Training Session

Last night was our regular 3rd Thursday training session. There were only five of us - Frankie and Mary, Phyllis, Ed, and myself. But we had a good time pumping and spraying water all over the place and it was actually pleasant to get into some warm turnout gear with temperatures in the 30's.

Frankie did a great job reviewing all the manipulations for starting the truck, getting it into pump transmission, and engaging and operating the pump. We sprayed about a quarter of the tank, then dried and put away the hoses and proceeded on up Wolfskin to the new hydrant a couple miles away.

Apparently we were the first to use the hydrant - the green paint still sealed the bolts controlling the valves. We had to let the water run a bit - it came out really really dirty, but as Frankie said, you've seen worse in your bathroom. (And as I told him, yeah, but I flush afterwards.)

Took just a couple of minutes to fill up the truck and we proceeded on back to the station. A good two hours practice.

WolfskinVFD is Looking for Five Good Bodies of Water

As Glenn and Phyllis write below, Dale Perry gave a fantastic talk about the requirements for bringing our community's insurance rating down to Class 8, at least!

One of these is a minimum of five dry hydrants located within the community and a certain minimum distance from a structure.

"Rural fire hydrant systems, otherwise known as "dry hydrants," are non-pressurized fire hydrants that can be installed on farm ponds, lakes, streams, rivers or below-ground tanks."

So here's the need:

If you have a pond, or access to a stream, pond, or lake, or if you know of someone with a body of water who'd be willing to offer access, please let us know! There's a potential benefit for you too - it might bring down your own insurance class rating just to have a dry hydrant in place close by your structures!

-Wayne

More (but Old) Pictures for Jon

At the Annual Firefighter’s Training Weekend in April, Wolfskin VFD members [left to right] Jon Huff, Chief Phyllis Jackson, Ben Johnson, Ed Frey, Wayne Hughes, and Glenn Galau examine the 2,400 gallon Super Tanker they want to buy. At the far right is Phil Chovan, Chief Safety Officer for the Firefighter’s Weekend, making sure that none of the dazzled Wolfskin Volunteers fall off the tanker (The Oglethorpe Echo).



Wolfskin VFD members and other students prepare to control a propane tank fire, before it explodes, during the Annual Firefighters’ Training Weekend in April.

- Glenn

Dale Perry Tells How to Get to ISO Class 8

Dale Perry is the Training Officer at the Gainesville Fire Department. He came to the Wolfskin VFD business meeting on Nov. 3 to help us on the way to an ISO Class 8 rating. Dale was formerly an attorney in Danielsville, Chief of the Danielsville VFD, and President of the Madison County FF Association. I used to think he was joking when he said he might just chuck the life of an attorney and become a firefighter. He did just that, without regrets. He also inspired me about 18 years ago to set a goal for Wolfskin of reaching Class 8.

People in Madison County figured out that they would save more money on insurance premiums than it would cost them to fund the many volunteer fire departments to get each of them to Class 8. Plus, they would get better fire protection. Isn’t that the point? Seems like a no brainer. But there were political and technical challenges. It took them about 4 years of sustained action to get the reluctant support of their Board of Commissioners. And then they had to do it without hydrants.

Dale explained how the 3 major components of firefighting were rated on a point scale by the ISO: communication, engine companies (including firefighters), and water. His stressed using money to improve those items that would have the highest impact on our score. Calculate the cost/benefit, the dollars per point, of all possible upgrades and choose those that have the lowest cost for the highest return. Dale told us "Get the most bang for your buck!" Getting lots of fancy and costly stuff may do you little except irritate your donors.

Dry hydrants are the most essential, and least expensive, requirement for Class 8!

Dale wants to see us make Class 8. “There will be people who say you can’t do it without hydrants,” he said. “You CAN. But you’ll never get there unless you set the goal.”

So here we are! The long-term help from Oconee County (loan of the Lime-Green Pumper and small equipment), Clarke County (more small equipment), and the Wolfskin Community have made it possible to train and retain our volunteers, and get the FEMA Grants.

- Phyllis

We will be Class 8 within 3 years. The date will be Thanksgiving 2008. Mark your computers now for a Thanksgiving dinner that can't be beat!

- Glenn