Despite my lack of blog articles over the past month, I have continued my internship into the school year. Here are a few interesting things I have done since my last post:
The Montgomery County Agricultural Fair is always a great opportunity for the Fire & Rescue Service to teach the public about fire safety and their services but it takes weeks of hard work to make it run smoothly. The firefighters and engines that attend have to be coordinated so there are still plenty dispersed around the county to run calls and that is no easy feat. My job was to help move box after box of literature and handouts to the fair. Once it was all set up though, it was worth it. The fair was very busy and we taught many people about fire safety. We also had informational fliers about the relatively new MC311 service in Montgomery County which people learned about. In addition to the information, we also drew out home evacuation plans with kids and practiced calling 911 on a simulator.
I took a break from the fair one day to do a ride-a-long with Assistant Chief McAdams who oversees the county during his shift, including personnel and significant incidents. Although the day started out slowly, we hit the road around lunch. After spending a few minutes at Fire Station 31, they got a call and we left too. Shortly after that, we went to a car collision and luckily there were only minor injuries.
This reminded me of the SGA's project last year at my high school about drunk driving and its consequences. It involved a scenario where a drunk driver had crashed his car and the jaws of life were used to extract him and his friends. They broadcasted the scene from the parking lot over all the TVs so we got to watch. Although they did not have to use the jaws of life in this collision, it immediatley reminded me of the SGA's spring project last year.
I also went to the Office of the Fire Marshal and learned about what they do, such as checking to make sure fire codes across the county are being followed in new buildings, old buildings, and in new communities. As a High School senior, I am applying to colleges this fall and the University of Maryland, College Park, is on my list. I have heard all about their Fire Protection Engineer program from many people in the Fire & Rescue Service and am looking into it myself. Another interesting day was spent with a Fire Inspector. Even though the follow-up visits to various small buildings in the morning were quick and easy, we did spend some time inspecting houses in a new community that was mainly not furnished or bought yet. With the increase in new regulations regarding sprinklers, smoke detectors, and carbon monoxide detectors, it is important to make sure they are being followed. Often times, a builder will try to get around something, such as not putting another sprinkler or smoke detector in a room.
One day I enjoyed was the one I spent at the Emergency Communication Center (ECC) – the place where our 9-1-1 calls go. Being able to sit amidst the computer monitors and see everything happen was very interesting, especially because I did not think I would be able to spend time with them like I did. Back in August, Bill Delaney and I went to a house fire with extraordinary circumstances and it took a lot of coordination from the people at the ECC keep everything running smoothly.
As the first quarter of the school year comes to a close, my friends with internships and I are now settled into our internships. In the second quarter of the school year, I hope to learn more about the different jobs in the Fire Marshall's office and to continue doing more ride alongs.
-Daniel
Friday, October 22, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
MEDIA ADVISORY: Regional FIRE CHIEFS to Discuss Benefits of EMS Fee in Their Jurisdictions
REGIONAL FIRE CHIEFS TO DISCUSS BENEFITS OF
EMS FEE IN THEIR JURISDICTIONS
Thursday, October 21, 2010
12:30 p.m.
Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
1st Floor Training Room
777 North Capitol Street, NE
Washington, DC
Montgomery County Fire Chief Richard Bowers will be joined by Prince George’s County Fire Chief Eugene A. Jones, Fairfax County Fire Chief Ronald Mastin, Frederick County Fire Chief Thomas Owens; District of Columbia Chief of the Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department Dennis L. Rubin; Arlington County Fire Chief James Schwartz and other regional Fire Chiefs to discuss the success of their Emergency Medical Services (EMS) revenue recovery programs. Montgomery County voters will decide on November 2 whether to approve County Question A, which will allow County Council Bill 13-10: Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Transport Fee to become law.
The chiefs will discuss how long their EMS revenue recovery programs have been in existence, how they have worked over the years and why the programs make sense, particularly in these times of budgetary challenges.
The EMS fee is a critical issue for Montgomery County and particularly for the Fire & Rescue Service (FRS). Without the transport revenue, Montgomery County will have to cut an additional $14 million from the current year’s operating budget. On October 5, County Executive Isiah Leggett sent proposed cuts to the County Council that would reduce FRS’s operating budget by $6 million and could mean a loss of 89 career firefighter paramedic positions.
