2015 Annual Report Page 2 - Box 15box15.org/PDF/2015Box15AnnualReport.pdf · 2015 Annual Report Page 2 12-Alarm ... Inc. is dedicated to providing Canteen and Firefighter Rehab Services

2015 Annual Report Page 2

12-Alarm 5124 Winterburg Way - J. O'Brien Photo


Contents Message from the President ......................................................................................................................... 4

Mission Statement ........................................................................................................................................ 4

Meetings ....................................................................................................................................................... 4

Synopsis ........................................................................................................................................................ 4

Month by month activity .............................................................................................................................. 5

January ...................................................................................................................................................... 5

February .................................................................................................................................................... 6

March ........................................................................................................................................................ 7

April ........................................................................................................................................................... 7

May ........................................................................................................................................................... 7

June ........................................................................................................................................................... 8

July ............................................................................................................................................................ 8

August ....................................................................................................................................................... 9

September ............................................................................................................................................... 10

October ................................................................................................................................................... 10

November ............................................................................................................................................... 11

December ................................................................................................................................................ 11

Financial Performance ................................................................................................................................ 13

Benefactor Acknowledgments .................................................................................................................... 13

Partnerships & Alliances ............................................................................................................................. 14

2015 Firefighter Awards.............................................................................................................................. 14

Membership ................................................................................................................................................ 17

Training ....................................................................................................................................................... 17

Charitable Support ...................................................................................................................................... 17

Other Noteworthy Items ............................................................................................................................. 18

Vital Statistics .............................................................................................................................................. 19

Executive Board for 2016 ............................................................................................................................ 19

Cover Photo Credits .................................................................................................................................... 20

Action Shots ................................................................................................................................................ 20


Message from the President Box 15's total activity in 2015 did not turn out to be as busy as recent years. Some

noticeable exceptions were the prolonged extreme winter that caused a total of 21

days of cold weather stand by, including several daytime shifts where the high

temperature was in single digits. We spent more time than previous years providing

support to more community outreach operations, such as the American Red Cross

Smoke Alarm Outreach efforts with area fire departments. Box 15 also assisted with

rehab support for several law enforcement evidence search efforts. This past years also

saw Box 15 grow as a regional asset, as our responses to departments outside of Franklin

County continued.

With the support of the fire service community, Box 15 has been able to continue our

project of upgrading from propane portable heaters to more efficient kerosene

heaters. As 2015 came to an end, Box 15 is still exploring options to improve the services

we provide to Central Ohio's First Responders.

Bob Hess Box 15 President

Mission Statement

The Box 15 Club, Inc. is dedicated to providing Canteen and

Firefighter Rehab Services and to support, as best we can, in every

practical way, the work of our “first line of defense against the

ravages of fire” - the men and women of the fire service.

Meetings Box 15 meets on the last Tuesday of every month except December. Our meetings are held at

various locations, mostly at area fire stations. Meeting times are generally at 7:00 PM (19:00

hours); however certain meetings have associated activities and begin at 6:00 PM. Information

about meeting dates, times & locations can be requested by e-mailing [email protected].

Synopsis 2015 was a very interesting year for Box 15. Although our run totals were down slightly, we did

have some very memorable moments. We began January with several nights of cold weather

standby and responded to eight fires but in February, it really turned bitter. The extreme cold

lasted into early March. In May, we sent Rehab 1 and Rehab 3 to a large industrial fire on

Columbus’s south side – remaining on scene for more than 21 hours. The summer turned out

to be pretty mild and we only had three days of hot weather standby, but on August 29, we


traveled 45 miles southeast to Bremen for another industrial fire. That was our furthest

distance traveled in 2015 and one of the furthest runs we’ve ever taken.

During the year, we responded to two overturned ethanol tanker trucks – one was a major fire

beneath a freeway overpass. The other, fortunately, did not catch fire. We closed out the year

by providing support services at the request of Columbus Police for a crime scene investigation,

followed by a major warehouse fire. Throughout the year, we provided canteen & rehab

services for several days of training, attended several civic events and provided support services

for the American Red Cross’ door-to-door smoke alarm & neighborhood safety campaign.

Financially, we remained in good shape, which allowed us to add several thousand dollars to

our apparatus replacement fund. Membership also remained strong.

