Lexington: in, out and round about via rail

Statewide passenger rail travel. Not a novel concept in most metropolitan cities across the nation, but to some living in Kentucky, it could be ... or perhaps the funding to make it a reality just hasn't been made available. Actually, I find it hard to comprehend any other explanations for the delay. 

Anyway, I trust this concept will take off soon .... and with great speed.

I worked for a civil engineering transportation firm that specializes in railway design projects, and during my tenure there, I learned the value that these lines can bring to an area, a state and a region. They are limitless. And transportation in Fayette County is begging for improvement that, in my opinion, could benefit from rail. 

• Think of the many jobs railway construction would create as well as provide a huge draw for new business. 
• Consider the heightened commerce that would result from city-to-city and state-to-state connections. 
• Imagine the growth — in housing, shopping and entertainment venues — that downtown Lexington would experience.

In The Lexington Streetsweeper's post dated Dec 9, 2009, What Does Mongiardo Think of Lexington Transit, this blogger brought to my attention the interest of some Kentucky politicians in support of a public transit system — one that would reach beyond the Louisville-Metro area to other cities across the state. 

I'd like for Lexington to have the opportunity to learn more about the role rail could play locally. 

Check out the post for yourself at The Lexington Streetsweeper.

Note: This is not an endorsement of any candidate or political party, and I am not a lobbyist for any person, group or organization.

child car seats, ABCs and annuals ... what's the common denominator?

... topics covered at Citizen's Fire Academy (CFA) last night.

R-i-i-i-i-ght, you're thinking.

Seriously, they were. I'll explain later.

Battalion Chief Griggs and Fire Inspector Captain Hickey presented two lectures and a hands-on "extinguisher prop" demonstration. And we exceeded our typical 3-hour class time because we had so many questions, and the firefighters provided thorough, intriguing answers.

A few key things we learned:

• A thumb-turn deadbolt lock is safer than a keyed deadbolt on a door — most house-fire victims with keyed deadbolts are found just inside the front door because they panicked and couldn't find the key to get out.
• A home should have at least two fire extinguishers — one in the kitchen and one in the garage.
• Two breaths of black smoke are deadly — burned air passages cannot be repaired so drop to the floor if the interior is smoke-filled.
  
• Exit signs in any public building are required to be lit 24/7 year round — for your safety, take notice.
  
• An indoor sprinkler system is a wise investment when building a new home — it's well worth the extra $50,000 (est).  

Community Service and Public Education
As part of their responsibilities, five staffers from the Lexington Fire Department teach the public about fire safety. These firefighters make school visits; provide station tours and public service announcements (PSAs); hold Citizen's Fire Academy and business and industrial classes; lead the Juvenile Fire Setters Prevention Program; and teach safety and security via their "safety trailer" and "HazMat house." The "safety trailer" comes equipped with a smoke machine and has the capability to simulate conditions experienced during a tornado. Fourth and fifth graders really enjoy the "trailer" where stove safety is taught as well.

Firefighters sponsor the Prevention Program for Kids at school. Children take home materials and what they've learned to share with their parents. Smoke detectors are emphasized in this program. There is a Risk Watch Program that firefighters have developed for teachers in teaching safety precautions in the classroom. A "Heroes Wear Helmets" campaign was initiated to encourage young people to wear helmets just like professionals do, e.g. ball players, bike riders and firefighters.

You may be thinking ... Well, what about the child car seats mentioned earlier?

Did you know that Lexington Firefighters check roughly 2,000 child car seats annually? Just phone the Department to schedule a time to have your children's car seats inspected.

And the ABCs ...

Well, an ABC extinguisher is the recommended fire extinguisher. This "class" of extinguisher fights all three types of fires:

• Type A is a combustible material fire, such as paper.
• Type B is a fuel fire.
• Type C is an electrical fire.

Fire Prevention (and combating small house fires)
We practiced putting out a simulated small fire with the "extinguisher prop" a new training tool the fire department uses. No chemical is discharged and no fire burns but the steps to take to put out a fire are honed. The steps are remembered by thinking of the word PASS:

1. Pull the pin.
2. Aim the extinguisher with hose extended toward the fire.
   
3. Squeeze the handle.
4. Sweep back and forth at the BASE OF THE FIRE.

CHECK YOUR CURRENT FIRE EXTINGUISHER(S) AT HOME. THEY ARE TYPICALLY GOOD FOR 5-10 YEARS.

