what is an aed?Learn how Automatic External Defibrillators help save lives03

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volume THRee issue oNe WiNTeR 2010

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDPermit #122Auburn, WA

vrfa training divisionDiscover how firefighters learn and maintain their skills

february is heart monthBlood pressure and blood sugar checks can help you maintain optimal health

ECWRSSPostal Customer

THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE VALLEY REGIONAL FIRE AUTHORITYTHE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE VALLEY REGIONAL FIRE AUTHORITY

FIRE WATCHFIRE WATCH

cpr saves auburn man Read about a school employee who puthis CPR training to the ultimate test

STATION 33 OPENSStation 33On December 10, 2009 at 3:30 p.m. the VRFA began operations from the newly

constructed fire station 33. This “state of the art” facility, located at 500 182nd Avenue

East in Auburn, is the fifth fire station operated by the VRFA. Although it will take

several months to refine the operational aspects of the building, the critical work is

completed. We expect to announce public meeting room use procedures, blood

pressure check schedules and other public uses of the building and grounds over the

next few months.

Station 32The Station 32 remodel project is well underway. The building, located at 1951 R Street

SE in Auburn, is surrounded by security fencing during the demolition phase. The

interior and exterior skin of the building will be removed and structural repairs will be

made to enhance the lifespan of the building. A floor plan redesign will be incorporated

to make more efficient use of the space. The building will be reinforced to new seismic

standards and storm water quality systems will be added to ensure the building is

compliant with all standards. This project is expected to be completed in late summer

of 2010.

Station 34The VRFA Board of Governance has approved the construction of a new fire station

on Lea Hill to replace the aging facility located on the corner of 124th Avenue SE and

SE 312th Street. The original plan for Station 34 included an extensive remodel of the

existing building. Due to construction complications presented by the very small site

and the proximity to a busy intersection, the design team looked at other options. The

decision to build a new station was made possible by the cost savings realized in the

Station 33 and Station 32 projects. The new Station 34 will be located on the NE corner

of 124th Avenue SE and SE 314th Street where adequate public and staff parking can be

incorporated and access to major routes of travel are easily achieved. The 11,000 plus

square-foot building is currently

in the permitting process and

construction is expected to begin

in mid-summer. Public input

will be required in procuring the

Conditional Use Permit (CUP) from

the City of Auburn for construction

of the facility. The architect has

incorporated many of the effective

design elements from Station 33 with

a splash of flavor from the Lea Hill area

and the Green River College campus.

A pedestrian friendly plaza entry facing 1 2 4 t h

Avenue SE will invite our community to stop by and

take a break on the built-in benches and covered

rest area when out for an evening walk or

commuting to school from the many residential

areas around the facility. A small wetlands area

behind the facility will be enhanced to provide

a place for neighbors and others to enjoy the

“green” space. A ground breaking ceremony is

expected to be held in the late spring.

Ladder TruckThe ladder truck is expected to arrive in the first few months of 2010. It will then

undergo acceptance testing and be outfitted with tools and equipment. Specially trained

firefighters will then spend several weeks learning how to most effectively and safely drive

and deploy the vehicle with its unique equipment and capabilities. At such time as Ladder

31 is placed in service, it will be introduced to the community at many public events.

vrfa training divisionPreparing & Protecting your Firefighters

Firefighting has often been described as a complex and dangerous profession,

putting those who choose this career at great risk. To reduce this risk and improve

job skills, the Valley Regional Fire Authority Safety and Training Division provides

firefighters with the latest education and training.

The Training and Safety Division has three major responsibilities:

• Providing for the continual safety and well being of firefighters both at and away

from the emergency scene

• Providing for and arranging training for firefighters from the time they enter

recruit school until they retire from the organization

• Ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local training and safety laws and

procedures

The demands of emergency service delivery require that all firefighters be involved

in comprehensive on-going training programs. These programs prepare firefighters

to make critical decisions based on finely honed skills, judgment, and creativity.

The Training Division is at the core of these training programs and works to prepare

firefighters and emergency medical technicians to deliver the highest quality service

to the community.

The VRFA Training Division staff consists of a Battalion Chief who is in charge of the

division and two Captains who are responsible for emergency medical services and

fire suppression training as well as incident safety officer duties. The division also

employs an administrative assistant who oversees data entry.

Required TrainingThe VRFA training programs meet and, in most cases, exceed local, state, and

federal requirements. Firefighters are continually challenged to learn the latest

in firefighting methods, emergency medicine,

and specialized rescue techniques. The Training

Division also partners with other King County fire

agencies to train and share resources. Because

no department can operate as an island and

has to rely on help from neighbors during large

scale incidents or disasters, training must be

consistent and apply to all firefighters in the

region.

