Greetings and I hope everyone is doing well this week. It’s been a short week for forty hour people and for everyone else, just another busy week. Not a whole lot going on but let’s cover the important stuff.

• New W4 policy---is being used and as expected, some questions, idea’s and thoughts are coming in. The guidelines were written to NFPA specifications and requirements; this protects us all. As always, the IC has the prerogative to change or modify certain things. For example, the one bottle rule is the most common misconception---if you are actively fighting the fire and want to change out bottles, you can. If you are done fighting the fire, have gone through one SCBA bottle and Rehab, then you are finished. Allow a fresh company to come in and overhaul. If the IC doesn’t want one engine and one ladder on the W4 signal, then they have the choice to let Fire Comm know they only need one ladder, or just one engine, or one ladder and one tanker, etc. to come with the W4 signal. Any suggestions, ideas or issues, please continue to email me.

• Fire Season is here---the W3’s have not slowed done but are picking up. Please be careful out there and look out for our new firefighters.

• New Rescue Specs---have been written and are going through the process to get put out for bid. Same chassis but with a different gear ratio for better pick-up, additional side step and other improvements to our current model. We are purchasing ten new Rescue Units.

• The New Engine Bids—will be open next Wednesday. We should have an idea of who will be building our next generation of engines then. We are purchasing eight new engines and re-furbishing two.

• New MDT Specs---are written and are moving through the process as well. These include full size screens and keyboards for the chiefs and Rescues.

• New Accountability SOG--is out. If you have not already, please put a 3 x 5 piece of paper or index card somewhere on your engine (maybe MDT bracket) of who is riding in your unit for the day. Any changes (drop-off, pick-up) need to be noted as well. The idea is that if something happens, we can quickly pick up these cards and realize who is missing or unaccounted for. District and Battalion chiefs will be spot checking for compliance. This is similar to what other large departments are using.

• Suppression Captains Test---is this Monday!!! I’m know everyone who is studying is happy about that. A change of venue has occurred. The test will now be given at City Hall, Mezzanine floor, Exam Rooms 1,2, and 3 at 0900 hrs.

• Outstanding E-Pro Reports---we are still averaging way too many outstanding reports. Please finish your reports before you make relief in the morning. The District and battalion chiefs should be contacting you if you have over-due reports. (better them than the State!)

• Drug logs---Please make sure your drug logs (ALS units) are accurate and are filled out appropriately each day.

• New Recruits—start next Tuesday. Thirty six will begin training and will be assigned to the field 3 weeks later. The next hiring will be in January. Any current firefighter that wants to move somewhere please submit via RMS. As you can see in the NFL, hazing has become a four letter word in our workforce. Please do your part in keeping hazing out of the JFRD.

Yesterday, the Retired Firefighter Breakfast was held at Piccadilly Restaurant, located at Beach and University. If you do not belong to the group, it costs $1 per pay period to belong. But I’m not retired yet you say? Me either but I’m joining. The reason is I actually liked seeing and hearing all the ‘old’ firemen and their stories. There’s value in listening to what they have to say and what they have seen. It would be nice if we showed our respect for them by joining…trust me, you’ll be retired one day too! It also reminds me why the W4 policy and our focus on protecting or folks is so important. Each of our long term goals involves having a healthy and happy retirement.

Time to give some thanks.

• To the crew of Engine and Rescue 55 ‘C’ led by Capt. Troy Shuman and Lt. Mike Hardee. How many times have you gone to a lift assist? How many times have you checked for vitals? This hasn’t been the rule since we never filled out EPRO reports for this kind of run. Now you have to get a set of vital signs for patient contacts. On this particular run, E55 recognized the V/S were not right for the patient. After multiple attempts to convince the family the patient needed to be seen at a hospital, R55 was dispatched. Again the family was hesitant but Capt. Shuman insisted and the family agreed. Good thing because the patient had a massive heart attack en route to the hospital. Imagine if we had not checked vitals or had simply left. Great job for caring enough to insist the patient be transported. No doubt the outcome for patient was better than had we left them at the scene.
• To Chaplin Percy Golden who yesterday stopped during rush-hour traffic on Beach Blvd to assist an elderly lady whose car had broken down in the center lane. Together we were able to push her out of traffic. Three thousand motorists said thanks!

Now time to remember one of our fallen heroes: Jerman J. Williams.

Jerman J. Williams

March 21, 1934

Fireman Jerman J. Williams was shot and killed while attempting to flag down a driver to keep him from running over a fire hose that was providing water to a house fire at Johnson and State streets. Ironically, Mr. Williams, the son-in-law of Fire Chief W.Q. Dowling, had taken the place of Harry Graves on Hook and Ladder Co. No. 2 at Station 4, rode in the same seat and even used his locker. Mr. Graves was killed in a crash involving two fire engines in 1933.

This L.O.D. illustrates how quickly things can change for us. How many times have you flagged down a vehicle? How many times have you thought they might shoot you for it? That thought has never come to my mind. Please remember to keep your guard up as things are a lot crazier today than back in 1934.

We that’s it for this Week in Review. I hope everyone is doing well and has a relaxing and fun weekend. The department as a whole has been doing an outstanding job so please keep up the good work, continue to look out for one another, and remember what we do is noble, you should be proud of that. Jacksonville is a better place for having you and the JFRD in it.

As always, we thank you for what you do (saving lives and fighting fire), why you do it (for the love of the job), and for always being, the best Fire Department in the Country (it goes without saying)!

Very respectfully and very proud,