Under the EMS Fee, FRS will continue to serve anybody in need, regardless of ability to pay. The County would be allowed to recover ambulance transport costs from premiums already paid to insurance companies, Medicare, and Medicaid that amounts to $14 million this year and $170 million over the next 10 years. All revenues would be dedicated, by law, to strengthen the Fire & Rescue Service. Under the law, no County resident will ever get a bill for ambulance transport, co-pays or deductibles -- whether they have insurance or not.
# # #
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
An Important Budget Message from the County Executive to County Employees
Dear Fellow County Employee:
I want to inform you of an important issue facing the County that could have an adverse impact on every County agency and employee.
Many of you are aware that the November ballot will contain County Question A. The Question gives voters the opportunity to decide whether County Council Bill 13-10: Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Transport Fee, which passed in May, should remain law.
Under the law, the County would be allowed to recover ambulance transport costs from premiums already paid to insurance companies, Medicare, and Medicaid -- $14 million this year and $170 million over the next 10 years. All revenues would be dedicated, by law, to strengthen our Fire & Rescue Service. No County resident will ever get a bill for ambulance transport, co-pays or deductibles -- whether they have insurance or not.
The County’s current year budget includes $14 million in revenue from the EMS Transport Fee. Two weeks ago, I forwarded a list of $14 million in proposed budget cuts (see link) to the Council. These reductions are unfortunate, but will be necessary if the EMS Transport Fee is not approved.
Council President Nancy Floreen said it well: “Given our already tight budget, any further cuts will echo across the County. Our obligation is to maintain a balanced budget. If residents vote against the ambulance fee, they will be voting for $14 million in cuts to services."
Nearly every jurisdiction in the Washington region collects millions of dollars in ambulance reimbursements from insurance companies, Medicare, and Medicaid – with no adverse effects. They are using those resources to save lives – and Montgomery County should do the same. We cannot afford to leave this money on the table.
Unfortunately, all of you have felt the impact of the County’s increasing resource demands and decreasing revenue due to current fiscal constraints. To keep our emergency services strong and not adversely affect other critical services and programs and our overall workforce further, we need the additional revenue that the ambulance reimbursement will provide.
Many of you have asked for facts and accurate information on the EMS Transport Fee. For more information, you can go to www.montgomerycountymd.gov/emstransportfee.
As always, thank you for all you continue to do every day to serve this County and help us weather the challenges we face.
Ike Leggett
County Executive
I want to inform you of an important issue facing the County that could have an adverse impact on every County agency and employee.
Under the law, the County would be allowed to recover ambulance transport costs from premiums already paid to insurance companies, Medicare, and Medicaid -- $14 million this year and $170 million over the next 10 years. All revenues would be dedicated, by law, to strengthen our Fire & Rescue Service. No County resident will ever get a bill for ambulance transport, co-pays or deductibles -- whether they have insurance or not.
The County’s current year budget includes $14 million in revenue from the EMS Transport Fee. Two weeks ago, I forwarded a list of $14 million in proposed budget cuts (see link) to the Council. These reductions are unfortunate, but will be necessary if the EMS Transport Fee is not approved.
Council President Nancy Floreen said it well: “Given our already tight budget, any further cuts will echo across the County. Our obligation is to maintain a balanced budget. If residents vote against the ambulance fee, they will be voting for $14 million in cuts to services."
Nearly every jurisdiction in the Washington region collects millions of dollars in ambulance reimbursements from insurance companies, Medicare, and Medicaid – with no adverse effects. They are using those resources to save lives – and Montgomery County should do the same. We cannot afford to leave this money on the table.
Unfortunately, all of you have felt the impact of the County’s increasing resource demands and decreasing revenue due to current fiscal constraints. To keep our emergency services strong and not adversely affect other critical services and programs and our overall workforce further, we need the additional revenue that the ambulance reimbursement will provide.
Many of you have asked for facts and accurate information on the EMS Transport Fee. For more information, you can go to www.montgomerycountymd.gov/emstransportfee.
As always, thank you for all you continue to do every day to serve this County and help us weather the challenges we face.
Ike Leggett
County Executive
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Blood Drive in Memory of Carlos Alfaro, Jr. and Carlos Alfaro, Sr.