Continuing EducationThe Training Division constantly

evaluates the educational effectiveness

of programs and works to prepare

firefighters and emergency medical

technicians to deliver the highest quality

service to our community. The Training

Division also maintains resources such

as learning libraries in each fire station,

e-learning tools, classrooms and a training

center with training props that allow a

multitude of simulation scenarios.

New Firefighter TrainingUpon being certified for employment, each

firefighter is trained to exacting standards

through a recruit academy that brings together firefighter trainees from

around the region. Learning to work together as a team with firefighters from

other departments provides for cross-boundary communications and professional

relationships that last an entire

career.

After successful completion

of the ten-week training

academy, continuing

education is provided in fire

suppression, emergency

medicine, wellness,

leadership and supervision,

specialty skills, and several

other disciplines that make

up the basic education of

a new firefighter. The VRFA believes a highly skilled and trained

workforce equipped with reliable and effective response tools will contribute to

our main organizational goal of saving lives and reducing property damage.

VRFA Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee (JATC)After completing the Recruit Academy in which Firefighter I & II certifications

are achieved, new firefighters continue their professional training with a three-

year apprenticeship program. The program is modeled after professional trades

(plumbers, electricians, iron workers and commercial carpenters) apprenticeship

programs. Each year of the training program brings new outside educational

requirements, manipulative skills to learn and demonstrated practical application.

Along the way these apprentice firefighters are tested academically and by

application of hands-on skills in a demanding environment that simulates emergency

conditions. Journeyman firefighters are only certified after the joint committee

closely evaluates all the benchmark goals, practical skills, and academic course

work done by the apprentice.

Additional Training Support Additional training support is met by utilizing VRFA firefighters with specialized

training such as Hazardous Materials Technicians, Rope Technicians, Rescue

Specialists and Medical Specialists. Hazardous Materials Technicians train the

department’s members to the level of “awareness” which is considered the basic

level of training. The Rope and Rescue Technicians instruct the members to the

level of “operations” utilizing rope systems and associated equipment which is one

level above “awareness.” The Medical Specialists instruct hands-on training for

CPR, defibrillation, patient evaluation, the use of backboards, cervical collars and

transporting patients. Additional medical knowledge is acquired on-line under the

direction of King County Emergency Medical Services. Outside instructors are also

hired for training not available within the ranks of department personnel.

Incident Safety OfficerThe Training and Safety Division also responds to all major 911 incidents on an

“as-needed” basis as nationally certified Incident Safety Officers. The primary duty

of the safety officer is to ensure firefighter safety through early recognition and

mitigation of potential incident-specific hazards. They serve as on-scene safety

advisers to the Incident Commander and are required to prepare specific safety

action plans for each incident.

The VRFA Training and Safety Division, like all other divisions of the Fire Authority,

strives to provide support to emergency operations personnel (firefighter/EMT’s) so

they can focus on the core goal of responding to and mitigating citizen emergencies

safely, efficiently and effectively.

from the administratorA MESSAGE

automatic external defibrillators

Approximately 250,000 people in the United States die every year because of cardiac

arrest brought on by a chaotic electrical heart rhythm called ventricular fibrillation (VF).

This “sudden cardiac death” is treatable only by defibrillation using a device that sends an

appropriate type of electrical shock through the heart and unscrambles the signal coming

from different parts of the heart muscle. Imagine a bowl of Jell-o being shaken and you

have an idea of what the heart looks like in VF. This irregular heartbeat is fatal in minutes

if not treated quickly and correctly.

In 1980, an attempt to improve the dismal outcome for victims of this syndrome was

undertaken by equipping area fire departments with portable defibrillators and putting

them into the hands of firefighter/EMT’s. Previously, these devices were used only by

paramedic level personnel and in a hospital setting by nurses and doctors. This effort

brought the save rate for sudden cardiac death from VF up from about 5% to an encouraging

25% in approximately two years.

Emergency personnel wanted to continue improvements to the save rate, and in the 1990’s

looked into the value of automatic external defibrillators (AED’s) at public event venues,

schools and some businesses. It was thought that an automated machine using voice

commands to guide the civilian rescuer was simple and reliable enough to further reduce

the average of five minutes from fibrillation to defibrillation. While five minutes was the

threshold limit for brain death to begin occurring, further study showed the earlier a counter

shock or defibrillation could be administered, the better the chance of a victim experiencing

a full recovery. The study program

understood that asking lay people

to recognize ventricular fibrillation,

hook up the machine and then

deliver a shock was impractical

and created too much stress for

the rescuer. Manufacturers came

up with a device that walked

the civilian rescuer through the

process of attaching pads to a

victim so the machine could

recognize a fibrillating condition in

the heart. There is a misconception, perpetuated in popular television shows and other

media that a non beating heart can be shocked back into some sort of effective rhythm.