Month by month activity

January

The year started off cold, with Box 15 activating our extreme cold standby protocol for a period

of 5 straight nights, beginning on January 6. Our first fire run of the year came on January 7. It

was a 2 story motorcycle customization shop. This was

followed the next evening with a warehouse fire at a

construction company. On the 9th, we took in a fire with

Orange Township in Delaware County and as crews were

leaving the following morning, they responded to back-to-

back fires, the morning of the 10th. Three more fire

responses on the 18th, 27th and 29th concluded a busy month.

The fire on the 29th was during an ice storm and Box 15 was

cancelled enroute due to poor driving conditions. It would

have been a 35 mile response.

Date Time # Street Community Jurisdiction Incident

6-Jan 19:00 - 08:00 Cold Weather Protocol Standby - Staff Rehab 1 to respond on all working incidents


7-Jan 20:26 4027 E. Main St. Whitehall Whitehall Working Fire

8-Jan 18:43 2041 Arlingate Ln. Columbus Columbus Working Fire



9-Jan 19:39 1410 Franklin St. Lewis Center Orange Twp Working Fire

10-Jan 8:35 2002 Jasper Ln. Columbus Columbus Working Fire

10-Jan 9:30 1253 E. Long St. Columbus Columbus Working Fire


18-Jan 5:11 5390 Timberlake Circle Orient Pleasant Twp Working Fire

27-Jan 22:08 4445 LeMarie Ct. Columbus Columbus Working Fire

29-Jan 7:13 4061 Jacktown Rd. Ostrander Scioto Twp Working Fire

Arlingate working fire - J. O'Brien photo


February

February was our coldest and busiest month of the year. Right out of the gate, Rehab 2 had

back-to-back fires in Dublin and in the south end of Columbus. The month also included 15

shifts of standby duty because of extreme cold. All told, we responded to one 2-alarm and 11

working fires throughout the month. We also supported Columbus Fire and the American Red

Cross during a neighborhood Smoke Alarm/Home Fire Safety campaign on Columbus’s west

side.


1-Feb 8:33 5630 Tuttle Crossing Blvd. Dublin Washington Twp 2nd Alarm

1-Feb 10:24 1845 Williams Rd. Columbus Columbus Working Fire

1-Feb 19:00 - 08:00 Cold Weather Protocol Standby - Staff Rehab 1 to respond on all working incidents



3-Feb 4:02 94 N. Eureka Ave. Columbus Columbus Working Fire


11-Feb 7:45 9468 Jerome Rd. Dublin Washington Twp Working Fire



14-Feb 17:01 3094 Livingston Ave. Columbus Columbus Working Fire




18-Feb 20:01 89 S. Stanwood Ave. Bexley Columbus Working Fire


19-Feb 16:57 1353 N. Sixth St. Columbus Columbus Working Fire


21-Feb 9:00 3159 Vauxhall Rd. Franklin Twp Franklin Twp Working Fire



24-Feb 9:11 384 Westport Dr. Groveport Madison Twp Working Fire

26-Feb 9:00 303 N. Eureka Ave. Columbus Red Cross Smoke Alarm Dist.

26-Feb 13:26 977 Heyl Ave. Columbus Columbus Working Fire

Columbus Motor Speedway - J. O'Brien photo

Canal Winchester Carwash - J. O'Brien photo



27-Feb 3:23 410 W. Waterloo St. Canal Winchester Madison Twp Working Fire


28-Feb 3:08 1275 Simpson Dr. Columbus Columbus Working Fire

March The bitter cold eased up in March, with only one overnight

shift due to below zero conditions. We did respond to working

fires in Harlem Township and Columbus plus a 2-alarm fire

with Columbus in a very familiar complex during the month.

We also worked simultaneous civic events – the annual

Weather Spotter class, sponsored by Franklin County

Emergency Management and Homeland Security, and a stair

climb fundraiser for the American Lung Association.


1-Mar 12:18 13623 Robins Rd. Westerville Harlem Twp Working Fire

5-Mar 19:000 - 8:00 Cold Weather Protocol Standby - Staff Rehab 1 to respond on all working incidents

5-Mar 22:35 4301 Clime Rd. N. Columbus Columbus Working Fire

7-Mar 9:00 30 E. Broad St. Columbus Amer. Lung Civic Event

7-Mar 9:00 2400 Olentangy River Rd. Columbus FCEM&HS Civic Event

16-Mar 17:07 2414 Shore Blvd. E. Columbus Columbus 2nd Alarm

April The mild spring weather was evident by our run totals for April. We only had 2 runs – a working fire in

Delaware County and a bomb threat in downtown Columbus.


