Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The Presque Isle Fire Department has seen many changes in the past 25 years, from a move from the historic firehouse on Church St. to its present home in the Public Safety Building on North St., to how officials keep records and the use of more modern technology. “There have been a lot of changes in 25 years, from doing reports and record keeping by hand or typewriter, to now having record keeping on computers. The reporting requirements to the state have also increased as more information is requested so that better statistics can be kept,” said Fire Chief Darrell White.
White said this information is important to help improve the fire service as well as the safety of us all.
“I would have to say, though, the biggest change is the equipment that we use today,” said White, highlighting one item in particular.
“That would be the turn-out gear or bunker gear that we firefighters wear today. It is much lighter and easier to work in. It fits better, allowing easier movement, from crawling along the floor to climbing ladders. This alone has decreased firefighter injuries, from slip and falls to heat exhaustion and so on,” said White.
Twenty-five years ago it was not a custom to fit gear to a firefighter if you could get it, said White.
“If you could get it on, it was good to go, as we say. Today, gear is better fitted to each firefighter — again making it more comfortable and easier to work in,” he said.
As with all technology, White said there comes a down side.
“I can think of two. One being the cost and the other — today’s gear is so good that firefighters find themselves being able to go deeper into a fire to the point thy can get into trouble because they cannot feel the heat like you could in the old days,” said White, noting that’s where training is important.
“Training becomes a big factor to reinforce that firefighters stay together and constantly evaluate where they are and the conditions around them,” said White.
White said the number of changes he’s seen in 25 years were too numerous to list. He said while he knew future changes will occur, White said it was just “hard to imagine.”
“It’s hard to imagine it would change that much from where it is today, but I’m sure it will, with new equipment, new apparatus doing even more than what we have in service today,” he said.
As an example, White said in his career (he’s been with the department since around 1986), apparatus have gone from being only water-carrying units to now having the ability to carry foam for firefighting purposes.
“Presque Isle’s newest engine has the ability to pump two types of foam, Class A for wood fires and Class B for fuel fires. What this means is a quicker knock-down of fires with less water being used. In turn, this means less damage and, hopefully, smaller dollar losses for the community,” said White.
He said apparatus in the last couple of years are now looking at using CAF (compressed foam/air) systems, which means they use even less water this leads to even quicker knock-downs and less damage. It also means that fire hoses used to fight fires actually discharge mostly foam and are lighter and easier to move around, which leads to better conditions for firefighters — at least from a physical fatigue factor.
“And I’m sure there is more in the works. I just read an article talking about changing the turn-out gear that would make them chemical-resistant for the purpose of firefighter safety. As with most products today, when burning, they give off deadly chemical compounds that can and do absorb through today’s turn-out gear. I can say that, as a firefighter, it will be interesting to watch the new developments of the fire service over the next 25 years,” said White.
White said a little-known fact about his department is how it acquires some of its funding.
“In today’s economy, it may be of interest to readers, especially those from Presque Isle, to know that over the last six years, the fire department has been able to receive grant funding through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant,” said White.
In the past five years, grant money has been used to acquire a variety of equipment for the department.
“In 2004, we received funding to purchase the safety trailer that is used to teach fire safety and give participants a chance to practice first-hand escaping a smoke-filled bedroom; it (the trailer) teaches children about cooking safety and a whole lot more,” White said.
White said his department was able to get over 500 smoke detectors, which were then passed along to homeowners who did not have them or would otherwise not be able to afford them.
“It gave us a chance to do some home fire safety inspections as well,” noted White.
Funding also allowed Presque Isle firefighters to have complete physicals and a one-year exercise program.
“That program provided us with a certified trainer who came to the station to help out with building a training program for each member, based on the individual’s needs. It also allowed us to have a second physical at year’s end,” said White.
Grant funds have also helped the department with replacing equipment.
“The last grant we received was to replace an older fire truck that once was a fuel truck that we converted over to a fire truck. With that funding, we were able to purchase a new fire apparatus that was made specifically for the fire service and met all of the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) requirements,” said White.
“Without that funding,” said White, “we may still be using a converted oil truck.”
The fire chief said the total funding the department has received is quite impressive.
“In total, we are approaching the half million dollar mark in grant funding. We continue to apply for these grants in the hopes of replacing other equipment that needs replacing but can’t fund out of our own budget at this time,” said White.
White said the department continues to work closely with the public, to raise awareness of fire safety.
“As always, we encourage the community to be involved with their fire department. After all, we are here to serve and protect you. If you have any questions or just want to see the fire station and equipment or meet your local firefighters, please do not hesitate to call or drop by,” said White.
For more information about the PIFD, call 769-0881 or visit www.pifd.org.
