Inside this issue:
Fire & EMS Run Review 1
Fire Department Operations 2
EMS Bureau Report 3
Fire Prev./ Public Safety 4
Maintenance Bureau 6
Training Bureau 7
In Their Own Words 8
Planning to Protect... ...Acting to Save
July 2017 Volume 5, Issue 7
WEST BEND FIRE DEPARTMENT
…..Acting to Save
Annual Hose Testing West Bend Fire Depart-
ment personnel will be
performing our annual
hose testing procedures
for all hose. Hose testing
is an annual requirement
to meet the standards of
NFPA 1962. Testing the
hose annually prevents
any potential injuries or
accidents from weak, fail-
ing hose or separated cou-
plings.
The hoses on West Bend
Fire Department appa-
ratus are 1 3/4 inches, 2
1/2 inches, 3 inches, and 5
inches in diameter. Most
of the hose comes in 50
foot lengths, while some
of the 1 3/4 inch and 5
inch hose comes in 100
foot lengths. The hose is
attached to the hose test-
er and filled with water.
The hose is then pressur-
ized to 250 psi for 5
minutes. The 5 inch hose
is only pressurized to 185
psi. If the hose doesn't
burst or the couplings
don't separate from the
hose, the hose is deemed
safe to use. After the
test, the hose is drained of
water and hung to dry.
The 5 inch rubber hose is
able to be placed back on
the fire engine. Each fire
engine carries over 2,000
feet of hose. There are
lengths of backup hose at
Station 1 for reloading
while the other hose is
drying.
Hose testing will continue
through August.
Emergency Activities
Types of Calls July 2017 July 2016
Year to Date (2017)
Year to Date (2016)
Fires Calls 35 31 226 227 Emergency Medical Calls 225 286 1771 1663 Paramedic Intercepts 15 15 107 76 Interfacility Transports 37 30 261 273
Totals 312 362 2365 2239
Town of Barton Calls 7 10 84 60
Town of West Bend Calls 8 10 78 69
YEARS of SERVICE ~July
POC FF S. Rusch… ..07/05/95
MPO M. Forster….....07/07/97
LT. R. Hasse….....…..07/07/97
MPO R. Monday...….07/07/97
FF S.Stockhausen …..07/19/10
Page 2 Page 2
Firefighters Prepare for Promotional Exam
Fire Department Operations Battalion Chief John Spartz
Fire department equip-
ment and crews may have
been spotted spraying wa-
ter at what may appear to
be nothing during the past
month. Actually, there is
a purpose behind their
actions.
Several firefighters are
working on completing
the promotional process
for motor pump operator.
A motor pump operator is
responsible for driving
and operating the depart-
ment’s fire pumps and
aerial ladders.
The promotional process
requires the candidates to
take a written test and be
able to operate the fire
apparatus in different sit-
uations.
A written test was given
in July and the successful
candidates are now prac-
ticing for the practical
portion of the testing pro-
cess.
The practical test requires
the candidates to show
sufficient driving skills,
complete a drafting evolu-
tion, set the aerial ladder
and pump from a hy-
drant.
Candidates will be scored
and ranked when the test
is completed to develop a
promotional list. They
will also “act” as motor
pump operators on shift
to fill open spots due to
vacations and illness.
Engine 1 set up for a drafting operation.
Engine 1’s Pump Operator’s Panel .
A training class discusses pump theory and
techniques.
Fire department pumps can be
top mounted or side mounted as
seen in this picture.
Water enters a low level
strainer in the dump tank of a
drafting operation.
Hoses connected to a hydrant insure a
continuous water supply.
Page 3
July is over and we are
closer to the end of sum-
mer, maybe closer than we
want. With the end of
summer comes time to send
the kids back to school.
Several schools start back
in the end of August with
the majority starting after
the Labor Day weekend.
Please be respectful of the
big yellow buses as they
transport our kids to and
from school.
Remember that when a
school bus has the RED
FLASHING lights on they
control the road way. Do
not pass that bus from any
direction and stay at least
15 to 20 feet away from the
bus. You may pass when
the red flashing lights are
turned off. Also when pro-
ceeding to pass that bus be
extremely vigilant of chil-
dren that may be crossing
the street and not paying
attention.
Remind your children that
are waiting at the bus stop.
Always cross the street in
the cross walk. Do not
play in the street or near
the curb. Do not approach
the bus until the bus driver
has opened the door and
waived you onto the bus.
When getting off the bus be
sure not to run out into
traffic. Only cross the
street when the bus drivers
signals you to cross.
When riding the bus be
sure to remain seated and
be quiet. Do not distract
the driver in any way.
The West Bend Fire De-
partment wants to thank
all school bus drivers for
what they do and wish all
the students a safe and suc-
cessful school year.
Emergency Medical Services Bureau Captain Tom Thrash
SCHOOL BUS SAFETY
Page 4
Fire Prevention & Public Safety Bureau Fire Safety Education, Code Enforcement and Fire Investigation
Deputy Chief Chuck Beistle
July was a pretty active
month for the West
Bend Fire Department
Fire Prevention Bureau.
