Boynton Beach, Florida - City of Boynton Beach

December 2013, Volume 12 -- Issue 68
A PUBLICATION FOR BOYNTON BEACH FIREFIGHTERS & PARAMEDICS
Boynton Beach, Florida: August 6, 2013
Smoke billows from a storage facility just off
of Coral Street in the NE section of the city. BBattalion firefighters quickly gained access
into the structure and extinguished the blaze
before it could spread to adjacent units.
There were no injuries or hazards reported.
Safety Officer, Capt. Larry Lederhandler
scans the fire ground.
Image by Michael Landress
Cross Fit – p2
EMS: Sepsis – p3
Chaplain’s Challenge – p4
Local 1891 – p5
Jungle Fire – p6
Training Daze – p7
Extra – p8
Target Hazards – p9
Benevolent – p1o
FD Images – p11
Sepsis Continued – p12
Back Up Lines – p13/14
Firefighters Chris Lemieux and Mason Pierce tune up
the Dive Rescue Boat in late November.
Happy Holidays!
Boynton Beach, Florida October 2, 2013: Captain Dean Kinser, FF3 Joe Nardi and FF3 Andy DeFilippis investigate
Image by Michael Landress
The Encode Newsletter
its 10th year and 60 issues - - thanks everyone!
. celebrates
a purported gas leak at Hypoluxo Road
and Congress Ave. Image by Michael Landress
Diversity - Integrity - Stewardship - Creativity
June 2012, Volume 10 - Issue 58
Cross Fit Challenge 2013
Captain Mark Henkle
On Saturday morning, November 16, 2013 the BBFRD hosted a Firefighter Fitness competition to
promote health, wellness, fitness and career longevity for all members of Boynton Beach Fire
Rescue.
There were three scored workouts for the two member teams to complete. The workouts were not
announced until the morning of the event to go along with the uncertain nature of our profession
(in other words, trying to be prepared for anything a call may bring our way). The three
workouts tested all of the physical skills associated with physical fitness and wellness including
cardiovascular and respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed,
coordination, agility, balance and accuracy.
The workouts were a one repetition max power clean combining the weights of the competitors
for score. “Fran” relay, which is a Cross-Fit benchmark workout consisting of 21 thrusters, 21 pull
ups, 15 thrusters, 15 pull ups, 9 thrusters, 9 pull ups for time. The final stage of the competition
was a quarter mile run and a double tower relay race which went down to the wire. Great fun
was had by all participants and judges. In the end the winning team was “Cookies and Cream”
Ian Finlayson and Whil Francois, with a solid overall performance followed closely by Cory Lewis
and Chris Laquerre, with third place going to Georgio Salame and Bethanne Schwarz-Plasman.
I would say that everyone who assisted or participated in this fitness challenge understands the
value of fitness as it relates to the physical nature of our chosen career and will be spreading the
cross-fit message to anyone interested.
I feel this challenge is at an early stage of development and believe this event will grow in the
future, so hopefully you will be competing next year.
ML
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Emergency Medical Services :
June 2012, Volume 10 - Issue 58
“Sepsis”
Kenneth A Scheppke, MD, FAAEM
Medical Director
Sepsis is a severe problem in the United States and one we will soon be addressing with a new protocol. We constantly hear about the major
killers in our country, including heart disease and stroke, but little is said about sepsis. Sepsis is actually one of the country’s leading causes of death.
It kills approximately 200,000 Americans each year. In contrast, stroke kills approximately 130,000 and heart disease kills about 600,000.
Sepsis is defined as two or more of the following abnormal physiological conditions occurring in response to an infection: abnormal body
temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, elevated white blood cell count or abnormal arterial blood gas results. There are different severities of
this illness including basic sepsis defined above, severe sepsis, which is when sepsis is bad enough to cause organ dysfunction or hypoperfusion (this
can be identified with a lactic acid meter – see below). Finally, septic shock is severe sepsis with persistently low blood pressure despite, treatment
with fluids. As expected, the mortality rates rise with each stepwise worsening of sepsis.
