First Quarter 2015

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Winners = Extremists Tri‐City Automac Aid Cold Weather Months Busy for the VBFD Emergency Communicaon Procedures NFIRS: Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them Accreditaon Update 9th Annual Search and Rescue Forum Baalion 1 Events of the Quarter “Truckie” Talk The Invesgator: Behind the Scenes Who We Are ‐ “Senior Man” Fire Explorer Post 343 Meet Media Specialist Art Kohn Corporate Landing Middle School Volunteer of the Year Overweight, Obesity and Health Risks Total Runs by Unit for January ‐ March 2015 “ON THE JOB” Page 1 Thoughts from Fire Chief Steven R. Cover

As I sit to write remarks for this newsletter edition, I cannot help but reflect back approximately 20 years ago when members of our department responded to the Oklahoma City bombing as members of VA-TF2. April 19, 2015, will mark the 20 year anniversary of this event and it certainly made a mark on this organization, as well as the entire country.

On April 19, 1995, at 9:02 a.m., a truck bomb exploded on the north side of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The blast tore a nine-story hole in the building, causing a major collapse and fire in the building, adjacent buildings, and the parking areas around the building. This explosion killed 168 people, including 19 children who were in the day care center in the building. The blast injured 650 people and damaged or destroyed some 300 buildings in the area.

On June 2, 1997, Timothy McVeigh was convicted on all 11 counts against him concerning the bombing and he received the death penalty on August 14, 1997. His co -conspirator, Terry Nichols, was sentenced to life in prison in 1997 on counts of killing federal law enforcement personnel. In 2004 he was convicted in the Oklahoma State System of 161 counts of first degree murder and sentenced to 161 consecutive life terms in prison. McVeigh asked a federal judge to stop all appeals on his convictions and set an execution date. On June 11, 2001, McVeigh, 33, died by lethal injection.

This event had far reaching impacts on all levels of government, as the United States had not seen terrorism at this level before. I want the younger members of this department to have some idea of the history behind the work that has been accomplished by some of our more tenured personnel. What seems to be routine work now by this department, as we deploy members of many different teams to many different types of events across the area, state, and country, was once very rare.

The VBFD sent 26 members on this deployment. Fourteen members are now retired: Melven Mathias, Jim Kellam, Buddy Martinette, Mike Brown, Robert Harwell, Laurie Gurley, Scott Rogers, Keene Black, Roger Morgan, Paul Gleaton, Bruce Forester, Duane Krohn, Robert Helfant, and Bob Anderson. Twelve members are still on the job: Den- nis Keane, Pat Seigh, TJ McAndrews, David Hutcheson, Leon Dextradeur, Paul Pureza, Frank Lilley, Rex Gurley, John Lyons, Perry Ehle, Tracy Freeman and me. I also want us to remember those members of the organization who sup- ported the deployment in support roles from Fire Chief Harry Diezel and Deputy Chief Jimmy Carter, to those who backfilled and worked as part of the mobilization team.

If you are interested, I am sure any of these individuals will share their stories with any newer member of this department. Many of us were young and grew up on several fronts during this seven day deployment. The lessons learned are now a part of the fabric of the VBFD and have no doubt saved many lives over the years.

As I reflect on that time, I want to thank all involved; the VBFD is truly a great organization!

Stay Safe,

Chief Cover Members of VATF-2 from the VBFD who responded to the Oklahoma City Bombing. Back Row: David Hutcheson, Paul Pureza, Dennis Keane, Steve Cover Front Row: Keene Black, Leon Dextradeur Page 2 “ON THE JOB”

Winners = Extremists Submitted by Deputy Chief McAndrews

Since we are in the midst of March Madness and the goal of every team playing is to “win” in order to move on, I thought this topic would be appropriate to see what it takes to be a winner so our members and the VBFD could be WINNERS! After all, we all want to be winners in whatever we do. Several years ago I had the opportunity to attend a presentation by Pat Wil- liams, a co-founder and the Senior Vice President for the NBA’s Orlando Magic. He was

an inspirational speaker who spoke about the “will to win”. He started out by saying “Winners equal Extremists”. He said there were 12 qualities of true winners and every one of those qualities winners took to the extreme. They possess the following 12 qualities:

 Extreme Dream – winners dream big and they take action on their dream. He stressed to not allow your dream to languish, you have to take action if you are going to win. Typically there are three “killers to taking action” - the potential risk involved, the fear of the “unknown”, and the change that will certainly occur. For those who are contemplating whether to go for that promotion one or all three of these may be preventing you from reaching that dream. Fight through it and don’t let anyone of these three kill your dream!!

 Extreme Preparation – winners leave nothing to chance, they handle every detail, and they pay special attention to the littlest items. They read every item listed on the bibliography list from cover to cover and then they go back and read them again. Every morning they come to work and check off their equipment thoroughly as if their life depends on it, because in the next 5 minutes, it might!!

 Extreme Focus – winners place all or most of their attention on the goal at hand [their dream]. Their days are cen- tered around their goal!! They set time daily to prepare, whether it’s fifteen minutes or two hours. Do you allocate time at the station to review the SOP’s or to re-review a book on the bibliography list?

 Extreme Passion – winners are enthusiastic and they’re passionate about their dream. They talk “ad nauseam” to their family, friends, and co-workers about their dream, how they’re going to get there, and what they have done so far to reach that goal. Have you driven your family and co-workers nuts yet??

 Work Extremely Hard – winners put in long arduous days –everyday! They not only have to work their regular job, but they then have to put in extra hours on their goal. Michael Jordan wasn’t successful as an NBA player simply by showing up to practice every day whether that was in high school, college, or the NBA. He was successful because he put in the long extra hours at every level to ensure he wasn’t just good, but the best he could be.

