| This year has been an
exciting year for the Jackson Fire Department and next year looks quite
promising also. Several equipment upgrades and additions make our
ability to service those in need more powerful than ever. We
expanded education and networking opportunities with area fire
departments and new business partnerships. We also added to our
electronic computer capabilities with an upgraded program for our in
company inspection program and annual permit fee schedule.
Equipment placed into service that enhances
firefighter safety and at the same time increase emergency service to
the community include:
- Upgraded self-contained breathing
apparatus (SCBA) that has a microphone built into the face piece.
This allows transmission of the firefighters voice to an amplifier
on the harness assembly. The increased communications resulted
in increased efficiency and increased firefighter safety.
- A recent equipment addition, the
thermal imaging camera, has several positive applications that
increase firefighter safety and our ability to service the public.
These include, but are not limited to; assessing the fire scene,
search and rescue, capturing vital forensic detail before it is
destroyed, identifying the source and spread of fire, location of
hidden fires, fire prevention surveys, and building collapse rescues
are just some of its applications. This device has already
paid for itself in fire loss reductions in area businesses and
homes.
Expanded education opportunities took a
big leap forward with the addition of the Pizza Hut bookmark program for
school aged children. The bookmark has a fire safety message and
911 checklist. The bookmark can be returned to the local Pizza Hut
locations for a personal pan pizza for $.91. We secured enough of
the bookmarks for each fire department in Jackson County to participate
in the program. Home Depot sponsored fire safety days in the
parking lot of their store location. They provided building
projects for attending children and safety was the subject for the day.
Approximately 2,800 youth attended this program. The fire training
division offered Jackson County a Homeland Security Program and the
newly adopted State of Michigan Fire Officer I Program.
The main computer program used for fire
reporting on a State and National basis has been upgraded to add
additional capabilities to include the fire station in-service
inspection program helping the program succeed. It too,
perpetuates the annual permits to be sent out on a timely schedule.
518
N. Jackson St., 517-788-4150
Fire Chief:
Larry H. Bosell |
