INSIDE City of Waukesha Fire THIS Department Newsletter ISSUE 3rd Quarter 2019 PG. 2

Message from the Chief

PG. 3

Operations

PG. 4 & 5

Honor Hall & AEDs

PG. 6

Archives PG. 7 – 9 New Engine #3 Messages from the Fire Prevention Bureau

MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF

The Waukesha is very appreciative of the new we received in late September. This new engine will be stationed at #3, located on Les Paul Parkway by St. John Neumann's Church. The new fire engine has many advanced features to help us better serve the community. The required safety striping on the vehicle uses graphics to be a unique tie to our community. This engine features the Waukesha West High School Wolverine logo along with a river that has a rescue boat being driven by a fox. The graphics tie to the history of Waukesha and the Fox River, as well as to Waukesha West that is part of Fire Station #3’s first due response area. The vehicle is currently being fitted with equipment and radios, and is scheduled to be officially in service by early November. This fire engine is planned to serve our community for 17 to 18 years.

~ Chief Steve Howard

pg. 1

MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF CONT.

Fire Prevention Week 2019 will be observed Sunday, October 6 through Saturday, October 12. In 1925, President Coolidge recognized Fire Prevention Week, by proclamation, to memorialize the Great Chicago Fire that occurred on October 8, 1871. On this same date in Northern Wisconsin, the Peshtigo Fire also occurred. This Wisconsin destroyed 1,875 square miles of forest, ultimately destroying 12 communities and causing death to somewhere between 1500 and 2500 people. Fire Prevention Week is the longest running public health observance in our country.

This year's theme is “Not Every Hero Wears a Cape; Plan and Practice Your Escape!”

The 2019 campaign, developed by the National Fire Protection Association, stresses that you don’t have to be a superhero to make a difference. The message further speaks to a hero being someone who takes small but important actions to keep themselves and those around them safe from fire. The focus is to school-age children, stressing to them that they can make a huge difference by ensuring that their family has a home escape plan in case of a fire in the home. Throughout the entire month of October, the Waukesha Fire Department will be working with the Waukesha School District to present programs to all kindergarten classes as well as the 1st and 4th graders with a presentation using our house. Additional information on developing and practicing an escape plan can be found at www.firepreventionweek.org.

As , I strongly encourage all households to have an “in case of fire” plan that includes: ensuring that all smoke detectors in the home are working, having bedroom doors closed at night while sleeping, knowing two ways out of all rooms of the home, establishing a meeting place in front of the home or at a neighbor’s house once outside, and that everyone knows how to call 911 once they are safely outside of the building.

The goal is to prevent a fire from happening in the first place.

Prevention, prevention, prevention.

pg. 2

OPERATIONS BY THE NUMBERS – 2019

ASSISTANT CHIEF JOSEPH HOFFMAN

Incident Activity Measures Jan-Sept '19 2018 2017 2016 Fire Calls 767 888 1062 1133 EMS Calls 5,079 6413 6146 5860 Special Services 38 31 28 21 All Other Calls 97 93 44 48 # of Pts Transported 3,566 4488 4440 4251 Mutual Aid 77 83 42 38

Fire Prevention Bureau Measures Jan-Sept '19 2018 2017 2016 Commercial/ Residential Inspections 2485 5738 5111 5179 Community Outreach Activities 4941 4806 4352 4235 Plans Review Days to Completion 8.6 days 11.42 days n/a n/a

Emergency Response Time Data

Jan-Sept '19 2018 2017 2016

Average Call Processing Time 1 min 40 sec 1 min 43 sec 1 min 46 sec 1 min 59 sec

Percentage of Calls Meeting 60 sec 25.23% 27.18% 23.98% 22.42%

Average Station Alerting and Turnout Time 1 min 16 sec 1 min 19 sec 1 min 16 sec 1 min 25 sec

Percentage of Calls Meeting 60 sec 31.98% 29.78% 34.17% 28.74%

Average Drive Time 3 min 30 sec 3 min 29 sec 3 min 25 sec 3 min 28 sec

Percentage of Calls Meeting 5 min Drive Time 83.75% 85.28% 86.33% 85.98%

Average Response Time 6 min 26 sec 6 min 28 sec 6 min 27 sec 6 min 46 sec

Percentage of Calls Meeting 7 min Goal 65.04% 66.62% 66.92% 62.72%

Emergency Calls Only

Average Response Time for Emergency Calls 6 min 2 sec 6 min 2 sec 6 min 9 sec 6 min 28 sec