Below is a partial list of
tasks complete by
WBFD shift firefighter/
paramedics and preven-
tion bureau personnel:
279 fire prevention
inspections in indus-
trial, commercial,
and multi-family res-
idential structures
11 follow up inspec-
tions to discover the
cause of fire alarms
and ensure the
alarms were back in
service
8 reinspections to
ensure violation
compliance
2 cooking hood ex-
tinguishing system
acceptance test in-
spections
2 smoke detector
installations at pri-
vate residences
A fire alarm consult
at a building addition
under construction
General site review
for a building under
construction
Follow up on a com-
plaint for outside
storage of combusti-
bles that were too
close to a building
Of the 279 fire inspec-
tions that were complet-
ed, there were 55 struc-
tures that had a total of
88 violations. Most of
the violations are minor
and easily correctable
such as fire extinguish-
ers in need of annual
maintenance and exit
and/or emergency light-
ing in need of new bat-
teries.
The complaint received
was in regard to pallet
storage that is too close
to a building. The build-
ing is a non sprinklered
metal storage building.
There were numerous
pallets stored up against
the structure. There are
separation distance re-
quirements in NFPA 1
for pallets.
NFPA 1 Section 34.10.3
states, “Idle pallets shall
be stored outside in ac-
cordance with Table
34.10.3(a) (distance be-
tween pallets and other
storage) and Table
34.10.3(b) (distance be-
tween pallets and a
building). In this in-
stance, there would be
AT LEAST a 20 foot
distance requirement
from a non-sprinklered
metal frame structure.
West Bend Fire Depart-
ment personnel were on
scene for the July 4th
fireworks. A fireworks
permit and inspection
are required for profes-
sional fireworks. The
inspection includes all of
the requirements in
NFPA 1123 Code for
Fireworks Display. The
brush rig was staffed at
the fireworks display for
ember control.
We would also like to
thank Rocco Bartolotta
and everybody from
Wolverine Fireworks for
their assistance with the
inspection process.
Their company should
be proud of their com-
mitment to a culture of
safety in their industry.
A complaint was received regarding pallets being
stored too close to a metal building. The West
Bend Fire Department investigated the com-
plaint and made contact with the building owner.
Page 5
Fire Prevention & Public Safety Bureau Fire Safety Education, Code Enforcement and Fire Investigation
by Captain Kenny Asselin
furnishings and dec-
orations SHALL be
flame resistant.
Storage of materials
SHALL be main-
tained 2 feet from
the ceiling in non-
sprinklered areas of
buildings (18 inches
for sprinklered areas)
We would like to thank
the staffs of the mainte-
nance divisions from the
West Bend School Dis-
trict and the private
schools for their enthusi-
asm in enforcement of
the fire codes. We have
been fortunate in West
Bend to have not had a
large school loss from
fire. Let’s hope the con-
tinued enforcement
keeps what could be
known as “The Great
West Bend School Fire”
from ever happening.
a school fire to occur.
The National Fire Pro-
tection Association mod-
el code NFPA 1, which
is adopted by reference
in the Department of
Safety and Professional
Services code 314, ad-
dresses a number of is-
sues that can and will be
addressed. Some of
these include:
Classroom rugs that
are thermally rated
and MUST have a
Class I rating tag
Artwork and teach-
ing materials on
walls CANNOT ex-
ceed 20 percent of
the wall area in non-
sprinklered buildings
(50 percent in sprin-
klered buildings)
Draperies, curtains,
and other similar
loosely hanging
According to the Nation-
al Fire Protection Asso-
ciation, “From 2009-
2013, U.S. fire depart-
ments responded to an
estimated average of
5,100 structure fires in
educational properties,
annually, which ac-
counts for 1% of all
structure fires. These
fires caused an annual
average of one civilian
death, 79 civilian fire
injuries and $88 million
in direct property dam-
age.” It’s because of
these statistics that we
will be increasing en-
forcement of the fire
codes and raising aware-
ness of the dangers of
fire in the schools. Our
new initiative will be
called the Fire Aware-
ness in Schools Educa-
tion (F.A.I.S.E.) pro-
gram.
There are a myriad of
conditions in schools
that have the potential or
are statistically proven
to start fires in educa-
tional structures. In-
creased education,
awareness, and enforce-
ment are some of the
methods that the West
Bend Fire Department
will be utilizing to de-
crease the potential for
With less than a month
before the new school
year starts, we find it an
appropriate time to talk
about fire safety in the
schools. The West Bend
Fire Department Fire
Prevention Bureau has
been working with the
West Bend School Dis-
trict and area private
schools to promote fire
prevention in the school
buildings. Fire service
organizations such as the
NFPA, along with the
insurance industry, work
tirelessly to curtail the
incidence of fires in edu-
cational structures.
Great efforts have been
made to reduce school
fires.
