Fire Department and
A special kind of HERO
Community events lets firefighters create strong connections
By Christopher Braunschweig Newton News
In addition to reporting to fires and emergency medical situations, the Newton Fire Department spends a great deal of time connecting with the community and forming relationships with families in order to build trust and a sense of familiarity. Newton Fire Marshal Jacob Halferty said it’s one of the better parts of his job.
Events like the National Night Out and Newton Fest let first responders and law enforcement officers gather together with their fellow community members for fellowship and games. Newton Fire Department regularly organizes an obstacle course for Newton Fest
that always gets kids excited to participate.
Hauling fire hoses and dummies on stretchers? Pfft! No problem for the kids of Newton. Banging on a roof with a mallet to make an emergency entrance? Easy. Using the fire hose to dose flames on a “burning” house? Well, that’s a little tough sometimes, but kids always have the assistance of a friendly firefighter to help.
“We get a lot of kid involvement in those fun activities, but one thing I’ve noticed is the parents. We bring them in, too. So, yes, we have the fire helmets and candy and pins and stuff to give away to the kids, but we also make it a point to hand out fire safety forms and brochures,” Halferty said.
While it is a great time for the firefighters and paramedics to feel like kids again at these events, Haflerty added that it is important to still provide educational opportunities for children and their parents or guardians. By engaging with them, they are
more likely to check out those safety tips dropped inside goodie bags.
“If I can directly engage the parent about some fire safety stuff, that helps spread the message more,” Halferty said.
Working the obstacle course at
Newton Fest is always a fun time, he added. As someone who still feels like a kid at heart, Halferty finds a lot of joy encouraging the little ones to finish the course in record time and seeing which of the many firefighters will get sprayed by the hose that year.
“It becomes a competition,” he said. “There are some kids who are doing it just for fun. Then you have some older kids that are like, ‘I want to know if I get the fastest time!’ So it turns into a little bit of a competition for them.”
MARSHAL & MARSHALL
Jacob Halferty teams up with Crisis Canine on fire department to better his staff members’ lives and the lives of Newton residents
By Christopher Braunschweig Newton News
Newton Fire Department has two marshals on staff.
Of course, only one of them is doing all the work while the other is taking naps, visiting with firefighters and chewing on all kinds of toys. Newton Fire Marshal Jacob Halferty doesn’t mind too much, because his Crisis Canine — fittingly named Marshall — is doing just what he needs to do to assist his co-workers.
Halferty officially became Mar-
shall’s handler near the end of March 2024. The Goldador was a little over a year old at that time and was previously the companion of Justin Smith, the co-founder of Crisis Canines of the Midlands. Marshall was previously assigned to Knoxville Fire Department.
“We saw the benefits of having two dogs here,” Halferty said, noting the other Crisis Canine on the Newton Fire Department is Kota, a Goldendoodle who is handled by Captain Ryan Volk. “The benefit of me being on the daytime staff is I can kind of be here whenever Kota isn’t here.”
By having dogs at the fire station, Halferty said it helps staff members during difficult times, as well as residents experiencing a traumatic incident. The presence of the dog puts people more at ease. Oftentimes Marshall gets to tag along with Halferty to calls and help family members through crisis.
In one particular instance, a teenager had witnessed her mom go through a very severe seizure. Halferty said he let the girl sit in his vehicle with Marshall as they made their way to the hospital. She was able to spend time with Marshall while doctors stabilized her mother in the emergency room.
When it comes to connecting with staff, Marshall is a true professional. He has lots of engagement in the mornings and responds well to snacks. Marshall will make his rounds in the morning to greet and receive pets from firefighters, paramedics and support staff. He is also present during debriefings.
“Our guys can struggle with lots of stuff,” he said. “We have normal lives also where stuff can happen along with work. People just like getting away from reality and seeing Marshall. He can sense when they want his attention and he’ll respond to them. If they come down to his level, he knows they want attention.”
Another positive aspect that comes with having a dog at the fire station is the increased connections to the community, particularly kids. Halferty said the dog handlers will work with community service officers and school resource officers in order to provide animal safety training at Newton schools.
“Kids can learn how to safe -
ly approach animals, especially to pet them,” he said. “We encourage kids to always ask the owner if they can pet the dog and then slowly approach the animal by holding your hand out and stuff like that. It can be at an actually training session or I can bring it up at events, too.”
When it’s time for Halferty to go home, Marshall gets to go home, too. The addition of a second dog in the family has made Halferty’s other dog lose a lot of weight, and his house is generally cleaner because he has to vacuum every day. All in all, Marshall is a welcomed addition to his family.
“My wife would tell you, ‘Well, Jake never wanted two dogs until it was his idea,’” Halferty said with a laugh. “Marshall is a blessing to us. He’s a great lap dog — aggressively at times — and he’ll hop up on the chair and sit with us. He’s great with (my daughter) Penny. She likes giving him hugs and playing with him.”
Marshall is always a positive force whether he’s at home or on the clock. Haflerty said it is Marshall’s most important trait. No matter what he’s having a good day. For his co-workers, that is not always the case. Difficult calls or stressful days can put a lot of strain on the firefighters and paramedics in Newton.
Heck, Halferty has those days, too. But they’re short lived with Marshall around.
