In 2013, the Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory invested $25,000 to bring First Responder level firefighters to the Emergency Medical Technician level. The department is now at the EMT and Advanced EMT skill level and plans for the future are to maintain firefighters at least at the EMT level.

In keeping with the requirements, the department must undergo regular training and, doing so does not come free. At this morning’s meeting of the Warsaw Board of Public Works and Safety, WWTF Chief Mike Brubaker asked for permission to apply for a $2,500 EMS Training/Equipment Grant offered by the Indiana Department of Homeland Security.

If awarded, the grant will allow the department to purchase an IV training arm and an adult airway management trainer. Total cost for both training devices is $2,997. The WWFT board on Tuesday granted Brubaker permission to use the additional $497 available in the WWFT budget.

The WWFT is a Basic Life Support non-transport provider for Warsaw and Wayne Township and also part of the District 2 Technical Rescue Team. The EMT level is to provide a higher level of service to the community and for times of a major disaster in the District 2 area. The District 2 team was started in 2001 and includes 86 members from seven area fire departments including Warsaw, Clay Fire Territory, Mishawaka, Notre Dame, Penn Township, South Bend and the city of Niles, Mich.

The Life/form® Advanced Venipuncture and Injection Arm will provide firefighters the necessary training tool to practice IV injections. Similarly, the airway trainer will provide another aid for the firefighters to practice treating patients with airway blockages and “difficult airways,” which is a common occurrence with geriatric and special needs patients.

Ultimately, the B.O.W. board of Charlie Smith and Jeff Grose approved the grant application. Mayor Joe Thallemer, the only other voting member of the board, was not present for today’s meeting.

Also in today’s meeting:

• Permission was granted to allow temporary 4-way stops at Indiana and Main streets and at Indiana and Fort Wayne streets on Saturday, April 26. The barrel stop signs were approved for the Kosciusko Runners Association on behalf of Warsaw Evangelical Presbyterian Church which will host a Run for God 5K that morning.
• Warsaw Parks Department Recreation Director Staci Young received the go-ahead to contract with RipFish Interactive LLC of Warsaw to develop the city’s ridewalk.com website. Total cost for the website development is $4,860 and will be paid for by a grant from the Kosciusko County Convention Recreation and Visitor Commission.