There have been many
disastrous school fires
that have caused large
numbers of horrific
deaths to school children
throughout history. One
of the most famous is
the Our Lady of the An-
gels fire in Chicago in
1958. Combustible ma-
terials at the bottom of
the stairwell are said to
be the blame for that
fire. Ninety students
and 3 nuns lost their
lives that day because of
circumstances that were
completely preventable.
Maintenance Bureau Battalion Chief Jeff Gustafson & Battalion Chief John Spartz
Page 6
Annual Pressure Testing of Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus Tanks Completed
Hydrostatic testing of
the department’s compo-
site SCBA bottles was
recently completed.
These bottles are re-
quired to be tested every
3 years. SCBA bottles
are used to carry the
breathable air firefight-
ers use in Immediately
Dangerous to Life and
Health (IDLH) environ-
ments. Composite bot-
tles are lighter than steel
which reduces fatigue on
the firefighters who are
actively involved in fire-
fighting operations.
The bottles are tested to
the Department of
Transportation (DOT)
standard. During the
test, the bottles are emp-
tied which causes the
valve to cool to about 13
degrees Fahrenheit. The
valves are then dried.
Bottles are checked for
damage and corrosion.
A bottles internal parts
are checked for buildup
of water, oil, and conden-
sation.
After the inspection, the
bottles are placed in a
pressurized water con-
tainer and filled to 5/3
(167% of their rated
pressure. Normal pres-
sures are 4500 psi, but
the bottle is filled with
water to 7500 psi for one
minute. Water is used
because it is non-
compressible, The bottles
are then dried and reas-
sembled before they are
put back into service.
This testing requires spe-
cialized equipment so the
department hires a firm
that specializes in this
type of testing.
Aladin Fire Protection,
LLC completed this
years testing. All of the
department’s tanks are
set up a on a three year
rotation for hydrostatic
testing.
Lt Don Peil and Abigail Nygren from Aladdin Fire Protection reassemble SCBA tanks after testing.
John Linstad removes the valve form an SCBA tank to conduct an inspection and pressure test.
A frozen valve is removed from the tank. Releasing the air drops the valve
Fire Instruction & Training Bureau Deputy Chief Chuck Beistle & Captain Tom Thrash
Page 7
WBFD Helping Make Summer Events A Success
WBFD assisted with sev-
eral programs through-
out the City to help
make them a success.
We were invited to the
Library to participate in
“Story Time” for two
days. We participated in
reading a book with Fire
Safety lessons, spoke to
the kids about fire safety
and our work day, gear
demonstration, and tour
of our engine at the end
of the presentation.
There was approximate-
ly 40 children and 30
adults that participate in
this event each day.
Annually we assist at the
Dirty Ninja Mud Run.
The siren and air horn
are used to start every
race, because all workers
around the park know
what that signal means.
We use our Ladder
Truck to make a modi-
fied shower for the kids
to clean off at the end of
the race. Our most im-
portant job is to stay vis-
ible and available to the
kids participating.
We are also there to as-
sist with any injuries
that may arise and also
assist with lost children
in the park which hap-
pens every year.
We stoodby at the Tour
Of Americas Dairyland
bike race. (T.O.A.D.
Race). We provided com-
mand Post coverage and
paramedic services.
We get involved with
Germanfest by assisting
them with hanging the
banners across Main
Street.
We participated in the
“Spirit Ride Procession”
while it went through the
City. This procession
was to honor those Tow
Truck Drivers that have
been killed on the job
and to promote aware-
ness for Tow Truck and
Tow Truck Driver
Awareness.
There was drivers from
throughout the southeast
part of the state. It be-
gan at West Bend Eleva-
tor for the opening cere-
mony and ended in Osh-
kosh.
July was also busy for
Fire Station Tours and
Breakfast With the Fire-
fighters winners.
WBFD Truck One Assist with Hanging Germanfest Banners
T.O.A.D. Event Participants
Spirit Ride Procession
325 N 8th Ave.
West Bend, WI 53095
262.335.5054
www.ci.west-bend.wi.us
In Their Own Words…...
WEST BEND FIRE DEPARTMENT
Planning to Protect… ...Acting to Save
The back page of our newsletter features a note or card that we have received from our cus-
tomers….the people we serve. Whether it is during an ambulance call, fire call, or a
public education assignment, the members of the West Bend Fire Depart-
ment are always dedicated to making their contact with area resi-
dents a positive ex- perience.
Personnel Spotlight: Kelly Williams is
the Administrative
Assistant at the
West Bend Fire
Department. She
has been a valua-
ble member of our
team since June of
2013.
Kelly is married
with two girls. Kelly
and her husband
(Doug) are also vol-
unteers with the St.
Lawrence & Allen-
ton Fire Depart-
ment.
Kelly’s previous
work experience
includes being a
phlebotomist, and
then working for a
new pharmaceutical
research company in
2008.
In 2012 Kelly com-
pleted her business
management degree
at MPTC. She has
over five years of
business office expe-
rience with an em-
phasis on busi-ness
development, quali-
ty assurance, train-
ing, records manage-
ment, and financial
analysis. Kelly also
is our go to person
for our records man-
agement system.