 2016 ** First Alert Brand Trust Survey, February 2018 – Results are based on the responses of 1,000 adults, ages 25 and older, living in the United States who completed an online survey, February 15-19, 2018.

Chaplain’s corner

John Stokes

We are difference makers. It’s what we do.

Moments matter.

In an emergency situation, the decisions we make are the difference between things getting better, or things getting worse.

Often the effects of those decisions are seen instantly. But what about the times we make decisions that we never see the effects of?

To post prayer requests and find up-to-date information on the Oklahoma Fire Chaplains, go to www. okfirechaplains.org.

I recently attended a training in which presenter was discussing epigenetics.

Without overloading you with science terminology, epigenetics is the study of changes in organisms caused by modification of gene expression rather than alteration of the genetic code itself.

What they have discovered is that experiences, especially those experienced in childhood, can actually modify the way your genes express themselves.

In essence changing “who” you are, without changing “what” you were designed to be!

Researchers also found that, these “changes” can be inherited and passed on for generations. Meaning our decisions and experiences not only shape us, but will also shape generations. What an awesome responsibility we have.

In Exodus 34, God tells Moses that He shows love to a thousand generations, but the iniquities of the parents will be laid upon their children and grandchildren.

The entire family is affected, even to the 3rd and 4th generations.

Our actions and decisions reach much further than just our lives. We affect change be it good or bad on generations to come.

The researchers said they have found two things that will reverse these epigenetic changes. Hope and unconditional love.

Beyond our duty and training as paramedics and firefighters, we must take every opportunity to offer Hope and Love. As Christians we are well equipped to offer both through our relationship with Christ.

Not only can we save lives in the present, but we can change lives for generations! So give hope, love unconditionally and realize the changes you are making will be seen in the future.

Fall 2019 Training Workshops for OK-FIRE OK-FIRE, a weather-based decision-support system for wildland fire management, will host three FREE workshops.

Thursday, Nov. 14 Thursday, Dec. 12

Durant Stillwater

Dr. J. D. Carlson, OSU fire meteorologist and OK-FIRE program manager, will lead the workshops, which consist of a combination of presentations and lab exercises in which attendees will get hands-on experience with the OK-FIRE website.

Registration is required and can be done online by contacting Andrea Melvin (andrea@mesonet.org; 405-325-2652) at the Oklahoma Climatological Survey.

More information about each workshop (including directions) will be sent out the Monday before each workshop date. Workshops will be filled on a first register, first served basis.

These workshops are designed only for those who directly or indirectly work with wildland fire, and only those who fall into these categories should register.

22November 2019Oklahoma Firefighter

www.osufst.org

1723 West Tyler, Stillwater, OK 74078 • (800) 304-5727 • (405) 744-5727 • Fax: (405) 744-7377

November 2019 CLASS SCHEDULE Current as of October 21, 2019

Courses are subject to change • Call or check online for changes in courses

All courses are FREE unless otherwise noted

Vehicle Rescue Tech Level I Part A (73423) Nov. 1-2 (16 hours) Burlington Fire Department

Hazardous Materials Technician Refresher - Part B (71315) Nov. 5 (8 hours) Moore Fire Department

Hazardous Materials Technician Refresher - Part B (71334) Nov. 12 (8 hours) Claremore Fire Department

Hazardous Materials Technician Refresher - Part A (75298) Nov. 19 (8 hours) Shawnee Fire Department

Responding to the MAYDAY (73130) Nov. 2 (8 hours) Cox’s Store Vol. Fire Department, Lawton

Hazardous Materials Operations for WMD Refresher (73542) Nov. 5 (8 hours) Bethany Fire Department

Trench Rescue Technician Level I (75588) Nov. 12-13 (16 hours) Edmond Fire Department

Fire Fighter I Certification (75100) Nov. 2 (8 hours) Tulsa Community College Northeast

Hazardous Materials Technician Refresher - Part B (71316) Nov. 6 (8 hours) Moore Fire Department

NIMS ICS 300 Intermediate ICS for Expanding Incidents (75665) Nov. 12-13 (16 hours) Western Technology Center - Elk City

