Good Morning, Everyone.
Today marks the 124th anniversary of a Saint Paul Fire Department line-of-duty death.
On November 4, 1887, Stoker Bill Cuniff died after falling down the stairs at Station 6 while answering an emergency call. Bill was assigned to Engine 6.
In 1887, the Department was just 1 decade beyond the volunteer service. It was, however, far beyond the Volunteers in equipment, discipline, and professionalism. It had nine first-class engines, 7 hook and ladder trucks, 7 fully-manned chemical engines, and 93 horses.
Station 6 was a monstrous 3-story brick structure with towering parapets and chimneys. The station was built in 1884 on the City’s West Side at the corner of Delos Street and Clinton Avenue. The station housed Engine 6 and Hook and Ladder 5. Engine/Hose Company 6 was composed of 10 men: Captain and Lieutenant, Engineer and Stoker for the Engine; a Driver for the Hose Cart and one for the Engine, and 4 Pipemen.
Falling down the stairs answering an alarm might seem to some an ignoble way of dying in the line of duty. Yet over the years – even up through the 1950’s - falling accidents on the stairways and fire poles of the City’s fire stations were commonplace. At least 4 LODDs have occurred from those accidents. The latest – in 1959 – led to the construction of safer, single-story fire stations in the 1960’s (51’s, 4’s, and 6’s).
Considering the steep, dimly lit stairways of the stations back in the 1880’s, the lack of railings and safeguards around pole holes and stairwells, and the constant urgency to get out the door quickly and to the scene of a fire, it should be no surprise that accidents occurred frequently. There were no “false alarms” back then – if a report of a fire made it to the station, it was a FIRE! Historic pictures of our stations show as many as 3 people sliding a single fire pole at the same time! Such was the crew’s urgency to reduce “turn out time.”
I think of the crew’s “lounge” area at Station 7. It is just feet away from the tailboards of the truck and engine, and put there no doubt to be close to the rigs and pre-staged for an immediate response. Are we really any different then the men of 1887? Station 18 and Station 17 – with their kitchens also just feet away from the rigs – are also poised for quick response and immediate action. The measure of a department’s “turn out time” (from the time the call is dispatched until the truck is en route) is still an important measure of the efficiency of a department and a source of enduring pride by its personnel....just like it was back in 1887.
At 0800 hours this morning, Saint Paul Fire Department members will pause for a moment of silence to honor the memory of Stoker Bill Cuniff and all 58 members of the Saint Paul Fire Department who have given their life in the service of this Department and the Citizens of Saint Paul. Please feel entirely free to join us from wherever you may be.
Respectfully,
Tim Butler
Fire Chief
Fire Chief Tim Butler
Thanks for checking out my web log! My radio call sign in Saint Paul is "Car 1." Join me as we go "On Scene" to the fire stations, training evolutions, emergency incidents, and community events in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Let's share perspectives on the issues facing our Department, our community, and the American Fire Service!
Friday, November 4, 2011
Friday, October 21, 2011
REMEMBERING 5 SAINT PAUL FIREFIGHTERS KILLED IN ACTION IN 1900
Good Morning, Everyone.
Today marks the 111th anniversary of the most deadly fireground incident in Saint Paul Fire Department history. On October 21, 1900, five Saint Paul Firefighters were killed at what would become known as The Midway Fire.
It was shortly after midnight on a Sunday morning when fire broke out at the A. B. Hinman packing plant on Vandalia Street just 200 feet north of University Avenue. The packing plant was a 4-story, wood frame building, and produced a very hot fire. A brisk southwesterly wind fanned the flames, which quickly spread to an adjacent icehouse, then to a single-story building owned by the Northwest Lime Company. By 2 AM, the flames had spread to a large 3-story brick warehouse owned by the McCormick Harvester Company. The McCormick warehouse was full of packing crates and heavy machinery.
Crews worked hard to establish water supplies from the few available hydrants in the area. Long hose lays were required. Extra companies were summoned - some coming from very distant stations. Being all horse-drawn apparatus at the time, these companies truly had some "long runs."
At about 2:45 AM, the top floor of the McCormick warehouse suddenly collapsed, which caused the south wall of the building to topple outward. 8 Firefighters were buried under the debris. Additional companies were summoned to help in the rescue effort - some coming from downtown. Heavy farm machinery was mixed in with the bricks and beams. It took 9 hours to dig out the buried Firefighters. 3 escaped without serious injuries, 4 died on the scene, and 1 died from his injuries 3 days later.