To identify sepsis we use a combination of clinical clues, examination of vital signs and a lactic acid level. Clinical clues to sepsis primarily include
recognizing patients at high risk for sepsis. This includes a number of patient populations that are typically debilitated, run down, very young or
very elderly, those with weakened immune systems either due to HIV, chemotherapy or organ transplantation medication, or who have had recent
medical procedure, including indwelling catheters and other medical devices inserted. Those at high risk often reside at nursing homes or
rehabilitation centers. They may have feeding tubes, picc lines, nephrostomy tubes or other obvious medical foreign bodies implanted. Recent
surgery is a risk, as is anyone taking an antibiotic since they already have been diagnosed with an infection.
Vital sign analysis often helps identify these patients. Clearly if a fever is present, sepsis should be suspected. However, many patients do not have
a fever, either because they are too ill to mount a fever response or because they had a fever and it is currently cycling down (think last time you
had the flu you did not have a fever 24/7, it comes and goes). Absence of a fever should not dissuade you from thinking about sepsis in an
otherwise high risk patient. Pulse rate is usually high (relatively high for those on beta blockers), respiratory rate is usually elevated as the body
tries to blow off more CO2 to compensate for the developing lactic acidosis and blood pressure typically shows diastolic hypotension. A BP of
105/45 is hugely abnormal. While 105 is in the normal systolic, diastolic BP is determined by vascular tones. Types of shock that cause a patient to
have poor vascular tone include spinal shock, anaphylactic shock and septic shock. If you see a low diastolic BP (normal is above 60) think sepsis
even if the top number is OK.
Continued on page 12
June 2012, Volume 10 - Issue 58
Answering life's challenges with more confidence in God
Chaplain Chuck Brannon
“Doubling Up” Attitude In November And December
Greetings again from your Chaplain, God’s best to you today and every day. The “doubling up” I’m referring to are the “double helpings of
Gratitude and Giving”. By “double helpings” I mean generosity, like when my Grandmother dished mountains of Thanksgiving food on my plate.
The first generous double helping is gratitude. Thanksgiving Day is gone, but showing gratitude is a daily way of life. Unfortunately, ingratitude is
too. Jesus healed ten lepers but only one came back to say, “Thanks.” Is ingratitude a mistake? An oversight? A sin? I’m sure those nine “no thanks”
types rationalized their actions, but they were unacceptable to God. I believe godly people are more thankful and thankful people are more likely
to live a life worth living - and leave a good legacy. What’s on your list of TOP FIVE “THANK YOU’S” TO GOD AND OTHERS?
The second generous “double helping” during December is giving. A young woman gave directions to her apartment to her new boyfriend. She said,
“Come to the front door of my building and look for Apartment 14A, then push button 14A with your elbow. Come in and take the elevator. With
your elbow hit #14. As you exit, I’m on the left, hit my doorbell with your elbow and I’ll open the door for you.” Her boyfriend says, “That’s easy, but
why am I hitting all these buttons with my elbow?” She says, “You’re kidding! You’re not coming empty handed are you?” We’re all excited asking,
“What am I getting?” But we must also doubly ask, “What am I giving?”
The key to Gratitude and Giving is ATTITUDE. Chuck Swindoll, writer, Pastor, speaker says, “I believe the single most significant decision I can make
on a day-to-day basis is my choice of attitude. It is more important than my past, my education, my bankroll, my successes or failures, fame or pain,
what other people think of me or say about me, my circumstances or my position. Attitude is that ‘single string’ that keeps me going or cripples my
progress. It alone fuels my fire or assaults my hope. When my attitudes are right, there’s no barrier too high, no valley too deep, no dream too
extreme, no challenge too great for me.”
On a personal note as a Chaplain who celebrates Christmas (while also respecting others’ beliefs) I see God’s phenomenal generosity delivered to
us in His incredible incarnation. God’s ultimate generous giving is demonstrated in world-famous John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He
gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” This is different love! The girl says, “But do you love
me?” The guy says, “Yeah, baby doll.” She says, “Would you die for me?” He says, “No, mine is undying love.”
May we bless the Lord and one another with double helpings of Gratitude and
Giving. May these be our life-long attitudes - a legacy worth leaving.
June 2012, Volume 10 - Issue 58
LOCAL 1891 . . . Like us on Facebook!
Road Trip!
