The DeWitt, Fayetteville and Manlius fire departments, DeWitt Professional Firefighters and Town of Manlius Professional Firefighters will bring Rick Lasky to Central New York January 14 for a two-part seminar. Proceeds will go to the Clark Burn Center at University Hospital. Lasky, a 27-year veteran of the fire service, is chief of the Lewisville (TX) Fire Department. Rick began his career as a firefighter in the suburbs on the southwest side of Chicago and while in Illinois received the 1996 International Society of Fire Service Instructors “Innovator of the Year” award for his part in developing the “Saving Our Own” program. He served as the co-lead instructor for the H.O.T. Firefighter Survival program at FDIC for over 10 years and is an editorial advisory board member of Fire Engineering Magazine and also serves on the FDIC advisory board. Rick contributes monthly to Fire Engineering’s Roundtable column, is the author of both the “Pride and Ownership-A Firefighter’s Love of the Job” leadership series featured in Fire Engineering Magazine and the book published by PennWell Books. Lasky will present a leadership track for chiefs and officers during the daytime session. This officer development program is entitled “Real Leadership with Real People: Building Tomorrow’s Leaders and Successors” This program is designed to look at the leadership traits of the successful and not so successful fire service leader. What works and what doesn’t. What it means to define core values. How to build relationships and confidence in your firefighters. It also looks at what we’re all about, why private corporations are struggling and how to march forward and fight for a better and safer fire service. Whether you are a firefighter, the newest engine lieutenant or the most senior battalion chief in your department, your leadership skills and abilities are vital to the operations of your department or company. Firehouse conflicts, operational difficulties, and the daily routine can be handled professionally or you can fly by the seat of your pants. Join Chief Rick Lasky as he talks about the problems and solutions he has faced in his quarter century with the fire service and how he handled them. No officer is exempt from bumps in the road and the best way to handle trouble is to train! This IS where the rubber meets the road. The general program “Pride and Ownership: Ignite Your Love for the Job” is aimed at all fire service personnel and will be held in the evening. Pride and Ownership holds no punches. Chief Rick Lasky takes a hard look at the fire service and finds it short on the only element that makes it effective: passion. Chief Lasky gives an upfront and honest criticism about the need to reignite the love of the job on every level, from chiefs on down. Do you have what it takes? Not everyone is cut out for the fire service. It takes only the best to serve the public when people need help most. Pride and Ownership calls for men and women with honor and integrity to measure up to the task. There’s nothing else in the world like being a firefighter. Every day Chief Lasky remembers why his job is the best in the world and he brings that passion to Pride and Ownership. Chief Lasky revisits the proud history and tradition of the fire service and reflects on the family values and brotherhood that have made firefighting a truly family-oriented vocation.     January 14, 2009: Real Leadership with Real People – 11 am at DeWitt Fire Station, 4500 E. Genesee St, DeWitt. Pride & Ownership: Ignite Your Love for the Job – 7 pm at the Eastern Hills Baptist Church, 4500 Pewter Lane, Manlius.   Contact any of the stations or visit online to pre-order tickets: Fayetteville 637-6101 www.fayettevillefd.org – Manlius 682-8318 www.training.manliusfire.com – DeWitt 446-3195 - http://www.dewittfire.org/downloads.php

Shortly after 10:00 this morning East Syracuse was activated for a structure fire in a garage at a commercial building located at 5952 Butternut Drive. Reports from the scene of heavy fire and ESFD Car 1 reported smoke from a distance. Upon his arrival ESFD Car-1 gave the signal for a working structure fire, which called DeWitt crews for a coverage move-up. Moments later East Syracuse command gave a second alarm which called for DeWitt Truck-3 and other move up companies to the scene. Truck 3 took placement on the "D" side of the structure and set up to assist with an aerial master stream operation. ESFD Engine-2 and Truck-1 along with DeWitt Truck-3 knocked a bulk of the fire down from above then ESFD crews finished extinguishing the fire. DeWitt crews were back in service at 12:41 hours. ESFD Car-1 (Chief Cramer) had the "Butternut St Command"

