The Monthly Newsletter for the Urbandale Fire Department... May 2021 n the Line OOur Core Values: Pride, Respect, Duty, Unity, Integrity and Compassion. In This Issue… Trivia………………………………………………. 1/6 Ryan Moore 5/3 Chief’s Corner……………………………...…...... 2/3 Captain Gentosi 5/5 Aaron Sager 5/5 Safety Tips……………...…….…….……...…...... 3 Dennis May 5/11 Abraham Flores 5/21 Documentation of Refusals—A/C Light….…... 4 Drew Stiles 5/26 Prevention/Training Efforts……………………. 5 Dealing with Change– Lt Stu Wilson…………. 5 EMS Week Around the Department…….…….……...…...... 7 May 16-21 Member Profile: FF/PM TJ Hardin..………….. 7 Thank you for You’ve Been Caught Letters……………………. 8 being a part of EMS in our Caring for our community! community! UFD statistics for April Calls for service: 377 YTD: 1,569 Average response Time from alarm to arrival – emergency: 5 minutes 11 seconds. 88.3% of emergent calls within 8 minutes. Emergency Medical Service calls: 203 We are glad you are Fire related calls: 75 part of our team! Other:40: CUR Fire: 4, CUR EMS: 34 Other: 2 Fire Service Trivia….May 2021 True or False: The 1974 blockbuster movie, The Towering Inferno, was based on an actual high-rise fire. a) True b) False See “trivia” on page 6 Urbandale Fire Department · On the Line · May 2021 · 1 ON THE LINE Chief’s Corner—Chief Jerry Holt When I was a young firefighter, I often heard folks com- harder to swallow. plain about some of the older firefighters. It seemed like they didn’t want to change anything and “doing it the way Over the years, many of those strongly resistant to change we had always done it” was good enough. I was lucky and retired or moved on. I was sad to see some of them go. A served under officers who were open to new ways so I did- career with very little change and having so many things n’t have that complaint as much as some others. That was change in the last few years couldn’t have been fun to especially important as it was at that time we were moving them. But when they left, they didn’t take all of the prob- forward with advanced life support and the implementa- lems with them. Where some of them were called tion of paramedics into the department. “dinosaurs” I quickly learned the phrase “it’s not the dino- saurs, it the eggs they leave behind.” Of course that re- While the officers I served with were supportive, not all of ferred to those who stayed around but subscribed to the the personnel were. I can recall on several occasions that approach of “change nothing unless it is in my interest!” I my partner on the ambulance was complaining about the could write a great deal on the “eggs” they left behind and time I spent documenting the patient care report at the the continual battles for making change. hospital. We didn’t leave the hospital until the report was done and a copy was provided to the ER documenting the Fast forward and I am now in my 37th year in the fire ser- care we provided. That slowed us down and interfered with vice. I am now one of the “old guys” and hopefully not the him getting back to the station and back in front of the TV kind who wants nothing or to bed. He had been on the department much longer to change. I have al- than I had and when we got back to the station, he com- ways hated the phrase plained to the Captain about how much time I was taking “because that’s the way to complete the report. After hearing him out and then ask- we’ve always done it” ing me about what was taking so long, the Captain asked and while it might not me if I was doing it the way it was supposed to be done. I feel that way to those of responded I was and that I welcome a review of my patient you working with me, I care reports to see if there was too much documentation. In think if you are not the end, the Captain told my partner that the reports were changing something you accurate and complete and he didn’t feel like I was spend- aren’t trying very hard. ing too much time at the hospital. In my 37 years, I have It always struck me as funny how some folks wanted to be come to a conclusion. It progressive and some did not. My partner at the time had is not always the “old no desire to advance beyond EMT-B. His report writing guys.” It is not always the “dinosaurs” or the “eggs they skills were less than stellar. While a code may take me 20 leave behind.” Everyone can and most folks dislike change minutes plus to document, he would never take more than and struggle with changing the way things are done. But it 5 minutes to complete his documentation. Of course, it was is not just those with lots of experience. I am now seeing 3 a.m., his reports could be done in a fraction of the time some newer folks in the fire service who are going the other compared to 3 p.m... Ironically, if a call occurred during direction. These folks might have seven years of experience training, a report might take much longer thus delaying but they simply do not have near the experience that those our return to training. in the past would gain in seven years. They want to go back to the way it “used to be.” That’s simply not going to While I was blessed with officers that supported the chang- happen, not because we don’t “want” it to but because we es we were making, there were those who didn’t want to have learned so many lessons from the past. We have half see anything change. Always struck me as funny how they the fires we did in 1980. Folks are not getting the fire expe- would argue for things to change that were in their inter- rience that those who served in the ‘70’s, ‘80’s and even in est but would resist any efforts of change that impacted the ‘90’s. what they wanted to do. It was more about them than those we served. Despite the fact that fires are down, injuries are down, fire- fighter line of duty deaths are down, they advocate for I did my share of complaining about “the old guys.” It was more aggressive strategies and tactics. The kind we used to frustrating having so many roadblocks on trying to move do back in the “old days” when we attacked an unoccupied the department forward with EMS. I often heard people in structure the same as we did an occupied structure. They other departments complain about the same thing. The offer stats that show fewer firefighter injuries and seem to “old guys” this, the “old guys” that. We really didn’t take reject the lessons of the past when it comes to firefighter into account that the old guys had been doing it the old injuries and deaths. They point to those of us who lived way for a long time nor did we give much thought or appre- through the “aggressive on everything” and lived through ciation of how uncomfortable change could be. When you are driving the change, it is “all good.” When you are being those times and they refer to those of us who advocate for subjected to change you really don’t want, change is a little (Continued on page 3) Urbandale Fire Department · On the Line · May 2021 · 2 ON THE LINE Chief’s Corner continued... (Continued from page 2) No one bats an eye when we send a drone strike to take out a combatant. Yet there are “risk/benefit” approach as “Safety Sally” or those who still want to do what we have “fear monger.” And that’s when I realized I always done. Fire attack is a great example. am not merely the “old guy”…I am proudly When we put water on the fire as soon as a well experienced firefighter (sounds bet- possible things get better (for trapped occu- ter than “old guy!’) who has learned the pants and would be rescuers) yet there are lessons of the past and take very seriously those who argue that we should enter the the mantra of “everyone goes home.” I home and “fight” our way to the seat of the want nothing more than to keep our team fire. Not me. I know without a shadow of a safe… That means I stand ready to commit doubt that if we can put water in from the our teammates to very dangerous opera- outside and slow the growth of the fire, it tions if there is a reason for such activities. then becomes much easier and much safer A fire in an unoccupied structure demands to then go in an conduct overhaul. I get that we do not accept the same level of risk it...that tactic won’t always be possible and that we would in an occupied structure. when it is not, then another tactic must be used but the point is that we should not attack a fire like we’ve I think we can learn a lot from the military. The military cal- always done it. The military doesn't use the same tactics used culates anticipated losses when undertaking a mission.