 Extreme Responsibility – winners recognize they and they alone are accountable for things within their power to control. They don’t blame others when they are unsuccessful; they realize the burden to succeed is on them. We have all failed at something at some point in our lives and we had to do some introspection to see where and why we failed. I didn’t get promoted to Captain on my first or second attempt and when I took a step back to see why, it was very clear – to be successful, I simply had not put the time into my preparation.

 Extreme Positive Attitude – winners recognize they control their daily attitude and their optimism always trumps pes- simism. How do you view things around you daily – do you see the glass half full or half empty? Your perspective and attitude have a lot to do with your success!!

 Extreme Self-Discipline – winners recognize the need to control their destiny and to do so means controlling every aspect of their preparation, which typically means setting deadlines for every increment of their preparation.

 Extreme Perseverance – winners never quit!! They may not reach their goal on their expected timeline, but they don’t give up. They identify what their weakness was and they improve it, then they start all over again!!

 Extreme Competition – winners aren’t just competitive, they are COMPETITIVE!! For most of us in the fire service, we have a Type A personality which makes us competitive by nature, but winners take this to the next level. If you

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want to be competitive in the process you need to take your engagement in the process to the next level – “grab another gear” as they say.

 Extreme Desire – winners are self-motivated. They are resolute and steadfast in obtaining their goal. They don’t listen to the naysayers that they aren’t in the “right clique”, they’re not a “Techie”, or don’t camp with the right folks!!

 Extreme Team Participation – winners don’t win on their own, they are part of something much larger and they know that. They recognize their success is dependent on those around them – their family, friends, and co-workers. Win- ners lean on all of these groups to be successful. In the work environment, winners work and depend on their co- workers to be successful. During the promotional process, do you study and work with a group of co-workers to challenge yourself to be better?

The question each of us needs to answer is – are we a winner or are we a WINNER??? The Duke Blue Devils and UConn Huskies are WINNERS!!!!

Are You A

WINNER? “ON THE JOB” Page 4 Tri-City Automatic Aid

Submitted by District Chief Cooper, North Division

Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and Chesapeake Fire Departments have long shared resources on emergency incidents through mutual aid; however, today’s technology and regionalism offers our area the ability to share these resources faster. Consequently, the Chiefs of these departments have been working to improve service delivery to neighborhoods where their city borders connect. One of the best ways to accomplish this is to provide Automatic Aid. This means sending units on the initial dispatch instead of waiting for a unit to arrive and request assistance. The following highlights the accomplishments, to date, on the Tri-City Automatic Aid project:

Concept Points

Implementation only covers structure fire responses at this time Auto Aid Units are “in addition to not in place of” the normal city’s response Main goal is to make automatic aid as seamless as possible No compromise on firefighter safety

Current Progress

Developed a steering committee – jurisdictional and functional representation Developed three workgroups – jurisdictional representation  Operations group  CAD/Dispatch group  GIS group Operations Group conducted six days of live-burn drills with the companies from each city that will be impacted the most by automatic aid

CAD/Dispatch Group developed the procedures to dispatch resources into or outside of our city

GIS merged the street layers from all three cities and built the required run cards and demand zones which will allow proper units to be requested

All groups have discussed their specific standard operating procedures and are confident that all conflicts are being addressed.

Legal

MOUs have been reviewed by each locality’s general counsel. All agree that existing MOU is sufficient

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Locality Benefit

Number of additional structures in Virginia Beach (1,074) that will be impacted (coverage-wise) and the value of those structures ($1,430,864,850) depicted by the chart below:

Structures in Virginia Beach Contained Within the Three-City Overlapping Area (Norfolk, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach Combined Overlap)

Building Use Number of Structures Estimated Building Value

Single Family 765 77,051,300

Duplex 0 0

Townhouse 0 50

Apartment Complex 82 1,112,230,100

Condominium Complex 0 0

Hotel/Motel 3 10,151,700

Shopping Center 11 33,183,900

Commercial/Industrial (General) 182 128,153,200

Government 15 14,929,650

Tax Exempt (Churches, Educational, etc.) 16 55,165,333

TOTAL 1,074 $1,430,864,850

In the near future we will be finalizing the design and testing phase and begin implementation. The current goal is to go live in May 2015.

Page 6 “ON THE JOB” Cold Weather Months Busy for the VBFD Submitted by District Chief Barakey, Administrative Services Division

The Virginia Beach Fire Department was busy during the recent cold weather. A significant fire incident occurred on February 15, 2015.

Battalion 3, Engine 18, Engine 16, Engine 3, Engine 7, Ladder 16, Ladder 7 and Rescue 1 were dispatched to a multi-family structure fire on Harbor Springs Trail. On arrival, Engine 18 observed a two story multi-family dwelling with heavy fire showing from the second floor, Alpha side. The officer declared a working fire.

Heavy fire was observed coming from the chimney chase of the condo located on the second floor, Alpha/Delta corner. Engine 18's officer alerted occupants to evacuate while the crew pulled an inch and three quarter line to begin the fire attack. Battalion 3 arrived on scene and established command. Additional resources assigned: Battalion 2 and 12, Safety 1, Duty District Chief, Deputy Chief, Engine 14, Engine 8, Support 8, and EMS.

The exterior fire was knocked down to the point where no visible flames were observed. Crews then moved the charged hose line to the common area of the building, up the stairs, and onto the common landing. Ladder 16 began to con- duct primary searches and Engine 18 continued with fire attack. Heavy fire involvement was overhead and within two minutes, a radio transmission by Engine 3's officer stated that all interior units needed to evacuate. As interior crews exit- ed the fire condo heavy fire involvement was observed in the common area.

The fire operation then transitioned into a defensive mode. Heavy wind driven fire was noted throughout the attic area on the Delta side of the dwelling progressing toward the Charlie side. Additional hand lines were stretched and Ladder 16 and Ladder 7 raised plat- forms and attacked the fire utilizing elevated master streams. Soon after the tower ladders attacked the fire, crews went interior and the fire was declared under control. Primary searches were finished and an all clear was called. All units cleared and returned to service.