EMS Instructor Workshop / Bridge (75931) Nov. 19 (8 hours) • $500 - All Participants McAlester Army Ammunition Plant Fire Department

Hazardous Materials Operations for WMD Refresher (73543) Nov. 6 (8 hours) Bethany Fire Department

Hazardous Materials Technician Refresher - Part B (71335) Nov. 13 (8 hours) Claremore Fire Department

NIMS ICS 400 (EMI) Advanced Incident Command System (75664) Nov. 6-7 (16 hours) Stillwater Police Department

Hazardous Materials Technician Refresher - Part B (71336) Nov. 14 (8 hours) Claremore Fire Department

NIMS ICS 300 Intermediate ICS for Expanding Incidents (75668) Nov. 7-9 (16 hours) Leflore County Emergency Management, Poteau

Wildland Fire Fighting: Fundamentals (73923) Nov. 15-16 (16 hours) Boise City Volunteer Fire Department

Hazardous Materials Awareness for WMD-HazMat Emergencies (75825) Nov. 2 (8 hours) Jenks Fire Department Fire Fighter II Vehicle Extrication Evaluation (73424) Nov. 2 (4 hours) Burlington Fire Department Fire Fighter I Live Burn (75101) Nov. 3 (8 hours) Tulsa Community College Northeast Fire Fighter I Live Burn Evaluation (75102) Nov. 3 (8 hours) Broken Arrow Fire Department Hazardous Materials Technician Refresher - Part B (71314) Nov. 4 (8 hours) Moore Fire Department Hazardous Materials Operations for WMD Refresher (73541) Nov. 4 (8 hours) Bethany Fire Department

Hazardous Materials Operations: Core Competencies (75828) Nov. 8-10 (24 hours) Jenks Fire Department NFA - Leadership In Supervision: Creating Environments for Professional Growth (F0646) (74272) Nov. 9-10 (16 hours) Berryhill Fire Protection District, Tulsa

Structural Collapse Technician (73612) Nov. 4-8 (40 hours) Tulsa Fire Safety Training Center

Vehicle Rescue Technician Level I Part A (75520) Nov. 9-10 (16 hours) Lone Grove Fire Department

NIMS ICS 400 (EMI) Advanced Incident Command System (75686) Nov. 4-5 (16 hours) Quapaw Tribe Fire/EMS

Hazardous Materials Awareness for WMD-HazMat Emergencies (75814) Nov. 9 (8 hours) Wagoner Civic Center

Driver Operator Pumper (Resource I Blended Learning ) (75717) Nov. 4-7 (80 hours) • $1750 - Okla Emergency Responders • $2500 - Out-of-state Responders Mustang Fire Department

Fire Fighter II Vehicle Extrication Evaluation (75521) Nov. 10 (4 hours) Lone Grove Fire Department

Fire Fighter I Certification (75169) Nov. 16 (8 hours) Broken Bow Fire Department Vehicle Rescue Technician Level I Part B (75391) Nov. 16-17 (16 hours) Lone Grove Fire Department Emergency Vehicle Driver Training: UTV/ATV (76101) Nov. 16 (8 hours) Tri-City Fire Department, Madill Fire Fighter I Live Burn (75170) Nov. 17 (8 hours) Broken Bow Fire Department Fire Fighter I Live Burn Evaluation (75171) Nov. 17 (8 hours) Broken Bow Fire Department Fire Officer I: NFPA 1021, 2014 Edition (75609) Nov. 18-22 (48 hours) • $3000 - All Participants Edmond Fire Department

