LFD FIRE CHIEF RETIRES - Lebanon Fire District

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Lebanon, OR
PERMIT NO. 59
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Lebanon Fire District
APRIL 2015
LEBANON
FIRE DISTRICT
1050 W. Oak Street
Lebanon, OR 97355
541.451.1901
COME SEE
WHAT
HAPPENS AT
THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT.
PLAN TO
JOIN US AT
OUR ANNUAL
OPEN HOUSE
visit our website at www.lebanonfire.org
LFD FIRE CHIEF RETIRES
Fire Chief Daniel Woodson will be retiring in
May, after 35 years in the fire service. Chief
Woodson has been very familiar with the fire
service since childhood. His father was a
volunteer Assistant Chief in a small town in
Missouri. When the fire phone rang at their
home, his dad would get him and his brother
up to go with him to the fire, and there began
the love of the fire service.
Chief Woodson served on active duty with the
US Air Force as a cadet at the U.S. Air Force
Academy (“An experience I would not give
anything for and one I would never want to go
back to”) and finished his military service in the
reserves in Florida and Texas.
Chief Woodson was a volunteer firefighter
in Middletown, Missouri, New Franklin,
Missouri and Crestview , Florida. He was hired
as a Firefighter EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) with
Chillicothe, Missouri fire department in 1981. He served with
them for over 2 years and got his Paramedic certification. In
1984 Chief Woodson applied and was hired by Corpus Christi
Fire Department in Texas as a Firefighter/Paramedic. He
worked for CCFD for 22 years moving up through the ranks.
While there he was also a member of the Corpus Christi Police
department SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) team for 13
years and worked as a deputy sheriff with Live Oak County for
5 years after leaving SWAT.
He completed his Associates Degree in Fire Science through
Del Mar College while in Corpus. In 2004 he completed his
Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration through Upper Iowa
University’s external degree program.
CONTENTS:
PG.2:
•
In Search of A
Multitude of
Volunteers
•
In an Emergency, Can
We Find You?
•
Smoke Alarms
In 2005 he applied and was hired by Lebanon Fire District as
their Assistant Chief and was promoted to Fire Chief in 2007.
Chief said, “I told Karen the other day that we would discuss
Chief Woodson
how close I have been to being killed and how many times that
has happened after I retire.”
Chief Woodson has been awarded various lifesaving and
community service awards during his career and has passed
on his knowledge to others through instructing classes. Chief
Woodson assisted with an extensive hiring process for his
replacement. That process, with both internal and external
candidates, allowed the District to obtain a well-qualified
Assistant Chief that will replace Chief Woodson when he
retires. Assistant Chief Gordon Sletmoe comes to LFD from
Medford, where he was interim Fire Chief.
Chief Woodson stated “I have enjoyed my 35+ years in the fire
and EMS service and I’ve appreciated the opportunity to serve
the people in the various communities where I’ve worked.” He
looks forward to retirement and traveling with his wife Karen.
They will winter in Texas where their four girls live with their
families and play with their 12 grandchildren.
ANNUAL OPEN HOUSE MAY 9TH
PG.3:
•
LFD News
•
News from the LFD
Training Division
PG.4:
• FireMed
Membership
Application
• FAQ’s
Lebanon Fire District will host it’s annual Open House on Saturday May 9th at Station 31, 1050 W. Oak Street, from
11:00am-3:00pm. With activities and demonstrations, the day promises to be informative for all ages. We will have a car seat
check station, fire truck rides, an obstacle course, a dunk tank, and much more. Join us for a free hot dog and check out your local
fire department!
Volunteer Firefighters practice firefighting techniques at a training burn.
IN SEARCH OF A MULTITUDE OF VOLUNTEERS!
Did you Know that it takes a lot of firefighters on scene to safely combat a fire? Two people on the inside of a structure on a hose and
nozzle, two people outside the structure on a hose and nozzle , one person in charge (Incident Commander), a Rapid Intervention Crew
(RIC) comprised of two or more people, and preferably a separate person for an Incident Safety Officer (ISO) although the Incident
Commander can fill this position. The Lebanon Fire District is a Combination Paid/Volunteer Department and we rely on our Volunteers to
help fill these positions. That’s why we are always looking for volunteers who are willing to help, not just with fires but community events,
public education, and EMS. Come join today! If you’re interested in receiving an application, or have questions about volunteering, visit our
website at www.lebanonfire.org, or call the district office at (541) 451-1901.
IN AN EMERGENCY, CAN WE FIND YOU?
With a fire district that encompasses 134 square miles, it is easy to
understand that a majority of the addresses we serve and protect
are outside the city limits of Lebanon. Many of the addresses within
our district have required the caller to give 911 dispatchers detailed
information on how to find their residence in order for responders
to provide timely assistance. That is why, for over 20 years, the
Lebanon Fire District has had an addressing program where we
installed a post, with numbers, at the beginning of a driveway or
access road to a structure.
