All,
This story recently was due to a multitude of factors. I can picture our
Department finding itself in the same circumstance, and seeing the inevitable
happening.

With other departments in atmospheres due to no or minimum manpower, it is no
wonder the situation hasn’t reached catastrophic proportions yet in Dutchess
County.

Logging and Monitoring ALL emergency calls and the response times, many from 2
or 3 attempts to get emergency vehicles moving, is the responsibility of the DC
911 system ? or is it? .

When one of your own is killed, the domino effect on everyone is great.

Why is it that the DC 911 system of response times and Actual vehicles being
deployed is not a Major concern, where is the accountability?

Does DC 911 have to answer to a greater entity, are they just accountable for
” the calls ” to the Fire Districts and leave the rest to the Towns / Cities and
Villages to take Actions to keep their residents safe ?.

After reading the story below, just a part of it I am going to share, empowers
me to RE-PRODUCE my previous attempts to get the RESOLUTION NO. 209176
RE: COUNTYWIDE FIRE AND EMS PROTECTION TASK FORCE back on the Agenda, AGAIN.

This Resolution I produced in 2008, again in 2009 with modifications to fit and
comply with requests from a multitude of Republicans and Democratic Party
Members, needs to come out again. It merely empowers a ” Public Safety Task Force ” to look at costs and consolidations of Departments. As we know, this is a HUGE endeavor, but surely needed.

With the support from other Fire districts, even if there is only a couple,
this issue should not remain an issue any longer.

Here is a section of that story, lets pray I/We can actually move away and
never see it happen in out lives in Dutchess County:

KANSAS FIREFIGHTER LODD UPDATE:

SCBA MASK REMOVED INSIDE THE STRUCTURE AFTER BECOMING SICK AND VOMITING:

The State/Regional investigation into the May 22 fire that led to the Line of
duty
death of Firefighter John Glaser has been completed. FF Glaser accidentally died
while searching a resident reported to be inside a burning house. The SFD today
released a report done by the Eastern Kansas Multi-County Fire Investigation
Task
Force, which investigated the origin and cause, as well as investigating the
LODD.
The report determined both the fire’s cause and Glaser’s death to be accidental
but unusual in the circumstances.

FF Glaser died from toxic gases and a lack of oxygen, resulting in his death.
Firefighters
arrived about 2058 Hours on May 22 to find fire coming from a rear garage from
the
dwelling’s basement. They were told the occupants and pets were in the house.
When
FF’s went in the front door, FF Glaser was in the front of the search line. The
search crew took a dry hose line and moved down the hallway on the main level,
locating
a dog in a utility room and bringing it outside.

They then re-entered the home, following the hose to continue their search. At
some
point, FF Glaser became separated from his search partner, who then heard him
ask
for help. A mayday call went out, and Firefighters soon located FF Glaser in the
master bathroom, which is located just above the entrance to the basement
garage.

FF Glaser had vomited in his face piece, causing him to try to fix the issue. He
removed his gloves, helmet and face mask, trying to clear the vomit from the
nose
cup. While doing that, FF Glaser tragically but understandably became
disoriented
and overcome by the smoke and gases before he could get his mask back in place,
and he collapsed due to the levels of toxin filled smoke and gas, rapidly
entering
in his system. FF Glaser was located, removed and EMS began resuscitation
efforts,
but he was pronounced dead at the hospital.

FF Glaser’s SCBA appeared to be in working order and still had two-thirds of its
air remaining, though the report noted that the system and air is being sent for
further testing.

The cause of Glaser’s illness was attributed to a number of factors. His crew
had
responded to Overland Park earlier in the day and had 3 calls there before
returning
to their quarters in Shawnee. The crew also had several calls in Shawnee that
day,
including a drowning, and FF Glaser may have been additionally fatigued from the
exertion of the search crew’s first entry into the burning home.

FF Glaser also had eaten 2 big meals during the day, a BBQ lunch in Overland
Park,
and then a meal of burgers and hot dogs around 1700 hours at Shawnee firehouse
71.
The autopsy showed FF Glaser still had a large amount of food in his stomach.
According
to the SFD, an upcoming report from the NIOSH may have additional including
suggestions
for operational changes.

R.I.P. FF Glaser.

Take Care-BE CAREFUL, Jim