1981 Mack/Swab/RD Murray Heavy Rescue
Chassis:
1981 Mack R-model cab
Mack E-6, 250 H/P, 750 ft-lb torque, Inline -6 cylinder Turbocharged engine
Allison MT645cr Automatic transmission
Ramsey H-600R Hydraulic 12,000 lb winch
Goodyear tires-5 years old
S-cam brakes, Front, Rear,
12 CFM Air compressor, Bendix AD-9 air dryer
12v, 165Amp Alternator, 4 group 31 batteries, Negative ground electrical system
15 amp shoreline battery charger
Body:
16 Foot Swab/RD Murray steel walk in body with Air Conditioning
12 kW Onan Diesel Gen-set, 683 hours
2- 150’ Hannay electric reels with 10/4 Cable
2- Telescoping 500w Quartz lights
1-500w fixed Quartz light
Overall fair condition, moderate cab, body and frame rust. 23,045 miles, 1,999 engine hours.
$5,000.00 Minimum bid
Contact:
Dewitt Fire District
4500 E. Genesee Street
Dewitt, New York 13214
(315) 446-3195

DeWitt, New York (WSYR-TV) - It is a breakthrough that could not only save the lives of firefighters, but ours too.

DeWitt firefighter Randy Griffin has been working with Homeland Security on a critical piece of equipment.  The department is the first in the country to get a look at a new air pack – and we took a look at it as well.

It doesn't take a firefighter long to notice the difference between slipping on the current bulky air pack and the sleeker new design.

"This is probably the first revolutionary move in self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBAs) in probably 50 years," Griffin says.

The new design has three key features; it's thinner and lighter than what firefighters are using now, plus it’s also flexible.

The current air packs extend about eight inches off their back.  It can be a deadly hazard for a firefighter trying to make their way through the maze of a burning structure where hanging materials can hook a firefighter, trapping them.

The new design is much easier to work with, and while they both carry the same amount of air, the new one will last longer because it puts less stress on firefighters, meaning they don't use as much air -- which can be critical when it comes to saving people from a fire.

Another advantage of this new thinner design is in tight quarters where a firefighter might have to slip through -- it's a lot easier getting through than it is trying to take the current air bottle and fit through the same tight quarter, which takes a lot longer -- and in a fire, every single second counts.

"SCBAs are probably the most important piece of equipment that a firefighter can have, so anything that we can do to upgrade that technology, I think, is critical," Griffin says.

In his role at Homeland Security, Griffin is working to help get this new breathing equipment from prototype to commercial production.  It still needs some approvals, but Griffin says you could start seeing this on the backs of firefighters in a couple years.

http://www.9wsyr.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoid=247611@video.wixt.com&navCatId=5

As our kids of all ages begin to prepare for the Halloween festivities we would like to remind folks how to keep it a safe holiday. Planning ahead can help make this Halloween a fire-safe one. Taking simple fire safety precautions, like making sure fabrics for costumes and decorative materials are flame-resistant, can prevent fires. During 2000-2004, decoration fires accounted for an estimated 1,610 reported home structure fires per year, the majority involving candles as the heat source, and causing seven civilian deaths, 60 civilian injuries and $24.9 million in direct property damage per year. The National Fire Protection Association has issue these safety tips for the season: ·          Purchase only costumes, wigs and props labeled flame-resistant or flame-retardant. When creating a costume, choose material that won't easily ignite if it comes in contact with heat or flame. Avoid billowing or long trailing features. ·          Provide children with lightweight flashlights to carry for lighting or as part of their costume. ·          Dried flowers, cornstalks and crepe paper are highly flammable. Keep these and other decorations well away from all open flames and heat sources, including light bulbs, heaters, etc. ·          Use the proper grade of the proper fuel for your liquid-fueled space heater, and never use gasoline in any heater not approved for gasoline use.  Refuel only in a well-ventilated area and when the equipment is cool. ·          Use flashlights or battery-operated candles when illuminating Jack-o-lanterns. Use extreme caution when decorating with candle lit Jack-O-Lanterns, and supervise children at all times when candles are lit. When lighting candles inside Jack-O-Lanterns, use long, fireplace-style matches and be sure to place lit pumpkins well away from anything that can burn including doorsteps, walkways and yards. ·          Remember to keep exits clear of decorations, ensuring nothing blocks escape routes. ·          Use flashlights as alternatives to candles or torch lights when decorating walkways and yards. They are much safer for trick-or-treaters, whose costumes may brush against the lighting. ·          Instruct children to stay away from open flames or other heat sources. Be sure children know how to stop, drop and roll in the event their clothing catches fire. (Stop immediately, drop to the ground, covering your face with your hands, and roll over and over to extinguish flames.) Cool the burn. ·          Make sure fuel-burning equipment is vented to the outside, that the venting is kept clear and unobstructed, and that the exit point is properly sealed around the vent, all of which is to make sure deadly carbon monoxide does not build up in the home. ·          Instruct children who are attending parties at others' homes to locate the exits and plan how they would get out in an emergency.