When we started this program the goal was to cover every rural
address and except for a few isolated areas, we were successful.
The past several years has involved our volunteers performing
maintenance on existing address posts with an occasional
installation of a new address here and there.
We are making some updates to our address program. The new
signs, shown below, afford us the flexibility to utilize a multitude
of mounting options besides the standard post. They can be
attached to an existing post, fence, or gate. We will now provide the
reflective address sign, attachment hardware, and a mounting post
if needed, to all interested property owners inside the Lebanon Fire
District. The owner has the option of installing it themselves or we
can install it for them.
SMOKE ALARMS
Working smoke alarms more than double your chances of surviving a
fire. Most fire deaths are caused by smoke, not flames. Do you have
the right smoke alarm in place?
No matter how good your alarm is, without power it is useless. If you
haven’t already upgraded to smoke alarms that contain a
10-year long life battery, be sure to do so. Over the years there have
been many fires where, for a variety of reasons, batteries have been
removed from the smoke alarm and people have been needlessly
injured or killed because the alarm failed to operate.
To order a new or replacement sign please call the district office at
(541) 451-1901, or visit our website at www.lebanonfire.org and click
on the “Address Sign Request Form” link.
Smoke alarms more than 10 years old should be removed and
replaced with new alarms. All new, battery only powered, ionization
smoke alarms sold in Oregon must be sold with a 10-year long life
battery. They shall also contain a “hush” button that will silence the
alarm for a short period of time in the event of a false alarm. There
is no need to remove the battery, except to replace it. The “yearly”
battery change can become a thing of the past. Please remember
to check, clean and test your smoke alarm at least once a month to
verify it has power and is operating correctly.
REMEMBER – A smoke alarm that doesn’t work, DOESN’T WORK! If
you need a smoke detector, you can purchase one at most hardware
or retail stores for around $10-$20.
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LFD NEWS
A few highlights over the past year at LFD.
• May 2014 – LFD congratulates two
• September 2014 – Russell Duerr was
chiefs as they retire; Assistant Chief Tim
Frost and Division Chief of Training Dave
Anderlik both retired in May. Chief Frost
began his career with LFD before moving
on to serve as Fire Chief in Brownsville,
Baker City, and Sublimity. He returned to
Chief Frost
LFD in 2008. Chief Anderlik began with LFD
in 1988, where he moved up the ranks from
Firefighter to Training Chief, and served our
citizens for over 25 years. Best wishes, Chief
Frost and Chief Anderlik!
hired full-time as an Engineer/Medic.
Russell started as a volunteer with LFD in
2008, and then became a Student Intern in
August, 2012. He has also worked in the
capacity of a temporary Firefighter, when
needed. Russell has been a great addition
to the team of emergency care providers
here at LFD. Congratulations, Russell!
• May 2014 – Chief Gordon Sletmoe
joined LFD as our new Assistant Fire Chief, Chief Anderlik
replacing Assistant Chief Frost. Chief
Sletmoe comes to us from Medford Fire
where he served as acting Fire Chief.
Gordon has over 30 years of diverse fire
and EMS background. Gordon’s leadership
and vision have made him an excellent
addition to the management of LFD.
Congratulations, Chief Sletmoe!
Chief Sletmoe
• September 2014 – Lieutenant John
Tacy was promoted to Division Chief of
Training & Safety. Lt. Tacy was named
Interim Division Chief of Training in July,
after Chief Anderlik’s retirement. John
has implemented a new online training
program, and ushered in a new age
of training for the members of LFD.
Congratulations, Chief Tacy!
E/M Russell Duerr
• January 2015 – Engineer/Medic Marshall
Brookfield was promoted to Lieutenant.
Marshall has served as an Interim Lieutenant
since July 2014. He began his career in the
fire service as an Intern Firefighter with Clark
County FD#12 in 1999. After serving in the Lieutenant Brookfield
United States Marine Corp as an Aircraft
Rescue Firefighter, he joined LFD in April 2007. He now fills the
Lieutenant position on C-shift, vacated by former Lieutenant John
Tacy. Marshall brings experience and strong leadership and will do
well in his new position. Congratulations, Marshall!
• November 2014 – LFD gains two new Student Interns; Jamin
Hooley and Nicholas Unruh. Jamin is currently taking classes toward
becoming a Paramedic at Chemeketa Community College and is an
Intern on C-Shift. Nicholas is a student at Linn Benton Community
College and is an Intern on A-Shift. Welcome, Jamin and Nicholas!
• New Volunteers – LFD welcomes five new volunteers. Michael
Chief Tacy
Firefighters practice interior fire attack utilizing the burn room.