8-Apr 12:25 6211 Sawgrass Way Westerville Genoa Twp Working Fire

18-Apr 11:45 104 E. Long St. Columbus Columbus Bomb

May May 1 will be a day long-remembered by Columbus Fire and Box 15. At 4:17 PM, companies were

dispatched to an industrial recycling facility on Columbus’s south side. Within minutes a second alarm

was declared, followed by third and fourth alarms. Box 15 deployed Rehab 1 and Rehab 3 due to the

size of the incident. We were on scene for more than 21 hours, serving more than 300 meals, 450

bottles of water, 250 granola bars and 5 gallons of Sqwincher.


1-May 16:17 611 Marion Rd. Columbus Columbus 4th Alarm

4-May 13:41 60 Big Run Rd. Berlin Twp. Berlin Twp 2nd Alarm

9-May 4:30 5124 Winterburg Way Columbus Columbus 2nd Alarm

9-May 9:00

Area around US 33/ Winchester Rd. Carroll CPD

Law Enforcement

27-May 22:30 4645 Westerville Rd. Columbus Columbus 2nd Alarm

30-May 14:40 3474 Derrer Hollow Way Columbus Columbus 2nd Alarm

Robins Rd., Harlem Twp. - J. O'Brien photo


June Business got really slow as summer began. We only responded to one working fire at the request of

Upper Arlington, but we also participated in a two day Joint Task Force exercise at the Ohio Fire

Academy. Agencies included the U.S. Army, Columbus Bomb Squad, Franklin & Licking County Sheriff

units and several suburban fire departments. Box 15 and West Licking Support 401 worked together to

keep everyone hydrated. Special recognition goes to Operation BBQ Relief – a non-profit group of

professional barbeque teams that came in and fed everyone. And, of course, we displayed Rehab 1 &

Rehab 2 at the Annual Central Ohio Antique Fire Apparatus Association’s Muster.


12-Jun 11:44 2030 Cambridge Blvd. Upper Arlington Upper Arlington Working Fire

17-Jun 6:30 8895 E. Main St. Reynoldsburg US Army Training

18-Jun 7:00 8895 E. Main St. Reynoldsburg US Army Training

27-Jun 8:00 8895 E. Main St. Reynoldsburg COAFAA Muster Civic Event

July After the slow months of April and June, July saw a significant

upturn on activity. Rehab 1 was scheduled to provide

support services for the Columbus Fire recruit class, but

shortly before they began search & rescue training, we were

dispatched to a tanker truck fire at I-70 & I-270 on

Columbus’s west side. The truck had overturned on an exit

ramp and caught fire. We left adequate hydration and snacks

for the recruits before responding to the fire. Responses for

the month included three working fires, four training

activities and a 2-Alarm fire. The OFCA Convention was held

on July 15-18 and Box 15 played a variety of support roles

60 Big Run Blvd - J. O'Brien photo

611 Marion Rd. – photo courtesy of Local 67

2 Alarm fire on Glenloch Cir. J. O'Brien photo


during the convention. Two of our three extreme heat standby shifts took place during July and we

provided support services for Columbus Fire and the American Red Cross during one of the door-to-door

smoke alarm/home fire safety campaigns.


1-Jul 6:11

I-270 SB to I-70 EB (west side) Columbus Columbus Hazmat

1-Jul 8:00 8895 E. Main St. Reynoldsburg COAFAA Training

11-Jul 5:54 3039 Glenloch Cir. Dublin Washington Twp 2nd Alarm

16-Jul 8:00

Easton Hilton Columbus OFCA Convention

17-Jul 8:00

Easton Hilton Columbus OFCA Convention

18-Jul 8:00

Hilltop Columbus Red Cross Smoke Alarm Dist.