Dead on scene were Second Assistant Chief William H. Irvine; Lieutenant Francis M. Edey of Engine 13; Second Pipeman Bertram F. Irish, Engine 13; and Driver Louis Wagner, of Engine 13. Second Pipeman Andrew J. Johnson of Engine 9 died of his injuries the following Wednesday.
Assistant Chief Irvine was born in Saint Paul in 1859. He joined the Department in 1884. He was promoted to Assistant Chief in 1898. He lived at 235 West 6th Street with his wife and 2 teenage daughters.
Lieutenant Edey was born in 1854, and was originally from Canada. He joined the Department in 1888. He served as a Pipeman and also worked in the shops as a painter. He served on Engine 1, Engine 5, Engine 9, and Hook and Ladder 6. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 1898. He lived at 847 Raymond Avenue with his wife and son.
Driver Louis Wagner was born in Wisconsin in 1868. He grew up a farm boy, and worked his early years as a thresher and a wagon driver. He joined the Department in 1898. He worked at Station 9 before being assigned as the driver of Engine 13. Louis was married and had 2 young children.
Second Pipeman Burt Irish hailed from Maine, where he was born in 1872. When his parents moved to Saint Paul, he finished school and helped run the family grocery store on the corner of Selby Avenue and Saint Albans Street. He joined the Department in 1898. He lived at 814 Raymond Avenue with his wife and young daughter.
Second Pipeman Andrew Johnson was born in Sweden in 1869. He came to the US when he was 12, and settled in Bloomington, MN with his family. He worked as a farm hand and carpenter before joining the Department in 1898. He worked on several Hook and Ladder companies and on Engines 8 and 9. He was unmarried, and lived at a boarding house at 137 East Congress Street.
The Midway Fire was finally extinguished at 4:00 AM, after it had caused more than $300,000 in damage and destroyed the lives of 5 Saint Paul families. The fire was ruled an arson, and although several suspects were investigated, no one was ever convicted of setting the fire.
This morning at 0800 hours, the men and woman of the Saint Paul Fire Department will pause for a moment of silence to remember Assistant Chief William Irvine, Lieutenant Francis Edey, Pipemen Bertram Irish and Andrew Johnson, Driver Louis Wagner, and all 58 Saint Paul Firefighters who have given their lives to serve the citizens of Saint Paul. Please feel entirely free to join us in that remembrance wherever you may be.
Most Respectfully,
tim
Today marks the 111th anniversary of the most deadly fireground incident in Saint Paul Fire Department history. On October 21, 1900, five Saint Paul Firefighters were killed at what would become known as The Midway Fire.
It was shortly after midnight on a Sunday morning when fire broke out at the A. B. Hinman packing plant on Vandalia Street just 200 feet north of University Avenue. The packing plant was a 4-story, wood frame building, and produced a very hot fire. A brisk southwesterly wind fanned the flames, which quickly spread to an adjacent icehouse, then to a single-story building owned by the Northwest Lime Company. By 2 AM, the flames had spread to a large 3-story brick warehouse owned by the McCormick Harvester Company. The McCormick warehouse was full of packing crates and heavy machinery.
Crews worked hard to establish water supplies from the few available hydrants in the area. Long hose lays were required. Extra companies were summoned - some coming from very distant stations. Being all horse-drawn apparatus at the time, these companies truly had some "long runs."
At about 2:45 AM, the top floor of the McCormick warehouse suddenly collapsed, which caused the south wall of the building to topple outward. 8 Firefighters were buried under the debris. Additional companies were summoned to help in the rescue effort - some coming from downtown. Heavy farm machinery was mixed in with the bricks and beams. It took 9 hours to dig out the buried Firefighters. 3 escaped without serious injuries, 4 died on the scene, and 1 died from his injuries 3 days later.
Dead on scene were Second Assistant Chief William H. Irvine; Lieutenant Francis M. Edey of Engine 13; Second Pipeman Bertram F. Irish, Engine 13; and Driver Louis Wagner, of Engine 13. Second Pipeman Andrew J. Johnson of Engine 9 died of his injuries the following Wednesday.
Assistant Chief Irvine was born in Saint Paul in 1859. He joined the Department in 1884. He was promoted to Assistant Chief in 1898. He lived at 235 West 6th Street with his wife and 2 teenage daughters.
Lieutenant Edey was born in 1854, and was originally from Canada. He joined the Department in 1888. He served as a Pipeman and also worked in the shops as a painter. He served on Engine 1, Engine 5, Engine 9, and Hook and Ladder 6. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 1898. He lived at 847 Raymond Avenue with his wife and son.
Driver Louis Wagner was born in Wisconsin in 1868. He grew up a farm boy, and worked his early years as a thresher and a wagon driver. He joined the Department in 1898. He worked at Station 9 before being assigned as the driver of Engine 13. Louis was married and had 2 young children.
