As you may have heard, there is a lot of progress and Fire District news to relate. This is the first of a series of informational articles on different aspects of RRFR, Auxiliary Unit, District formation progress, and
answers to Q and A. Publications may include videos, articles, and updates through our newsletter via email and facebook page. We will also begin hosting ‘open house’ at the temporary station later this winter for you to have an opportunity to see the equipment, ask questions, and discuss the real progress that has been made towards trained Fire and EMR response in our community. Lastly we hope to host town hall style meetings on subjects of interest to the community and will do
our best to bring in experts with knowledge of the subject at hand to answer your questions.
HIGHLIGHTS:
The petition was filed at the Lane County Commissioners to bring consideration of the Row River
Rural Fire Protection District before the voters in May 2024.
We need your support!! Please consider in person, remote, or written support of the district formation to the Lane County Commissioners.
We are connected to 911 Emergency Dispatch. Currently eighteen (18) Row River Auxiliary Volunteer Firefighters are operating in our community. (Please greet our volunteers as they are out-and-about in the fire engines pre planning driving-routes and evaluating property ingress/egress–or responding!!)
RRFR now has 3 equipped apparatus, for both structural and wildland firefighting, within the Row River Valley: Engine-205, Tender-205, and Utility-205. (Additional vehicles are being equipped by SLFR and will be added soon, including Engine-225 which was acquired this
week and will be stationed in Disston.)
Karen Bentson, Programs Administrator, is coordinating our Wildland Fuels Reduction Grant for eligible homes in the Row River Valley to improve defensible space and property access for Fire/EMS services. Contact programs@rowrivervalley.org to get involved.
Thanks to the generous support of the Woodard Foundation, the property fire station and site plans are in progress, and permitting is in the beginning stages. As our future community site, we ask that the community join in the effort. Please check the website in November on how you can donate your time and skills to these site projects. Workshop meetings are being scheduled for residents who would like to contribute to the design and land-use of this community space.
OPERATIONAL NEWS:
Public
speculation and rumors have been left unchecked due to the influx and status of the always developing timeline and services of the proposed Row River Fire District. There were some services that we were unable to confirm until recently because we simply did not know if our auxiliary would be certified to provide. However, we now have clarity on these services and are pleased to confirm the latest developments:
The goal of the proposed fire district is the protection of life and property within the Row River Valley community. We are following a proven path to successfully meet this goal with the following:
Fighting Structural Fire:
We are equipping our firefighter volunteers with knowledge, skills, training, techniques, and tools. This will benefit the entire community including those who
volunteer.
Thanks to the generosity of the Cow Creek Foundation, our RR Volunteer Firefighters are in training to respond to structural fires in the standard capacities including exterior defense, transitional attack, and interior firefighting in accordance with NFPA, DPSST, and the Standard Operating Procedures and Guidelines of any
authorities having jurisdiction.
RR Volunteer Firefighters have begun extensive structural response training– Firefighter 1 and Firefighter 2 training continues in January 2024.
Specifically, regarding interior firefighting, our trained firefighters will be certified in the use of SCBA and provided with the necessary equipment and support, (such as ‘2 in 2 out’, RIT, apparatus, etc.).
Notably, there is an exception to the ‘2 in 2 out’
rule when the responding certified firefighter determines that there is a life in danger (rescue), so that rescue operations can be undertaken urgently when necessary per scene incident command.
During the transition period while our volunteers are in firefighter 1 training, they will respond to structural fires and provide exterior, transitional, or defensive attack depending on fire conditions and other variables. Automatic Mutual Aid will be provided by South
Lane Fire and Rescue for all responses. Despite common perception, a more common initial attack on a structural fire is a transitional attack followed by entry firefighting, rather than just ‘running right into the building’ like you might see in a movie. Firefighting data shows that transitional attacks are faster at reducing risk to occupants by rapid cooling and control of the fire scene, (see references below and per conversations with trained SLFR FF-2 and
command).
Emergency Medical Response:
A group of our volunteer firefighters are receiving Emergency Medical Response training and certification. Our Board President, Walt Bernard, MD,
is a medical doctor certified in ACLS and the highest of medical qualifications, who will lead these response operations in coordination with SLFR. Official EMR response services for our valley will begin in 2024. Emergency Medical Responders (EMRs) provide immediate lifesaving care to critical patients who access the emergency medical services system. See references, below for the National Emergency Medical Responder Standards
and definition of scope of skills.
All of our volunteer firefighters are certified in CPR and AED (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Automated External Defibrillator).
Recognizing the current lack of rapid response for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) in our community, and with the support of SLFR, we will be responding for urgent CPR calls within our community,
providing CPR until SLFR ambulances arrive on scene. This service will be added to our fire response services beginning in early November 2023.
Wildfire Response:
Thankfully ‘wildfire’ season has officially ended for the year. However, our volunteers are here to also respond to vegetation or debris fires as they
occur. With changing weather patterns, increased risk for fire can happen at any time of the year. Having trained and equipped responders in our area provides security and peace of mind.
Vehicle Fires:
To prevent major risk to life and property by quick decisive response, RRFR will respond to vehicle and other non-structural fires in increasing measures as the scope
of certification and standard-operating guidelines expand. Until fully certified for vehicle fires in FF-1 training, RRFR will provide fire suppression response to prevent spreading into surrounding land and community.
Vehicle fires are Class B Fires: Liquids & Gases. If you think there is a fire under the hood or trunk, do not open it. This could cause the fire to grow. Move everyone at least 100 feet from the burning vehicle and well away from
traffic.
The photo above, taken 10-22-23, was at the end of the firefighter training for fire stream structural attack techniques.
Please support the continued progress to the formation of the Row River Rural Fire Protection District by voting “YES” in May 2024!!
You can expect to see our volunteers more and more over the next few weeks. We anticipate full ‘roll out’ of the services described above in the first few weeks of November 2024: structural and wildland fire response, vehicular related fires, and emergency CPR response.
Remember: Call 911 to activate a timely and coordinated response including automatic mutual aid from SLFR. RRFR Pagers, radios, and Active Alert are tied directly to our 911 alert system right into our valley.
Next week’s article: What does the RRFR Auxiliary 911 communication system ‘look like.’ Stay tuned and be safe!
Want to ask a question? Email to: rowriverfireresponse@gmail.com
Thanks for your support! Let’s work together to keep our valley safe and secure.
For RRFR Board
Walt Bernard, President
References:
Essentials of Firefighting: 7. International Fire Service Training Association. Copyright
2018