18-Jul 8:00

Buckeye Valley HS Delaware DelCo Chiefs Training

18-Jul 14:00 - 20:00 Hot Weather Protocol Standby - Staff Rehab 1 to respond on all working incidents

18-Jul 16:03 3330 E. Seventh Ave. Columbus Columbus Working Fire

19-Jul 8:00

Buckeye Valley HS Delaware DelCo Chiefs Training

21-Jul 13:30 500 N. Hamilton Rd. Gahanna Mifflin Twp. Gas Leak

24-Jul 19:37 980 Ginder Rd. NW Lancaster Greenfield Twp. Working Fire

29-Jul 11:19 6655 Feder Rd. Brown Twp. Norwich Twp Working Fire

29-Jul 13:00 - 18:00 Hot Weather Protocol Standby - Staff Rehab 1 to respond on all working incidents

30-Jul 8:00 101 S. Main St. Westerville NAS-T Training

August A “Touch A Truck” event and National

Night Out started August for us. But on

August 11, we were again scheduled to

provide services for the Columbus recruits

– only to be dispatched to a 2-Alarm

warehouse fire. Again, we carried enough

supplies to take care of the recruit class

and the responders fighting the fire. We

closed out the month with our longest run

(distance-wise) of the year; when we were

summoned to a large industrial structure

fire in Bremen, Ohio – a 45 mile run for us.


1-Aug 10:00

Lackey Old State Rd. Delaware Berlin Twp. Civic Event

4-Aug 17:00 365 S. Yearling Rd. Whitehall Whitehall Civic Event

11-Aug 8:00 8895 E. Main St. Reynoldsburg Columbus Training

11-Aug 9:35 6280 Opus Dr. Groveport Madison Twp 2nd Alarm

29-Aug 23:30 225 Logan-Thornville Rd. Bremen Bremen-Rushcreek 3rd Alarm

Bremen fire - photo courtesy of K.J. Watts


September Summer-like temperatures stayed into September. After Madison Township crews spent August 30

doing training evolutions without us, they reached out and requested Box 15 for their second and third

days. We were happy to oblige. On Labor Day, we took Rehab 1 to the Violet Township parade and on

the eighth, our extreme heat protocol was in effect, but no fire runs. Beginning September 11, we

worked three events – the FOOLS annual 911 bleacher climb at MAPFRE Stadium, a neighborhood public

health & safety event sponsored by the Firefighters VFW Hall and the annual Torres Trail fundraiser in

Gahanna. Beyond those, we worked three fires and a hazmat.


1-Sep 8:30 681 Winchester Pike Canal Winchester Madison Twp. Training

2-Sep 8:30 681 Winchester Pike Canal Winchester Madison Twp. Training

7-Sep 11:00 21 Lockville Rd. Pickerington Violet Twp. Civic Event

8-Sep 13:00 - 19:00 Hot Weather Protocol Standby - Staff Rehab 1 to respond on all working incidents

9-Sep 8:00 8895 E. Main St. Reynoldsburg Columbus Training

11-Sep 7:00 1 Black & Gold Blvd Columbus Columbus Civic Event

12-Sep 10:30 1715 Lockbourne Rd. Columbus Columbus Civic Event

13-Sep 10:30 125 Mill St. Gahanna Mifflin Twp. Civic Event

16-Sep 23:30 4200 Vineshire Ln Columbus Columbus 2nd Alarm

22-Sep 15:12

SR 161/Eitermann Rd. Dublin Washington Twp Hazmat

23-Sep 13:14 77 S. Hague Ave. Columbus Columbus X Co Fire

26-Sep 20:43 285 E. Fourth Ave. Columbus Columbus Working Fire

October The first half of October kept us occupied with civic events, including Delaware’s “First Night” public

safety gathering, a Public Safety Day demonstration by Grove City Police and Jackson Township Fire,

followed by the annual Columbus Fire Memorial Service/Central Ohio Fire Museum & Learning Center

Open House. We kept busy during the rest of the month with a lot of firefighter training evolutions.

Tucked in the middle was another Red Cross smoke alarm campaign.

4200 Vineshire 2 Alarm – M. Fuhrmann photo

Overturned tanker - Hazmat – J. O’Brien photo



2-Oct 17:30

Downtown Delaware Delaware Delaware Civic Event

3-Oct 9:00 4665 Hoover Rd. Grove City Jackson Twp Civic Event

4-Oct 13:00 25 Marconi Blvd Columbus Columbus Civic Event

11-Oct 10:00 9500 Johnstown Rd. New Albany Plain Twp. Civic Event

14-Oct 15:00 3663 Parsons Ave. Columbus Columbus Training

16-Oct 8:00 8895 E. Main St. Reynoldsburg Columbus Training

17-Oct 8:00

First St. Urbancrest Jackson Twp Smoke Alarm Dist.