Fire Inspection
Captain Hickey gave the CFA class an overview of a-day-in-the-life-of a fire inspector. The Lexington Fire Department has two divisions for inspectors: existing construction and new.

The annuals I mentioned refer to inspections. Our firefighters inspect buildings annually — schools (public and private), hotels, motels, bars, restaurants and apartments — checking the sprinkler systems and alarms. The exits are checked for accessibility, type of hardware on doors, proper lighting and sufficiency (are there enough of them). If there are over 50 people in the building, then panic hardware is required — a horizontal bar that, when pushed, opens the door. The fire inspectors are not responsible for inspecting single- or dual-house residences and state-owned property, e.g., UK, the courthouse, day cares, nursing homes and jails.

We learned about a new process called "firestopping" in new construction. It involves an expanding-type substance — intumescent caulk — that fills holes around the electrical wiring running up and through wood supports and beams. Firestopping allows a "one-hour-box" of time to give the occupant(s) ample time to get out and firefighters ample time to get in.

Building Codes
Lexington has four inspectors responsible for code enforcement in Fayette County. Here's an interesting fact due to the current economy: There were 730 plans for new construction reviewed in 2006 and only 400 so far in 2009.
 
The captain answered questions about businesses "adding on" and the related codes that must be met. If the "use" of the space is not changed, then that space can be "grandfathered in" provided the original space passed inspection for the code under which the building was constructed.

Did you know that Kentucky started using a statewide code for buildings in 1980? The Beverly Hills Supper Club fire (1977) in Southgate, Kentucky, prompted this.

Public Relations
The Lexington Firefighters have charitable drives that benefit such organizations as Special Olympics and the Red Cross. They sponsor a program called "Vial of Life" where they provide a packet with a 2-liter plastic bottle, instructions and a magnet. You are to list on a sheet all the medications you routinely take and insert it in the vial. Then place the vial inside the refrigerator and affix the special magnet on the refrigerator door. Doing this will help firefighters know how to treat you medically if they are dispatched to your home to fight a fire.

Customer Service
Actually, the taxes that citizens pay go toward paying our firefighters' salaries. So, in essence, citizens are their customers — hence the customer service.  When a home is lost to fire, firefighters help those who are displaced. Firefighters escort people attempting to rescue salvageable items from those homes. Firefighters even help homeowners with obtaining insurance and Red Cross assistance.

Bottom line: In the midst of loss and distress, our fire department is a strong advocate for the homeowner.

Note: Firefighters want you to have a safe Halloween. Safety tips are located on the National Fire Protection Agency Web site.

suiting up for life

A firefighter's basic ensemble comprises a pair of boots, pants and gloves and a coat and helmet. I now have a mesh duffel bag bearing my name stuffed with over-sized, castoff gear that's used only for training purposes during the Citizen's Fire Academy (CFA).

The gear nearly outweighs me.

This week my class met Captain Kyle Jones who introduced us to SCBA, an acronym for Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus. A firefighter wears this backpack equipment when entering a burning or smoke-filled building or space. Decontamination teams also wear it to prevent the inhalation of toxic fumes.

SCBA consists of a bottle of compressed air, a pack with a regulator and personal alarm system, and a face piece (mask) with an amplifier for better speech projection. Each CFA attendee had an opportunity to try on a mask. The masks come in small, medium and large; I was fitted with a small one and soon discovered another reason why I could not be a firefighter — claustrophobia.

Side note: Eyeglasses and beards are prohibited because they interfere with the mask sealing tightly on the face. Soft lens contacts and mustaches are permitted. 

There are three sizes of air bottles: a 30-minute air supply (used by most Lexington Firefighters) and a 45- and a 60-minute bottle. The regulator adjusts the airflow from the 4,500-psi bottle, making the air breathable. The regulator vibrates and beeps when the available air has lowered to certain levels. And there is a sensor that is tripped to sound an alarm when the firefighter has stopped moving. A firefighter should have at least a half tank of air when sharing air with a buddy in peril. With the bottle and pack combined, the 30-minute air-supplied SCBA weighs about 30 pounds. 

Side note: The firefighter's wholesale cost for a bottle and pack is $4,200 and for a face mask it's $400.