Nothing could be further from the truth. If the heart is in complete asystole (or flat line on

a cardiac monitor), meaning there is no electrical activity, then a shock will not be effective

and can actually harm the victim further. EMS personnel do administer drugs in the field

during these events to stimulate the heart and get it to what is called a treatable rhythm,

but an AED will not shock except when VF is present.

After extensive field trials and training, the program was accepted and became another

spoke in the wheel that makes King County the area with the highest save rate for cardiac

arrest patients suffering from ventricular fibrillation or “sudden cardiac death” in the United

States. Today AED’s are carried by police, and are present in many schools and businesses.

King County, the Valley Regional Fire Authority and medical staff from around the area

continue to study improvements to the response model through reduction of response

times, improved technology and up to date training. For those people who suffer sudden

cardiac death in the form of ventricular fibrillation in this region, the chances that they

will be resuscitated and returned to their families is greater now than ever before. The

willingness of civilian rescuers to learn CPR, and use an AED when someone is experiencing

cardiac arrest, combined with well trained firefighters and paramedics offering cutting

edge treatment in the field, continues to improve the save rate for citizens of King County.

As we begin the New Year, we reflect on 2009 as a year of many accomplishments for the

VRFA. The most significant and visible accomplishment of the year was the opening of

Station 33 in the Lakeland Hills community. It began in January, with the hiring of the first

group of personnel needed to staff the station. Once on board, the new recruits received

their formal training at the fire academy. After completing their “basic” academy training,

they came back to the VRFA for more extensive training and testing. After months of

classroom time, hands-on training and proficiency testing, the firefighters were assigned

to a crew where they continued to train under the mentorship of senior firefighters and

a supervisor. Developing new personnel to fill the role of a fully operational firefighter is

a lengthy process. In fact, our firefighters are required to complete three full years in our

apprenticeship program before they are considered Journeymen.

The training of our new firefighters ran concurrent with Station 33 construction and

on December 10, 2009 at 3:30 p.m., the flag was raised at the facility and the station

became operational. Station 33 is our fifth station and is critical to achieving our goal of

improved service to all of our communities. While this station has a direct impact on the

Lakeland Hills community by providing quicker response times, it also provides positive

impacts for citizens in Algona and Pacific. The engine company assigned to serve those

communities is not the first response engine to Lakeland Hills anymore. This will ensure

that a fire engine is more frequently available for the Algona and Pacific citizens in their

time of need. Reducing response times and increasing unit availability is one of our top

priorities – the opening of this station represents a large step

toward achieving this goal.

Our other capital facilities projects are also progressing

well (see the CFP Update article in this issue). While the

economic downturn has had a negative effect in so many

ways, the competitive construction climate has provided

a bright spot for our taxpayers. The construction costs of

our capital projects have come in much lower than first

estimated and we have realized actual savings.

At the direction of our Governance Board, the administration

developed our 2010 budget with a focus on living within

our means - like so many of the citizens we serve. I am pleased to report that the

administration proposed, and the board approved, a budget that achieved this goal.

Through adjustments and efficiencies, we are funded at about the same level as we

were in 2009 and are still able to continue with the necessary program improvements.

Because of the diligent and responsible work done by our finance staff and program

managers, this budget provides the average residential homeowner an annual reduction

of $20 in the taxes and fees paid to the VRFA. We are pleased that the average taxpayers

will see a slight reduction to their tax burden, at the same time receiving enhanced

services. We look forward to continuing to serve you!

Please welcome your new VRFA Secretary, Deanna

Oliver. Deanna began working at the front desk

of Headquarters Station 31 in November of 2009.

She came to us after working as a dispatcher and

supervisor for the Washington State Patrol. Deanna

graduated from nearby Enumclaw High School, has

two children and lives in Enumclaw.

VRFA Hires Secretary

helped save Auburn mancpr trainingKnowing how to perform CPR and use an

Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) could be

one of the most important skills you ever learn.

This is certainly true for Auburn Mountainview

High School staff member Aaron Pierce. When

a man suffered a cardiac arrest while jogging

at the high school field, Aaron and several

students successfully performed CPR and used

an AED. Their efforts resulted in a life saved.

In fact, the man was able to personally thank

his rescuers less than two months after his

release from the hospital.

You too could learn the skills needed to

possibly save the life of a loved one, friend or co-worker by attending a

VRFA HeadquartersNorth Auburn Fire Station 31

1101 D Street NE, Auburn, WA 98002(253) 288-5800

Business hours 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.www.vrfa.org

CPR class. The Valley Regional Fire Authority offers both CPR and First Aid classes on a

monthly basis and trains an average of 1,500 people a year through these offerings. The

adult, child and infant CPR class is held the first Wednesday of each month (excluding

July, August and December) from 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. The fee is $20 and you must sign up

in advance. A First Aid and CPR training combined class is offered the third Saturday

of each month (excluding July, August and December)for $45 per person. The class is

held from 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. and pre-registration is required. Separately scheduled

classes are also available for groups of ten or more who require the First Aid and CPR

combined class. For more information on these classes, or to print a registration form,

go to www.vrfa.org. You can also contact our headquarters fire station 31 at 253-288-

5800.

