Inside this issue:

Fire & EMS Run Review 1

Fire Department Operations 2

EMS Bureau Report 3

Fire Prev./ Public Safety 4

Maintenance Bureau 6

Training Bureau 7

In Their Own Words 8

Planning to Protect... ...Acting to Save

JUNE 2018 Volume 6, Issue 07

WEST BEND FIRE DEPARTMENT

…..Acting to Save

YEARS of SERVICE ~April

WBFD Crews Meet Heart Attack Survivor

West Bend Fire Department Paramedics were dispatched on June 5th for a

male patient PNB (Pulseless-Not Breathing). Upon arrival they found West

Bend Police Officers doing CPR on the patient. After taking over care and

providing Advanced Life Support on scene and during transport, the patient

regained a pulse. It was found that Derek had a heart attack and was taken to

Froedert Hospital for a heart catherization. On July 1st, those same medics

were able to meet with Derek and his family at his house. Derek has made a

full recovery.

YEARS of SERVICE ~ June

MPO J. Dornacker…..06/05/00

MPO S. Inhof…….….06/25/00

Adm Ast K Williams..06/21/13

FF C. Gilling…....…...06/23/14

Emergency Activities

Types of Calls June 2018 June 2017

Year to Date (2018)

Year to Date (2017)

Fires Calls 39 46 227 191 Emergency Medical Calls 252 277 1599 1546 Paramedic Intercepts 13 17 64 92 Interfacility Transports 38 46 235 224 Community Paramedics 1 33

Totals 343 386 2158 2053

Town of Barton Calls 5 10 56 77 Town of West Bend Calls 8 11 59 70

Page 2

June Awards, Bike Racing, and Personnel Changes

Fire Department Operations By Battalion Chief John Spartz

The Tour of Ameri-

ca’s Dairyland Bicy-

cle Racing Series was

held in West Bend on

June 25. West Bend

Fire Department per-

sonnel manned the

Command Post along

with members of the

West Bend Police De-

partment. The event

went very smooth

with few problems.

There was one ambu-

lance request during

the race for a biker

that crashed.

Franklin Fire Department posted a picture

of FF/PM Sean Williams, who recently left

WBFD, during his induction ceremony. His

first day on Franklin was June 18. We wish

Sean Good Luck in his new position.

(Franklin Fire Department Facebook photo)

West Bend Fire Department Lt. Donald Peil

and MPO Daniel Reisdorf received two

awards from the American Legion Lt. Ray

Dickop Post 36 last month. Lt. Peil received

the Firefighter of the Year award and MPO

Reisdorf received the Emergency Medical

Technician of the Year award. Officer Robby

Schotzko of the West Bend Police Depart-

ment also received the Police Officer of the

Year award.

West Bend Fire Department’s newest member,

Luke VanNatta is sworn in by City Clerk Stephanie

Justmann at a June council meeting. FF/Paramedic

VanNatta will replace FF/PM Sean Williams (see

picture to right).

“Look. Listen. Learn. Be Aware—fire can

happen anywhere.” - 2018 Fire Prevention Week Theme

Page 3

The West Bend Fire

Department is extremely

proud to announce that we

have received the

American Heart

Association Mission

Lifeline Silver EMS

Award. This award

signifies the great work

that is done on a daily

basis by our highly trained

Paramedics. By

recognizing the signs and

symptoms of a heart

attack and making the

appropriate decisions to

treat the patient and

transport to the most

appropriate facility in a

timely manner. We have

worked very close with

Froedtert St. Joseph’s

Hospital, Froedtert

Hospital, and Aurora

Grafton to give effective

pre arrival notification and

patient updates, which

allows those facilities to

have the proper personnel

in place to receive the

patient and begin

lifesaving interventions

immediately upon arrival.

This award shows the level

of cooperation between our

Paramedics and the

hospitals we transport to.

Congratulations to our

awesome Paramedics for a

job well and Thank You to

Aurora Grafton, Froedtert

Hospital, and Froedtert St

Joseph’s Hospital.