Typical scenario ... there's a burning house. A 911 call is received at the fire station and firefighters are dispatched. Two types of firefighters arrive at the scene: Ladder and Search and Rescue teams. Ladder teams fight the fire. Search and Rescue hunt for people inside the structure.

When Search and Rescue firefighters enter a smoke-filled house looking for victims, they go in by twos. There is a specific plan — a rehearsed procedure — so if these firefighters become disoriented due to darkness, they can find their way back out by retracing their path of entry. I asked Captain Jones if the firefighters have two-way radios, and he said most of them carry communication devices.

So, our class suited up in our firefighting ensemble, and we walked around ... some of us like Frankenstein. A while later, we removed our fire gear and packed it in mesh bags for storage until next Monday night. From merely doing that, we were already sweaty and tired, but still inquisitive.

Next week we are scheduled to be in full gear, outside at the ladder truck by 6:30 p.m.

Suits me.

Additional note: I found an interesting post about the evolution of the SCBA on geardiary.com.

Feeling Trapped?

A horse wanders into familiar territory only to be met with the unfamiliar — the ground underneath giving way. And in Lexington, Kentucky, the Horse Capital of the World, that could be a costly situation.

An 18-wheeler carrying flammables veers off a bridge, crashes through the rail and sails over the embankment. Lodged between trees and suspended in air, the driver awaits rescue.

A workman in a downtown high-rise is penned under a fallen beam weighing thousands of pounds. Construction crew members try desperately to free the man but cannot.

So who's contacted besides the vet in the first scenario, the police in the second, and the onsite supervisor in the third?

The Lexington Firefighters ... including their Fire Technical Rescue Team for Special Operations.

Last Monday night, Major Gregg Bayer introduced the Citizen's Fire Academy class to the work involved for those on the Fire Technical Rescue Team. He talked about the variety of rescues they perform but emphasized that their #1 priority is fighting fires and providing Emergency Medical Services (EMS). The Lexington Fire Technical Rescue Team boasts having 10 of their members on the Ohio Urban Search and Rescue Team (OHTF-1) ... one out of 28 designated FEMA teams in the nation.

A Special Ops response for these Lexington professionals includes: search, rescue, technical assessment and procedures, and medical treatment. Bayer covered the types of rescue our firefighters provide: rope, confined space, trench, large animal, structural collapse, elevator, vehicle and machinery, swift water and ice, dive, and Basic Aircraft Rescue Firefighting (ARFF). He said there are currently 60 rescue technicians on the Lexington-Fayette County force who have 40,000 combined training hours in EMS, fire and Special Ops. And the training for these personnel exceeds the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) requirements for rescue technicians.

Lexington firefighters are selected for the Fire Technical Rescue (Special Ops) team based upon several factors: advanced firefighting knowledge, critical thinking and problem solving skills, leadership ability, engine and truck company operations, and level of mental and physical fitness. Special Ops often requires on-the-spot creativity. For example, shoring techniques require creativity and unique design to help collect, funnel and redistribute weight. Shoring procedures, for either temporary or permanent earth retention, provide protection from cave-ins and are achieved in two ways: using timber or air pressure. Timber shoring requires the use of wood, of course, for structure stabilization and trench collapse operations. Knowledge of soil classifications is critical, and timber-shoring techniques require that firefighters know OSHA standards as well. Did you know that one cubic yard of soil weighs nearly 1.5 tons?

The Special Ops Team uses specialized tools and materials, such as shoring jacks and air shore struts; a variety of saws, hammers and other construction tools; ropes, pulleys and rigging; and generators and fans. Struts are used to stabilize a vehicle so it won't overturn on its passenger(s). During some rescues, box cribs are built to help secure walls of dirt or even reposition a large object.

A structural collapse encompasses all aspects of rescue. Special Ops teams teach their firefighters where and how to safely move through damaged buildings. Major Bayer said one motto they work by is "never trust a truss." When one truss gives, he said, the rest are compromised. Firefighters use a thermal-imaging camera to see if a person is in a collapsed building.

Captain Chris Frontz and several of his Special Ops members demonstrated a few rigging and hoisting procedures used in rescues. [photo below] Rope is the most versatile tool firefighters have. Ropes used here are classified as high-angle or low-angle, and are tied in figure 8 knots. Red rope is designated as rescue rope; blue is for safety. Did you know Lexington firefighters train at Rupp Arena using the catwalk?