Second Pipeman Burt Irish hailed from Maine, where he was born in 1872. When his parents moved to Saint Paul, he finished school and helped run the family grocery store on the corner of Selby Avenue and Saint Albans Street. He joined the Department in 1898. He lived at 814 Raymond Avenue with his wife and young daughter.
Second Pipeman Andrew Johnson was born in Sweden in 1869. He came to the US when he was 12, and settled in Bloomington, MN with his family. He worked as a farm hand and carpenter before joining the Department in 1898. He worked on several Hook and Ladder companies and on Engines 8 and 9. He was unmarried, and lived at a boarding house at 137 East Congress Street.
The Midway Fire was finally extinguished at 4:00 AM, after it had caused more than $300,000 in damage and destroyed the lives of 5 Saint Paul families. The fire was ruled an arson, and although several suspects were investigated, no one was ever convicted of setting the fire.
This morning at 0800 hours, the men and woman of the Saint Paul Fire Department will pause for a moment of silence to remember Assistant Chief William Irvine, Lieutenant Francis Edey, Pipemen Bertram Irish and Andrew Johnson, Driver Louis Wagner, and all 58 Saint Paul Firefighters who have given their lives to serve the citizens of Saint Paul. Please feel entirely free to join us in that remembrance wherever you may be.
Most Respectfully,
tim
Monday, October 17, 2011
PROTECT YOUR FAMILY FROM FIRE
I cannot believe we are more than halfway through October!! October is Fire Prevention Month, and I do hope you'll take a few minutes over the next couple of weeks to reduce the risk of having a fire in your home or business. This year's Fire Prevention theme is "Protect Your Family from Fire."
What a SUPERB theme for Fire Prevention Month!! Although we all would like to think that our homes are the safest place to be, our homes are actually the most DANGEROUS place to be in regards to fires. 3/4 of all structure fires occur in the home. Most fire-related civilian injuries and fatalities occur in the home - nearly 80%!
Sadly, it's our own habits and behaviors that cause most fires. Inattentive cooking is the leading cause, but smoking, careless use of candles or open flames, and combustibles placed too close to heaters or fireplaces are also significant causes of home fires.
So....during the next two weeks, would you take just 30 MINUTES to Protect Your Family from Fire? Here's how:
+ Ensure you have operating smoke detectors. Doing so improves your chance of surviving a fire by more than 50%! Check your battery-operated smoke detectors. Hit the test button once a month to ensure they still work, and change the batteries once a year. Don't remember when you changed the batteries last?.....then change the batteries during October. Older detectors may not work as well as they should. Most detectors only last about 10 years. If yours are old, change them....and write the date of installation on the back of the detector so you can check on their age in the future.
+ Ensure you've discussed a home escape plan with your family members. Practice getting out from each bedroom, the kitchen, and the family room. Anticipate the need for 2 ways out of every room, and identify a meeting place outside so that everyone can be accounted for if they are escaping from different rooms.
+ NEVER leave cooking unattended, and NEVER put water on a stove top fire! Some experts suggest having a portable fire extinguisher handy near the kitchen. If you're comfortable with that - then do it! For most people, the simple advise is still the best advise: GET OUT, call 9-1-1, and the Fire Department will take of the fire.
+ If you smoke, thoroughly crush all butts and dispose of all smoking materials in DEEP ash containers. Be responsible for your discarded matches, lighters, and butts. Remember: if you lit the cigarette and a fire ensues......well, then you lit the fire, didn't you?
+ Be careful when using candles and incense. Place them away from all combustibles, and keep children away from them. Snuff them out thoroughly if you need to leave the room where they are in use.
+ Space heaters should be treated like open flames: keep combustibles and children away, and turn them off if you need to leave the room where the heaters are in use.
+ Finally: although not specifically fire-related, please ensure that there is a carbon monoxide detector installed within 10 feet of every sleeping area in your home. Carbon-monoxide is not detectible by sight, taste, or smell, and results from incomplete combustion - usually (for homeowners) in gas-fired appliances. During the heating season, when heaters and furnaces are in continuous use and homes are "buttoned up" against the cold outdoor weather, people are especially susceptible to carbon monoxide poisoning. A detector installed near the bedroom areas of your home can alert you before it's too late.
Each of these steps takes just a little time...some as little as 10 seconds! Almost all of these them take less than an hour or two. That's a small investment for protecting your family from fire.