“ON THE JOB” Page 7 Emergency Communication Procedures

Submitted by Battalion Chief Pravetz, Technology Bureau

As we prepare for the Insurance Services Office (ISO) evaluation of our organization and our community’s Proper- ty/Causality Risk, we wanted to remind everyone of the Emergency Communication procedures. When the evalu- ators arrive, they will visit many of our stations and randomly assess our abilities. One area we know they look at is our redundant communications procedures. You may be asked to demonstrate emergency procedures and backup communication paths. The Communications policy, located in W:\Departmental\Standard Operating Pro- cedures\CAT 5 Programs, is a great resource for this information. We do have a few APX radios deployed with slightly different naming of the zones. So knowing your particular equipment is also a great way to prepare.

RADIO OUTAGE PROCEDURES

The Fire Department will utilize the following procedures during radio outages.

Fire Department units will immediately switch one radio to the primary Fire dispatch backup channel and monitor for roll call and instructions. Station supervisors will assign one person to monitor the mobile data computer for calls for service. All communication systems will be monitored to see which means of communication are still available; for example, mobile computers, pagers, and station alerting may be functioning. If a radio outage is encountered, units are to continue to respond to any call for service and utilize the talk around channels on-scene and phones to communicate with the Operations supervisors. If offensive fire operations are ongoing when a radio outage occurs, all personnel will be pulled to an area of safety and the Incident Commander will perform accountability checks. Personnel will be provided with the new communications plan before reentering the IDLH.

The Duty Chief is ultimately responsible for all operations and will provide direction to personnel over the backup systems or through a phone tree.

RADIO CHANNEL UTILIZATION 5.SYSTEM / 6.ZONE 7.CH 8.DISPLAY 9.FUNCTION 10.REMARKS CACHE Normal Daily Operations

800 D 1 VB FCMD Repeater Fire Dispatch Channel

800 D 2 VB EMS CMD Repeater EMS Dispatch Channel

System Failure Backup – Primary (ORION)

800 V 4 VBF1 Repeater Fire Dispatch Channel

800 V 7 VBEM Repeater EMS Dispatch Channel

System Failure Backup – Secondary (NPSPAC)

800 C 11 11 8TAC91 Repeater Fire Dispatch Channel

800 C 12 12 8TAC92 Repeater EMS Dispatch Channel

System Failure Backup – Tertiary (Limited Coverage)

800 O 8 CH FD1 Repeater Fire Dispatch Channel

800 O 9 CH FD2 Repeater EMS Dispatch Channel “ON THE JOB” Page 8 NFIRS: Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Submitted by Battalion Chief Goyet, Marine/Special Ops

There are two areas in a NFIRS report which seem to cause the most confusion and result in the most errors. The first one is located in the Fire Module under Sec- tion D: Ignition. This section covers the area of fire origin, heat source, item first ignited, and type of material first ignited.

Key Point: If you cannot determine the correct response for all four of these data entries, you must call an investigator. Too often, the fire is determined to be ac- cidental and the engine company officers believe they know what caused the fire, but they are unable to determine what the first item ignited was. This is a reason to call for an investigator.

Area of fire origin: The use of this entry point is to document where the fire started within the property.

Heat source: This is the heat source that ignited the first item which caused the fire. Item first ignited: The item first ignited identifies the first item which had sufficient volume or heat intensity to extend to an uncontrolled or self-perpetuating fire.

Type of material first ignited: This documents the composition of the material in the item first ignited. A common mistake is having a mismatch of the item first ignited and the type of material first ignited. An example would be listing the cabinets in a kitchen as the item first ignited but stating the material was a food product.

The next section which causes confusion is found in the Structure Module Section K: Item Contributing Most to Flame Spread. Much like Section D, if you cannot determine how the fire spread, you must call an investigator.

Item contributing most to flame spread: This documents what item con- tributed most to the spread of the fire. This could be the same as the item first ignited, but many times it is not. A pot of food on the stove which catch- es fire may have the food as the item first ignited, but the flames spread once they moved to the cabinets.

Type of material contributing most to flame spread: This documents the composition of the material in the item contributing most to flame spread.

The purpose of these sections is to gather information on items which may readily ignite and those that may con- tribute to fire moving through the structure. Proper documentation on these items and accurate information on the type of material could lead to a better understanding of why fire moves through a structure and assessing the need for standards on the flammability of materials.

Prior to leaving the scene of a fire, ensure you have gathered enough information to answer these six data entry points. “ON THE JOB” Page 9 Accreditation Update

Submitted by Battalion Chief Valdez, Research/Analysis

How does the VBFD analyze response times?

This quarter I want to talk about response times. You are all shocked, I know, but I hope this article will clarify some questions that arise frequently when we discuss our response times. First, let’s review how our times are broken down. We measure Total Response Time (TRT) which is made up of a group of distinct segments established by NFPA 1710 & 1221.

Alarm handling time is controlled by ECCS and our Station Alerting system while turnout, travel, action, and control times are specific to VBFD responders. When the dispatcher hits the initiate button, your turnout clock begins. If you have the new station alerting, you receive your fire call with zero delay. (*Note April 15th is the planned date to transition EMS dispatch to the same procedure) If you have the old station alerting, you may still experience a delay but your clock is still running.

You should hit the en route button when you are all on the apparatus and the driver releases the brake. We are looking for wheels rolling or as close to it as you can get. Please don’t just jump up and hit the button! This stops your turnout segment and begins the travel time segment. Travel time continues until you mark on scene. These are the major times we report to the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) and the data we use to support our Stand- ards of Cover and our Response Plan. More importantly, this is how we determine where we need improvement and where our response gaps are in the City. We need this data to support our requests for more stations, more people, and more apparatus.