Please come out and support this great cause in memory of Montgomery County Father and Son Firefighters who have benefited from countless blood transfusions over the years. Sunday, October 24, 2010 8:00 AM-2:00 PM
To make an appointment call Steve @ 301-440-9294
Your donation and support is appreciated!
Friday, October 15, 2010
Home Fire Prevention: It’s Not Rocket Science
I live in a fairly fire-safe home. That is, I had residential fire sprinklers installed in it when it was built in 1998, long before there were tax incentives or regulations requiring them. But I did that to “walk the talk,” as a safety professional. Safety education is what I do for a living, though my specialty is with natural hazards. I can’t forget, however, that home fires remain the #1 killer of people where they feel safest, in their own homes.
During Fire Prevention Week 2010, which was October 3 – 9, I did some things that demonstrate my concern for my home, my family, and my friends. It’s not rocket science – most of these activities take a few minutes, and can engage the whole family for some interactive fun.
On the first day of FPW, I had a home fire drill. Studies have shown that only about 16% of American households have fire drills. Kids are accustomed to having fire drills in school, and drills are not uncommon in workplaces. But at home? Easy! One evening after dark, I brought everyone upstairs to bedrooms. We put blindfolds on each other. I turned off the lights in the whole house, then put on my own blindfold.Then I yelled “Fire!” We practiced crawling low toward our primary exit. We felt the door with the back of our hand, and since it wasn’t hot, we slowly opened it, then crawled down the hall, down the steps, and felt our way to open the front door. When we were outside, we could take off our blindfolds and meet at the mailbox, which is our designated meeting place. If we actually had a fire, we then would have called 9-1-1 and waited for the fire department to arrive. No going back inside for anything, even the pets or a “can’t live without” iPhone. While there, we discussed our second way out should the primary exit be blocked by fire, heat, or smoke.
On the second, third, and fourth day of FPW, I visited 50 of my senior pals who live alone, and who don’t have the agility they once did. During the visit, I replaced the battery in their smoke alarm, using a gift of donated batteries from a local retailer from whom I had made the request a month ago. I found a few of these smoke alarms were more than ten years old. In that case, I replaced the entire smoke alarm, as recommended by the CPSC, NFPA, and other professional organizations. I showed my pals how to test their smoke alarm using a broom handle, and also taught them what a “silence” button was – in case they set the alarm off while burning the morning toast. Most new smoke alarms come with that feature, which makes it less likely that someone will disable a smoke alarm due to frequent nuisance alarms.
On Day 5 of FPW, I tested all of my own smoke alarms – all nine of them. I have one inside every bedroom, and in each hallway, as well as two in my basement. All of my alarms are interconnected. Seven of them came that way when the house was built. Two additional alarms in the basement (finished after the house was built) are interconnected wirelessly. There are some new smoke alarms that are designed now to be interconnected without having to run wires. And they integrate with the wired system that I have. Easy!
Note, I didn’t say that I changed batteries in my own smoke alarms. I actually do that on my birthday, which is in August. Okay, I’m a geek, and my family knows to give me batteries as birthday presents (smile.) Smoke alarm batteries only have to be replaced once each year in alarms that use regular alkaline (not Lithium) batteries – not more often. The old saying “change your clock—change your battery” isn’t in sync with recommendations from the fire safety experts. Once a year is adequate, and less damaging to the environment.
On Day 6 of FPW, I arranged for visits from a chimney sweep and an HVAC technician to do their respective jobs at my home. I know that creosote built up in my chimney when I used it during all those big snows (and power outages) this past winter. Time to have the chimney professionally cleaned! I also had the HVAC tech make sure our gas-fueled furnace was in working order for the upcoming winter heating season.
On Day 7 of FPW, I visited my local fire station. I thanked the firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics for their service to our community. These professionals serve tirelessly and are committed to preventing a response, but I know they’re there when we need them. Thanks for all you do!
Throughout this process, I posted status updates on my Facebook page, including photos, reminding my FB friends to test smoke alarms, change batteries, change actual alarms if more than 10 years old, have professional services done such as chimney sweeping and HVAC service, and thanking the trained responders at a local fire station. In return, 29 of my friends told me that they did one or more of these activities… and probably more of them did it, too, but didn’t report. I also saw that my FB status updates were shared with hundreds of others, which was a pleasant surprise.