If you have any questions about protecting your home, contact the Saint Paul Fire Department at 651-224-7811. We can help. If you live in Saint Paul, Firefighters will even come to your home and work with your family to reduce your risk of fire. Call us about this program - called Project Safe Haven. Over 600 families already have! We will help your family develop and practice a family escape plan, install smoke alarms, and answer any additional questions you have. Together, we can "Protect Your Family from Fire!"
Thank you, and have a safe and enjoyable month of October!
Tim
What a SUPERB theme for Fire Prevention Month!! Although we all would like to think that our homes are the safest place to be, our homes are actually the most DANGEROUS place to be in regards to fires. 3/4 of all structure fires occur in the home. Most fire-related civilian injuries and fatalities occur in the home - nearly 80%!
Sadly, it's our own habits and behaviors that cause most fires. Inattentive cooking is the leading cause, but smoking, careless use of candles or open flames, and combustibles placed too close to heaters or fireplaces are also significant causes of home fires.
So....during the next two weeks, would you take just 30 MINUTES to Protect Your Family from Fire? Here's how:
+ Ensure you have operating smoke detectors. Doing so improves your chance of surviving a fire by more than 50%! Check your battery-operated smoke detectors. Hit the test button once a month to ensure they still work, and change the batteries once a year. Don't remember when you changed the batteries last?.....then change the batteries during October. Older detectors may not work as well as they should. Most detectors only last about 10 years. If yours are old, change them....and write the date of installation on the back of the detector so you can check on their age in the future.
+ Ensure you've discussed a home escape plan with your family members. Practice getting out from each bedroom, the kitchen, and the family room. Anticipate the need for 2 ways out of every room, and identify a meeting place outside so that everyone can be accounted for if they are escaping from different rooms.
+ NEVER leave cooking unattended, and NEVER put water on a stove top fire! Some experts suggest having a portable fire extinguisher handy near the kitchen. If you're comfortable with that - then do it! For most people, the simple advise is still the best advise: GET OUT, call 9-1-1, and the Fire Department will take of the fire.
+ If you smoke, thoroughly crush all butts and dispose of all smoking materials in DEEP ash containers. Be responsible for your discarded matches, lighters, and butts. Remember: if you lit the cigarette and a fire ensues......well, then you lit the fire, didn't you?
+ Be careful when using candles and incense. Place them away from all combustibles, and keep children away from them. Snuff them out thoroughly if you need to leave the room where they are in use.
+ Space heaters should be treated like open flames: keep combustibles and children away, and turn them off if you need to leave the room where the heaters are in use.
+ Finally: although not specifically fire-related, please ensure that there is a carbon monoxide detector installed within 10 feet of every sleeping area in your home. Carbon-monoxide is not detectible by sight, taste, or smell, and results from incomplete combustion - usually (for homeowners) in gas-fired appliances. During the heating season, when heaters and furnaces are in continuous use and homes are "buttoned up" against the cold outdoor weather, people are especially susceptible to carbon monoxide poisoning. A detector installed near the bedroom areas of your home can alert you before it's too late.
Each of these steps takes just a little time...some as little as 10 seconds! Almost all of these them take less than an hour or two. That's a small investment for protecting your family from fire.
If you have any questions about protecting your home, contact the Saint Paul Fire Department at 651-224-7811. We can help. If you live in Saint Paul, Firefighters will even come to your home and work with your family to reduce your risk of fire. Call us about this program - called Project Safe Haven. Over 600 families already have! We will help your family develop and practice a family escape plan, install smoke alarms, and answer any additional questions you have. Together, we can "Protect Your Family from Fire!"
Thank you, and have a safe and enjoyable month of October!
Tim
REMEMBERING TRUCKMAN PETER AKERMAN
Today marks the 125th anniversary of a Saint Paul Fire Department line-of-duty death.
On October 17, 1886, Truckman Peter Akerman fell down an elevator shaft while fighting a fire on the smoky upper floors of a building in the Sherman Block fire at 6th and Wabasha Streets. Peter was assigned to Ladder 1.
In the History of the Police and Fire Departments of the Twin Cities, published by the American Land and Title Register Association, Truckman Akerman is identified as Peter Okerman. He was described by the authors as capable and well-liked, and they reported that he was unmarried and lived at the fire station on Saint Peter Street near 7th.
A "Truckman," by the way, was a Firefighter title assigned to Ladder companies. Nowadays they are sometimes referred to as "Truckies," although personnel holding the Firefighter title in Saint Paul work on all types of fire, rescue, and medic units.
Imagine fighting a fire in 1886! There were no electrical hazards to worry about, because there were no electric lights inside to guide occupant egress or to provide illumination for rescuers. There were no streetlights or strobe lights outside to help orient Firefighters (which can help at times nowadays). There were only minimal safeguards or railings around elevator shafts, no personal protective equipment, no flashlights, and no power tools or elevated platforms. (Ladder 1 did carry a 55 foot wooden ground ladder for those stout-hearted men. Imagine raising that heavy monster to the building!).