Hazardous Materials Technician Refresher - Part A (75299) Nov. 20 (8 hours) Shawnee Fire Department Hazardous Materials Technician Refresher - Part A (75300) Nov. 21 (8 hours) Shawnee Fire Department OEM-New Emergency Management Orientation (75580) Nov. 21-22 (16 hours) High Plains Institute of Technology Fire Department, Woodward NIMS ICS 300 Intermediate ICS for Expanding Incidents (75667) Nov. 21-22 (16 hours) Lawton Leadership for Small Departments : Training (76163) Nov. 22 (8 hours) Deer Creek Fire Protection District Fire Fighter I Certification (75268) Nov. 23 (8 hours) Western Technology Center - Elk City Leadership for Small Departments: Tactics (76164) Nov. 23 (8 hours) Deer Creek Fire Protection District Fire Fighter I Live Burn (75269) Nov. 24 (8 hours) Western Technology Center - Elk City Fire Fighter I Live Burn Evaluation (75270) Nov. 24 (8 hours) Western Technology Center - Elk City Leadership for Small Departments: Administration (76165) Nov. 24 (8 hours) Deer Creek Fire Protection District

Oklahoma FirefighterNovember 201923

n

fire service training Caroline Reed

n

NFPA REPORT Bob Sullivan

OSU FST Interim Director

National Fire Protection Assoc.

SW Regional Director

creed@osufst.org 405-744-5727

bsullivan@nfpa.org • 720-237-1752

Greetings Everyone! Oklahoma State Fire Service Training is experiencing many changes.

We have had two long-term staff members retire -Mr. Steve George and Dr. Erick Reynolds.

Both of these gentlemen have contributed so much over the years to the success of the Oklahoma fire service. They will be missed and we wish them well.

I want to take this opportunity to introduce Dean McFadden and John Carpenter.

Mr. Carpenter is our new Hazardous Materials Manger. He currently is serving at the Chickasha Fire Department and will join our team full-time early next year.

Mr. McFadden was the Chief at Guymon Fire Department and he will be managing Rescue, NIMS, AHIMT, programs.

I will be Interim Director for a little while until a new director is named. We will continue business as usual during these transitions.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to give us a call. We are here to serve.

Residential Sprinklers (Part 4) Hello OSFA! In Part 4 of this series, we will focus on some of the technical details of residential sprinkler systems, including design and installation.

Residential sprinkler systems fall under two broad categories: “13R” systems are those residential sprinkler systems found in residential occupancies up to and including four stories in height, such as apartment buildings and hotels, that are installed according to NFPA Standard 13R. “13D” systems are those residential sprinkler systems sometimes found in one- and two-family dwellings and some manufactured homes (i.e., mobile homes), that are installed according to NFPA Standard 13D. For purposes of this article, we will concentrate on “13D” systems. Keep in mind that these systems are generally only installed when the jurisdiction where the buildings are located has adopted codes in place to require the installation of these systems.

In the first section of Standard NFPA 13D, information is provided to explain that 13D sprinkler systems are meant to aid in the detection and control of residential fires, improve protection against injury and life loss, prevent flashover in the room of fire origin, and improve the chances for occupants to escape or be evacuated.

Because the primary intent of 13D sprinkler systems is the preservation of life, more so than fire

containment and control, 13D sprinklers are usually installed only in the normally-occupied living spaces of a home, such as the bedrooms, living and dining rooms, kitchen, etc.

They are generally not installed in areas that are occupied less frequently, such as small bathrooms and closets, garages, attics, and other similar areas.

Basements may or may not be sprinklered depending on their proposed use, i.e., either as an occupiable area or more as a crawl space area for access to utilities. This affects how much of a structure fire you might be faced with upon arrival at a fire in a sprinklered home.

The sprinklers will normally allow enough time for the occupants to safely escape, and they will often control the fire as well. However, if the fire is too intense for the sprinklers to control, or if the fire spreads to any of the non-sprinklered areas, you could still have a significant structure fire to deal with.

Because the primary intent of 13D systems is to preserve life, they also have some other significant differences from 13R and Standard 13 commercial sprinkler systems.

13D systems normally do not have an associated fire alarm system connected to them, to activate alarms and automatically call the fire department.

Notification of the occupants will still occur by smoke alarms installed in the home, or by someone noticing the fire. And someone will still need to call 911 to notify the fire department.

Another significant difference for 13D systems is that they normally do not have a fire department connection (FDC) built into the system.