Percentage of Emergency Calls Reached in 6 mins or less 52.64% 52.53% 52.66% 58.92%

Percentage of Emergency Calls Reached in 7 mins or less 72.36% 73.10% 72.22% 85.05%

Percentage of Emergency Calls Reached in 7 mins 30 sec 80.21% 80.73% 79.96% 94.65%

pg. 3

HONOR HALL Mark Sweet, Battalion Chief In 2016 a request was made by a group of Waukesha to Fire Chief Howard to start a project honoring past members of the Waukesha Fire Department (WFD). Permission was granted, and the project was set in motion. The project would utilize the back hall and stairwell of Fire Station #1 which was a blank canvas of two shades of grey block walls. The projects goal is to recognize all past personnel on a block of the wall; a block for everyone throughout the history of our department. The project recognizes everyone, from fire fighters to clerical staff, medical directors to nurse educators to volunteers regardless of time served, which could be from weeks to decades. They are all part of our history. Each individual block includes the name, rank (position) and year(s) served with the WFD.

Whenever a member of the department leaves the Fire Department; their information is added to a brick on the wall. Currently, with the assistance of our WFD historian and former member of the department Dan Carstens, we are adding our volunteers with the earliest dating to 1879. The WFD originated in 1852 as the Reliance Hook and Ladder Co. #1. Many early volunteer members were also deeply rooted in the community as evidenced by their names appearing on buildings (Putney), parks (Frame) and streets (Gaspar) to mention a few.

We are proud of our past for it is our members that give the WFD its rich history and has made our community a safe place to live. Even with countless hours of research, records from the early years are hard to come by and many volunteer dates are partial or missing. So, if you come to Station #1 for a visit (tour) ask to see the hall. If you know of a past relative that was a member of the WFD, you are welcome to come and take a picture of their block or if you have information on a family member with history on the WFD we would appreciate to learn about them.

“Our past molds who we become in the present and from what we learn we carry with us making our future a better place for all.”

pg. 4 PUBLIC ACCESS TO AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILATORS (AEDS) Mark Sweet, Battalion Chief

In 2010 the Waukesha Fire Department (WFD) took on an assignment of placing AED’s on public properties to allow both citizens and city employees access to the AED in case of a Cardiac Arrest Emergency (table below). The WFD also provides instruction on basic first aid, “Hands-only CPR” and use of an AED to city employees.

1. City Hall – 201 Delafield St. 2. City Hall Annex – 130 Delafield St. 3. Waukesha Public Library – 321 Wisconsin Av. 4. Schuetze Building – 1120 Baxter St. 5. Park, Recreation and Forestry Building – 1900 Aviation Rd

6. Horeb Pool – 323 Hyde Park Av.

7. Buchner Pool – 223 Oakland Av. 8. Prairie Home Cemetery – 605 S. Prairie Av. Over the years three other city departments added their own AED’s: 9. Waukesha Police Department – 1901 Delafield St. (3 units) 10. Waukesha Waste Water Treatment Facility – 600 Sentry Dr. 11. Waukesha Water Utility – 111 Delafield St. In 2018 the WFD began teaching “Hands-only CPR” at public events like the Farmer’s Market. In 2019 the WFD purchased more AED’s allowing the department to expand the program further by having all WFD vehicles carry an AED and adding to these public locations: 12. E.B. Shurts Building – 810 W. College Av. 13. Waukesha Rotary Building – 1150 Baxter St. 14. Saratoga Sports Complex – 301 S. Prairie Av. 15. William Oliver Sports Complex – 3041 Summit Av. 16. Les Paul Performance Center (Cutler Park) – 321 Wisconsin Av. 17. Waukesha Metro Transit – 2311 Badger Dr. 18. Waukesha Metro Transit Terminal – 212 E. St Paul Av. 19. City Garage – 300 Sentry Dr.

The goal is to “save lives”. Remember to gain early access to emergency services by calling 9-1-1. The WFD will continue to strive to expand the program by providing the best possible public access to an AED and teach as many citizens and public employees “Hands-only CPR”.

The City of Waukesha Fire Department recommends citizens to utilize the PulsePoint AED app to help to locate AEDs in our Community. Furthermore, if you have an AED or see one while you are in the community you can help us to notify the community by adding the AED in the App.