Fitzwater, Crystal Pender, Nolan Morikawa, Ben Terry, and Robert
Crowe. Michael and Crystal both joined LFD in October. Michael
is a voluneer at Station 35 and Crystal joins “B” Company at Station
31. Nolan, Ben, and Robert joined the department in March of this
year. Nolan joins Station 34, Robert joins Station 32, and Ben joins
“B” Company at Station 31. We welcome our new volunteers and
look forward to many years ahead.
Firefighters practice advancing a line on a two-story structure, utilizing
the training tower.
NEWS FROM THE LFD TRAINING DIVISION
The Lebanon Fire District is working hard to make sure that the
personnel that deliver your service are highly trained. Over the last
six months LFD personnel have utilized our training facility. You
may have noticed our training tower behind the Oak Street station.
It’s hard to miss because of its four story height. This allows our
personnel to practice firefighting techniques in a multiple story
building (like some apartment buildings) that are in our community.
Another building you might not have seen is the “Live Burn
Room” that we have on the training grounds. There is far more to
firefighting then squirting water on fire and the burn room allows the
department to practice the various positions that are critical when
fighting fire. Firefighting is labor intensive and it and it can take
as many as 15 personnel to do simple fire attack in a safe manner.
When we practice fire attack we use no less then 12. The burn room
allows LFD personnel to practice firefighting in a very controlled and
safe manner with little environmental impact.
The Lebanon Fire District also trains in other critical functions that
are required when called upon, such as Haz-mat, emergency medical
services and swift water rescue. The Lebanon Fire District has
delivered over 3100 hours of training in the last four months alone.
This shows the amount of time and commitment your members have
to deliver the very best service to you.
Total Calls for 2014: 5351
Fire Calls – 129
—Of the fire calls, 47 were structural fires.
Medical calls – 4249
—Of the medical calls, 142 were motor vehicle accidents
Other calls (rescues, Haz-mat incidents, false alarms, etc.) - 973
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FAQ’s About FireMed
Do I have to carry medical insurance to
join?
Membership is available to
anyone in our service area,
regardless of their insurance
coverage. If you do not have
insurance, your FireMed
benefit still covers 50% of your
ambulance charges.
APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP
LEBANON FIREMED
1050 W. Oak St.
Lebanon, OR 97355
(541) 451-6123
www.lebanonfire.org
Membership Fee is $50.00
Payment Method:
Check # _______________
(Payable to Lebanon FireMed)
Cash _____________________
Other _____________________
Additional tax deductible contribution:
$ ______
For Office Use Only
Membership #
Date Received:
NAME & MAILING ADDRESS
If I join FireMed, can
I cancel my medical
insurance?
FireMed is not an insurance
program, but a membership.
FireMed membership only
pertains to ambulance care
and transportation provided
by Lebanon Fire District.
FireMed does not cover any
other health care services or
hospitalization.
How does FireMed work
with my insurance?
When a member uses the
ambulance service, we bill any
insurance coverage providing
medical benefits. The
member will then be billed
for 50% of any un-reimbursed
balances.
Phone #: ___________________________________
Street Address (if different than above): _____________________________________________________________________
FireMed membership provides you with a 50% benefit of your patient responsibility for ambulance
transport. Membership is per household. (See FireMed Agreement for details)
PLEASE PRINT HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS
Last Name
First Name
Middle
Date of Birth
Initial
Social Security
Number (optional)
Relationship
SELF
What if I decide not
to join?
We will still provide you
with excellent emergency
service, however you will be
responsible for the full cost
of your ambulance bill. Verify
with your insurance company
what benefits they pay for
ambulance service, to find out
if FireMed will benefit you.
What if I just need a
ride to the hospital?
FireMed membership is
for emergency medical
transportation only. (See
the Terms of Agreement for
definition of emergency.)
During our Open Enrollment
period of May 1st through
June 30th, your coverage
will begin immediately upon
receipt of your payment
and completed application.
Outside of Open Enrollment,
there is a one week waiting
period for coverage to begin.
All Memberships expire each
year on June 30th.
If you are currently a member
of FireMed, you will receive
your renewal notice by mail
around the end of April. If
you’re not a current member
and would like to join
FireMed, simply complete the
application and mail it with
your payment of $50.00 to
the Lebanon Fire District. We
do not issue cards, so your
cancelled check will verify your
enrollment.
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY,
CALL 911.
$50 PAYMENT MUST ACCOMPANY THIS APPLICATION
If paying by check, please make payable to Lebanon FireMed.
All Memberships expire June 30, of each year.
Submission of this application constitutes acceptance of the FireMed terms of agreement as shown below.
X___________________________________________________________
Signature
________________________________
Date
LEBANON FIREMED MEMBERSHIP TERMS OF AGREEMENT
By joining FireMed, Members agree to abide by the Terms of Agreement Below.