The fire department will be unable to hook up to the system to supplement flow and pressure, and firefighters will still use hoselines/water cans to extinguish any remaining fire.

Next month, we will shift the focus a little bit to a more general discussion about how fire code requirements play a role concerning when and where residential fire sprinkler systems are installed in one- and two-family homes.

NVFC Awarded Grant to Expand Fire Service Behavioral Health Initiatives The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) has been awarded a federal Fire Prevention & Safety (FP&S) grant from FEMA to focus on responder behavioral health initiatives.

The $278,900 grant will allow the NVFC to develop new tools and resources to help volunteers who are experiencing issues impacting their mental wellbeing.

Firefighters have a high rate of behavioral health issues, including PTSD, depression and addiction. The Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance reports that more firefighters and EMS providers die from suicide each year than in the line of duty.

To address the need for support services and resources, the NVFC launched the Share the Load program in 2014. This program includes outreach materials to raise awareness about the signs, symptoms, and options for those in need of support as well as a toll-free helpline that responders and their families can call for help with any behavioral health issue.

With the new grant, NVFC will be able to expand the Share the Load program by working to further reduce the stigma in the fire service surrounding behavioral health. Working with partners including the American Psychological Association, NVFC will develop tools and training for departments to help them create psychologically healthy workplaces.

24November 2019Oklahoma Firefighter

n

OSFA Executive Board Highlights

Roll Call: Mike Kelley, present; Eric Harlow, present; Cliff Davidson, present; Jim Ed Nimmo, present; Dereck Cassady, present; Tippy Pierce (ORFA), present.

Others: Gene Brown, Sheri Nickel, Trisha Chain, Caroline Reed, Eric Hamilton, Tim Bartram, Juan Rodriguez.

Fire Marshal Commission Report: Nickel Commission discussed marijuana mandates and used executive session to discuss potential hires.

Fire Service Training Report: Reed The Emergency Response Symposium, a joint coop with Phillips 66, will be October 1 at the Payne County Fairgrounds.

FSIO and an Ethics Conference are coming up. The organization is stressing the importance of students attending classes if they are signed up due to a 25% no-show rate.

Cassady stated he received correspondence regarding the FST Director search committee; interviews will be held between October 8-10.

COMMITTEE REPORTS: n Educational Advisory: Chain, Nickel TCC has adopted new policies that ban outside groups from renting classrooms.

Greta Hurt is working with TCC staff to discuss setting up classes through TCC Continuing Education in order to use the campus.

Hurt and Chief Driskell have a meeting with TCC President to discuss issue and a backup plan is being formed for using Tulsa Tech.

Reed stated OSU-FST has a formal contract with career techs throughout the state, which could make the State Fire School an inside group, and she will discuss with the state department.

Discussion: Rodriguez expressed concern about actions taken regarding a Lawton retiree’s pension. Rodriguez thanked the Board for their time. n EMS: Harlow Health department representative was not at previous meeting, so next meeting is set around his schedule.

Committee discussed supplemental Medicaid reimbursement program. n County Sales Tax: Nickel Byrd was contacted and said she is working on the questions presented by the committee and will expedite the process.

Museum Report: Brown The Memorial Golf Tournament was able to raise $37,299 for the memorial; thank you letters will be sent to sponsors.

The work on the memorial is nearly done, but there are some pool lights not operating. Davidson asked Brown to send him information on the lights and he will try to gather quotes.

The new golf cart will be ready this week; the memorial pool will be filled in the next two weeks to prepare for the Statewide Memorial Service.

Brown and Bob Noll will be attending the Museum Network Seminar, where Noll will be presenting a class on fire alarm systems. They are wanting to film it and post it on Facebook; the previous video post about the alarm system has generated a lot of conversation and a request for another video.

Harlow stated a contact at Vance is interested in providing a truck to haul the smoke trailer.

September 19, 2019

Volunteer Recruitment & Retention Report: Nickel There are five Firefighter-1 classes going on: Elk City, Okmulgee, Broken Arrow, Broken Bow, and Enid.

The next grant year starts the day after Thanksgiving. The results from March’s desk audit were returned; FEMA would like more documentation in the future.