Joe DeMarco, BBFRD (Retired)
While enroute to visit my sister in Marianna, FL and ultimately my brother John in
Talladega, AL, I stopped by the Chattahoochee State (Mental) Hospital Fire Dept. to visit
Chief Bryan Croft. He has been chief there since April (I think) and he loves it. He looks
great and feels even better. He gave me the fifty-cent tour and told me of his plans for the
department. He never stopped smiling! Bryan began his career at BBFRD in 1987, and was
assigned FDID No. 97. l look forward to my next visit.
Thankfully, they didn’t keep me there for an evaluation!
IAFF Members Ready to Assist the Philippines Following Typhoon Haiyan
IAFF : November 13, 2013 – Relief is slowly making its way to the Philippines after the country was devastated by Typhoon Haiyan on November 8.
As airport runways open and roads are cleared of heavy debris, IAFF firefighters who are members of Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams will
likely be deployed to the most affected areas. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has not announced any projected departure
dates.
The History of Boynton Beach Fire Rescue:
June 2012, Volume 10 - Issue 58
“Jungle Fire”
Michael Landress, EMSC
An interesting early morning structure fire during the late 1940s occurred at a tiny pub called the Jungle Inn Bar located in Briny Breezes. The inn
was a popular drinkery owned and operated by a man called “Biggin” Baskin -- aptly named due to his mountainous size.
The fire began when an unattended barbeque pit that was used inside the tavern collapsed in the wee hours of the morning, sending smoldering
coals crashing to the ground. The unabated embers ignited the wooden floorboards and flames quickly rolled up the walls.
The department had recently purchased a 1946 Mack 500 GPM piston pumper and Boynton firemen responded to the blaze with the new engine.
On arrival, they found the inn totally insulted by fire. They staged the fire engine parallel to the tangled mangroves and Intracoastal Waterway
(ICW) in hopes of drafting water, as hydrants were few, or non existent.
In the chaos that ensued, the weary operator engineer [driver] stood aghast at the pump panel. Scratching his head in disbelief, he had forgotten
the sequence for pumping. Fireman James I. Lacey then stepped up to the panel and quickly engaged the pump. As other firemen began to pull
multiple sections of hose and nozzles from the engine, James deployed the hard suction, complete with strainer into the saltwater, thus beginning the
drafting process.
They valiantly battled the blaze until dawn.
“It was saltwater, but it was wet. We pumped water until daybreak and finally extinguished the fire. It was a good thing because we noticed that
our drafting hose and strainer were dangling in mid air. The water level had dropped considerably. We thought that we had drained the canal until
we realized it was an outgoing tide! We all enjoyed a hearty laugh.”
~ Fireman Lacey
Continued on page 8
Training “DAZE”
June 2012, Volume 10 - Issue 58
Division Chief of Training Ed Herrmann
First of all, Happy Holidays everyone!
We’ve kept up a steady training pace since our last edition of the Encode. The training program has now evolved to an outline that involves one (1)
three (3) to four (4) hour class delivered to all personnel each month, supplemented by company schools that are assigned every couple of weeks.
In addition I’ve been sending out a fairly steady stream of articles and videos related to training and/or safety via email.
Our topics for the last few months have included continuing training on the following:
The IAFC’s “Rules of Engagement for Structural Firefighting”.
The results of Underwriters Laboratory’s and The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s recent studies and their impact on our operations.
“The Art of Reading Smoke” by Dave Dodson.
The USFA’s Firefighter Fatalities Study for 2012.
Review of studies relating to cancer in the fire service.
OSHA’s new Hazardous Materials labeling system (on Centrelearn).
City of Boynton Beach Defensive Driving class (on Centrelearn).
Traffic control and roadway safety on emergency scenes.
Standpipe and sprinkler systems.
Hands on hose drills in the training tower.
Forcible entry including hands on with our new door training prop.
Regarding that last one, let me say thanks to Chris Carr and Paul Phillips who designed and built the door training prop which is now behind Station
Five. A commercial version of this prop would cost three to four thousand dollars or more. Chris and Paul delivered a prop with the same basic
function for ten percent of that. Nice job!
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June 2012, Volume 10 - Issue 58
Think Pink!
Boynton Beach Fire Rescue Archives
“Jungle Fire” . . . Continued from page 6
This 1946 Mack 500 GPM Piston Pumper is the truck used during the
Jungle Inn Bar fire. The fire engine would prove its worth, as it was still in
service in our department during the 1970s.
Congratulations!
Congratulations are in order for Kathy Cline of Fire & Life Safety as she
has successfully passed the Florida State Fire Investigator final exam!