Definition: Firemed is a voluntary ambulance membership program operated by the
Lebanon Fire District (hereinafter referred to as LFD), in which members receive a 50%
reduction in their patient responsibility balance for ambulance service provided by LFD.
FireMed is not insurance. LFD will bill insurance for ambulance services that members may
have and LFD is entitled to all benefits paid for ambulance services rendered, up to the
total dollar amount of services incurred.
Membership Benefits: FireMed membership provides emergency pre-hospital medical
care and ambulance transportation. FireMed membership provides you with a 50% benefit
of your patient responsibility for ambulance transport. All emergency service must originate
within the boundaries of the Lebanon Fire District Ambulance Service Areas. Emergency
transportation will be to the nearest medically appropriate hospital as determined by
medical control physicians. Non-emergency ambulance transportation from hospital to
hospital is covered when medically necessary and with prior authorization by a physician.
Specifically Not Covered: is non-emergent/non-medically necessary transportation
where means other than ambulance should be used, including private vehicle, taxi, or
wheelchair and stretcher van services. Other examples of such uncovered services may
include transportation to and from doctors’ offices or clinics, transportation from nursing
homes for treatment normally provided in the nursing home, transport back home from a
medical facility when patient condition does not warrant an ambulance or transport from
hospital to hospital for care by a patient’s primary physician.
Definition of Emergency Medical Necessity: Any patient who needs oxygen, IV
fluids, cardiac monitoring, and/or continuous medical observation and evaluation due to
acute onset of Illness or injury requiring ambulance transport.
Membership Benefits Outside of Local Service Area: Other participating reciprocal
agencies may extend member benefits to areas outside the LFD ambulance service area.
These benefits are limited to the terms of agreement in effect by the participating agency
providing services at the time benefits are used. Members who receive ambulance service
from any other participating agency are eligible for benefits offered by that agency. A
current list of participating agencies is available at the Lebanon Fire District office. LFD is
not responsible for the type, level, or quality of services provided by a participating agency
nor is LFD financially responsible for any costs or charges incurred by a member from
any other ambulance provider. LFD is not responsible for the withdrawal of participating
reciprocal agencies. Participating agencies are subject to change without notice.
Member Responsibilities: Members pay an annual membership fee and will assign and
transfer to LFD all rights and benefits for ambulance services from all insurance policies,
plans, or other benefit programs members may have, including all rights in any claim or
third party recovery, up to the total dollar amount of services incurred, where ambulance
services were provided by LFD. Should any person covered under this membership receive
4
any payment for ambulance services rendered by LFD, they will immediately forward such
payment to LFD. Members are responsible for payment of balance due after membership
benefits are applied. Members authorize the release of medical and other information by
or to LFD as necessary for ambulance billing. Members agree to provide, when requested,
any or all information concerning insurance policies, plans, third party recovery, or other
benefit programs they may have, and will cooperate and assist as necessary in any
efforts to bill and collect such ambulance reimbursements, including the completion and
submission of documents or claim forms.
Membership Eligibility: Residents of LFD’s ambulance service areas are eligible to join
by properly completing an enrollment application available from LFD and by paying the
appropriate annual membership fee. FireMed household membership includes all persons
who are permanent residents of the same single-family occupancy, non-commercial
residence, within the LFD ambulance service area, living together as part of a family unit,
including domestic partners, but not to include mere roomers or boarders. Membership
benefits include a spouse or dependent living in substitute care (e.g. nursing homes). Others
not included in this definition are required to obtain their own separate membership. The
first person listed on the application form is called the “Primary Member.” New qualifying
household members may be added to your membership at any time by calling LFD. They
will become effective the following business day.
Duration: Membership coverage begins upon acceptance of a properly completed
application form along with payment, during Open Enrollment (May – June). Outside of
Open Enrollment, there is a one-week waiting period.
To the Member’s Insurance Carrier (for members with insurance): As a FireMed
member, I authorize a copy of this agreement to be used in place of the original on file
at the FireMed office. I assign and authorize payment of benefits for ambulance services
directly to LFD, according to the FireMed terms of agreement and as itemized on claim
forms. I expect the usual and customary ambulance reimbursement on my behalf to be
sent directly to LFD.
Disclaimer: LFD reserves the right to add, modify, or delete any of the program terms
and conditions completely or in part. All interpretations of the membership terms and
conditions shall be at the sole discretion of LFD. Membership is non-transferable and nonrefundable. Persons who receive welfare, Medicaid, Department of Medical Assistance
Programs, or Oregon Health Plan medical benefits need not be members in order to
have full coverage for services covered under these programs. Any such membership
constitutes a voluntary contribution only. Violations of the terms of agreement may result
in membership revocation, forfeiture of benefits associated with membership and an
obligation to pay all balances in full. A copy of the Notice of Privacy Practices is available
online and at the Lebanon Fire District office at 1050 W. Oak Street.