The Special Ops Team is trained to understand hydrology too. They showed the CFA class some equipment used in different water rescue conditions. Insulated suits, such as the one pictured below, are worn with a mask and snorkel during ice-water rescues. 

Dive rescues often include black water diving, meaning there is zero visibility. The divers use side-scan sonar to locate victims underwater. If there is a submerged vehicle involved, boons are placed around the vehicle to contain any gas or oil leakage. Did you know that swift water is the most unforgiving kind?

Now, getting back to horses ... in preparation for the 2010 World Equestrian Games, Lexington firefighters are receiving joint training with local equine hospitals so they will be prepared to assist at the Kentucky Horse Park, if needed. If they are, which we trust they won't be, at least equine lovers can rest assured that Lexington has trained professionals who are capable of handling the most challenging situations.

There will be no CFA class on October 5 due to the Fire Prevention Parade.

WARNING: THIS IS HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH

When the Delta Connection Flight 5191 made its final takeoff three years ago and only 1 of the 50 on board survived, I watched the televised story unfold from my Virginia home.

Lexington Firefighters saw it firsthand.

At the Citizen's Fire Academy (CFA) last night, LT Mike Stone (EMT, Paramedic, Firefighter) didn't go into specifics about that August 2006 day, but he said it had been a long one. Members of his Lexington Firefighting Hazardous Materials (HazMat) Team worked tirelessly at the Blue Grass Airport, providing additional firefighting power and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and neutralizing the contaminated area.

This is what I learned on HazMat night at CFA.

Lexington HazMat Team
Lexington's first HazMat team formed in 1989, and currently the Lexington Fire Department has the largest HazMat team in the state, barring the combined Louisville-Jefferson County HazMat teams that often work as one entity.

HazMat round-the-clock services are provided in Lexington-Fayette County 365 days a year. Since the HazMat personnel are firefighters, they are all Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and some are EMT Paramedics. 

The Lexington HazMat Team trains other professionals with regard to hazardous chemicals and materials: the police (the bomb squad and SWAT), the sheriff, the FBI and the Civil Support Team (CST) — a branch of the National Guard. Some Lexington HazMat specialists fly for LifeNet on their days off, and many travel to help in natural disaster relief efforts, e.g., Hurricane Katrina.

HazMat Overview
HazMat personnel address spills, leaks and accidents involving dangerous chemicals and materials. The danger is either due to condition or quantity of the substance, which can be in solid, liquid or gas form. Materials that are toxic, corrosive, radioactive, flammable or explosive can be hazardous in large quantities if they are not contained and used properly. Compressed gases and liquids or hot materials can be hazardous as well. And for public safety reasons, the transport, usage, storage and removal of these chemicals and materials are all government-regulated procedures.

Paid contractors dispose of all hazardous chemicals and materials once the HazMat Team has neutralized the accident and/or spill site.

HazMat Training and Equipment
Manning the HazMat truck are specialist-level personnel trained in:

• detecting combustible gas leaks
• recognizing symptoms from and providing treatment for exposure to toxic chemicals and materials
• determining and mapping cloud projection to make public aware of any danger 
• communication procedures to help find missing persons 
• methamphetamine identification (meth labs)
• weapons of mass destruction

A HazMat truck is a miniature command post with:

• firefighting gear
• HazMat suits 
• breathing apparatuses
• bomb suits 
• decontamination equipment
• computers
• a chemical identification machine 
• air monitoring equipment 
• tracking equipment for wanderers such as Alzheimer's sufferers (Project Life Saver Search) 
• communication devices 
• a wireless video system 
• an extensive library of research materials and information 

Our Lexington HazMat Team — protecting people and animals, property, and the environment — is a professional firefighting team that's trained to handle hazardous situations ranging from mere battery spills to weapons of mass destruction.

Knowing this makes me feel safer. 

Bulletproof vests? Didn't see any ...

but maybe I should have.

I attended my second Citizen's Fire Academy Class, and last night's topic was Emergency Medical Services (EMS). It was both lecture and hands on. I drove home afterward thinking about our firefighters' impressive skill sets, their dedication and passion for saving lives, and the challenges they face in their line of work. But before I wrote this blog post, I read today's Lexington Herald-Leader article about the 2004 killing of Brenda Cowan, Lexington's first black female firefighter — an 11-year veteran — as she was aiding a gunshot victim in a rural neighborhood. And I must comment.