Emergency Medical Services Bureau Battalion Chief Tom Thrash

American Heart Association Recognizes West Bend Fire

Department for Excellence in STEMI Care

Page 4

Fire Prevention & Public Safety Bureau Fire Safety Education, Code Enforcement and Fire Investigation

Deputy Chief Chuck Beistle and Captain Kenny Asselin

E-Cigarettes Can Cause Fires

Spare batteries for e-cigarette devices are sold in a protective plastic case. The batteries should be stored in the case whenever not in use. Thank you to Mitch

E-cigarettes have been marketed as an alterna-tive to cigarette smok-ing. According to the U.S. Fire Administra-tion, e-cigarettes are bat-tery powered devices which simulate tobacco smoking by producing a heated vapor that resem-bles smoke. The devices have an electric heating element to vaporize a liquid solution. Solu-tions (also called juice) usually contain a mix-ture of propylene glycol vegetable glycerin, nico-tine, and flavorings. E-cigarettes also have al-ternative uses, including the smoking of hash oil.

While the e-cigarettes have been marketed as “safer” than smoking a regular cigarette, there are risks and dangers associated with the de-vices. From 2009 through 2016, there were 195 separate e-cigarette fire and explosion inci-dents in the U.S. Of those incidents:

Sixty-one occurred when either the de-vice or spare batter-ies for the device were in a pocket

Sixty incidents oc-curred while the de-vice was being used

Forty-eight incidents occurred while the battery in the device was being charged

Eighteen incidents occurred while the device or battery was stored

One incident oc-curred during trans-portation on a cargo aircraft

In seven incidents, it is not reported whether the device was in use, stored, or being charged

Spare lithium ion batter-ies are usually sold in a protective plastic case. The batteries should be kept in the case, espe-cially when carried in a pocket. If not in the case, the batteries can come in contact with keys or loose

change and will arc. The arcs will cause sparks that will ignite clothing and cause se-vere burns.

E-cigarettes are fairly new and their health ef-fects are constantly be-ing evaluated. Safe stor-age, charging, and use of the devices and batteries must always be in the minds of the users to keep the dangers of fire at a minimum.

Page 5

Fire Prevention & Public Safety Bureau Fire Safety Education, Code Enforcement and Fire Investigation

by Deputy Chief Chuck Beistle and Captain Kenny Asselin

During the summer months, homeowners make every attempt to enjoy their Wisconsin evenings outdoors. The evenings are a great time to spend on a nicely land-scaped back yard with neighbors, family, and friends. According to an American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) survey, fire pits/fireplaces ranks as the most popular outdoor de-sign element (66%) for the last two years.

While fire pits add great aesthetic value to a property, they do not come without risks. Ac-cording to the Consumer Product Safety Commis-sion, there were 5,300 injuries related to fire pits or outdoor heaters in 2017. That number is nearly triple the 1,900 injuries that were treated in 2008. According to NBC News, a quarter of the victims who were burned were under the age of 5 years old. Many of those who were burned suffered their injuries the next day from coals that were still hot.

According to a June 29th, 2018 nbcnews.com arti-cle, “On Memorial Day in 2017, John Rippey was

roasting s’mores with his two young sons and their friends around a backyard fire pit. As he turned away briefly—for only a moment—he heard his 6 year old son, Jackson, scream. The boy lost his balance and fell back-wards into the open fire pit. Rippey immediately ran over as Jackson rolled around in the fire pit, shrieking in pain.”

Jackson Rippey practices walking after sustaining second and third degree burns from falling into a

fire pit. Photo courtesy of www.nbcnews.com

When fire pits are in use, there are also additional dangers to consider. There are a considerable

amount of burn injuries when people try to stoke the fire through the use of flammable liquids. A prime example is the burn injuries suffered by two women in Germantown on September 24th, 2016. Gasoline was thrown onto the fire in a back yard fire pit causing an explosion. One of the women suf-fered second and third degree burns on 40% of her body according to a fox6now.com article.

The National Fire Protec-tion Association (NFPA),

has several tips for fire pit safety:

Check with your local fire department or municipality to make sure fire pits are allowed in your area. Rules can change on a seasonal basis, as dry or windy conditions can affect safety.

Children and pets must be supervised at all times. Instruct children to stay back 10 feet from the fire.

Make sure to alert children of the fire every time it’s lit and remind them of safety rules.

Check manufacturer guidelines for proper-

ly extinguishing the fire and be sure to have all of the neces-sary tools.