20-Oct 8:00 8895 E. Main St. Reynoldsburg Columbus Training

26-Oct 8:00 4497 Olentangy River Rd. Columbus Columbus Training

29-Oct 8:00 4497 Olentangy River Rd. Columbus Columbus Training

November For the second month in a row, we had no fire run

activity, but for the fifth consecutive year, we

provided a shelter and beverage service for the

Military Veterans parade organizers. We also were

there to offer support services for the Red Cross,

Columbus Fire and Columbus Fire Auxiliary companies

at another door to door smoke alarm distribution.


6-Nov 8:00

Nationwide & McConnell Columbus Columbus Civic Event

14-Nov 8:00

South end Columbus Columbus Smoke Alarm Dist.

December Although, since our founding in 1947 our primary focus has been to serve firefighters, we are also

available to assist law enforcement. That was the case in early December when we were requested to

Training burn - T. Knowles photo

Jackson Twp Safety Day - JTFD photo

Military Veterans Parade - T. Knowles photo


provide a shelter, heating, lighting, beverages and snack service for Columbus police, the Franklin

County Coroner, a forensic team from The Ohio State University and others during an investigation and

recovery in Innis Park. We are more than happy to be there to support their needs, at any time. The

following weekend, we provided support services for the Red Cross, Columbus Fire and Auxiliary crews

for a neighborhood smoke alarm distribution in the Linden area. Two days later, we turned out early in

the morning to a large warehouse fire on Columbus’s west side. We closed out 2015 with 2 days of

support for the 102nd Columbus Fire recruit class.


5-Dec – 7 Dec 13:27 2834 Stonehedge Dr. Columbus Columbus

Law Enforcement

12-Dec 8:00

Linden area Columbus Columbus Smoke Alarm Dist.

14-Dec 3:48 2662 Fisher Rd. Columbus Columbus 2nd Alarm

28-Dec 15:00 3663 Parsons Ave. Columbus Columbus Training

30-Dec 8:00 8895 E. Main St. Reynoldsburg Columbus Training

Night Operations at the Columbus Fire Training Academy 12/28/15 - J. O'Brien photo

Tent & heater setup in the woods at Innis Park – B. Barber photo

2 alarm Warehouse fire - B. Barber photo


Financial Performance Apparel sales continue to be the source of the bulk of our revenue, and sales through our web

store remain steady. Our financial performance in 2015 showed a modest improvement over

2014. The net gain is held in reserve to fund replacement vehicles and equipment as our fleet

ages.

Revenue (rounded to nearest $)

Apparel & Other Sales 34,649

Sales Tax & Shipping 1,202

Donations 397

Dues, Fees & Assessments 1,673

Recognition Dinner 2,440

Badge Deposits 100

Raffle 933

Dividends 10

Misc. Income 0

Total $41,404

Expenses (rounded to nearest $)

Fund Raising

Purchase Expense 18,025

Credit Card fees 435

Sales Tax & Shipping 1,429

Operations

Licenses & Insurance 2,799

Tools & Equipment 1,552

Repairs & Maintenance 2,679

Consumables 1,224

Miscellaneous 220

Administrative

Postage & Office Exp. 194

Background Checks 120

IFBA dues, Convention 50

Awards Dinner, Certificates 2,573

Donations 590

Cookout 95

Admin Misc. 58

Total $32,043

Net Gain (Retained Earnings) $9,361

Benefactor Acknowledgments Over the years, we’ve been blessed with the help from a great number of friends and sponsors. Box 15 would be hard-pressed to provide our level of service without the generosity of others.

We would like to publicly acknowledge and thank the following for their support:

Columbus Division of Fire

Columbus Firefighters Local 67


Westerville Police & Fire (dispatching services)

Thompson Building Associates - supplying bottled water since 2005

Niagara Water Company

Ohio Fire Expo

Fire Chief’s Association of Central Ohio

Delaware County Fire Chief’s Association

Columbus Division of Fire

Jerome Township Fire Chief Scott Skeldon

CME Federal Credit Union

Best Courier

Madison Township (Franklin County) Fire Department

Washington Township Fire Department

Plus several individual donors

Partnerships & Alliances Cooperation is essential in life, especially in the fire service. Fire departments have formal Mutual Aid agreements. We are fortunate to share cooperative efforts with both the Columbus Fire Auxiliary and the Central Ohio Fire Museum & Learning Center. We would also like to acknowledge the cooperative efforts between Box 15 and several other fire rehab services throughout Central Ohio, including the Union County EMA, Box 49 in Madison County, Box 65 in Pickaway County and Support 401 in western Licking County. We also appreciate the cooperative effort with Red Cross and with the Delaware County EMS Service. We couldn’t do what we do without the efforts of all these groups.