But times and conditions are not all that different today. We still have minimum lighting conditions inside buildings. Denser, hotter, more toxic smoke still cuts visibility to zero, and can still disorientate and suffocate within seconds. In some of our buildings there still are inadequate railings and safeguards in place, or missing stairways, or holes in floor. Modern construction materials and methods have resulted in hotter, faster burning fires and faster collapse of floors, roofs, and stairways. Searching for and rescuing fire victims today is still a particularly dangerous function on the fireground, especially in larger buildings and multi-unit apartment buildings. There is no robot or automated device that can do this task effectively....it still comes down to teams of Firefighters crawling on hands and knees in pitch darkness, using touch and sound to find victims and stay oriented.
At 0800 hours this morning, the Saint Paul Fire Department members paused for a moment of silence to honor the memory of Truckman Peter Akerman and all 58 members of the Saint Paul Fire Department who have given their life in the service of this Department and the Citizens of Saint Paul.
Take Care.
Tim
On October 17, 1886, Truckman Peter Akerman fell down an elevator shaft while fighting a fire on the smoky upper floors of a building in the Sherman Block fire at 6th and Wabasha Streets. Peter was assigned to Ladder 1.
In the History of the Police and Fire Departments of the Twin Cities, published by the American Land and Title Register Association, Truckman Akerman is identified as Peter Okerman. He was described by the authors as capable and well-liked, and they reported that he was unmarried and lived at the fire station on Saint Peter Street near 7th.
A "Truckman," by the way, was a Firefighter title assigned to Ladder companies. Nowadays they are sometimes referred to as "Truckies," although personnel holding the Firefighter title in Saint Paul work on all types of fire, rescue, and medic units.
Imagine fighting a fire in 1886! There were no electrical hazards to worry about, because there were no electric lights inside to guide occupant egress or to provide illumination for rescuers. There were no streetlights or strobe lights outside to help orient Firefighters (which can help at times nowadays). There were only minimal safeguards or railings around elevator shafts, no personal protective equipment, no flashlights, and no power tools or elevated platforms. (Ladder 1 did carry a 55 foot wooden ground ladder for those stout-hearted men. Imagine raising that heavy monster to the building!).
But times and conditions are not all that different today. We still have minimum lighting conditions inside buildings. Denser, hotter, more toxic smoke still cuts visibility to zero, and can still disorientate and suffocate within seconds. In some of our buildings there still are inadequate railings and safeguards in place, or missing stairways, or holes in floor. Modern construction materials and methods have resulted in hotter, faster burning fires and faster collapse of floors, roofs, and stairways. Searching for and rescuing fire victims today is still a particularly dangerous function on the fireground, especially in larger buildings and multi-unit apartment buildings. There is no robot or automated device that can do this task effectively....it still comes down to teams of Firefighters crawling on hands and knees in pitch darkness, using touch and sound to find victims and stay oriented.
At 0800 hours this morning, the Saint Paul Fire Department members paused for a moment of silence to honor the memory of Truckman Peter Akerman and all 58 members of the Saint Paul Fire Department who have given their life in the service of this Department and the Citizens of Saint Paul.
Take Care.
Tim
Saturday, October 15, 2011
SMOKE ALARMS AND CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS
Good Morning, Everyone!
We are half-way through Fire Prevention Month, and I hope you've taken a few minutes to "Protect Your Family from Fire!"
Ensuring that you have properly operating smoke alarms (detectors) and carbon monoxide detectors can dramatically reduce your family's risk of being injured or killed, speed up detection of the fire, and generate a faster response time from the Fire Department (resulting in significantly less property damage).
Research has shown that a properly operating smoke alarm can cut your risk of dying in a home fire by more than 50%! (When combined with automatic fire sprinkler systems, that risk is cut by more than 80%)! Yet sadly, the majority of smoke alarms don't work due to old or missing batteries or because the detectors are obsolete. Simple steps to Protect Your Family from Fire include: testing detectors monthly, changing your batteries once per year, and replacing detectors every 10 years.