An award letter was received for a $1.6 million SAFER grant.

NVFC Report: Nickel Nickel serves on the Finance Committee, who has been reviewing the budget; NVFC is still pushing the free water program; Davidson and Nickel will be attending the fall board meeting in Augusta, GA next month.

ORFA Report: Pierce George Fina was involved in a car accident; he will recover but it will be a long process. The Cornerstone Committee has subcommittee meetings in the next month.

Directors Report: OSFA membership totals: 503 departments with 11,388 members, including two new departments in Bokoshe and Sumner. The insurance has been placed for the donated smoke trailer.

Pierce and Steve Lumry have been hosting regional meetings to discuss the COLA legislation. Pierce stated there was low attendance at some of the meetings but high involvement from those attending.

The COLA mailout has been completed and members have reported that they have contacted their legislators.

Nickel attended the FMAO Conference; Lumry and Kelley will be in Washington D.C. next month. FSIO has asked for a $1,000 sponsorship of their convention.

Board was given refresher handouts discussing the Windfall Elimination Provision and the SIREN Act. Adjourned: 11:42 a.m.

Next Meeting: October 17, 2019.

DATES TO REMEMBER Nov. 6-7, 2019 “Managing Disciplinary Challenges in the Fire Service” at Oklahoma City FD Training Center Dec. 2, 2019 Submission Deadline for 2020 State Fire School Presentation Application Jan. 22-24, 2020 OFCA Winter Workshop in Stillwater Feb. 1, 2020 18th OSFA Volunteer Fire Caucus in El Reno March 6, 2020 Oklahoma Public Education Summit in Bethany April 8-10, 2020 98th OFCA Conference Hosted by Tuttle FD At Grady County Fairgrounds, Chickasha May 7-9, 2020 OSFA State Fire School in Tulsa

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26November 2019Oklahoma Firefighter

n OKLAHOMA FIRE SPOTLIGHT BY GREG ROBERTS

FREEDOM HILL FIRE DEPARTMENT Throughout the 1970s, the population of western Creek County was increasing at a noticeable rate, and area resident’s depended on fire protection from Sapulpa, Bristow, and Drumright -- all at least 20 minutes away.

In 1978, the Freedom Hill Fire Department was formed and Gary Stevenson was appointed the first Fire Chief.

The Freedom Hill area takes its name from the Freedom Hill Baptist Church,

located on S.H. 48, just north of S.H. 33.

Stevenson stepped down as Chief in 1982 and Kevin Smythe was promoted to the top job, which he still holds today.

The FHFD purchased its first Class A engine in 1996 from Durham, N.H., for $8,000. Chief Smythe drove the 1971 Maxim to Oklahoma from Durham, and the rig remains in service to this day.

Later, a second Maxim engine was purchased and has since been replaced

by a 2017 Freightliner/Ferrara engine.

The most significant event to date in FHFD history is one of the largest wildfires in Oklahoma history -- the August 2012 fire that became known as the Freedom Hill Fire.

This fire consumed approximately 67,000 acres and 370 structures. Freedom Hill received assistance from more than 250 fire departments and numerous other agencies.

Norman FD Retired Fire Chief: Kevin Smythe

Department formed: 1978 Number of Members: 23 (All Volunteers) ISO rating: 8B

Calls per year: Approx. 100 Square miles covered: 86 Number of engines: 2 Number of tankers: 2

Number of brushpumpers: 3

E-1 2017 Freightliner/Ferrara 1250 pump/1500 tank

One of the many features at FHFD is the bunker gear locker area. Each locker is equipped with a personal safe and ample storage for protective clothing. All of the station amenities were built by FHFD members.

Tanker 8 1985 AM General 250 pump/2500 tank

E-2 1971 Maxim 1000 pump/750 tank

Tanker 9 1984 AM General 200 pump/2500 tank

If you would like to see your FD featured in a future issue of Oklahoma Firefighter, please contact Greg Roberts at 405-424-1452 or groberts1960@gmail.com

Oklahoma FirefighterNovember 201927

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