October 5-11 is National Fire Prevention Week.  While fire safety is a year-round endeavor, this particular week in October is an annual event which brings school children into the fire station and firefighters into the schools to reinforce those fire safety habits.

The history of National Fire Prevention Week has it roots in the Great Chicago Fire, which occurred on October 8, 1871. This tragic conflagration killed some 300 people, left 100,000 homeless and destroyed more than 17,000 structures. The origin of the fire has generated speculation since its occurrence, with the fact and fiction becoming blurred over the years. One popular legend has it that Mrs O'Leary was milking her cow when the animal kicked over a lamp, setting the O'Leary barn on fire and starting the spectacular blaze. How ever the massive fire began, it swiftly took its toll, burning more than 2000 acres in 27 hours. The city of Chicago quickly rebuilt, however, and within a couple of years residents began celebrating their successful restoration to memorialize the anniversary of the fire with festivities.

Intending to observe the fire's anniversary with a more serious commemoration, the Fire Marshals Association of North America (FMANA), the oldest membership section of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), decided that the 40th anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire should be observed not with festivities, but in a way that would keep the public informed about the importance of fire prevention. 

When President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed the first National Fire Prevention Week, October 4 - 10 1925, he noted that in the previous year some 15,000 lives were lost to fire in the United States. Calling the loss "startling", President Coolidge's proclamation stated, "This waste results from the conditions which justify a sense of shame and horror; for the greater part of it could and ought to be prevented... It is highly desirable that every effort be made to reform the conditions which have made possible so vast a destruction of the national wealth". 

NFPA continues today to make National Fire Prevention Week a priority and counts on the participation and efforts of tens of thousands of fire and safety professionals, emergency volunteers, and other individuals working to reduce the risk of fire and the toll it takes on our society.  

Please stop by the fire station any time with questions about fire prevention and safety.   Also visit the following websites for more information:  US Fire Administration for Kids (www.usfa.dhs.gov/kids)  National Fire Protection Organization (www.firepreventionweek.org)   Sparky the Fire Dog Family Fun Site (www.sparky.org)

Members of the DeWitt Fire family are hitting the street all day for their annual boot drive to help Local 2733 raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. The intersection of Erie Boulevard and East Genesee Street will be manned all day on Friday September 26.  DeWitt Firefighters began conducting their boot drive in 2005 and collected over $15,000 that year thanks to the generosity of contributors.   This year marks 54 years of partnership between the International Association of Fire Fighters and the Muscular Dystrophy Association in the fight against more than 40 neuromuscular diseases.  The IAFF is by far MDA’s largest sponsor, and the untiring efforts of fire fighters and paramedics have powered the MDA and research programs for decades.  The IAFF began its partnership with MDA at the union's 1954 convention in Miami, where the membership proclaimed it would support the voluntary health agency’s efforts “until a cure is found.” Since 1954, the IAFF has raised nearly $200 million for MDA.   In 2008, the IAFF has raised $27.5 million for MDA, helping to fund a worldwide research program, a network of some 230 clinics and 30 ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) centers, assistance in obtaining wheelchairs and other durable equipment, public health education, and summer camps for more than 4,000 youngsters with muscular dystrophy and related diseases.  The IAFF is the largest national sponsor of the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) and this year raised a record-shattering $27,530,000 for the MDA 43rd annual Labor Day Telethon. “Jerry’s Kids are extremely important to the fire fighters,” says IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger. “We dedicate ourselves every year to standing on street corners and in intersections, filling the boot, so that children affected with muscular dystrophy and related disorders can receive crucial medical treatment and so that the search for a cure can continue.”

Wednesday night DeWitt was host to the Onondaga County Chief's Association monthly meeting, and a busy evening for the duty crew. At shift change DeWitt was activated for an outdoor fire next to P&C (Jamesville Rd/E.Genesee St). Crews found a small outdoor fire in the woods, the fire was extinguished and blanketed with foam and turned over to the Fire Investigation Team.  As Engine 8 pulled back in to the station, the station recieved a call for a Motor Vehicle Crash at Techumseh Rd and Peck Hill Rd. Engine-8 arrived to find a 2 car crash in the intersection.  No one was injured, the crew handled 6 patient refusals and took care of vehicle hazards. Also through the evening and early night hours Engine-8 ran an EMS call to LeMoyne College and a Car vs Motorcycle at 6789 E. Genesee St.

The meeting attendees enjoyed a nice dinner from Tony Restaurant  while tending to meeting business and toured the new fire station after.