It's important that our non-English speaking residents receive and understand these life-saving tips, and now there's a way to get this information to them. Twin Cities Public Television (TPT-TV, Channel 2) is broadcasting information about carbon monoxide detectors and smoke alarms in multiple languages. Here's the broadcast times/dates/languages:
* Sunday, October 16 at 7:00 PM in Hmong, 7:20 PM in Karen, and 7:40 PM in Somali
* Sunday, October 23 at 7:00 PM in Vietnamese, 7:20 PM in Lao, and 7:40 PM in Khmer
* Sunday, October 30 at 7:00 PM in Spanish and at 7:30 PM in English
Please pass this information and scheduling along to others. Having neighbors, co-workers, family, and friends who know this basic information goes a long ways towards strengthening our community, and making our apartment buildings and neighborhoods a safer place to live.
Thank you for investing your time this month to Protect Your Family from Fire, and if you have questions on how I can assist you in that work, please let me know, or call the Saint Paul Fire Department at 651-224-7811.
Tim Butler
Saint Paul Fire Chief
We are half-way through Fire Prevention Month, and I hope you've taken a few minutes to "Protect Your Family from Fire!"
Ensuring that you have properly operating smoke alarms (detectors) and carbon monoxide detectors can dramatically reduce your family's risk of being injured or killed, speed up detection of the fire, and generate a faster response time from the Fire Department (resulting in significantly less property damage).
Research has shown that a properly operating smoke alarm can cut your risk of dying in a home fire by more than 50%! (When combined with automatic fire sprinkler systems, that risk is cut by more than 80%)! Yet sadly, the majority of smoke alarms don't work due to old or missing batteries or because the detectors are obsolete. Simple steps to Protect Your Family from Fire include: testing detectors monthly, changing your batteries once per year, and replacing detectors every 10 years.
It's important that our non-English speaking residents receive and understand these life-saving tips, and now there's a way to get this information to them. Twin Cities Public Television (TPT-TV, Channel 2) is broadcasting information about carbon monoxide detectors and smoke alarms in multiple languages. Here's the broadcast times/dates/languages:
* Sunday, October 16 at 7:00 PM in Hmong, 7:20 PM in Karen, and 7:40 PM in Somali
* Sunday, October 23 at 7:00 PM in Vietnamese, 7:20 PM in Lao, and 7:40 PM in Khmer
* Sunday, October 30 at 7:00 PM in Spanish and at 7:30 PM in English
Please pass this information and scheduling along to others. Having neighbors, co-workers, family, and friends who know this basic information goes a long ways towards strengthening our community, and making our apartment buildings and neighborhoods a safer place to live.
Thank you for investing your time this month to Protect Your Family from Fire, and if you have questions on how I can assist you in that work, please let me know, or call the Saint Paul Fire Department at 651-224-7811.
Tim Butler
Saint Paul Fire Chief
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
FACES OF INFLUENZA - HEALTHY CHALLENGE
Today I had the distinct pleasure to travel to Minneapolis Fire Station #27 for a joint press conference with Minneapolis Fire and the American Lung Association. The event: announcing the winner of the 2nd annual “Faces of Influenza” Healthy Challenge. The Healthy Challenge is a contest between the Minneapolis and Saint Paul Firefighters, and the department having the most members who get immunizations against the influenza virus wins the contest.
As a Firefighter and Fire Chief, I love to win, and I especially love winning against admirable opponents like the Minneapolis Fire Department. Of course, this is a friendly competition designed to help educate and encourage the public to receive influenza immunizations. Minneapolis won last year’s contest, and I had high hopes that Saint Paul would prevail in 2010. Well........victory was not to be for us this year either. In spite of having nearly 300 of our members immunized, Minneapolis won – they had 4 more members immunized than we did. We lost by 4 people!! (Heavy sigh). Well, even though Saint Paul “lost,” we all won in the end – getting protection against a serious illness that can kill even the healthiest people.
In addition to Minneapolis Fire Chief Alex Jackson and each department’s EMS Chiefs (Matt Simpson for Saint Paul and Charlotte Holt for Minneapolis), I joined Mrs. Linda DeLude for today’s press conference. Linda is the wife of deceased Minneapolis Firefighter Barry DeLude. Barry died from complications of influenza in 2007. Like many healthy people, Barry decided not to get immunized against influenza. It was sobering to hear Linda talk about Barry’s illness and his life that was cut short by the disease. If a strong, vibrant Firefighter could be cut down in his prime by the flu, then all of us are at risk. Linda’s mission is to encourage EVERYONE to get immunized against influenza. Barry served on Minneapolis Fire for over 20 years, and served most recently on Ladder #5. Station #27 (current home to Ladder 5) has a memorial on their watch office wall honoring Barry and displaying the Healthy Challenge awards from both 2009 and 2010.