When we create our response time reports we break calls down by type because we have different benchmarks established to address specific risks. We analyze the following call types separately: Fire (broken into moderate, high, and

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Continued from Page 9 special risk categories), Non-Fire, Fire/ Non-Structural, Cardiac, EMS Priority 1, EMS Priority 2 & 3, Extrication, Haz- Mat, Marine, Tech Rescue (excluding vehicle extrication). We also break each of these down by response area: Metro/ Urban, Suburban, and Rural.

Here is an example of an SOC chart for Moderate Risk Structure Fires

ECCS reports their

times and didn’t sub- mit 2014 at the time this chart was created (we did not improve 100%)

So when you are completing your Fire and Unit reports, it is important that we have an accurate picture of your response times. If you are delayed or the response is non-emergency or re- duced en route, it is critical that you capture that information. Otherwise, these non-emergency incidents could get ana- lyzed with priority cases and skew our response data.

Cancelled: You responded but were cleared prior to arrival.

Arrived: You arrived on scene as expected with an emergency response

Arrived but Downgraded: You arrived but did not complete the entire response in emergency mode (response downgraded by BC or on scene units) or you responded non-emergency based on comments (ex. a fire alarm with a request to cancel from the alarm company). Continued on Page 11 “ON THE JOB” Page 11

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Arrived but Delayed: You arrived but your response time was delayed for an unusual reason. This category is not used for day to day activities: rush hour traffic, cooking, PT, drills, station maintenance, grocery store runs etc. are not considered delays. Use this code if you have an equipment problem (steps on the engine don’t come up, the bay door doesn’t open), or if you are doing a non-daily activity (grass cutting, the aerial is up or you have hose off the truck but remained in service, or you stop to check an accident but then continue your response.) Delays shouldn’t happen frequently, but when they do we need to know.

FAST Case: Used to capture a FAST case (these don’t have typical “response” times.

When you look at the weekly turnout time list that is distributed you will see the far right column (functional operations) shows this response code as you entered it in RedNMX.

I hope this information helps in understanding some of the factors that go into our response time analysis. As always, if you have questions please feel free to contact any member of the Accreditation Team.

* If you arrive on scene of an EMS call, but are cleared by EMS crews on scene before exiting the vehicle, you may use NFIRS code 611, Cancelled or Cleared en route. If you get off the truck, code the case for the incident type found and make actions taken appropriate for your involvement i.e., 92 standby, 32 provide BLS, 73 provide manpow- er (lift assist), etc. “ON THE JOB” Page 12 9th Annual Search and Rescue Forum Submitted by Battalion Chief Goyet, Marine/Special Ops

March 2 - 6, 2015, six members from the Virginia Beach Fire Department Marine Team attended the 9th Annual Search and Rescue (SAR) Forum in Hampton. This week-long training is a cooperative effort of the Port of Virginia Maritime Incident Re- sponse Team, Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads, and all the local government agencies and marine teams. The training was focused on communication and cooperation during on- water emergencies.

Typically, a marine response is not limited to a single agency. During emergencies within our own City, the Fire, Police, EMS, Coast Guard, and other state agencies work together.

The training at the SAR Forum focused on search patterns, sonar usage, towing operations, night operations, and communications. The students spent the week working together in all types of weather conditions from a 70 degree day to freezing rain and dense fog.

Captain Richard Trent was asked the following about his experience during this year’s forum:

Specifically, what did the training at the SAR Forum consists of? · Daily Marine Safety Briefs · Daily Weather Updates with National Weather Service · Accountability · Classroom Training to include: - Cold Water Safety and Survival - Navigation, Positioning - Search Patterns - SCG Marine Terminology · Incident integration with multiple agencies (Police, Fire, EMS) · Exposure to future trends in marine search and rescue · Worked with the Port Authority command during our underway evolu- tions · Boat handling (Following a search pattern) · Pumping the fire boat while moving · Supplying a shore based pumper/ engine

What was the most beneficial training? · The navigational runs in the heavy fog · Working a Coast Guard directed search pattern in an assigned area · Vessel Touch and Go’s while underway · Working closely with other public safety agencies

What was your biggest take away from the training? In addition to the networking opportunities available during the SAR forum, I would have to say my biggest take away would be gaining a deeper understanding of the on board electronics. This proved to be very use- ful during the night runs in the heavy fog. Visibility was only about 5 - 10 yards during our night navigation evolution. We had to rely solely on radar to get us through the 2-hour evolution that required us to plot a course to multiple locations using the coordinates given. One of our coordinates was the Newport News Mid- dle Ground Lighthouse. That’s the big one you can see in the water when you cross the Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel. The fog was so thick that night that we could not see the lighthouse until we were 10 -20 yards from it. Our crew learned quickly to trust the on board electronics. Continued on Page 13 “ON THE JOB” Page 13

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Would you recommend this training? Absolutely. This type of training should not be a class that you attend once to meet the minimum requirement to be a Marine team member. We should incorporate the lessons learned in the SAR forum into our Marine Quarterly drills. This is an area where everyone should maintain proficiency at all times. It was made quite clear that the way we were receiving our assignments was the same way we would be receiving them from the Coast Guard during an actual event. Practice, Practice, Practice.

What challenges did you face? During the SAR forum we encountered freezing rain, heavy fog, ice, high winds, and rough sea conditions. This created a more realistic setting for training. Anyone can train for the worst on a clear day and get it right. However, we are usually called out to assist someone when the conditions are not so clear. That is when you need to be at your best.

Only one person from the group was familiar with the operation of Fire Boat 30. This created a unique opportunity that allowed everyone a chance to rotate through each position on the boat during the underway exercises. By the end of the week everyone felt pretty comfortable operating the boat, operating the electronics, and performing as a deck hand on Fire Boat 30.

