| The months of 2015 have come and gone quickly. We have all forgotten how we started the year with an early January snowstorm that gave us 1 ½ inches of snow. We should not forget the three day killing spree in Paris starting at the Charlie Hebdo magazine headquarters. As spring closed we were reminded that tragedy can strike close to home when an Amtrak train derailed in Philadelphia killing 8 and injuring over 200. Summer came with a visit from the Pope and a couple of heat waves that put the air conditioners to the test and cancelled at least one of our training sessions. No one can complain about sending the year out with record warm temperatures.
The West Grove Fire Company celebrated another year of success in providing its communities with unprecedented emergency service. We continued to raise the bar in training efforts. Members completed courses in hazardous materials, infection control and child abuse awareness that were provided within the company. Many members pursued training at the Chester County training facility in firefighting, vehicle rescue, and EMT certification. Firefighters trained weekly on exercises such as hose deployment, hydrant and rural water supply, engine operations, ladder deployment, and vehicle extrication. The company did not stop there. The Training Committee tested our skills with live fire simulations in an on-site burn trailer and at the Chester County training center. Several simulated motor vehicle collisions scenarios were presented testing both firefighters and EMTs. We trained several members to act as a Rapid Intervention Team.
Eventually when the tones came in for dispatch, it was time to go to work. Deputy Chief Justin Gattorno reported that the fire company responded to 560 fire calls in 2015. These included 91 fires, 116 motor vehicle collisions, 15 power line calls and 82 fire alarm calls. The department had an average of 16 members respond to each call. EMS Manager Gary Vinnacombe disclosed that career and volunteer EMS personnel responded to over 2200 medical emergencies. The company is proud of our average response time of 1.5 minutes. The usual time spent in the field per call was 1 hour and 20 minutes. EMTs and first responders were provided with 20 hrs of continuing medical education. West Grove was one of the first in the area to complete Narcan training and implement it in the field.
The fire department had several successful community events. The mock crash at Avon Grove High School got our point across about driving safety. Fire Prevention was the highlight of many a future firefighter in local schools. The company had an open house with skills demonstrations that was well attended. West Grove was pleased to provide service at many community events including 5ks, parades and the Herr’s Fourth of July celebration.
The West Grove Fire Company will enter 2016 under the direction of new leadership. The fire company will be lead by Fire Chief John Chambers and President Tom Glass. Both Chambers and Glass are life members of the company. They are seasoned firefighters and proven leaders. Our focus will always remain clear, to provide West Grove and surrounding communities with state of the art fire and medical service. We will remain a progressive department. In the coming year we will face the grim reality of today’s society. We will be the first department in the area to have an active shooter incident drill and train for mass casualty incidents. We hope to continue to grow our membership with active recruitment activities. Most importantly, we will do whatever it takes to bring firefighters home safely. Thank you for all the community support in 2015 and we look forward to serving in 2016.
Photos by Todd Mazur |