Fire pits can remain extremely hot into the next day. Be sure children are aware of this and supervised until all embers are burned and the tem-perature returns to normal.

Additional safety tips for back yard fire pits include checking wind direction and speed before lighting a fire, don’t wear flam-mable clothing such as nylon, and avoid using soft woods like pine or cedar as they can “pop” and throw sparks. Burn injuries from fire pits cause a great deal of physical, emotional, and financial costs. Safe use of fire pits will help en-sure years of great times and memories.

Back Yard Fire Pits Have Risks

Page 6

Fire Station Updates

Maintenance Bureau Battalion Chief Jeff Gustafson

The Station #1 appa-

ratus floor project is in

the final stages of be-

ing completed. The

floor was ground down

and resurfaced with an

epoxy that will not

only enhance the look,

but safety as well. The

original floor was a

smooth painted finish

that had the tendency

to get extremely slick

when wet or damp.

Until now the floor

surface has not been

updated or changed

since the building was

constructed in 1966.

Even though this was

long overdue remodel,

there were some chal-

lenges with this pro-

ject because we could

not have any vehicle

traffic on the floor for

seven days until the

epoxy to fully cure.

This changed our nor-

mal responses to emer-

gencies a little, but

hats off to the FD Per-

sonnel for their hard

work and patience, for

making things work

flawlessly, as usual!

A special THANK

YOU goes out to the

W B P A R K S —

RECREATION and

FORESTRY for al-

lowing us to keep some

of our FD Vehicles

parked inside their

building during this

time.

The final piece of this

project is upgraded

garage doors and open-

ers which will improve

insulation properties

as well as opener safe-

ty and security. These

contractors have been

scheduled and work

will begin soon.

Fire Instruction & Training Bureau Deputy Chief Chuck Beistle & Captain Bob Monday

Page 7

Training with Regner Staff

This month Fire Depart-

ment personnel along with

some members of the dive

team completed a com-

bined training exercise

with staff from Regnar

Park. The Regnar staff

included lifeguards, beach

attendants and Recreation

Supervisor, Nick Lemke.

Personnel from these

groups collaborated on re-

sponse scenarios for a miss-

ing person in the park and

a missing swimmer. All

three fire department shifts

worked in coordination

with park staff in removing

a practice mannequin from

the water and providing

advanced life support to

the victim on three sepa-

rate days.

On the final day, Supervi-

sor Nick Lemke sunk the

rescue mannequin in a spot

that the lifeguards were

unable to locate. The fire

department then sent di-

vers into the pond to locate

the mannequin. Additional

rescue personnel assisted

from the shore, providing

support to the dive team

members in the water.

Dive team members must

participate in ongoing

training throughout the

year and obtain certifica-

tions in deep water, search

and rescue, as well as night

and ice diving operations.

These requirements ensure

team safety and operation-

al readiness.

Fire personal assist a dive team member about to enter the water

The Battalion Chief receives an update of the situation from the beach attendant.

Lifeguards are providing CPR as the paramedics arrive on scene.

325 N 8th Ave.

West Bend, WI 53095

262.335.5054

www.ci.west-bend.wi.us

In Their Own Words…...

WEST BEND FIRE DEPARTMENT

Planning to Protect… ...Acting to Save

The back page of our newsletter features a note or card that we have received from our

customers….the people we serve. Whether it is during an ambulance call, fire

call, or a public education assignment, the members of the West Bend

Fire Department are always dedicated to making their contact

with area residents a positive experience.

Personnel Spotlight: Lieutenant Michael Heinen Lieutenant Michael

Heinen started his

career with the West

Bend Fire Depart-

ment as a Paid- On-

Call Firefighter in

1994. Mike was hired

as a full time fire-

fighter in 1999.

Mike was promoted to

Lieutenant in July

2014 and Motor

Pump Operator in

February 2004. Mike

became licensed at

the EMT-Paramedic

level in 2009. Mike is

a past member of the

EMS and Protocol

Committees. Mike is

currently a member of

the Safety, Hazmat

and Fitness Commit-

tees, Mike is one of

our 2 departments

peer fitness coordina-

tors.

Mike enjoys family

time and is active out-

side the department

volunteering with the

Boy Scouts, Youth

Sports, his Church,

and PFFW Charities.