Are you better equipped to do your job after this training? Yes. In the course of a week, we were able to build on the fundamental concepts and put them to use using realistic scenarios. The VBFD group comprised of personnel from different shifts and stations worked together as a team and successfully accomplished the established objectives.

Anything else interesting? The VBFD Marine Team is ahead of the region when it comes to equipment and training. We carry specific equipment on our vessels to provide to victims to assist them in staying warm. It was brought up during the Cold Water Survival presentation that everyone should carry equipment to assist victims with hypothermia related incidents on the water. The VBFD boat was one of the few boats already providing such equipment.

The VBFD Marine team is also ahead of the region when it comes to having the ability to monitor for radiologi- cal material on the water. This was brought up as the direction the region needs to go due to the increased threat that exists with our waterways. The VBFD fireboat was the only vessel with the capability of providing that service at this time.

We are very fortunate to have the equipment, training and commitment to safety that our department provides the VBFD Marine Team.

“ON THE JOB” Page 14 Battalion 1 Events of the Quarter

Submitted by Probationary Firefighters McMahon, 8/A

We’ve had some personnel changes in Battalion 1. Ladder 8/A gained a new Captain, Paul Roenker; Vance Rich- mond has gone to Engine 7/A in an acting position; Mike Walker came from Engine 14/A and is now at Engine 21/ A. Mike Howard is at Ladder 8/B and Mike Chewell has transferred to 17/B. Preston Lockhart, Engine 8/C, is on leave for military deployment. If anyone is interested in contacting Preston, we have his deployment address here at the station. Good luck to everyone on their new assignments and best of luck and a safe return is wished to Preston while serving his country.

Nina Myers and John Straseskie completed and obtained their Hazardous Materials Technician Certification and Kyle Bosiljevac is currently attending the RAD Class. Fire Rescue 1 obtained some new equipment including rope, hardware, and a Weather Pack which will be on Haz-Mat 1. The Shamrock Marathon had a large turnout and Fire Rescue 1 assisted the Police Department with their monitoring equipment searching for any possible threats to the runners and spectators. INCIDENTS

Battalion 1 had a rough start to the winter responding to numerous alarms due to the severe cold weather causing cracked water pipes.

On January 21, 2015, VBFD units were dispatched to a structure fire at Cox High School. Engine 8 arrived on scene and found a well involved trailer, detached from the school, and called a working fire. Engine 8 pulled a 1 ¾” line, made entry into the structure, and started making fire attack before being pulled out and operations went defensive. Approximately 30 minutes in, crews placed the fire under control. Units on scene included: Car 4, Battalion 1, Battalion 2, Engine 1, Engine 8, Engine 3, Ladder 1, Ladder 8, Fire Rescue 1, Engine 4, Support 8, Safety 1, EMS 5, and 826R.

On February 8 units were dispatched to the FTC for a report of a brush fire located behind the facility by the burn building. Engine 12 arrived on scene and confirmed an active brush fire. Battalion 1 arrived on scene and confirmed a working incident. En- gine 12 deployed an inch and three quarter handline at the front of the fire stopping advancement to the Logistics building, USAR site, and the Dominion Power right of way. Engine 14 and brush trucks handled the hay storage building and surrounding brush.

The fire burned approximately 10 acres and one storage building. Units operating on scene included Car 7, Car 4, Battalion 1, Battalion 4, Battalion 8, Battalion 30, Engine 12, Engine 14, Engine 8, Engine 3, Engine 10, NE 31, Brush 5, Brush 12, Brush 8, Brush 17, NBR 31, Brush 32, FR1, Support 8, Safety 1, FI 4, EMS 8, 1425R, and Nightingale. “ON THE JOB” Page 15 “Truckie” Talk

Submitted by Captain Rock, 7/B

The term “Ladder Company Functions” encompasses a variety of tasks to be completed in a timely manner on both fire and entrapment scenes. These tasks can include search, ventilation, and overhaul operations to name a few. One task that doesn’t get enough attention is scene lighting. The ladder companies can provide overall scene lighting and focused scene lighting. I know it seems simple! And all of our pieces have light packages. However, at times, scene lighting is found to be an afterthought on the minds of some ladder companies. In the end, scene lighting is a true ladder company function and should be a higher priority on the ladder operators “To Do List”.

Overall scene lighting can be initiated before you even arrive on scene. This is as easy as pushing a switch or raising the aerial/ platform out of the bed. On Ladder 7 and Ladder 16 this is made easier with them being newer trucks with newer technology. On these ladders, you can utilize the lights on the front, side, and on the rear of Ladder 7 without turning on the generator and prior to leaving the cab. On Ladder Photo Courtesy of R. Smith 16, you will have to manually turn the rear scene lights on. On all other ladders in the City, you will have to turn PTO power on then press the generator switch on, while in neutral, before your scene lights can be turned on for the crews. A ladder operator with their head in the game will turn the PTO power on and flip the generator switch to the on position before leaving the bay on fire and entrapment calls. Performing this simple act will allow the operator to press a couple of switches before leaving the cab providing instant overall scene lighting to the crews on scene. Completing this process also allows the generator to warm up while en route and reduces the shock load it would normally incur on scene. This overall scene lighting may seem insignificant to some, but lighting enhances the safety and size up abilities to all operating crews.

The early act of providing overall scene lighting aids in reducing trip hazards, viewing overhead hazards, roof operations, and can assist in maneuvering your ladder in tight spaces for placement. Crews can utilize early scene lighting to assist with victim recognition, reading smoke conditions, and allow the first due engine officer a better view of the picture being shown to them.

Overall scene lighting is important on all scenes in the City, but even more so in the county areas. These areas typically do not have the lighting sources the uptown areas are provided. So, overall scene lighting may need to be moved further up the priority list. This is especially true on entrapment scenes in the county areas to provide the first due officer with a good view of the crash scene and victims in and out of the vehicle. To further complicate the lighting issue in the county area is the lack of access to the structure for the ladder operator. How will the operator get the crews overall scene lighting in these areas? How will the ladder operator achieve focused scene lighting for the crews? These are just a couple of what seem like mundane thoughts now, but could be difficult to work through at 2:00 a.m. without some forethought.

