Saturday at Station 3 nine CGFR members spent a portion of their day playing in the snow. We began indoors with a brief lecture while Craig waited for the sun to warm things up outside. The temperature eventually rose to a balmy 15 degrees! Exiting the building in appropriate snow suits, the "moles" began piling snow and "working" it thoroughly. A well deserved break was taken to learn and practice our fire starting skills. (Craig was complaining he was cold, and we wanted to help him warm up).

Everyone in attendance got a blazing inferno started in short order. The Chief so enjoyed his fire, started with steel wool and a nine volt battery. Gordon wanted to rub two sticks together, and Craig wanted to break out the propane torch. We all suggested alternative techniques to them both. After warming by the fires, we began excavating into our snow piles, borrowing in like moles. Everyone succeeded in building a version of a shelter that would work to survive in (some more comfortably than others).

Craig spent the night in his Athabascan quincee, and survived to whine about it! Cory made the most innovative shelter, and reported he spent the night quite warm and comfortable wrapped in a fleece blanket. "I don't need no stinking sleeping bag" he was reported to say. And then there was Alyssa... She cut a few spruce boughs, laid them on top of the snow, and settled into her bed for a comfortable sleep under the stars. She allegedly said "It's warm outside tonight; this will be just fine". God bless Alyssa for her ability to keep us all humble.

Mahlon Green, the Public Education Coordinator for the Alaska Division of Fire and Life Safety, sends along the following important information for everyone's benefit:

Every January many Alaskans reflect on the previous year and try to make "New Year resolutions" to make changes in the new year. Some examples would be to lose weight, spend more time with the family, get a new job, exercise more, etc. Mahlon Greene, Public Education Coordinator for the Alaska Division of Fire and Life Safety would like to offer a "New Year resolution" that might save you and your family’s life in 2010. "I will install, test and maintain smoke alarms on each floor, in each bedroom, and outside all sleeping areas in my home".

Greene says smoke alarms can mean the difference between life and death in a fire. According to the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), working smoke alarms cut the chance of dying in a fire in half. Meanwhile, roughly two-thirds of all home fire deaths result from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. "Smoke alarms detect and alert people to fire in its early stages, giving people the time needed to escape safely," says Greene. "That’s why it’s so important for every home to have them in all recommended locations, including bedrooms."

Twenty two Alaskans lost their lives in fires in 2009. All of these fires were in homes and the most alarming statistic is that 16 out of the 22 fatalities were in homes with no smoke alarms installed. Greene added, "Working smoke alarms might have alerted these victims in time to escape the fire".

The Alaska Division of Fire and Life Safety offers the following tips for making sure the smoke alarms in your home are maintained and working properly:

• Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of the home.
• Test smoke alarms at least once a month using the test button, and make sure everyone in your home knows their sound.
• If an alarm “chirps,” warning the battery is low, replace the battery right away.
• Replace all smoke alarms, including alarms that use 10-year batteries and hard-wired alarms, when they’re ten years old (or sooner) if they do not respond properly when tested.
• Draw an escape plan for your home and practice it regularly by activating your smoke alarms.
• Sign up for free monthly email reminders to test your smoke alarms at http://www.akburny.com.

Alaska residents with questions and/or concerns about the updated smoke alarm recommendations may contact the Alaska Division of Fire and Life Safety at (907) 746-5062 or visit their web site http://www.burny.alaska.gov.

For More Information:
Mahlon Greene, Public Education Coordinator
Alaska Division of Fire and Life Safety
(907) 746-5062
mahlon.greene@alaska.gov

Yes, what you have heard is true. I am resigning my paid Deputy Fire Chief position effective 0900 on September 27th. I have been offered and accepted a position at the Fairbanks North Star Borough in the Emergency Operations Department as the Administrator.

This was a very hard decision for me to make. Believe me, it was not an easy task. In the end, it is the best for me and my family. I have put many years into the department in many different capacities. I DO PLAN to stay on the department as a Chief Officer as a VOLUNTEER.