This is a difficult test and she worked long and hard to achieve success.
Image by Michael Landress
The month of October was breast cancer awareness month and in
support of that awareness the BBFRD donned “pink” t-shirts during
the entire month! FF3 Phil Mohorn is featured here looking quite
dapper in pink as he opens a hydrant.
Image by Michael Landress
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June 2012, Volume 10 - Issue 58
Rick Lee, Fire Marshal
Image by I.M. Shenanigans
During the next year we (Operations and Fire & Life Safety) are going to identify and preplan for target hazards within the City of Boynton
Beach. Of course, the first step will be to clearly define “Target Hazard”. There are as many definitions of target hazard as there are people in
the Fire Service, but the one below shall serve as our definition:
A “Target Hazard” is any occupancy use, including outside storage that will, because of its hazardous content, proximity to other structures or sheer
size or number of occupants, present extraordinary challenges to firefighting operations. It will tax resources and manpower capabilities way
beyond what is normal. It will most likely prompt a call for mutual aid from several other jurisdictions. It will have a large impact on the economy of
the area and have a negative severe human impact on those involved directly and indirectly in the incident.”
Don’t get target hazard and high hazard occupancies confused. Although hazardous content may be a factor in determining a specific occupancy,
a Target Hazard is only one factor. For example, the Boynton Mall is an “Ordinary Hazard”, but if it were to burn to the ground, it would cause
financial hardship and human suffering on a large scale.
The City of Boynton Beach would loose a huge amount of taxes and businesses would relocate to surrounding areas, some may never return and a
few thousand jobs would be lost. Surrounding cities and the county would be asked to send support vehicles and other aid just to cover the rest of
the city and to assist in the firefighting operations at the mall. Surrounding hospitals could easily become overwhelmed with patients and the hospital
itself is a target hazard.
Image
by Jon Raybuck
A small, free standing, chemical storage warehouse may burn to the ground and cause some minor ground water
pollution,
but not effect anyone but
the owner of the building, the business owner, a few employees and the insurance company. Although it is a personal tragedy for those directly
involved, it would not cause a great deal of problems for the rest of the population. We could most likely handle the fire and rescue operations by
ourselves.
If there is a certain building or area you think needs to be designated a target hazard, please feel free to contact me, or DC Herrmann and we will
ensure it is added to our list.
This will take a joint effort from everyone to ensure a successful program.
June 2012, Volume 10 - Issue 58
Condolences
Welcome to the Playpen!
Our thoughts & prayers are with the
following BBFRD Families who have
recently lost a loved one;
Babies, Babies, Babies;
Sue McMath
Corey Lewis
Matt MacRae
“Say It Isn't So”
The Encode newsletter is no longer
available in the hard copy format. If you
are interested in receiving the electronic
version, please send your email address to
Ouida Hall in fire administration @
[email protected]
Cornucopia Food Drive for the CCC
“Tis the Season”
Annual Holiday Dinner
“Through the Woods”
On
December 18, 2013
At
Benvenuto’s Restaurant
Left to right, Ouida Hall, Karen Abramson, DC Hoggatt,
Dawn Cannon, Fire Chief Ray Carter, Vicki Dornieden,
Roxanne Girardi, Christina Tamihi and DC Herrmann. Thanks
everyone for your generous donations to the this worthy
cause! Image by Michael Landress
1730 N. Federal Hwy
364364-0600
6:30 p.m. – 10 p.m.
FD Images . . .
June 2012, Volume 10 - Issue 58
Image by Michael Landress
Boynton Beach, Florida : October 10, 2013 yields blue skies and
big sunshine for FF3 Vance Carpenter and the firefighters training
on Truck 5!
Lt. Jeff Power and the Truck 5 crew successfully rescued a cat that found
Happy Holidays from the Constanza Boys!
2008
itself 6o plus feet up into a tree in the Meadows neighborhood. The owner
was most grateful, but we firefighters know, no skeletal remains of a cat
have ever been found in a tree in Boynton Beach! Great job men!
Image by offoff-duty FF Gary Blocker
Sepsis
June 2012, Volume 10 - Issue 58
. . . Continued from page 3
Lactic acid levels are an important clue to sepsis and the severity of sepsis.