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After the ladder operator has given the crews overall scene lighting on the fire or entrapment scene focused scene lighting needs to take place. On a structure fire, focused scene lighting could come after other higher priority tasks have been completed. Giving thought to focused scene lighting would normally begin once you hear a fire under control and checking for extension transmission or crews have begun to overhaul.

Focused scene lighting can be provided in a few different ways from our ladder companies. The quickest way to initiate focused scene lighting would be to provide the interior crews with a Robo Pak. This allows the ladder operator to pass the Robo Pak to a crew member inside and not exposing themselves to the IDLH atmosphere. The interior crews can easily move the Robo Pak around to fit their needs without worrying about cord length or the cord disconnecting. The ladder operator can then grab their halogen light and stretch the cord from the truck to provide supplemental lighting for the crews inside. Another method for providing focused scene lighting is the platform or aerial itself. There may be some cases were you can place the platform or aerial tip right in front of the window to provide lighting to the affected room. This could be the case in a two story residential, but most probable when you are working with three stories and above. Photo Courtesy of R. Smith

When working on entrapment scenes, focused scene lighting needs to come soon after tools have been placed on the ground. There are a couple of rea- sons for this to happen quickly. As crews begin to operate, they move closer to the vehicle blocking out some of the overall scene lighting you provided as you arrived on scene. Focused scene lighting will need to be brought in to overcome that issue. Again, the Robo Pak is quick and portable or you can pull the halogen light and cord to provide the lighting. Another option, if Res- cue 2 is on scene, is the Pelican RALS (Remote Area Lighting System). It is a quick option for focused lighting for the crews. It is LED and deploys quickly providing a vast amount of light without a lot of set up time. Another reason for the quick deployment of focused scene lighting is the crews working in the area are working in much smaller spaces typically than the fire ground. This lighting allows these crews to see where and how the patient may be entrapped or pinned, facilitating the extrication team’s order of operations.

Scene lighting may not be a sexy Ladder Company topic like vertical ventilation or forcible entry, but consideration needs to be taken to provide lighting Pelican RALS to our crews in a timely and efficient manner. This duty falls on the shoulders of our ladder companies to enhance the safety of our crews and potential victims/patients. Whether it’s an entrapment scene, fire scene, or mayday situation a lighting deployment plan should be in the minds of our ladder companies and operators.

“ON THE JOB” Page 17 The Investigator: Behind the Scenes Submitted by Investigator Wakeman, Fire Prevention Bureau

All members of the Fire Prevention Bureau must be fully sworn law enforcement officers to effectively do their jobs.

As defined by Virginia Statue § 27-34.2:1. Police powers of fire marshals. In addition to such other duties as may be prescribed by law, the local fire marshal and those assistants appointed pursuant to § 27-36 designated by the fire marshal shall, if authorized by the governing body of the county, city or town appointing the local fire marshal, have the same police powers as a sheriff, police officer or law-enforcement officer. The investigation and prose- cution of all offenses involving hazardous materials, fires, fire bombings, bombings, attempts or threats to commit such offenses, false alarms relating to such offenses, possession and manufacture of explosive devices, sub- stances and fire bombs shall be the responsibility of the fire marshal or his designee, if authorized by the governing body of the county, city or town appointing the local fire marshal. The police powers granted in this section shall not be exercised by any local fire marshal or assistant until such person has satisfactorily completed a course for fire marshals with police powers, designed by the Department of Fire Programs in cooperation with the Department of Criminal Justice Services, which course shall be approved by the Virginia Fire Services Board.

To obtain the required qualification, all investigators and those in command who are sworn, must attend a Com- monwealth of Virginia approved police academy. On June 13, 2014, Investigators Denton and Wakeman completed the Virginia Department of Fire Programs 35th Annual Basic Law Enforcement Academy. This rigorous ten- week school, held at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia, included well over 400 hours of study and exercises in basic law enforcement tactics, regulations, and administration. This academy was taught by staff from the Virginia State Po- lice, FBI, ATF, Caroline County Sheriff’s offices, as well as the Virginia Department of Fire Programs. This course focused on topics such as legal aspects related to law enforcement, defensive tactics, firearms training and qualification, surveillance, building searches, active shooter scenarios, felony traffic stops, mock court cases (courtroom testimony), interview techniques, arrest/search warrants, as well as Virginia criminal code and traffic laws. Investigators Denton’s and Wakeman’s successful completion of the Academy illustrates complete command of basic law enforcement skills as stipulated by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services and achievement of full police powers as provided by section 27-34.2:1 of the Code of Virginia.

In addition to the above listed academy, all sworn members must attend the Virginia Beach Police Academy’s two - week firearms course, as well as successfully qualify with their assigned firearms. Captain Valdez is currently enrolled in the Virginia Beach Police Academy.

“ON THE JOB” Page 18 Who We Are - “Senior Man”

Submitted by Master Firefighter Mike McAndrews, 7/C

As the "Senior Man" I have been asked on more than one occasion to carry on the tradition of writing an article for the newsletter and on more than one occasion, a "Senior Moment" has occurred. So with a little coaxing from my shift and officers at 7/C, I was persuaded to write. But what should I write about? Great, not only do I have to deal with Senior Moments or even squirrels, now it's writer’s block.

I finally came up with some information to share while participating in a Tech Res- cue Component Drill at Camp Pendleton. I thought about the last time I had been at Camp Pendleton, which was during the spring of 1976 as a Firefighter Recruit of Recruit Class 9. You read it right, Recruit Class 9, which was the predecessor or dinosaur (whatever you might want to call it) to the TRFAs. My recruit class was the first of several classes that used the fire station at Camp Pendleton as the VBFD training facility while our department waited for a permanent facility to be built on Birdneck Road. Prior to Camp Pendleton, VBFD personnel were trained at old Company 11 and in 1973, when our department started to grow, training was held in the second floor classroom at Company 16. There are very few people in our department today that know this. And thus was born my idea for an article.