And best of all, one of my FB friends (Bill Delaney) invited me to write this commentary, which I’m pleased to do, in collaboration with our local Fire Department, and in saving lives and property. That’s what it’s all about. It’s not rocket science. It’s easy, fun, and engaging.
Rocky Lopes
Silver Spring, MD
During Fire Prevention Week 2010, which was October 3 – 9, I did some things that demonstrate my concern for my home, my family, and my friends. It’s not rocket science – most of these activities take a few minutes, and can engage the whole family for some interactive fun.On the first day of FPW, I had a home fire drill. Studies have shown that only about 16% of American households have fire drills. Kids are accustomed to having fire drills in school, and drills are not uncommon in workplaces. But at home? Easy! One evening after dark, I brought everyone upstairs to bedrooms. We put blindfolds on each other. I turned off the lights in the whole house, then put on my own blindfold.Then I yelled “Fire!” We practiced crawling low toward our primary exit. We felt the door with the back of our hand, and since it wasn’t hot, we slowly opened it, then crawled down the hall, down the steps, and felt our way to open the front door. When we were outside, we could take off our blindfolds and meet at the mailbox, which is our designated meeting place. If we actually had a fire, we then would have called 9-1-1 and waited for the fire department to arrive. No going back inside for anything, even the pets or a “can’t live without” iPhone. While there, we discussed our second way out should the primary exit be blocked by fire, heat, or smoke.
On the second, third, and fourth day of FPW, I visited 50 of my senior pals who live alone, and who don’t have the agility they once did. During the visit, I replaced the battery in their smoke alarm, using a gift of donated batteries from a local retailer from whom I had made the request a month ago. I found a few of these smoke alarms were more than ten years old. In that case, I replaced the entire smoke alarm, as recommended by the CPSC, NFPA, and other professional organizations. I showed my pals how to test their smoke alarm using a broom handle, and also taught them what a “silence” button was – in case they set the alarm off while burning the morning toast. Most new smoke alarms come with that feature, which makes it less likely that someone will disable a smoke alarm due to frequent nuisance alarms.
On Day 5 of FPW, I tested all of my own smoke alarms – all nine of them. I have one inside every bedroom, and in each hallway, as well as two in my basement. All of my alarms are interconnected. Seven of them came that way when the house was built. Two additional alarms in the basement (finished after the house was built) are interconnected wirelessly. There are some new smoke alarms that are designed now to be interconnected without having to run wires. And they integrate with the wired system that I have. Easy!
Note, I didn’t say that I changed batteries in my own smoke alarms. I actually do that on my birthday, which is in August. Okay, I’m a geek, and my family knows to give me batteries as birthday presents (smile.) Smoke alarm batteries only have to be replaced once each year in alarms that use regular alkaline (not Lithium) batteries – not more often. The old saying “change your clock—change your battery” isn’t in sync with recommendations from the fire safety experts. Once a year is adequate, and less damaging to the environment.
On Day 6 of FPW, I arranged for visits from a chimney sweep and an HVAC technician to do their respective jobs at my home. I know that creosote built up in my chimney when I used it during all those big snows (and power outages) this past winter. Time to have the chimney professionally cleaned! I also had the HVAC tech make sure our gas-fueled furnace was in working order for the upcoming winter heating season.
On Day 7 of FPW, I visited my local fire station. I thanked the firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics for their service to our community. These professionals serve tirelessly and are committed to preventing a response, but I know they’re there when we need them. Thanks for all you do!
Throughout this process, I posted status updates on my Facebook page, including photos, reminding my FB friends to test smoke alarms, change batteries, change actual alarms if more than 10 years old, have professional services done such as chimney sweeping and HVAC service, and thanking the trained responders at a local fire station. In return, 29 of my friends told me that they did one or more of these activities… and probably more of them did it, too, but didn’t report. I also saw that my FB status updates were shared with hundreds of others, which was a pleasant surprise.
And best of all, one of my FB friends (Bill Delaney) invited me to write this commentary, which I’m pleased to do, in collaboration with our local Fire Department, and in saving lives and property. That’s what it’s all about. It’s not rocket science. It’s easy, fun, and engaging.
Rocky Lopes
Silver Spring, MD
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