Chena-Goldstream Fire and Rescue recently took delivery of a state -of-the-art, electronic defibrillator, called the Zoll E series AED. The device delivers a precise level of electric shock to the heart in order to re-establish a correct heart rhythm.

On its first day on the job, the device saved the life of a Fairbanks woman.

According to Chena-Goldstream Fire and Rescue, Emergency Medical Technician's (EMT) responded to a female with chest pain. After assessing the patient, she was placed on the new Zoll E AED and transported to Fairbanks Memorial Hospital. During the transport the defibrillator recognized that the patient was experiencing cardiac arrest. The medical staff quickly engaged the defibrillator to deliver an appropriate shock, which put the patient into normal cardiac rhythm. The patient was awake and talking to the crew by the time the ambulance reached the hospital.

"Our medical crews had just a few days earlier finished training with the equipment," explained CGFR Chief Jack Willard. "We are gratified that the equipment worked as advertised, and proud of the men and women who knew how to use it."

The Zoll E AED has features not available in earlier models to analyze the rhythm during CPR, and advise the crew if they are performing proper CPR while in a moving ambulance.

The equipment, however, does not come cheap. The department received a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to purchase two Zoll E AEDs, each at a cost of $31,000 each. The department's share of the purchase was $6,000.

"This is an example of how we are maximizing local tax revenue to stay current with training and technology that proves itself in saving lives and protecting property," said Chief Willard.

Another recent purchase was a 2009 Ford ambulance. The ambulance has new features that will enhance the safety of both the EMT and the patient.

Chena-Goldstream Fire and Rescue is a largely volunteer service that provides fire response and emergency medical care to more than 12,000 people within an 160 square mile region north and west of Fairbanks, including Chena Ridge, Murphy Dome, Goldstream Valley and Ester.

For more information, please contact CGFR at 907-479-5672.

The Annual Awards banquet recognized volunteer and staff with long histories in the Department.

• Five Year awards were presented to Robert Anderson, Veronica Solomon, Hilmar Maier and Jesse Wood.
• Robert Ragar was presented with a Twenty Year award.
• CGFR's very first 25 year member, David Akin, was recognized.
• And a big "Hello!" to all the new members in 2008: responders Forrest Baumfalk, Tallan Baumfalk, Nathan Carey, Ryan Cary, Craig Donaldson, Mary Knight, Katrin Nilsen, Stephen Shoults, Brad Stone and Leia Ward. Two new Board members, Doug Schneider and Joel Duncan, are welcomed, too. We hope to be here when you receive your ten and twenty year awards.

Thanks again to everyone who keeps CGFR running! You're the lifeblood of the Department.

Trebec: "Officer, Instructor, Firefighter, Medic, Rookie and Support Persons of the year".
Contestant: "Who are Brad Paulson, Paul Buccigross, Josh Marshall, Bill Witte and Paul Buccigross, Alyssa Quaile and Paul Delys?"

The CGFR Christmas Party, as usual, drew in lots of people, many of whom wanted to know the results of the annual awards. Here are the official results. Remember, each winner was nominated and voted upon by the volunteers at CGFR.