I was saddened to learn of the lenient sentence for Ms. Cowan's killer. Read the Lexington Herald-Leader article, "Hutchinson Gets 25 Years in '04 Killings," if you haven't already.

Now, getting back to my CFA class last night, I was reminded that all Lexington firefighters are EMTs, and there are more highly trained firefighters called Emergency Medical Technicians: Paramedic (EMTPs). Two specialized paramedic types are flight paramedics and critical care EMTPs. All of them are covered under the Good Samaritan Act, and they work under a physician's license. Because they fly directly from a hospital, flight paramedics are the only firefighters who perform blood transfusions while on the job. All paramedics, of course, can start intravenous therapy ... aka IVs ... and frequently do so in the back of an ambulance racing at 50 mph.

I learned something else quite interesting during the lecture: DNR, i.e., DO NOT RESUSCITATE, requires on-spot paperwork or paramedics and EMTs WILL perform life-saving measures if protocol so determines. A DNR form is required [or a DNR bracelet containing a specific section of the form] at the scene in order for an EMT crew to abide by your wishes. The original DNR form must be the Kentucky-approved form AND it must be notarized or witnessed by two people not related to the person desiring the DNR option. To download the form, go to: Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services (KBEMS).

The CFA class was divided up into groups of five, and we students learned how to:

Perform orotracheal intubation to ventilate a patient.

Start an IV in a patient's arm.

Start a bone marrow IV in an infant's leg.

The last lecture was 'by group' inside an ambulance. Questions streamed, and answers astounded. Some of the rescue stories seemed almost unbelievable, but as one firefighter said: "There's no way you could make this stuff up."

I really appreciate our firefighters because I admire and respect people who save lives.

Be smart, stay safe!

Thanks to you, Lexington-Fayette County taxpayers, our highly trained firefighters are working for a safer community ... 24/7 ... serving 365 days a year. And because I'm a taxpayer, I decided to take the 2009 Citizen's Fire Academy (CFA) class so I could help support these men and women who make for 'better living in Central Kentucky.' I will be sharing my notes on this blog ... notes from the next 12 weeks of classroom and hands-on instruction at CFA.

I am thankful that our local fire department is:

• Providing excellent emergency medical services.
• Helping prevent residential and commercial fires.
• Training both firefighting recruits as well as seasoned personnel.
• Educating citizens, teaching safety precautions to children on up to seniors.
• Cleaning up hazardous material spills.
• Rescuing victims of unfortunate incidents, e.g., auto or aircraft crashes, below grade cave-ins and swift water peril.
• Protecting our community minute by minute through code enforcement, building design and investigation of equipment that may need to be recalled.
• Continually setting high standards for firefighters across our nation.
  

Most likely, you or a family member or a close friend could share a personal story about how a firefighter or fire-fighting team has helped saved lives that are near and dear to you. I know I can ... and perhaps I will in a future blog post.

Anyway, here's an introduction, an overview, of my first CFA class.

FAQs

Since 1929, Lexington has hosted the annual state fire school that more than 1,000 people attend each year.

The current Lexington CFA class is #15 for the department.

The Lexington-Fayette County Fire Department currently comprises 498 firefighters and 22 civilians.

All 498 Lexington-Fayette County firefighters are EMT-certified ... the first fully paid fire department in the commonwealth to hold that distinction.

Over 240 of our current 498 firefighters are certified paramedics.

Each of our firefighters receives at least 240 hours of training each year, which is more than is required of many other types of professionals. Some of the firefighters .... the rescue techs, for example ... exceed the 240-hour training threshold because of their unique specialties.

Lexington firefighters are part of the Ohio Task Force 1 Team, one of 28 federal teams, with 200 people per team.

Our firefighters are deployed nationally to help with natural disaster relief.

Lexington firefighters provide service to residents living within a 286-square-mile area.

The current annual budget for our fire department is $52 million (part of LFUCG's general funds).

Our fire department needs 48 additional firefighters.

Are you interested? Know someone who might be?

For information: visit the LFUCG Fire Department Web site

or contact

Battalion Chief Marshall Griggs @ 859.231.5661 ~ griggsm@lfd.lfucg.com or

Fire Fighter John Davis @ 859.231.5605 ~ davisj@lfd.lfucg.com

Fire Prevention Week is Oct 4-10, 2009.

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