“Be a Hero, Learn CPR”

pg. 5

Fire Department Archives

One of the hardest fires to fight in the 1950’s was the Mid-West Tire & Auto Store fire at 244 W. Broadway on October 26, 1953 at 3:00 pm. This is the current site of Dady-Oh’s Restaurant. The blaze started in the rear storeroom and the estimated loss was over $50,000. Twelve people were left homeless as the fire destroyed one apartment above and damaged another. There was smoke and water damage to the Harris Furniture store and the Metropolitan store next door. “Heavy smoke billowed out of the store almost instantly and it continued to hamper the attempts of fireman to enter the building.” One engine with eight men came from the Hartland Fire Department in response to a call for help from Fire Chief Downie. Four Pewaukee firemen came on their own to give aid. A total of 24 Waukesha firemen, about 10 of them off duty, fought the fire.”

pg. 6

FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU

BRIAN CHARLESWORTH,

The Fire Prevention Bureau is starting the fall fire prevention programs in our schools. We would encourage everyone to talk to their children about the lessons they learned from the fire department.

As fall approaches we want to remind everyone to change the batteries in their smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. When you change your clocks it is an excellent time to change your and carbon monoxide detector batteries. All residences are required to have smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. If you have any questions about the installation requirements of these devices please contact the Fire Prevention Bureau at (262) 524-3648.

FACTS

• A closed door may slow the spread of smoke, heat, and fire.

• Smoke alarms should be installed inside every sleeping room, outside each sleeping area, and on every level. Smoke alarms should be connected so when one sounds, they all sound. Most homes do not have this level of protection.

• Roughly 3 out of 5 fire deaths happen in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.

pg. 7

Halloween is a fun, and spooky, time of year for kids. Make trick-or-treating safe for your little monsters with a few easy safety tips. Sparky® is a trademark of the NFPA.

Halloween Fire Safety Tips → When choosing a costume, stay away from long trailing If your children are going to fabric. If your child is wearing a mask, make sure the eye Halloween parties at others’ holes are large enough so he or she can see out. homes, have them look for ways out of the home and plan → Provide children with flashlights to carry for lighting or how they would get out in an glow sticks as part of their costume. emergency. → Dried flowers, cornstalks and crepe paper catch fire

easily. Keep all decorations away from open flames Did you know? and other heat sources like light bulbs and heaters.

→ Use a battery-operated candle or glow-stick in jack-o- lanterns. If you use a real candle, use extreme caution. Make sure children are watched at all times when candles are lit. When lighting candles inside jack-o- lanterns, use long, fireplace-style matches or a utility lighter. Be sure to place lit pumpkins well away from anything that can burn and far enough out of the way of trick-or-treaters, doorsteps, walkways and yards. → Remember to keep exits clear of decorations, so Decorations are the first thing nothing blocks escape routes. to ignite in 900 reported home fires each year. Two of every → Make sure all smoke alarms in the home are working. five of these fires were → Tell children to stay away from open flames including started by a candle. jack-o-lanterns with candles in them. Be sure they know

how to stop, drop and roll if their clothing catches fire. (Have them practice, stopping immediately, dropping to City of Waukesha Fire Dept the ground, covering their face with hands, and rolling over and over to put the flames out.) Your Source for SAFETY Information 262-524-3648 NFPA Public Education Division • 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02169

www.nfpa.org/education ©NFPA 2016

pg. 8 IMPACT TEEN DRIVERS – WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER LETHAL? Kerry Harris, Fire Prevention Bureau Staff

Did you know?

• The #1 killer of young people in America is distracted and reckless driving. Almost 4,000 teens lost their lives every year and 400,000 are seriously inured in car crashes. Fifty percent are passengers.

• It takes only 30 hours of supervised driving with a qualified adult (10 hours must be at night) for a teen to get a Wisconsin driver’s license. A manucurist must complete 300 hours of training to obtain a license in the state of Wisconsin!

• Having passengers is a serious distraction for teen drivers. Carrying 3 or more passengers may increase the risk of a crash for 16 and 17 year olds by four-fold.

The Good News:

 Car crashes are 100% perventable and there are actionable steps to take to start making a difference.

Other Resources:

✓ WhatDoYouConsiderLethal.com ✓ Impactteendrivers.org ✓ Facebook: www.facebook.com/impactteendrivers ✓ Twitter: @whatslethal AND @impactdrivers

City of Waukesha Fire Department 130 W. St. Paul Avenue Waukesha, WI 53188 www.waukesha-wi.gov

pg. 9