The Fire Chief’s Blog

For the past two weeks, firefighter and soldier, Nate Wiley has been home on leave from his duties in Iraq. Nate stopped in yesterday to visit before he is redeployed tomorrow to Iraq. Nate is one of those people that is a pleasure to know and also an honor to have on your team.

Since Nate joined the fire department he has been nothing but a positive influence on everybody around him. Nate has served the citizen’s of Eden Prairie proudly and effectively as a firefighter. Nate has also been serving his country in the same manner. I spoke at length with Nate yesterday during his visit to the fire station. Nate has never backed away from speaking his mind on any issue. Nate is thoughtful and articulate, Nate is a student of all that he is involved with.

I don’t want to speak for Nate, but it is clear that there is a frustration with the way many want to portray the operations in Iraq. Nate is proud of his mission effectiveness in Iraq and told me that the vast majority of the people of Iraq appreciate the work that is being done there to implement quality of life improvements as well as move toward a form of government that is more balanced than what proceeded 2003.

I will be glad to have Nate safely back here in April when he returns from his duties in Iraq, in the meantime I know that Nate is proudly serving all of us with his duties in Iraq. We are lucky to have people of Nate’s caliber volunteering to serve us in so many ways.

This is the only picture I have of Nate serving in Iraq, it appeared in an earlier blog I wrote about Nate this past June.

This past Saturday another group of Eden Prairie residents completed their CERT training. After the final training session a group photo was taken of our newest members along with many of our seasoned veterans. All in all we now have about 90 CERT members on our team. Our program has grown from zero just a few short years ago to now being one of the biggest in the state with 83 members, and also one of the few that meets on a regular basis to train and refresh skills learned during the initial training period. Our long-term goal is to get 100 CERT members.

One of our next orders of business will be to assign each CERT member to one of our four fire stations. This will further the bond between firefighters and CERT members, an important process since during a protracted emergency event both groups will be working side by side to provide assistance and care to residents. Furthermore by having our CERT members belong to a fire station we are able to provide excellent accountability on an emergency scene and be help insure that everyone goes home safely.

We are proud of our CERT program, proud of the residents that take the time to volunteer for the CERT program and proud of our fire officers that have taken the time to provide the training needed by our CERT members.

Fire Prevention Week is arguably the most important week of the year for the fire service. This is the week when the media helps us to remind people of all ages to live in a “fire safe” way. The fire service also tries to educate people about what to do if there is a fire in order to have the best chance to minimize the loss of life and property.

To help focus everybody’s attention on this important subject, the President has issued the following proclamation. It is my sincere hope that everybody takes the horrible consequence of having a fire seriously, this week and every week.

Fire Prevention Week, 2006
A Proclamation by the President of the

United States of America

During Fire Prevention Week, we underscore our commitment to advancing fire safety and awareness, and we honor the brave firefighters and volunteers who work to protect our lives, homes, and communities.

Thousands of injuries and deaths occur each year as a result of fires, and Americans have a shared responsibility to help minimize the risk of fires that can cause harm to people and property. By installing and maintaining smoke alarms and having a plan of action in the event of an emergency, citizens can practice simple but effective fire safety measures. Unattended cooking is a leading cause of household fires, and this year’s theme, “Prevent Cooking Fires: Watch What You Heat,” highlights the importance of practicing kitchen safety at all times. By keeping cooking areas clear of flammable items and closely monitoring children and appliances while in the kitchen, individuals can greatly reduce the number of fire-related accidents in the home.

Our Nation’s firefighters selflessly risk their lives to protect their fellow citizens. These brave men and women play a critical role in safeguarding our families, our households, and our communities, and their courage and dedication are an inspiration to all Americans. Fire Prevention Week is an opportunity to reaffirm the importance of fire safety, celebrate those who devote their lives to protecting others, and honor the memory of our Nation’s fallen heroes.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the

United States of America , by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States , do hereby proclaim October 8 through October 14, 2006, as Fire Prevention Week. On Sunday, October 8, 2006, in accordance with Public Law 107-51, the flag of the United States will be flown at half staff on all Federal office buildings in honor of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service. I call on all Americans to participate in this observance through appropriate programs and activities and by renewing their efforts to prevent fires and their tragic consequences.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourth day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand six, and of the

Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-first.

GEORGE W. BUSH

Today the Police Department put on a day of safety training for senior citizens. Included in the line-up of activities was a chance to learn or refresh skills on the proper operation of a fire extinguisher. Thursday is also training day for the fire department with a morning and evening session. the morning session ended a little early so firefighters came over to help and watch as the fire extinguisher training was conducted.

Pictured below is Fire Inspector Chuck Schaitberger assisting Agnes Schrupp as she uses the fire extinguisher to put out a fire in our “Burn Pan”. As you can see from the series of pictures below Agnes did an excellent job and even took a little time to chat with me after her training. Agnes is a proud member of Eden Prairie’s Red Hat group, no wonder she was such a willing sport and a quick study on fire extinguisher use. All the seniors got a chance to get in a little training.

Along with the training came the message that if there is any doubt, don’t try and fight the fire yourself, get out of your house and call 911, and let the fire department’s highly trained staff take care of the fire safely!