Albany Fire Department 2020 Annual Report Mission, Vision, and Values
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Albany Fire Department 2020 Annual Report Mission, Vision, and Values The Albany Fire Department has an established mission: Prevent and Protect From Harm. It is the vision of the Albany Fire Department to be a diversified, safety- conscious, professional organization striving to be a leader in the fire service and community; participating in partnerships with private, public, and nonprofit organizations; continually looking for innovative means of delivering services; maintaining a high level of technical proficiencies through training and education; and understanding that the priority is to prevent rather than react to an emergency. We are courteous, caring, take pride in doing our job, and provide excellent community services. Chief’s Message was an unprecedented year in the history of the Albany Fire Department and our members handled the challenges presented with professionalism, flexibility, and a 2020 focus on safety for our community. As Chief, I am extremely proud of the work the members of Albany Fire Department did this past year. It was busy with emergency calls, requests for services, and adapting to a changing world but our members responded to these challenges in a manner that can make our community proud. In March, the coronavirus put our department in a position where we had to evolve the way we deliver service. Unlike many other professions, we cannot work from home, nor can we close. Instead, we had to adapt and transform how we respond to emergencies in manner that protects those we serve, treats those who need our help, and still protect firefighters and their families from contracting the virus. The members of Albany Fire Department have done an amazing job rising to this challenge and shown a level of creativity and resilience that allows us to continue to provide excellent customer service. In September we were faced with another challenge after the unparalleled weather event that occurred over Labor Day. The entire Willamette Valley was impacted by wildfires that were pushed by wind gusts normally unseen during the summer months. This was a winter windstorm that occurred at a time of year when fuels were at the driest and the risk of wildfire was at its greatest. Thousands of homes were lost in areas surrounding Albany. The members of our department responded in many ways to this tragic event. We had many resources directly on the fire line, we helped evacuees at the Linn County Fairgrounds, many members staffed additional fire apparatus while others developed contingency plans if the fire front were to reach any of the areas served by the Albany Fire Department. We would be remiss not to acknowledge our community and all they do to support us. While the City faces many budget challenges in the future, our community showed their incredible support by passing the Public Safety Levy with over 75 percent voting in favor of maintaining that source of funding despite high levels of unemployment and uncertainty. For this level of support, we are forever thankful. Finally, it is impossible to fully capture in an annual report the many ways our department has positively impacted others. We continually look for ways to positively impact others on a daily basis and this report is intended to capture just some of those highlights. Whether by saving someone’s life, treating their medical problems, or simply helping a stranded motorist, we are here to serve the citizens of the city of Albany and our surrounding area. My entire team and I are grateful to serve you. Shane D. Wooton Fire Chief COVID-19 Response The COVID-19 pandemic dominated every aspect of life in 2020. In March, the State proclaimed a quarantine to avoid overwhelming medical facilities and AFD prepared for the long haul. We responded by acquiring extra PPE (personal protective equipment) to protect both our staff and the community. We also enlisted our own COVID specialist (Firefighter/Paramedic and Field Training Officer Matt Johnson, who holds a degree in Public Health from OSU) to work with local public health and medical staff, as well as the members of the community. We suspended all of our inspections, most public programs, and all in-person public contact aside from emergency responses. Conflagrations AFD responds to conflagrations, or wildfires, when requested by the State. Under the provisions of an Emergency Management Assistance Compact (or EMAC), deployments are typically to Oregon and California and are managed by the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s office (OSFM). AFD is reimbursed for the costs of all personnel sent and those staying behind to cover them, in addition to paying for the use of any equipment. Deployments can last as long as 16 days. 2020 Wildfire Deployments: August 19 August 13 Napa Valley, CA (with August 28 Mosier Fire Linn County Task Force) to White River Fire (Oregon); assist with multiple and (Oregon); three two personnel. complex conflagrations; personnel. four personnel. September 8 Both fires were made Holiday Farm and worse by the hot, dry Beachie Creek Fires weather and a violent, (Oregon); once-a-decade windstorm from the east. eight personnel. September 14 September 16 October 2 Riverside Fire Slater Fire Wildfire support (Oregon); (Oregon); three (California); one person. personnel. four personnel. 