The Board of Fire Commissioners and all members would like to welcome our new Chief of Department Jeff Cardinali.  Chief Cardinali started his first day in service today, replacing retired Chief MacLachlan.  Chief Cardinali joins DeWitt with 30+ years of firefighting expierence.  He is a retired Deputy Chief from the CIty of Oneida Fire Department and an active member of Wampsville Fire Department (Madison County). Welcome Aboard Chief Cardinali, we all look forward to working with you!!

DeWitt Fire hosted its annual observance of the September 11 terrorist attacks where 343 brother firefighters were killed in the line of duty at the World Trade Center.  Each year, neighboring fire departments gather in DeWitt to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice. At 8:46 am three bell strikes marked the moment at which Flight 11 struck the north tower, followed by members reading the names of the FDNY members lost that day, each with a bell strike. Three more bell tolls at 9:03 mark the Flight 175 crash into the south tower, followed by a moment of silence for all of those killed that day.

In early 2002 the DeWitt Fire District and Dewitt Fire Department retired badge number 343 in honor of those brothers of the FDNY.

At approximately 23:56 on September 8, Manlius, Fayetteville and DeWitt stations were dispatched to a garage fire at 7406 Silverwood Dr in the Town of Manlius. Manlius Car-1 (Whorall) was the first arriving Chief and reported an active fire in the attached garage of the residence. DeWitt Engine -8 was the first arriving apparatus and quickly knocked the fire down. Fayetteville Truck secured a water source and completed ventilation along with  assisting Manlius crews with minor overhaul. Crews were back in service within 45 minutes. Manlius Car-1 (Whorall) had the Silverwood Dr command.

Today marked the final shift for Chief MacLachlan as he retired as the first career Fire Chief of the DeWitt FIre District.  Fire Control sounded a "Signal 59" at 1600 and Car-10 took the officer's seat of Engine-8 for his ride home.  Chief MacLachlan has served the DeWitt Fire District in many capacities since joining forty-six years ago.  Chief MacLachlan was appointed as career Chief in 2001, previously serving as a Fire Commissioner and as volunteer Fire Chief.  The department has experienced tremendous change and progress during his tenure.  We wish him and his family all the best in the future.

In the early hours of Friday morning crews from DeWitt, Manlius, Fayetteville, Cazenovia, and Minoa were alerted for a reported house fire at Cahill Rd and Churchill Ct in the Manlius Fire District.  The first arriving chief found a vacant structure, that had been under construction for over a year, well involved.  Engine-8 was the third arriving piece of equipment (first engine) and secured a water supply and fed into Fayetteville 20-Truck to use in their elevated master stream.  Engine 8's crew then pulled the Blitzfire and attacked the fire from the exterior.  DeWitt crews were back in service inside of 2 hours.

It was a very warm Friday afternoon and the D-Shift was wrapping up from the station chores when the bell hit for a "signal 80" on Route 481 Northbound at Jamesville Rd. Engine Co. 8 arrived, and took a blocking position, to find a Ford Explorer facing the wrong way on the Interstate with the pop up trailer it was towing rolled over. There were no injuries to the occupant of the SUV, so the crew from 8 Engine took care of vehicle hazards and secured a leaking propane cylinder that was ejected from the trailer. As the crew was taking up from that scene, they witnessed a rear end crash 100 feet behind the engine. The crew packaged one patient and turned them over to Rural/Metro for transport to a local hospital for evaluation. Engine 8 had cleared both crashes in just under an hour. Lt. Hogan had the "Route 481 Command"

At 0539 hours on Wednesday morning DeWitt crews were notified for a Sulfuric Acid spill in an apartment at 301 Nottingham Rd. Upon the Arrival of Engine Co. 8 they were met by an occupant of the apartment who said he was trying to clear his tub drain and spilled a 64 oz container of industrial strength drain cleaner. An Onondaga County Haz-Mat representative was notified to respond at 0546 hours and answered up several minutes later. In the mean time the crew from Engine Co. 8 evacuated all of the occupants of the building. Upon the arrival of hazardous materials rep EM-211 (Herrick), he determined that soda ash was needed to mitigate the situation. Syracuse Fire Department Haz-Mat #2 was notified to respond at 0631 hours, with the permission of EM-1 (Commissioner Alberti). SFD Haz-Mat 2 cleared the spill with Engine 8 crews assisted with ventilation. The box was placed back in service at 0710 hours. Lt. McGarrity had the “Nottingham Rd. Command”