Box 15 is pleased to have affiliations with the Fire Chief’s Association of Central Ohio, the

Franklin County Fire Chief’s Association, the Delaware County Fire Chief’s Association, the

Fairfield County Fire Chief’s Association, the Franklin County Chiefs of Police, Franklin County

CERT, the Volunteer Organization Coordinating Council, Northwest Area Strike Team and the

Central Ohio Strike Team.

2015 Firefighter Awards On Sunday, April 27, Box 15 held our Annual Awards dinner at IAFF Local 67’s “Station 67”. A

crowd of more than 80 gathered to honor two outstanding firefighters. The Max Haverman

Outstanding Columbus Firefighter award was presented to Firefighter Jack “JD” Vasbinder of

Columbus Fire Station #16. The Larry Parlett Outstanding County Firefighter award was

presented to William Houk, Fire Chief of the Jefferson Township Fire Department in Madison

County. Both honorees are outstanding professionals and set excellent examples of


compassion, dedication and service for their fellow firefighters.

Award winners (L to R) Brett Barber, Joe O'Brien, J. D. Vasbinder, Chief Bill Houk & Box 15 President Bob Hess. Sonny J Lewis photo

Columbus Deputy Chief James Davis, in nominating J. D. Vasbinder wrote:

“J.D. Vasbinder has been a friend and colleague my entire fire department career. He demonstrates the

very core values of a firefighter/paramedic that this award reflects. He is a seasoned professional that

tirelessly gives his time, energy and knowledge to others in the pursuit of excellence.

His professional skills are unmatched as a firefighter, a paramedic, as an I/C rescue tech in Columbus.

His personal integrity is without question. His experiences with the Westerville Fire Department, prior

to his position here in Columbus demonstrate his commitment to friendship and to community. His

ability to maintain those relationships have added benefit to the Columbus Fire Department.

J.D. and his wife, Sharon, have raised three children in their likeness. They are equally as professional

and caring as their father. J. D. continues to put others ahead of himself as he teaches save-your-own,

vehicle extrication and fire attack to not only our department but nationally. As if placing his life on the

line for others through the fire department isn’t enough, J. D. also worked as a flight paramedic with our

local helicopter program, taking his experience and knowledge to outlying areas of the state to assure


that those in need from medical or trauma related issues were provided safe and effective care and

transportation back to tertiary care facilities.

He provides a calming presence at the scene of an incident and is able to draw on years of experience to

bring a positive conclusion to the incident in most cases. He was instrumental in my development as we

started our fire service careers together as he challenged me to be better all the time. He is one of the

foundational blocks to my career.

I cannot think of a more deserving professional firefighter/paramedic for this award.

For Jefferson Township Fire Chief Bill Hauk, the following article was presented in the June 2015

issue of the Ohio Firefighter:

“The Box 15 Club of Central Ohio recently named Jefferson Township Fire Chief (Madison Co.) William

Houk, OFC as their 2015 Larry Parlett Distinguished County Fire Service Award winner at their awards

banquet on April 26, 2015. The award is named after longtime club member Larry Parlett, who served

the group for over 26 years, 18 of those as president. Parlett passed away in office in 2002. He has been

regarded as one of the most dedicated members in club history. His award was first presented in 2004.

The Box 15 Club was formed in 1947 by (15) fifteen local men. It was led by Columbus Pharmacist Max

Haverman, who felt there was need to assist the Columbus fireman in their job duties. Although the

services Box 15 provides have drastically changed over the years, the fundamental mission is still the

same set forth by that original group of men…”To support, as best we can, in every practical way, the

work of our first line of defense against the ravages of fire – the men and women of the fire service”.

This year’s award recipient, Chief Bill Houk, has been a member of the Jefferson Township Fire

Department, Madison County, Ohio since 1983, working his way up to the rank of Fire Chief in 2001.

