Introduction
April seems to have marked the beginning of our summer season.  In addition to a slight increase in call volume, several new personnel have been welcomed and are working diligently to complete “spring cleaning” and maintain facilities and vehicles. 

Personnel

• Two new full time EMTs have joined the department and are participating in orientation activities.  They include Lee Laskey and Bryan Ferguson.  Eric Dubord, who had worked during the majority of the winter on a full time schedule, has joined Lee and Bryan as full time North Flight EMT’s.  All are under contract to provide services to Glen Arbor.  In addition to the training and orientation requirements placed on these individuals as Glen Arbor Fire Department personnel, they are also responsible to meet all North Flight and Munson Healthcare new employee educational requirements.  Lee and Bryan have been rotating through all shifts and have primarily been staffing 12 hour day shifts.  Once the majority of their orientation is completed, which should be May 1st, they will be placed on a regular 24 hour shift rotation.  
• Two additional part time Firefighter-EMT’s made application to the department.  They are Robert Wurst and Steve Watson.  Both began their orientation during the last week of April. 
• Interviews for the paramedic position posted on the Munson Healthcare website in March were held early in the month.  Two applications were received, and one qualified applicant was interviewed by Roye Meis (North Flight Operations Manager); John Kenney David Grattopp and Chief Dodson.  Paramedic Robert Hupp will begin his orientation to ambulance operations during the month of May.  The process will afford Robert the chance to work with Glen Arbor staff members on a trial basis and will allow the opportunity to assess compatibility with our department and operations. 

Training

• Six departmental training sessions were held during the month.  Three were as scheduled at the beginning of the year. The remainder were additionally scheduled training sessions to accomplish specialized training for 331 and make-up sessions for training held earlier in the year.  
• Attendance at the first session, the semi-annual review of AED, Combitube, and Basic Pharmacology as required by Medical Control, was somewhat limited by a late winter snow storm.  This session was attended by 17 people and afforded a good review of equipment and procedures for their use, and well as a review of administration of basic medications.  This particular training session also permitted an update of personnel competency records required for the annual EMS Agency Inspection.  Several staff will be required to make up this session so they can continue to provide services as BLS providers.  A make-up session scheduled for the end of the month had to be cancelled due to an EMS call, but will be rescheduled in May. 
• The second training session was held on Saturday the 21st of April and involved a review of wildland firefighting procedures with an overview of various pieces of equipment that are available for this purpose.  20 people attended the training, including several Empire Fire Department personnel.  A short field trip was taken to the Leelanau Ranger Station to look at the brush truck, pump, and equipment that are used by the National Park Service.  Empire Fire Department transported their new brush truck and trailer that houses a selection of wildland firefighting equipment to the station so that the tools could be used and the operation of the brush truck reviewed.  Additionally, the two floating pumps purchased with grant funds and stored on Engine 312 and the Portable Hydrant 382 were demonstrated in the parking area behind the station using drop tanks.  This also afforded an opportunity to review the set-up for water recirculation between drop tanks. 
• The third training session for the month was a joint review of water supply operations with Empire Fire Department.  This was attended by a total of 20 firefighters.  Water shuttle and hydrant operations were reviewed and water supply to two engines was established on Storm Hill in Empire. 
• The fourth session afforded new and returning personnel to begin the orientation process for Quint 331 and involved both classroom and practical activities. Eight firefighters attended this session.   In conjunction with this class, a fifth training session provided those members that had achieved ladder truck qualification in 2006 with refresher training.  The later group of six was provided a short classroom refresher and then worked with new personnel to accomplish the mitigation of several scenarios involving fire suppression of a sprinklered building and rescue of several victims from a roof.   Chief Dodson provided both lectures and also supervised the practical evolutions. 
• The final training session permitted two people that had missed the annual “Safety Day” training in March to review the policies and procedures of the Department related to blood and airborne pathogen exposure; plus the use of MSDS sheets and general MIOSHA safety procedures. 
  

 Apparatus

• The flatbed truck (old portable hydrant) was placed up for bid through a posting in the Leelanau Enterprise near the end of the month.  There has been a steady stream of people stopping by to view it.
• The passenger side rear view mirror on 391, damaged after leaving the scene of a medical call, was replaced.  Everyone is reminded of the importance of having a spotter when backing up apparatus, particularly in a wooded environment. 
• A new battery was installed in the portable generator in 381.  The replacement was necessary due to damage sustained to the battery from the trickle charge unit. 
• Repairs for the hydraulic pump in Quint 331 are still pending.  It is hoped that this warranty work will be completed in early May.
• New license plates have been placed on all apparatus.  
• New BP fuel cards have been received and are assigned specifically to each piece of apparatus.  Staff are reminded to use only the designated card for the piece being filled with fuel.  This is particularly important to ensure that fuel charges for fire vehicles are not combined with those for EMS.  Marathon/Speedway fuel cards are expected in May.  This will afford us the ability to purchase from either source.

Facilities

• During regular inspection and driving of the apparatus, it was identified that the electrical cord (shore power) used to trickle charge 322 was faulty and not providing an adequate charge to maintain the tanker’s electrical system.  This cord was replaced at the ceiling by Eric Dubord and Pete Stern. 
• The safety relief valve on the public safety building’s boiler has been replaced as a result of the State of Michigan inspection in March.  Re-inspection and receipt of a compliance document is expected early in May.  In addition, an inspection record book has been prepared and placed next to the boiler.  Duty staff will be doing regular inspections and record-keeping as part of the compliance process.  This duty has been added to the daily list of chores for duty staff.  Sedlacek Plumbing and Heating also inspected all HVAC operations and provided regular routine maintenance such as air filter replacement for the heating and cooling system.
• The process to repair the crack between the curb and apparatus bay floor was begun in April and will be completed in May. 
• Work on the tower behind the station, the installation of antennae, and the construction of a utility building began in April.  This project will continue throughout the summer
  

Equipment

• A total of seven GPS radios have been received and will replace the antiquated GPS units in the ambulances and the command units.  They are easier to use and will provide the enhanced capability of communications between personnel during search and rescue activities or wildland fire suppression.  These units are individually labeled to the unit assigned and will be placed on units 300, 391, 392, 393, 312, 381 and 384.  Training for the use of the units will occur in conjunction with the Summer Rescue session in May.  Funding for the purchase of these units was made available from the Glen Arbor Fire and Rescue Association.   

 
Programs and Additional Services

• During orientation activities for new personnel early in the month it was discovered that the key cards housed in the key boxes at the Homestead would not work in the locks, meaning there was no keyed access to several locations including Fiddler’s Pond and the Inn.  Contact was made with Homestead staff and this situation was corrected. 
• Glen Arbor Fire Department participated in a region-wide disaster exercise on the last Friday in April.  Several counties within the Region 7 Medical Bio-defense Network held simultaneous activities to test the response and management of a large number of patients exposed to a respiratory illness.  This simulated pandemic event involved several local volunteer “patients,” as well as fire, EMS, hospital, public health, medical and other personnel.  The County Emergency Operations Center was activated and Glen Arbor staff “treated” several patients. 

Total Department Activity

• The numbers below are reflective of a significant number of staff hours during the month of April.  In particular, training and fire responses caused significant utilization of staff time.

Submitted by

John A. Dodson
Chief of the Department