Fredericktown Community Fire District

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 3, 2016

Contact: Jason Bostic – FFII/PIO/CFSI
Tel: (740) 627-1664

jbostic@fredericktownfire.net

The Fredericktown Community Fire District recently was awarded $25,002.75 in funds from a Safety Intervention Grant from the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation for purchase of a stabilization strut system. The BWC grant request from the FCFD was for a total of $37,337.00, with the fire district kicking in the $8,334.25 matching funds coming from their budget.

“Seeking grants is a competitive process and difficult to attain, but it is an excellent source of funding for our district to provide for our firefighters and the community which we serve,” said FCFD Public Information Officer Jason Bostic.   “We have been successful on many attempts and are fortunate to have been chosen for a project that will increase our safety and our level of operations.”

For not much more than the cost of a very basic and simple system the district, through this grant was able to purchase a much more elaborate system that is adaptive, expandable, and has few limits.

“This grant has so many benefits, especially from a safety perspective. Our previous stabilization tools we made ourselves due to budgetary restraints. It is great that we will be able to replace those with a system that is manufactured for specific needs and come with tested safety ratings,” said Fredericktown Community Fire District Chief Scott Mast.

Department members have long realized the need for such a system to be in place, but the cost of a quality system that can cover the needs of the district was cost prohibitive. Through research, training, and hands-on use, the district identified manufacturer Paratech as the preferred company of choice. Paratech has a significant history and is a leader in stabilization systems, lifting systems, support, and other areas of the fire/rescue industry.

“This expands our mission greatly beyond just simple stabilization, to lifting, trench rescue, high angle rescue, structural stabilization, and more. The system is expandable and we can build and grow from it. We will now have a vast array of ways to approach situations,” said Chief Mast.

This stabilization system however isn’t just available to the FCFD. Through mutual-aid, any department that would request us to respond would have access to equipment thus further making the donation more beneficial. A system of this size and configuration is something that you might find on a metro fire department rescue or on a specialized unit.

“Most departments have a small degree of stabilization devices that they can utilize, but usually on a minimal basis. Some scenarios might require us to call in 2-4 departments from out of the area, further delaying a rescue,” said Chief Mast. “We feel very fortunate that our project was chosen, a project of this size is something significant that we could not afford.”

Finley Fire Equipment of McConnelsville, Ohio was chosen as the vendor for the project, with the district working through Rescue Manager Dalan Zartman. Zartman is also President of the professional training company, Rescue Methods. Working together a solution was identified, and the post purchase training will also be provided to the fire district as a part of the purchase.

The Fredericktown Community Fire District operates from two stations within the 115 square mile district in northwest Knox County. Fire and rescue services are provided by a team of 25 firefighters with varying levels of experience from the basic 36-hour to the 240-hour professional firefighter certification.

# # #

The Cadets of the Fredericktown Community Fire District gathered at the firehouse on Tuesday night, along with them were family and firefighters as they celebrated their graduation from the Cadet Program with a ceremony and dinner. Festivities started out with cadets showing their families around the firehouse and talking about some of the many things that they learned throughout their 10-week training program at the FCFD. The event was put together to acknowledge their work, dedication, and accomplishments.

Those in attendance had the ability to mingle, learn even more about the program, and see just how much their Cadet had grown over the course of the ten weeks that they had been training. After finishing a meal of lasagna, salad, bread, and dessert, the official ceremony was underway.

“It was a pleasure to have your Cadets in this program,” Firefighter Jeremy Moss told those in attendance. “Every time we see them come through the firehouse, they’re one of us. They are already making their mark on the FCFD and we love that.”

Award of Excellence winner, Cadet Rhylee Wilson.

Firefighter Moss spent several minutes detailing some of what the Cadets had been through over the course of their training and speak of the satisfaction of the department and how well the Cadets have been doing. He talked of training, activity in the community, the visibility in the public, and the positive perception that is seen of their work. The class started out with nine Cadets at the beginning of summer with a tenth Cadet, Noah Smith joining them partway through the training process. Smith is highly active, however will not be eligible to graduate until completing the full program in 2016.

“The other night on the commercial structure fire we had cadets that stayed behind to work our bingo tent, when the others went on the run,” said Moss. “That’s just one of the sacrifices that we see from them. We were going to have to shut bingo down and they stepped up. They helped run that tent for hours on our busiest night.”

As the families of the Cadets had the opportunity to hear about their accomplishments you could see how proud they were. Cameras flashed as the parents made their way to take photos as Cadets were called forward individually and presented their certificate symbolizing their graduation from the program. One-by-one they made their way down the line of firefighters who instructed them during their training as they shook hands and were congratulated on their work. After a few photos were taken they went back to their seats, but the ceremony was not complete. A final award was picked up from the table and explained. The “Award of Excellence” was created to recognize the Cadet who “exceeded the requirements and expectations of the instructors, and showed exceptional training, teamwork, attitude, and self-discipline.” Voted upon by the instructors on a weekly basis, the Cadets had no idea this was coming, they only focused week to week at putting in hard work. To the instructors there was no doubt in who came out ahead in the competition as Cadet Rhylee Wilson’s name was called to step forward.

“In each class the instructor was to pick a Cadet they thought excelled that night. She got it because she is confident in what she does, she is humble in everything that she does and she is proficient,” said Moss as he beamed with enthusiasm about his Cadets. “If she doesn’t get it the first time, she will probably get it the second time. She refuses to fail and doesn’t like to falter. She is tough to beat and flat our earned that award.”

After the ceremony was completed, the cameras just kept clicking away with smiling faces from Cadets and Firefighters around the firehouse.

Although the 10-week Basic Cadet Training Program is completed, the training will still continue. Back in August the question was posed to the Cadets of how many trainings would they like to have per month, with almost a unanimous decision for two and the desire to attend the regular fire trainings as well.

“We’ll go through the winter months and just keep on training, turn around and have another 10-week program next summer and do it all over again,” said Moss.

Graduating the program were the following:
FRONT ROW:

Dalton Canter- Son of Lew and Heather Canter

Jacob Yoder – Son of Aaron and Julie Yoder

Mason DeChant – Son of James and Leslie DeChant

Riley Dallman – Son of Ladeana Eddy and step-dad Gabe Eddy

Noah Smith – Son of Tim and Melissa Smith

BACK ROW:

Tyler Williamson – Son of Max and Jennifer Huffman

Haley Rook – Daughter of Aaron and Terri Rook

Rhylee Wilson – Daughter of Carmen Kyle Statzer, also joining her was Kevin Suain

Brandon Hines – Son of Greg Hines

Tyler Hubbell – Son of Lori Hubbell and Mike Newland

The FCFD Cadet Program is open to High School aged youth in the Fredericktown area. If your child is interested in finding out more on the program, please contact Firefighter Jeremy Moss, Cadet Advisor at 740-501-4804

The Fredericktown Community Fire District would like to congratulate Firefighter Jeremy Moss for being selected the 2014 Firefighter of the Year. The award is voted on by the membership of the FCFD annually and was presented on Friday night by Assistant Chief Dwayne Canter.

Described as a “true firefighting professional that takes on tasks above and beyond,” the accolades that were spoken before the award was presented were many.

Firefighter Moss joined the FCFD in 2012 and is a graduate from the Delaware Area Career Center (DACC) firefighting program with his 240-hour FFII certification. He was awarded the “Instructors Choice Award” from DACC at graduation. Jeremy and his wife Melissa live in the Fredericktown area, have three children, and will be married 21 years in June. He has been employed by F.T. Precision for ten years and is a DH in the heat treat department.