Since becoming Chief, Houk has spearheaded multiple projects that have improved the capabilities of

the Jefferson Township Fire Department. He leveraged multiple grant opportunities to fund the

replacement of their entire inventory of SCBAs, improve radio communications, purchase new PPE, and

add an automatic alarm system to the station. At the local level in Madison County, Chief Houk is active

in the Madison County Fire Chiefs Association and the Local Emergency Planning Commission, where he

previously served as chairman for both groups.

At the state level, Chief Houk is an executive board member of the Ohio Fire Chiefs’ Association (OFCA)

and serves on the Ohio Fire & Emergency Services Foundation Board, where he held the positions of

vice-chair and chair. In addition, he currently participates in multiple regional and state committees and

taskforces including (OFCA) IT coordinator and IT liaison with the OFCA’s Fire Emergency Response Plan

where he assisted the Ohio Department of Public Safety in rewriting this plan. As a result, the plan has

become a model for the nation through a partnership with the International Association of Fire Chiefs.

Chief Houk is also a Class 14 member of the Ohio Fire Executive Program, a prestigious executive

leadership program. This program assesses, enhances and refines the leadership qualities of Chiefs who

are currently leading their organizations. We congratulate Chief Houk on this much deserved award.”


Four Box 15 members received performance-based awards. The Harry W. Knodel Award, given to those

who participated in 40% or more of all Box 15 activities through the year, was earned by both Secretary

Joe O’Brien and Trustee Joshua Gibson.

The Peter R. Fowler Award is presented to those members who have participate in 25% or more

of the club’s activities. President Hess and Vice President Barber both earned this award.

The criteria for qualification to these awards is to respond to incidents when Box 15 is

dispatched, participate in fund raising and maintenance activities and attendance at the

monthly meetings. It does not include going to Association meetings, informal lunches or any

other activities where all members could participate.

Membership Active members total 24, with the addition of Ryan Karr and we have five prospective members going

through the membership process. We did lose four Affiliate members due to a variety of reasons.

Affiliates are welcome to all activities but have no attendance requirements or privileges to vote,

present motions, or hold office. The number of Life members remained unchanged.

Training Not only does Box 15 take an active role in supporting firefighters during their training

evolutions, training is an important process for us, as well. Typically, every other monthly

meeting is designated as a training meeting. Although there is some deviation (depending

upon needs), we try to have a mix of business and training gatherings, with a few social

activities scattered in. We continually cover topics such as radio operations protocols,

documentation, equipment function and deployment, driver training, and new member

orientation. In October, 19 members completed CPR/AED Training, thanks to the efforts of

Upper Arlington firefighter Mindy Gabriel and Lt. Chris Moore.

Our hazardous materials operations level training was held at our June meeting, conducted by

Columbus’s Captain Wm. Brobst. Each year, we cover a different topic ranging from Emergency

Response Guide to liquid, gas & solid hazardous materials and even train wrecks.

Charitable Support Box 15 also believes in giving back to the community. Each year we participate in several public

and civic events. During 2015, we were involved with or donated to the following causes:

American Lung Association – Stair Climb (canteen service)

Fraternal Order Of Leatherheads Society - 911 Bleacher Climb (canteen service)

Central Ohio Fire Museum & Learning Center (support services)


National Fallen Firefighters (donation - golf outing)

Ohio Arson School (donation)

Ohio Fire Chiefs’ Association (concierge & security services)

Stefanie Spielman Fund (donation – apparel sale proceeds)

Fire Fighter Cancer Foundation (donation – apparel sale proceeds)

Military Veteran’s Association (shelter & canteen service)

Other Noteworthy Items At the Joint Task Force exercise in June, Box 15, along with all others involved were fed by Operation

BBQ Relief, a non-profit organization of competition barbeque teams from around the country. This

group, formed to respond to the devastating tornado at Joplin MO, responds to major disasters around

the U.S. They worked in New Your & New Jersey following Hurricane Sandy. They also responded to

serve following Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana and to Moore Oklahoma, following a devastating tornado

that destroyed a large part of the community. It’s nice to know that we have such a group to call upon

in the event of a major disaster.

Following the Ohio Fire Chiefs Convention, where we participated in firefighter rehab classes, several

members of various rehab service organizations decided that there is a need to promote firefighter

rehab throughout the entire state. Hence, the Ohio Association for Rehab Support has been organized

to (a) promote the availability of

firefighter rehab for every firefighter in

the State; (b) to function as an

information/training source for persons

who are interested in performing

firefighter rehab, and (c) function as a

consolidated voice to be heard at all

levels from fire departments up to

political leaders.

