Carefree Truth

Issue #263, July 1, 2013

 

 

 

 

In 2008, when it was completed, the Carefree fire station won the Station Style Award for Design Excellence and the F.I.E.R.O. Fire Station Design Honor Award.  The landscaping was donated by Desert Foothills Landscape.  With the cooperation of our Carefree firefighters, Councilman Glenn Miller arranged for us to visit the Carefree fire station in order for Herbert to put together this video/slide show combination which shows the fire station and equipment, and informs citizens about the many services provided.  It includes a mock run with the fire truck, so be sure to click on this link. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XO4foQiJ3Y 

 

 

 

Glenn Miller served the city of Chicago for 24 years as a firefighter, while also owning and operating an electrical contracting business.  He was in charge of the fire station project during construction.  He brought it in on time and under budget.  The Carefree Fire Station and fire truck are paid for in full, and the service contract with Rural/Metro (R/M) is financed through current income in the form of sales tax revenue.   No money for the fire contract comes out of the reserve fund. 

 

 

 

The following video is from a Chicago TV news clip, showing Glenn Miller rescuing a baby from a burning apartment building.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dj73maTVG40.  He was also a member of the team that helped save a Carefree citizen who survived a near fatal medical emergency during a Carefree Council meeting.  

 

 

As Carefree citizens go about their daily business and while they sleep, our firefighters and first responders stand ready 24/7/365.  Carefree's environmentally sustainable, state-of-the-art fire station is strategically located to provide the most efficient rapid response capability.  The average emergency response time in 2012, the last report available, was 3 minutes and 45 seconds, the fastest of all our neighboring communities.  However, it is vital that your address, or at the very least your house number, be located in a highly visible site at the bottom of your driveway near the street.   

 

 

 

 

A total of 671 requests were issued, including 321 medical calls, 2 structural fires, technical rescues, hazardous material dispositions, alarm responses, and special duty assignments. 198 fire prevention activities were completed, including residential and commercial inspections, safety surveys, and pre-emergency plans.  (R/M) also performs inspections on all fire hydrants located in Carefree serviced by the Carefree and Cave Creek Water Companies. 

 

 

 

The Carefree R/M firefighters averaged 454 hours of training during the report period, over 3 times the contract requirement.  Many are working on or have college degrees in Fire Science or Fire Management.  All maintain EMT or Paramedic certifications and are trained and certified by the Arizona Department of Health Service's Excellence in Prehospital Injury Care Traumatic Brain Injury, the highest level of prehospital care for brain injury patients.

 

 

 

R/M engages with the Arizona State Forestry Division and the Maricopa County Wildfire Protection Plan in the event of local or state wildfires, the Arizona Mutual Aid Compact that provides the ability for various local fire jurisdictions to join in a fire fight, the Strategic National Stockpile Distribution which provides medications and inoculations ensuring that critical emergency service people will be able to function and provide needed help to citizens, and the Maricopa County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan that defines potential hazards in a community.  These agreements are maintained by R/M Fire Chief John Kraetz, who also attends regular Maricopa County Emergency Management meetings to keep the Town in the loop on any issues that might impact our community.

 

 

 

The fire station Community Room is frequently utilized by local non-profit organizations, HOAs, and citizen groups.  Stop by the station to reserve the room for free.  In 2012, the Community Room was also used to provide free CPR and AED training to nearly 500 Carefree citizens, Town staff, and MCSO Posse members.  This class is a valuable ongoing service provided by our firefighters.   

 

 

 

Carefree's fire protection contract with R/M is townwide, significantly reducing the cost of Homeowner's Insurance for Carefree residents, and saving citizens the annual subscription cost.  If you have a medical or fire emergency, dial 911.  Again, please be sure that your home can be readily located.  Clearly show your address at the bottom of your driveway by the road.  The first responders need the ability to find you quickly, and often seconds count.    

 

 

Lyn Hitchon

 

 

 

Prepared by Carefree Truth

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