Fire Board Approves Purchase Of Ballistic Vests
Upgrades were the order of the day at Monday’s Turkey Creek Fire Territory Executive Board meeting.
Fire Chief Mickey Scott presented several items involving the improvement of equipment, physical grounds and personnel safety.
“We are currently conducting research for the acquisition and utilization of computer tablets in our ambulances to complete our PCRs (patient care reports) for EMS runs,” Scott wrote in his monthly report.
“We currently utilize paper reports in the ambulances and all of that information is transferred over to our department computer program after the crew returns from the run, therefore duplicating documentation. This computer documentation is required by the state of Indiana and our EMS billing company for reporting purposes,” the report continued.
Scott will provide cost information to the board as those figures become available.
The board approved the chief’s request to purchase 12 ballistic vests “to be worn by our emergency personnel when we are responding to violent situations involving weapons.”
Scott said the department encountered such situations “twice in the past six or eight months.” The board voted 2 to 0 to approve the $6,000 expenditure, with one abstention. The funds will be taken from the 2015 equipment replacement budget.
Asphalt repairs at both fire stations were discussed. Scott explained the need for the repairs. “Currently, we have partial asphalt around Station 2 and partial stone and gravel. The stone and gravel gets carried back into the station when the apparatus is pulled back into the apparatus bays. This stone and gravel ends up in the drains on a lot of occasions, resulting in clogged drains in the apparatus bays.”
As for Station 1, “the asphalt is deteriorating over time and resulting in standing water in the driveways and parking lots,” Scott said, noting “the parking lot on the south side of Station 1 actually crumbled last year and resulted in a void beneath the asphalt as well.”
The department has requested an estimate for the repair work.
In other business:
• The board directed Chief Scott to pursue a grant from the K21 Health Foundation to purchase exercise equipment at the lowest bid.
• A hydraulic cylinder leak on the department’s aerial truck was discovered and addressed in time for the annual testing of the aerial and ground ladders. Testing showed no further issues with the equipment and the department is awaiting a certificate of compliance.
• The department responded to 10 fire calls and 85 EMS calls in March. No property loss by fire occurred in the territory.
• The department will participate in the Syracuse Safety Day scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 2, at the Syracuse Community Center. The public is invited to the free event.
• The department issued a request citizens not burn leaves, brush and similar items during windy and dry conditions. “Please remember that wind speeds usually increase later in the day and that dry conditions also increase along with the increase in wind speeds,” Scott cautioned. “Fires can get out of control very quickly and result in injury and/or damage to property. You could be held liable” for such damages.
The board will next meet at 6:45 p.m. Monday, May 11, at Syracuse Town Hall.