In honor of the life of Jan Barber, wife of

Brett Barber, two members of the

“Quilters on the Canal” club presented

us with a quilt, made up from tee shirts

of several central Ohio fire

departments. The quilt is to be

auctioned off to raise funds to sustain

our operations. Drawing is to be held

at the 2016 Annual Awards Dinner on

April 10, 2016. Completed quilt - photo courtesy of Quilters on the Canal


Vital Statistics Runs by Jurisdiction:

Berlin Township 1 Bremen-Rushcreek Fire 1 Civic/Other 10

Columbus Battalion 1 3 Columbus Battalion 2 4 Columbus Battalion 3 2

Columbus Battalion 4 3 Columbus Battalion 5 8 Columbus Battalion 6 6

Columbus Battalion 7 7 Cols Fire Training Acad. 8 Delaware 3

Franklin Township 1 Genoa Township 1 Greenfield Township 1

Harlem Township 1 Jackson Township 1 Madison Township 5

Mifflin Township 2 Norwich Township 1 Orange Township 1

Plain Township 1 Pleasant Township 1 Red Cross 5

Upper Arlington 1 Violet Township 1 Washington Township 4

Westerville 1 Whitehall 2 Columbus Police 2

Runs by severity: Miscellaneous Statistics

4 Alarm fire 1 Fire & Police Personnel served 3359

3 Alarm fire 1 Vehicle In service hours (runs) 386.5

2 Alarm fire 10 Member “in-service” hours (runs) 1,211.5

Extra company fire 1 Miles Travelled 2508

Working fire 27 Generator Hours 120

Hazmat/Bomb 3 Misting Fan Hours 3

Gas line rupture 1

Law Enforcement 2

Training Support 17

Civic Events & Other 21

Runs per Unit & Severe Weather Deployments

Rehab 1: 57 Rehab 2: 14 Rehab 3: 3 POV: 20

Cold weather standby (12 hour shift) (also crew hours) 21 Shifts 261 Crew hours

Hot weather standby (8 hour shift) (also crew hours) 3 Shifts 34 Crew hours

Member Activity Level 2015 activities (runs, special duty, shirt sales, work details, meetings, etc.) Total 168 events

Barber 109 O’Brien 57 Hess 54 Corcella 47 Keaton 40

Knowles 38 Fuhrmann 28 Murphy 27 Gibson 23 Lewis 20

Meyer 20 Northrop 18 Phillips 17 Fricke 16 Henderson 15

Goldstein 12 Clegg 11 Adams 10 Shop 10 Maupin 9

Swisher 7 Kuczek 6 Vaughn 2 Wilson 1 K. Woods 1

Consumables:

Bottled water 3,530 Bulk water (gallons) used 212 Coffee (gallons) 69

Sqwincher (gallons) 47 Hot chocolate (cups) 212 Granola bars (2/pkg) 1,976

Ice (pounds) 1,475 Rehab towels 231 Anti-cancer Wipes 4,000+

Executive Board for 2016

President – Robert Hess (2nd term; formerly Vice President)

Vice President – Joseph O’Brien (1st term; formerly Secretary)


Secretary – Pamela Murphy (1st term)

Treasurer – Brett Barber (1st term; formerly President, Vice President & Trustee)

Trustee – Sonny J. Lewis (4th term)

Trustee – John Kuczek (1st Term; formerly VP & President)

Cover Photo Credits Front Cover – 611 Marion Road 4-Alarm fire – photo by: Mory Fuhrmann

Action Shots

Figure 2 611 Marion Rd., Columbus - M. Fuhrmann photo N 6th ST., Columbus - photo courtesy of Local 67


Ethanol Tanker fire - photo courtesy of Local 67

Abandoned church. E. 4th Ave., Columbus - J. O'Brien photo


Olentangy River Road training burn - T. Knowles photo

3 Alarm fire @ 225 Bremen-Thornville Rd, Bremen OH. Photo courtesy of Ryan Gard

Documents

2015 Annual Report Page 2 - Box 15box15.org/PDF/2015Box15AnnualReport.pdf · 2015 Annual Report Page 2 12-Alarm ... Inc. is dedicated to providing Canteen and Firefighter Rehab Services