If you haven’t gotten your influenza immunization yet, I highly encourage you to do so. The vaccination is a simple shot in the arm, and is appropriate for everyone 6 months old and older. If you have any questions regarding the flu or the vaccination, visit the American Lung Association’s Influenza Prevention website for more information: www.facesofinfluenza.org
Firefighters are often called to care for injured or sick citizens. My department relies on annual influenza immunizations as our first line of defense against contracting the flu virus. Barry DeLude’s story reminds all of us how devastating the flu can be. Make the immunization YOUR first line of defense as well, and get your flu shot today!
The flu season runs from autumn to late winter/early spring, so if you haven’t received your shot yet, there is still plenty of time and plenty of vaccine available. Take this important step for to protect yourself and your family - get your shot!
Take care and stay warm on this blustery October night!
tim
As a Firefighter and Fire Chief, I love to win, and I especially love winning against admirable opponents like the Minneapolis Fire Department. Of course, this is a friendly competition designed to help educate and encourage the public to receive influenza immunizations. Minneapolis won last year’s contest, and I had high hopes that Saint Paul would prevail in 2010. Well........victory was not to be for us this year either. In spite of having nearly 300 of our members immunized, Minneapolis won – they had 4 more members immunized than we did. We lost by 4 people!! (Heavy sigh). Well, even though Saint Paul “lost,” we all won in the end – getting protection against a serious illness that can kill even the healthiest people.
In addition to Minneapolis Fire Chief Alex Jackson and each department’s EMS Chiefs (Matt Simpson for Saint Paul and Charlotte Holt for Minneapolis), I joined Mrs. Linda DeLude for today’s press conference. Linda is the wife of deceased Minneapolis Firefighter Barry DeLude. Barry died from complications of influenza in 2007. Like many healthy people, Barry decided not to get immunized against influenza. It was sobering to hear Linda talk about Barry’s illness and his life that was cut short by the disease. If a strong, vibrant Firefighter could be cut down in his prime by the flu, then all of us are at risk. Linda’s mission is to encourage EVERYONE to get immunized against influenza. Barry served on Minneapolis Fire for over 20 years, and served most recently on Ladder #5. Station #27 (current home to Ladder 5) has a memorial on their watch office wall honoring Barry and displaying the Healthy Challenge awards from both 2009 and 2010.
If you haven’t gotten your influenza immunization yet, I highly encourage you to do so. The vaccination is a simple shot in the arm, and is appropriate for everyone 6 months old and older. If you have any questions regarding the flu or the vaccination, visit the American Lung Association’s Influenza Prevention website for more information: www.facesofinfluenza.org
Firefighters are often called to care for injured or sick citizens. My department relies on annual influenza immunizations as our first line of defense against contracting the flu virus. Barry DeLude’s story reminds all of us how devastating the flu can be. Make the immunization YOUR first line of defense as well, and get your flu shot today!
The flu season runs from autumn to late winter/early spring, so if you haven’t received your shot yet, there is still plenty of time and plenty of vaccine available. Take this important step for to protect yourself and your family - get your shot!
Take care and stay warm on this blustery October night!
tim
Sunday, May 23, 2010
SAINT PAUL FIRE'S FIRST "HANDS ONLY" CPR CLASS
Yesterday morning, I had the opportunity to meet with Saint Paul’s newest neighborhood crime watch group serving the Irvine, Pleasant, and Ramsey neighborhoods in Saint Paul. The Alert Neighbors group was recently created by my friend, John Morson. After “retiring” from a long career in public safety, John wanted to create a neighborhood group focused on reducing crime, building awareness of important health and safety issues facing his neighborhood, and providing information and practical solutions to known public safety risks. One of those risks is death from sudden cardiac arrest (heart attack). John’s solution: teach people a new form of Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) that only requires the use of your hands to deliver rapid compressions on the chest.
Hands Only CPR eliminates the need to breath into someone’s mouth. It reduces the aversion many people have to conventional CRP. The new technique also eliminates the need to remember the ratio of chest compressions to ventilations – something that seemed to change constantly over the last several decades. Hands Only CPR can be learned in just minutes, and requires just two simple steps:
1. Call 9-1-1.
2. Deliver rapid, deep chest compressions without interruption.
Anyone can learn Hands Only CPR in minutes. The American Heart Association provides a GREAT website on Hands Only CPR. The site provides easy-to-understand diagrams, videos, and great background information. It even provides an application for iPhone and Droid mobile devices so you can use the latest technology to show others how to perform Hands Only CPR. Check out this great website at: www.handsonlycpr.org
The Alert Neighbors invited Saint Paul Paramedic/Firefighter Mark Wandersee to their meeting yesterday to teach a Hands Only CPR class. Mark is a very talented instructor who teaches CPR to hundreds of people every year. He brought videos, manikins, and a host of experiences “from the street,” and the class was lively and educational. 15 citizens took the class – the youngest being just seven years old! All were awarded Certificates of Completion for the class and rewarded with the knowledge of how to save a life during a sudden cardiac arrest!