Our department does a great job preparing us with the basics both physically and mentally for what lies ahead of us while in recruit school. Then continues those efforts with in-station, quarterly, and in-service drills. What knowledge do the members of our department have of the history of firefighting, the City of Virginia Beach, or the history of our department?

In an effort to learn more about our collective history we, at 7/C, have started a nightly history lesson. During din- ner, our probationary firefighter answers a question given him the shift before that pertains to subject matter relating to the history of firefighting, our City, or department. The answers to the questions have sometimes surprised us "seasoned" firefighters and provoked some interesting conversations.

As firefighters and members of this proud tradition, this City, and this department, we know little of our heritage. My challenge to you is simple. Learn who we are and why we do what we do. We owe it to ourselves, if no one else, to know who we are.

Stay Safe,

Senior Man MFF Mike McAndrews Ladder 7/C

“ON THE JOB” Page 19 Fire Explorer Post #343

Submitted by Captain Mullins, 13/B

January 1, 2015, Explorer Captain Zack Aydlette took command of the post. Chris Wynne and Alaina Mullins are the Explorer Lieutenants. Post #343 sent a few members to CERT class from January to March. Jennifer Bodner, Logan Portlock, Peter Froberg, and Hunter Henley graduated on March 21st and will receive their Emergency Preparedness ribbon in October. We are back to a full group in April.

January found the Explorers at Fire Station 19/C and due to the call volume, the time was used to review the Incident Command System and IS-100. E19 then gave them a review of Cardiac Arrests and patient treatment. February brought us to Ladder 10\C, Captain Hill’s shift. The Explorers were taught to ascend a line using ascenders. The February 9th and March 5th meetings were cancelled due to weather conditions. March 19th brought us to the training center with a review of fire extinguishers along with the current CERT class. Next quarter takes us to companies 3, 9 and 21 for instruction on ladders, Day Camp preperation, and the Virginia Fire Fighter Games in Henrico.

Good luck to Dakota Barraclough, Alaina Mullins, and Ryan Nuber on their endeavor to join the ranks of the VBFD.

The Post is grateful to all the companies who host them and the Explorers are very excited about coming out to the field to meet you. If you are interested in hosting a group of youth who want to learn, contact Capt. Mike Brashear at Company 3 to select open dates and topics. This is an excellent time for upcoming Master Fire Fighters to get a box checked on the MFF Book. We meet on the first and third Thursday of each month from 1830-2030. We are a co-ed post, so if you have a son/daughter, niece/nephew, neighbor or friend between the ages of 15-20 who is interested in Exploring, even more so if they are interested in a career in the fire service, send them our way.

“ON THE JOB” Page 20 Meet Media Specialist Art Kohn

Submitted by Art Kohn, Multimedia Services

Many of you may recognize the name from my years as the “Military Reporter” for WAVY-TV. In addition to re- porting on the military, I covered many of the storms that are so common to this area.

In February I started working for the Virginia Beach Fire Department as a Multimedia Specialist at the Fire Training Center. Some of you I already knew and since joining your team I have had the pleasure of meeting many more great people in the Department. I asked for some space in this newsletter because I wanted to thank all of you who have been so quick to welcome me to the team. I don’t use the word “team” lightly but that is clearly the right term for the VBFD. I have always been impressed with the work you men and women do and the professionalism you use to perform your job. Now that I have been given the opportunity to see how this department operates from the inside, I am not only impressed but truly feel fortunate to be a part of this organization.

People have asked me why I left a career in broadcasting to work at the Fire Training Center. Initially, I left WAVY to spend as much time as possible with my father who passed away in March of last year at the age of 86. Not wanting to return to broadcasting, I was looking for a way to put my skills to work in the area of public service. Given the opportunity to serve the community I have lived in for most of my life and work with the VBFD was just too good to pass up.

If there is anything I can do to assist with any training needs that your Company may have, please don’t hesitate to contact me at [email protected] or 385-2886. Finally, let me reiterate how much I appreciate the way so many of you have been so quick to welcome me to the team and assure you that it has really been helpful to me as I work to bring the same professionalism and success to this department that all of you have brought to the VBFD. As a citizen of Virginia Beach, allow me to thank each and every one of you for your service and dedica- tion to our community.

“ON THE JOB” Page 21 Cathy Morse - CLMS Volunteer of the Year

Submitted by Lori Skytta, Fire Administration

Our very own Cathy Morse, not only gives 150% of herself to our department, she also ﬁnds the me to volunteer at her daughter’s school, Corporate Landing Middle.

Here is a quote from Ms. Letson, Corporate Landing Middle School teacher. “I don't know quite where to begin. Since she came with Amber to Open House before school started last year, she has ALWAYS found ways to help beyond what I ask the general popula‐ on of parents for. Cathy and/or Stan have aended 95% of our field trips‐ over the last two years, at least sixteen trips with our large groups. She has assisted other parents by providing transpor‐ taon so that their children will have the opportunity to go also. Aer each field trip is over, Cathy will wait with me, even in the rain, unl the last student is picked up by parents so that we aren't out in the parking lot at night by ourselves. Cathy has brought in "extra snacks" for some field trips to have on hand in case stu‐ dents forgot to bring something. She has handed out pizza along with encouragement before our football games (the first field trips each year), she has kept track of purses and backpacks in addion to keeping an eye on their student owners.

She has maintained order and calm simply by being present during long musical rehearsals. She and Stan have also worked miracles by providing transportaon for the large stage sets used for our musicals. Cathy is also a talented photographer and has captured our concerts on ﬁlm during the last two years. All of the students know her, and always ask, "Is Amber's mom coming?.” For a vol‐ unteer to be appreciated by staﬀ and loved by the students as much as we do here……….well that about says it all.”