“He never has a negative attitude,” he said. “With dogs, when you come home no matter how long you’ve been gone your dog is always happy to see you. Even on the days when I’m grumpy and tired. Marshall will nudge me and be like, ‘Nah. None of that.’ He brings a positive vibe to the station.”
Fire Stations Across
Baxter Fire & EMS Department
Colfax Fire & EMS Department
Kellogg Fire & EMS Department
Mingo Fire & EMS Department
Jasper County
SAFE House Program is a crucial fire safety tool
Fire departments all across
By Christopher Braunschweig
Newton News
Every October several fire departments across the county utilize an important tool to teach third graders about how to respond to a house fire during Fire Prevention Month.
the country use
It is known as the SAFE House, and it simulates what it is like to be in a room filled with smoke and how best to navigate an exit.
For about three decades, the SAFE House has played a key role in educating younger generations about fire safety. At
it to teach third graders during Fire Prevention Month
first glance, it looks like a tiny home on wheels. But the structure is equipped with a smoke machine. Kids then listen to firefighter instructions to escape the “burning” building, including what to do after.
Newton Fire Marshall Jacob Halferty said the SAFE House
Program teaches kids the basics, like using the back of their hands to feel if the door knob is hot (indicating a fire on the outside) and staying low to the ground when traversing. Firefighters also teach kids how to safely exit a through a window.
“Or, if that’s not an option,
how to stay low to the ground and understand you may have to shelter yourself in place until the firefighters can get to you,” Halferty said. “We have two rooms in the SAFE House and we have a video that we’ve made that will talk about some of the fire safety tips.”
The roles EMS workers play in your community
Every community has its unsung heroes. Without the contributions of selfless individuals whose efforts often go unnoticed, thriving communities would not be as safe, welcoming or successful.
EMS workers are among the most important individuals in a community. The contributions of these individuals, many of whom work as unpaid volunteers, are invaluable and worthy of recognition. Making an effort to understand the role EMS workers play is a great first step toward showing them how much they’re appreciated.
What is EMS?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Office of EMS notes that Emergency Medical Services, or EMS, is a system that provides emergency medical care. The Office of EMS also notes that EMS does not exist in isolation, as it is integrated with other services and systems with the goal of maintaining and enhancing the health and safety of a community and its residents. This is why EMS services, though they vary from community to community, may be based in fire departments, hospitals, independent government agencies, or nonprofit corporations. What duties do EMS workers perform?
Because EMS is a system, EMS workers wear
a range of hats. The Office of EMS notes that the responsibilities and services EMS workers provide may include:
• Incident recognition
• Access 911
• Dispatch
• First responder
• Basic life support
• Advanced life support
• Air/ground transport
• Emergency department services
• Specialty care
• Patient rehabilitation
• Prevention and awareness
• Public education
When do EMS personnel interact with their communities?
Many people only encounter EMS workers during medical emergencies when they are most in need of help. That underscores the vital role EMS workers play in public health and safety and just how integral they are in instances that could escalate into life-or-death situations.
Recognition of the roles EMS workers play is a great way to show support for these often unsung community heroes.
— Metro Creative
How to show appreciation for EMS workers
Emergency Medical Services is a system that provides emergency medical care to patients in need. The Office of EMS defines its efforts as a system of coordinated response and emergency medical care that encompasses multiple people and agencies. The system includes law enforcement first responders, emergency services dispatch workers, transportation providers, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, nurses, and more.
According to the 2020 National EMS Assessment from the National Association of State EMS Officials, there were 1,030,760 licensed EMS professionals in the United States in 2020. EMS responders face many potential job hazards and sometimes put their own lives on the line to address patient emergencies. Exposure to hazardous bodily sub -
stances and chemicals; lifting patients and equipment; treating infectious illnesses; and riding as passengers in high-speed transportation efforts are just some of the dangers EMS workers encounter every day.
EMS responders work tirelessly to help people in need. They often encounter people in dire situations and are routinely exposed to potentially traumatic situations. Still, many continue to show up to work each and every day. In recognition of the invaluable services they provide, here are just a few ways anyone can show their appreciation for EMS workers in their community.
• Prioritize accident and injury prevention. One of the ways to give EMS workers a break is to reduce the need for their services. By following safe -
ty guidelines and conducting yourself in a safe and responsible manner, you can reduce the number of accidents that require EMS workers to respond. While not every incident can be avoided, prioritizing safety can greatly reduce instances that call for emergency responses.
• Offer your gratitude. When you see EMS responders on the job or around the neighborhood, offer words of thanks for all they do to keep your community safe. Your words of encouragement and appreciation can provide support and inspiration to EMS workers.
• Rally local youths. Children in school or at home can create thank you cards depicting the hard work of EMS workers. Drop them off at a nearby location or display them around the community.
• Offer store discounts. Business owners can offer year-round discounts to EMS responders and greater discounts during the month of May, when National EMS Week is celebrated
• Use social media to spread the word. Celebrate those in the EMS community by sharing examples of their hard work, dedication and compassion on social media.
• Buy workers lunch. Contact a local EMS agency or visit a nearby first aid squad and deliver a catered lunch. Go the extra mile and enlist neighbors to help finance this gesture.
EMS workers have stressful and demanding jobs. Taking time out of one’s day to thank them can remind EMS professionals just how much they are appreciated. — Metro Creative
