Greetings fellow firefighters. For this edition of the FIREWIRE, I have several issues and random topics to share with you. First, I want to thank those departments who have hosted regional fire schools this year. We have experienced mixed turnouts but with great success at each school. Having hosted a regional school at my home department, I know firsthand how much time and effort goes into planning and executing a successful school. I also thank those of you who have attended our schools as I also know the demands on our personal time. Making training a priority is imperative so that we can respond in the safest and most efficient means possible. I urge everyone to check this FIREWIRE and our website – www.ksffa.com – for training notices and the regional fire school listings. October 25,26 and 27, KSFFA is partnering with Kansas City Kansas Fire Department, Kansas Fire and Rescue Training Institute and Kansas City Kansas Community College to bring you what we think will be the largest regional fire school in recent memory if not ever. Classes are filling rapidly and if you are planning on attending, you had better check it out NOW. We typically do not ask for pre-registration at our schools but with the addition of outside classes from nationally recognized speakers and many hands-on training evolutions, we must limit some of the class sizes. The website for the school is – http://www.wycokck.org/fireschool/ – Please register as soon as possible! We hope to see you in Kansas City!!
The FRA Seminar will be held in Salina at the Bi-Centennial Center again this coming January on the 18th. We will go back to the 9am to 3pm format. Plan now to attend and meet Steve Lehwald, the new FRA Administrator with the Kansas Insurance Department. John Boyd has announced his plans to retire from that position this coming December. I have made my opinion of the job John has done administering the Firefighter’s Relief Act no secret. I have said it before and will repeat, John Boyd has singlehandedly repaired the discrepancies with the FRA distribution system and has brought funds to FRA’s that can be used for real benefits for our firefighters. His firm leadership has provided a fair and stable platform for us to operate under. We all owe John a huge thank you for his service and leadership. The Executive Board of the Kansas State Firefighter’s Association wishes John a long and well deserved retirement. I highly encourage each FRA in the state to please contact John and wish him well on his upcoming retirement.
Recently at a training class I was conducting on the Kansas Statewide Interoperable Communications System (what I do for a real job), I was asked to share some information concerning the state radio system as there are many misconceptions concerning the state’s 800mHz radio system. One being there are possible user fees or other charges. That is simply not true. There are no user fees for any public safety agency to use the radio system. Many fire departments have access to the system through radios purchased with regional homeland security funds or other sources. Some departments have purchased this equipment themselves. Priorities for agencies or radio users do not exist on the system. If a radio is not turned on for months at a time or no transmissions made, that radio will operate exactly as other radios on the system when it does get used. No authorizations to use the system are needed from any agency for legitimate purpose. Yes, there are talkgroups that are included in the basic state programming that we do not have full authorization to use but we do have the ability should the need arise. If you have any questions about those, please do contact me. Another misconception is that the system is fragile or subject to overload. KDOT has informed me that in 2012 there were over 24 million successful radio transmissions made. If a user experienced a true system busy situation, the time to get talk permit was typically 2-3 seconds in length. This only occurred on a little over one thousand transmissions. There are currently over one thousand public safety agencies with access to the radio system and over 24 thousand registered radios. The system is very robust. Since I have been training responders on the state system and communications in general, I have found that statewide we have really set our people up to fail with communications. The typical training that comes with a radio issued to a responder is non-existent. I find it odd that the one piece of equipment used almost every day and certainly for every call has zero training provided. We depend on these systems for life saving information, sometimes even to save our own lives. In the 27 years I have been a firefighter, I cannot recall a single incident I have responded to that could not have been safer, quicker or more efficient with better communications. An honest after action review of any incident usually results in communications as a top area of concern. I will guarantee no matter what band or brand of radio you use for response, if you do not test it in the area you will use it or train your personnel in the manner you wish them to use it, it simply will not work to your expectations. Of course I have found this to be true of ANY piece of equipment we use. If I can be of service or assistance for your communications system or training needs or you simply have questions about communications, please do contact me.
The KSFFA Executive Board does receive requests from time to time for assistance with funeral protocols for retired members or members who happen to pass away from non-duty related incidents. Requests for Last Call, bagpipers and Honor Guards are the usual. Our website does offer many resources for funeral protocol under the “Info” tab and clicking on “Ks LODD Info”. The “Line of Duty Death Resources” page contains a link to the “Comprehensive Funeral Guide” from Firehero.org. There you will find a wealth of information for conducting a Fire Department funeral for both LODD and non-LODD funerals. We also have contact info for bagpipers who will offer their service. What we need is a listing of resources for Fire Department Honor Guards who would consider assisting departments at non-LODD funerals. If your department has an Honor Guard and would share your contact information, please send it to me and I will see to it that we develop a list that can be posted to the website.
As always, I close with the message of service to our firefighters. Your executive board serves at your pleasure and we do want to be of the very best service to you. I ask you to please contact any of our officers if you have any question, suggestion or complaint. We are and will remain “Dedicated to the Safety and Education of the Kansas firefighter”
JL Ellis, President KSFFA
785-443-1310
jlellis@st-tel.net
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