“ON THE JOB” Page 22 Overweight, Obesity and Health Risks Submitted by Herb West, Health and Wellness Coordinator

Overweight and obesity are terms that refer to the overall body weight and where that extra weight comes from. Being overweight is having extra body weight from muscle, bone, fat, and/or water, which is measured as having a 25 or greater BMI. Obesity is having a high amount of extra body fat which is measured as having a 30 or greater BMI.

What effect does overweight and obesity have on our health? The following is a list of diseases and conditions related to overweight and obesity taken from The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute Diseases and Conditions Index:

Heart Disease Your chances of having heart disease or a heart attack increase as your BMI increases. Obesity can lead to con- gestive heart failure where your heart is not able to deliver enough blood to meet your body’s needs.

Hypertension Your chances of having high blood pressure are greater if you are overweight or obese.

Stroke As your BMI increases so do the chances of having a stroke.

Type 2 Diabetes More than 80% of those with type 2 diabetes are overweight.

Abnormal Blood Fats Overweight individuals have a greater chance of having high amounts of triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, and low levels of HDL (good cholesterol), which are risk factors for heart disease.

Metabolic Syndrome A name for a group of risk factors linked to overweight and obesity than can lead to heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. Metabolic Syndrome occurs when 3 out of 4 of the following risk factors are found: 1. A large waistline or abdominal obesity (apple shape) 2. Abnormal blood fat levels 3. Higher than normal fasting blood sugar levels 4. Higher than normal blood pressure

Cancer Being overweight or obese increases the risk of colon, breast, endometrial, and gallbladder cancers.

Osteoarthritis Obesity and overweight conditions put more stress on joints, leading to osteoarthritis and painful joints.

Sleep Apnea The more fat that is stored around the neck makes the breathing airway smaller and makes breathing more difficult.

Reproductive Problems Obesity can cause menstrual irregularity and infertility in women.

Gallstones Hard deposits that form in your gallbladder causing back and abdominal pain. Those who are overweight and obese have a greater chance of having gallstones and an enlarged gallbladder which may not work properly.

The above information should provide you with motivation to maintain a healthy bodyweight or to start a program, to loose extra body fat, if needed. “ON THE JOB” Page 23 Submitted by Cathy Morse, Research and Analysis Bureau Total Runs by Unit (Primary and Assists)

January - March 2015 Unit Fire Incidents EMS Incidents Other Incidents TOTALS 100 Series 300-343, 661 All Other Codes Battalion 1 46 27 296 369 Battalion 2 49 16 277 342 Battalion 3 63 38 286 387 Battalion 4 22 15 105 142 Battalion 5 0 0 2 2 Battalion 7 1 0 7 8 Battalion 8 3 2 8 13 Battalion 9 0 2 1 3 Battalion 11 0 0 2 2 Battalion 12 1 0 0 1 Battalion 14 0 0 1 1 Battalion 15 0 2 0 2 Battalion 30 2 0 0 2 Brush 5 3 0 2 5 Brush 6 2 0 2 4 Brush 8 3 1 3 7 Brush 12 2 0 2 4 Brush 13 2 0 2 4 Brush 17 2 0 0 2 Boat Truck 1 0 2 4 6 Engine 1 22 176 139 337 Engine 2 45 568 320 933 Engine 3 36 265 170 471 Engine 4 20 292 171 483 Engine 5 23 191 147 361 Engine 6 10 45 20 75 Engine 7 58 503 357 918 Engine 8 38 548 291 877 Engine 9 62 445 301 808 Engine 10 33 528 260 821 Engine 11 47 460 349 856 Engine 12 24 239 193 456 Engine 13 7 18 14 39 Engine 14 40 334 281 655 Engine 16 48 636 288 972 Engine 17 7 40 51 98 Engine 18 41 472 332 845 Engine 19 31 410 309 750 Engine 20 15 145 110 270 Engine 21 28 263 261 552 Engine 36 2 0 0 2 Fire Boat 1 0 3 5 8 Fire Boat 6 0 2 2 4 Fire Boat 12 0 6 3 9 Fire Investigator 1 11 2 6 19 Fire Investigator 2 14 1 15 30 Fire Investigator 3 24 2 20 46 Fire Investigator 4 16 0 16 32 Fire Investigator 5 15 0 9 24

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Total Runs by Unit (Primary and Assists) January - March 2015 Unit Fire Incidents EMS Incidents Other Incidents TOTALS 100 Series 300-343, 661 All Other Codes

Fire Marshal 1 2 0 0 2 Fire Marshal 3 1 0 2 3 Fire Rescue 1 56 60 160 276 Fire Rescue 2 58 47 143 248 HazMat 1 0 0 5 5 Inspector 2 0 0 2 2 Inspector 3 1 0 3 4 Inspector 4 1 0 0 1 Inspector 5 0 3 1 4 Inspector 6 1 0 2 3 Inspector 7 0 0 4 4 Inspector 8 0 0 6 6 Inspector 11 1 0 4 5 Inspector 12 0 0 2 2 Inspector 13 1 0 6 7 Inspector 30 0 0 1 1 Ladder 1 13 23 69 105 Ladder 2 37 123 195 355 Ladder 7 41 115 200 356 Ladder 8 56 266 378 700 Ladder 10 31 108 190 329 Ladder 11 29 48 213 290 Ladder 16 33 177 226 436 Ladder 21 22 83 159 264 Safety 1 34 53 24 111 Support 8 18 1 55 74 Tanker 5 10 2 21 33 Tanker 6 9 0 16 25 Tech 1 0 5 3 8 Zodiac 1 0 3 5 8

TOTALS 1,373 7,816 7,535 16,724