2020 Year in Review in Year 2020 Porch Parades Throughout the pandemic, AFD worked hard to educate the public about the disease and how to avoid catching or transmitting it. Social distancing may have been one of the most difficult parts of the quarantine for everyone – we are a social community! Through it all, AFD worked to keep morale up, within the department and throughout the community. During the quarantine lockdown, AFD hosted neighborhood engine birthday salutes for children celebrating birthdays, and who can forget the “Porch Parades” that Albany Fire, Linn County Sheriff, and APD put on for neighborhoods around town? Response and rescue vehicles and staff from Albany Fire, Linn County Sheriff’s Department, and Albany Police rolled through the streets of city neighborhoods, lights blazing, showing our support for the community. September 8-17, 2020 evacuations of people (and their An unprecedented summer animals), many of whom were windstorm, hailed as a once-a- only notified at the last minute. decade event, blew through the AFD personnel worked tirelessly Willamette Valley with gusts up to to help those evacuated to the 50 mph, igniting downed power Linn County Fairgrounds, the lines and creating numerous fires which burned over 1,000,000 acres in Oregon. The hot, dry weather that preceded the event led to significant destruction in the towns of Gates, Lyons, Detroit, Idanha, Breitenbush, Mehama, and Mill City, and forced mass 2020 Year in Review in Year 2020 designated evacuation site. Albany affected directly, not only by responding Emergency Management set up the and deploying to deal with the wildfires, Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to but having to be evacuated from their guide the City’s response to the wildfires own homes. Albany Fire personnel made and ensuing evacuations. Several it safely through the fires, and remain members of the department were grateful for those who responded. This was an exciting year for AFD, equipment-wise. Through pre-planned funds and a very generous donation, AFD purchased two new ambulances, a new fire engine, and a new water rescue boat. Some older equipment was sold to start saving for future purchases. Ambulances This year Albany Fire bought two new ambulances, replacing one and adding another to the fleet in response to rising call volume. These new ambulances are like those already Rescue Boat in use, but are fully up-to-date, with At the beginning of 2020, AFD welcomed a new water-rescue boat. modernized technology and safety Custom-built for AFD by Wooldridge Boats in Washington State, this features. They are in service at our boat was purchased by the Albany Rural Fire Protection District, who also two busiest stations, 12 and 13. supplied two new Rescue Watercraft – or RWCs – in 2019 to replace an aging jet ski. The boat includes a 400-horsepower Corvette engine and is equipped with a FLIR (forward-looking infrared radar) camera. Type I Engine In August, AFD was excited to put a brand-new Pierce fire engine into service. This new engine, running out of Station 11, is part of our ongoing effort to modernize our fleet, respond to increased call volume, and mitigate some of the wear and tear our vehicles endure as part of their routine. 2020 Year in Review AFD’s Annual Awards and Recognition Banquet this year was graciously hosted by Matt and Jenelle Bennett of Sybaris restaurant. On the first Friday night in February, AFD personnel former and current, and their families, gathered to celebrate the Department’s 150th anniversary and recognize the outstanding achievements of the previous year. Awards were presented for: Fire Officer Apparatus Operator Firefighter Medic Humanitarian of the Year of the Year of the Year of the Year of the Year Lieutenant Apparatus Firefighter Firefighter/ Community John Zimmerman Operator Ryan “Bronco” Paramedic Paramedic Ron Wackford Lawrence Tim Verdun Hillary Kosmicki The department also recognized the retirement of Chief John Bradner and promotions of Chief Shane Wooton, Deputy Chiefs Chris LaBelle and Kyle Romey, Battalion Chief Kevin Vining, and Fire Marshal Lora Ratcliff as well as retirees Kevin Anderson, Ryan Bond, Steve Surmeier, and Leon Eichler. It was a great time to get together and relive old memories while making new ones. In October 2020, we had an opportunity to promote Firefighter Ed Coleman into the officer ranks as our newest Lieutenant. Community Involvement Through all the chaos and unknowns us help the community. The corn of equipment, food, masks, and brought on by the COVID-19 hole tournament and annual golf funds which citizens and businesses pandemic, AFD recognizes that it’s tournament had to be canceled, have offered us.