In addition to the monthly CPR and First Aid courses, Valley Regional Fire Authority

Instructors provide CPR training for high school students in the Auburn School District.

Instructors train an average of 950 students a year.

in Februaryget heart smartFebruary is American Heart Month and the Valley Regional Fire

Authority is encouraging citizens to take a proactive approach

to their own heart health. Heart disease is the leading cause

of death in the United States and one of the most frequent

medical 9-1-1 responses for the VRFA. By taking a few steps to

prevent and control risk factors, you can reduce your chance of

developing heart disease.

Being aware of your blood pressure and blood sugar levels is

one important step in maintaining heart health. We all have

important numbers we must remember but two are critical to

your health: Do you know your blood pressure and blood sugar

levels?

Why is it important to know your blood pressure and blood sugar levels?High blood pressure is sometimes called the “silent killer”

because often there are no noticeable warning signs or

symptoms until other serious problems arise such as heart

disease and stroke. Anyone, including children, can develop

high blood pressure. High blood pressure is easy to detect and

can be controlled through lifestyle changes such as increased

physical activity, dietary changes and sometimes medication.

Over time, high blood sugar levels can lead to complications

from diabetes including vision loss and kidney damage. Poorly

controlled diabetes over a long period of time can lead to

heart attack and stroke. Knowing your blood sugar levels and

controlling them through diet and exercise can help reduce

your risk of long term complications from high blood sugar.

Where can I get free blood pressure and blood sugar screenings?If you can, schedule an appointment with your doctor or health

care provider. Also, during the month of February, firefighters

from the VRFA will be at various locations throughout the

community conducting free blood pressure and blood sugar

screenings. Those individuals with high blood pressure or

blood sugar readings will be encouraged to follow up with their

personal physicians.

from infant to early teenscar seat tipsChildren of all ages need special care when riding in motor vehicles. Many adults are surprised

to learn that it can take up to 12 years for a child to be big enough for safety belts – close to five

feet tall and between 80 and 100 pounds. Until children reach that size and weight, they need

to use car seats and booster seats for both protection in case of a crash, and for comfort. Read

the steps below to help guide you through the car seat process.

Step 1 Infants: Children from birth to one year of age and 20 pounds must ride in

a rear facing car seat. Infant seats are convenient for newborns and young babies. Most have

a base that installs in the vehicle so the seat can be snapped in and out and used as an infant

carrier. Convertible seats are larger, generally have higher weight and height limits and remain

installed in the vehicle. They should be installed in the rear-facing position for infants. On all

infant seats, look for a five-point harness and multiple harness slots/positions to adjust as the

baby grows.

Step 2 Toddlers: Children under age two are safest in a rear-facing car seat. If

possible, choose a convertible seat with high rear-facing limits (30-35 pounds). When the child

reaches the rear-facing limits of the convertible car seat, the next step is a forward-facing car

seat. Under no circumstances should a child ride forward-facing before reaching one year and

twenty pounds. Look for a seat with a five-point harness, high rear-facing weight/height limits

and features that make it easy to use.

Step 3 Preschoolers: Three – Five year-old children are safest in a five-point

harness. If they outgrow their car seat before age four and 40 pounds in weight, consider

moving to a seat whose harness system will accommodate their size. Look for a seat with a

five-point harness and high forward-facing weight/height limits.

Step 4 School-Age: The school-age child needs to use a child restraint system (car

seat or booster) until the adult lap/shoulder belt can fit properly. When your child reaches age

8 and 4’9” tall, use the “Seat Belt Readiness Test” (below) to determine if they are ready to ride

in an adult seat belt. If the child passes the test, be sure they wear their seat belt correctly and

ride in the back seat until age 13. When selecting a booster seat, keep in mind that high-back

boosters provide whiplash protection. Look for boosters with open shoulder belt guides

for a better fit, and design elements that your children will like (cool fabrics, cup

holders, etc.).

Seatbelt Readiness Test• Your child should sit comfortably against the vehicle seat back

• Your child’s knees should bend at the edge of the seat

• The lap belt should fit low across the upper thighs

• The shoulder belt should fit across the center of the

shoulder and chest

• You child should be able to stay seated comfortably in that

position for the entire ride.

If you have questions, please contact 1-800-bucklup or bucklup.org. If you would like your

car seat inspected, you can view a

schedule of free weekly inspections

by visiting the family safety section

of our website at www.vrfa.org. Car

Seat Inspections are provided through

Safe Kids of South King County.