• Brad Paulson was picked as Officer of the Year. He was nominated because he does a great job of making people feel welcome and does a great job as an officer.
• Paul Buccigross was a busy person this year, garnerning enough respect and admiration amongst his peers to be voted Instructor of the Year and co-Medic of the Year. Paul puts in a huge amount of time at CGRF, only a small portion of which is spent in front of the television. And just in case anyone is wondering ... he's still "excellent". (Instructor of the Year, in this writer's humble opinion, is the most prestigious honor bestowed upon an individual at CGFR. Every instructor at CGFR is valued and has a positive effect on numerous responders. Our run volume is low, so in-station training substitutes for our lack of on-the-job opportunities to learn. The Instructor of the Year touches the most people and, arguably, affects more volunteers than any other person in the department. Congratulations Paul and keep up the good work! pjd)
• Firefigher of the Year went to Josh Marshall. Josh and his wife Emmy have been around CGFR for seven years and it's always a pleasure to run into either of them. It's always good to hear Josh showing up on scene, because good things are going to happen.
• Bill Witte and Paul Buccigross had even splits on the vote and each took home the coveted Medic of the Year award. They're both ultra dependable, knowledgeable, skilled and ready to roll on a call. For all they know and can do, they're also always ready to learn something new so they can do even better on the next call. Love you both!
• Alyssa Quaile mushed to the front of the pack and captured the coveted Rookie of the Year award. She doesn't live at the station, but for as much time and effort as she puts in, she may as well do so.
• Support Person of the Year went to Paul Delys. Paul putters around the stations fixing things here and there. He's also on the Board and works hard to make volunteers feel good about their valuable time spent working to better themselves as responders and contributing to CGFR.

Cheers to the cream floating at the top of the best group of volunteers in the Fairbanks North Star Borough. Everyone in the Department plays an essential role in our mission to provide the best Emergency Service we can. Keep up the hard work and we'll be even better next year -- making the annual awards even more exciting.

Special thanks go out the husbands, wives, sons, daughters, boy- and girl-friends who put up with and support those of us who commit so much time to this valuable endeavor. Extra special thanks the members of the Support Group. Most of you are the significant other of a responder. Not only do you provide needed support and tolerance for our bad habit, you also get up in the middle of the night at -40F and respond with good food and drink for us -- and you don't even get the thrill (or the opportunity to warm up) of running into a burning building. Now THAT'S dedication and we responders REALLY appreciate it!!

The annual Christmas parties for the kids and adults are over. It sounds like both parties were plenty of fun. Pictures from the Kids Party with Mr and Mrs Clause and the Awards Banquet are now available online. High resolution copies of the pictures are available by talking to one of the paid staff.

I wanted to thank everyone that helped with Phil Rounds' service. It was incredible the turn out from our department. Some of you may not know to the extent CGFR helped this weekend.

Starting with the Board, NSVFD requested donations to help pay for the food that was served after the service and the Board stepped up and donated $500. Thanks to them for understanding how important Phil was to all of us.

Next, I received a call asking for help from the support staff to set up and serve food. Not only did they help with that, they were also able to get donations from the Cookie Jar, Finish Line, Pump House, Pikes and the Regency Cove to help off-set the total cost. Way to go ladies. Please remember these restaurants when you are looking for a nice place for dinner.

As D/C Paulson said in his e-mail, I received a request for two ambulances and an engine to standby and cover UAF. We were able to man two engines, two ambulances and two Battalions that day and cover three calls for service between CGFR and UAF. Way to go, not only did we meet the request, we doubled it in two areas.

Before and after the service I received multiple thanks both from the UAF Command staff and the student fire fighters for your support so they could attend the service of their beloved Chief. It is times like these that show the true brother and sister hood within the emergency services. I was extremely proud of all the members of CGFR not only this weekend, but every day, for the time and effort you put into making this a true professional department. Thanks again for all your help.

Fire Chief Jack Willard

Phil Rounds, Battalion Chief at the University Fire Department, passed away Friday, November 21, 2008. Amy Kneedler-Donahue, former CGFR training officer and UAFD Dispatch Supervisor, had this to say about Phil:

Phil was a positive influence on many people. As such, many people are writing blog posts about their memories of Phil and the impact he had on those who came close to him, even if for just a moment. If you have or see a particularly poignant blog post on the web, email the URL to bcr@cgfr.com and I'll include it on our list in the order received.

• Assistant Chief Sparks recalls time with Phil
• Ben Fleagle's post at FireEngineering.com started this thread
• The Fairbanks Daily News Miner had a story

If you have something to post, but nowhere to post it, email it to me and I'll post it for you here. Sorry, we're not open to public posting because of all the spam we get otherwise.