Graduation Photo of the Alert Neighbors Hands Only CPR Class
Yesterday’s class was the first Hands Only CPR class taught by Saint Paul Fire….but surely not the last! I believe everyone should know this life-saving skill and that all schools and businesses should be equipped with Automatic External Defibrillators (AED). Studies show that four rapid interventions lead to superior cardiac survival rates:
1. Rapid activation of the 9-1-1 system
2. Immediate performance of CPR by bystanders
3. Immediate application of an AED
4. Rapid intervention by Advanced Life Support paramedic crews
Saint Paul residents already have a great 9-1-1 system. That system employs dispatchers that can assist bystanders with CPR instructions over the phone if necessary. The Saint Paul Fire Department has exceptionally talented paramedic/firefighter crews with rapid response times. What our system would benefit from, however, is more citizens who know CPR and more sites equipped with AEDs. Hands Only CPR classes will certainly increase the number of bystanders who know – and are willing to perform – CPR when they see an adult collapse in cardiac arrest.
If you’d like to learn Hands Only CPR, check out www.handsonlycpr.org
If you’d like to have the Saint Paul Fire Department bring a Hands Only CPR class to your workgroup or school, please contact me at: tim.butler@ci.stpaul.mn.us or call the Department at: 651-224-7811.
And, if you live in the Irvine, Pleasant, or Ramsey neighborhoods in Saint Paul and want to join an interesting neighborhood group with lots of safety-related activities, check out: http://www.alert-neighbors.com/
Thanks for joining me "On Scene" at Saint Paul Fire’s “First Ever Hands Only CPR Class!”
Take care and be safe!
tim
Hands Only CPR eliminates the need to breath into someone’s mouth. It reduces the aversion many people have to conventional CRP. The new technique also eliminates the need to remember the ratio of chest compressions to ventilations – something that seemed to change constantly over the last several decades. Hands Only CPR can be learned in just minutes, and requires just two simple steps:
1. Call 9-1-1.
2. Deliver rapid, deep chest compressions without interruption.
Anyone can learn Hands Only CPR in minutes. The American Heart Association provides a GREAT website on Hands Only CPR. The site provides easy-to-understand diagrams, videos, and great background information. It even provides an application for iPhone and Droid mobile devices so you can use the latest technology to show others how to perform Hands Only CPR. Check out this great website at: www.handsonlycpr.org
The Alert Neighbors invited Saint Paul Paramedic/Firefighter Mark Wandersee to their meeting yesterday to teach a Hands Only CPR class. Mark is a very talented instructor who teaches CPR to hundreds of people every year. He brought videos, manikins, and a host of experiences “from the street,” and the class was lively and educational. 15 citizens took the class – the youngest being just seven years old! All were awarded Certificates of Completion for the class and rewarded with the knowledge of how to save a life during a sudden cardiac arrest!
Graduation Photo of the Alert Neighbors Hands Only CPR Class
Yesterday’s class was the first Hands Only CPR class taught by Saint Paul Fire….but surely not the last! I believe everyone should know this life-saving skill and that all schools and businesses should be equipped with Automatic External Defibrillators (AED). Studies show that four rapid interventions lead to superior cardiac survival rates:
1. Rapid activation of the 9-1-1 system
2. Immediate performance of CPR by bystanders
3. Immediate application of an AED
4. Rapid intervention by Advanced Life Support paramedic crews
Saint Paul residents already have a great 9-1-1 system. That system employs dispatchers that can assist bystanders with CPR instructions over the phone if necessary. The Saint Paul Fire Department has exceptionally talented paramedic/firefighter crews with rapid response times. What our system would benefit from, however, is more citizens who know CPR and more sites equipped with AEDs. Hands Only CPR classes will certainly increase the number of bystanders who know – and are willing to perform – CPR when they see an adult collapse in cardiac arrest.
If you’d like to learn Hands Only CPR, check out www.handsonlycpr.org
If you’d like to have the Saint Paul Fire Department bring a Hands Only CPR class to your workgroup or school, please contact me at: tim.butler@ci.stpaul.mn.us or call the Department at: 651-224-7811.
And, if you live in the Irvine, Pleasant, or Ramsey neighborhoods in Saint Paul and want to join an interesting neighborhood group with lots of safety-related activities, check out: http://www.alert-neighbors.com/
Thanks for joining me "On Scene" at Saint Paul Fire’s “First Ever Hands Only CPR Class!”
Take care and be safe!
tim
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