Thoughts & Prayers
As the body goes into shock, perfusion and oxygenation of the tissues becomes inadequate.
The cells begin to use anaerobic metabolism. The result of this metabolism which takes place
when tissue oxygenation is poor, is that lactic acid levels rise in the blood and the body tries
to compensate for this build-up of acid by blowing off CO2. A simple lactic acid monitor,
which works very similarly to an accucheck, can both help us diagnose severe sepsis and
give us an estimate of mortality rate. In one study a lactate level of greater than 4 mmol/L
was associated with a 40% mortality rate. Less than 2mmol/L had a death rate below 15%.
Standard definitions use this level of 4 as the cutoff for defining severe sepsis.
Once sepsis is identified, what can we do about it? In a study done in 2001, early goal
directed therapy (EGDT) beginning in the emergency department was evaluated compared
to standard therapy of treating patients in the ICU. In addition to antibiotics, central venous
oxygen monitoring, urine output monitoring and vasopressors, one of the major early
treatments was large fluid boluses to counteract the distributive shock caused by low vascular
tone in severe sepsis and septic shock. They found when early therapy was given, mortality
rates dropped from 46.5% to 30.5%. There is no reason not to initiate therapy even before
the emergency department to hopefully improve these results even further.
Massive fluid resuscitation of 6 to 10 liters is often needed for these patients and directly
helps to reverse much of the shock state. Our protocol will be to identify the septic patients
using the criteria outlined in this article and then to start aggressive fluid resuscitation with 2
liters of saline wide open. Dopamine will be used if persistent hypotension is present despite
fluids. Finally, the hospital will be alerted that we are bringing a sepsis patient so they can
begin antibiotics and other time sensitive treatments to further lower mortality rates.
Sepsis is deadly just like stroke and MI and just like stroke and MI, early intervention by EMS
can improve outcomes and lower mortality rates.
As you may know, Firefighter 2
Jeffrey Kinbacher (FDID 113) is in the hospital
battling serious illness. Please keep Jeff and his
family in your thoughts and prayers as we
progress through the holiday season.
Michael Besosa, Jeffrey Kinbacher,
Michael Landress, Latosha Clemons and
Phil Mohorn.
2002
Back Up lines . . .
June 2012, Volume 10 - Issue 58
Please keep former BBFRD
employee Cathy Roy in your
thoughts and prayers this
holiday season as she battles
serious illness.
Mutual Aid For Detroit
Proceeds from the sale of this shirt will help
Familiar faces in new places!
purchase wish list items for Detroit Fire Dept.
Order your shirt today and share in the pride
of knowing you made a difference for the
firefighters in the battle to save Detroit.
www. detroitmutualaid.com
Yep, that’s BBFRD’s retired DC of Training Tim Valentine aka “Axe” manning the FOOLS
Ladder One during the recent Veteran’s Day parade in downtown West Palm Beach!
Tim is enjoying retirement by actively working as an fire inspector for the West Palm Beach
Fire Rescue Department. You can take the firefighter out of service, but you can’t take the
fire out of the firefighter!
Image by Michael Landress
June 2012, Volume 10 - Issue 58
How do I Submit?
Encode; to convey a message -- the “Encode” newsletter is published sixtimes per year and is open to all BBFRD employees, past and present, who
wish to submit an article or photograph. Send your questions, comments,
concerns, or submissions to [email protected]. The deadline for
submission for the February 2014 newsletter is January 29, 2014.
Congratulations!
Paul Combs is a classically trained artist, award winning illustrator,
and firefighter/EMT. Paul is a former editorial cartoonist for the
Tampa Tribune and has been nationally syndicated through Tribune
Media Services, Inc. in conjunction with his career as an illustrator
and veteran firefighter for the city of Bryan, Ohio Fire Department.
Paul is a Firefighter II, NREMT-B, hazmat technician and instructor
for the City of Bryan Fire Training Academy. Visit his Web site at
www.artstudioseven.com
Boynton's flag football team won the Pigskin Classic in Orlando on
November 3rd. From right to left, top row: Mr. Jones (HCFR), Cody
Wojciechowski, Chris Carr, Alex Fernandez, Mr. Ribbi (IRCFR). Bottom row:
Mr. Smart (HCFR), Mr. Moody (PBCFR), Eric Moschetti, Ryan Galarneau and
Julian Martin.
Happy Holidays!
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