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February 2017
Volume 4 Issue 1
Central Fire Station
271 North Street
Phone: 207-282-3244
Fax: 207-282-8203
Web: www.sacomaine.org
Fire Chief
John L. Duross
Deputy Fire Chiefs
Deputy Chief Robert A. Martin
Deputy Chief David O.Pendleton
Call Division Chief
Raynald Legendre
Public Education Coordinator
Karl Finley
EMS Coordinator
Clif Whitten
Fire Training Coordinator
Lieutenant David Hamel
FROM THE CHIEF…….
Greetings as we think of Spring arriving shortly. We recently experienced one of the snowiest 7 day periods in the records of snowfall accumulations. During this 7 day period our fire and EMS responders answered and responded to 95 (ninety-five), 911 emergency calls for assistance. Recently, as Winter Storm Orson ap-proached the region, your Saco Fire Department prepared for the onset of the antici-pated snowstorm with increased staffing from both our Career and Call Divisions. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the difficult, hard work and co-operation of all of our Career and Call members. Additionally, I would like to extend a special thanks to their families for the support they provide to our staff in order to serve the critical safety needs of the City and the region. Providing storm coverage is no easy detail and leaving families during those times just adds to the challenges. The heartfelt support from our families while we are called upon in fulfilling our work assignments is extremely important to us who serve the general public and is greatly appreciated.
All this snow, wind, and ice bring its own set of challenges for public safety responders and to our citizens. Please be sure to keep a constant check on your eld-erly neighbors and those in need of assistance. Residents are reminded to maintain clear access to all exterior doors, not just the ones we use on a daily basis, and re-member, keep snow and ice free from exhaust vents for your heating appliances. There has been much written about unfortunate accidents involving carbon monox-ide poisoning across the country; let’s work together to ensure those preventable tragedies do not happen here.
Our Call Division is preparing a team to participate in the annual Mary’s Walk in Saco. All of us are looking forward to a great community event and the op-portunity to be outdoors, walk with our neighbors, and enjoy the great pre-spring weather.
We invite you and your family to come and attend our annual Open House at the Central Station which is scheduled for Saturday April 29, 2017. So make cer-tain to save the date and mark your calendars. We hope that you will find time in your busy schedule to stop by for a few minutes and meet and learn about your Saco Fire Department.
Best wishes,
John L. Duross, Fire Chief
Your Saco, Maine Fire Department Newsletter
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It wasn’t so long ago that a Fire Department made available a listing of various fire and safety
incidents that required attendance by the department. Often, these logs were published in the local
news papers and journals. In December and January we recorded responding to a total of 601 calls.
We present a portion of our incident log and have reproduced the log in its older form.
Your Saco, Maine Fire Department Newsletter
Can you rearrange these letters to spell something associated with our department and public safety?
The answer is on page 4
K A C P I R
In December and January, Depart-
ment personnel answered the many
needs of our citizens, businesses
and surrounding communities.
The total of responses was 295 for
this past December as compared to
279 in December of 2015. Of the
295 calls, 223, or 76%, were medical
emergencies as compared to 78%
last year.
In January of 2017, the department
responded to 306 emergency calls.
Of these, 246 or 80%, were Medical
Emergencies.
In 2016, January emergency re-
sponses totaled 219 with 79% re-
corded as Medical Emergencies.
A
Sunday, March 12th, heralds the
end to daylight savings time.
Change the batteries in your
smoke, fire and carbon monoxide
detectors.
Saco Fire Department Emergency and Medical Services Calls Incident Location
Gasoline spill Main Street
Fire Alarm Activation Main Street
Water Problem Water street
Flammable Liquid Spill New County Road
Electrical Problem West Ave
Public Service Assistance Scammon Street
Odor of gas Stockman Ave
Citizen Complaint Wedgewood Drive
Power Line down Beach Street
Water Problem Smith Lane
Carbon Monoxide Alarm Garfield Street
Fire Alarm Activation Ocean Park Road
Carbon Monoxide Alarm Steeple Drive
Cooking Appliance Fire Hemlock Drive
Public Service Assistance Nottingham Drive
Smoke Investigation Hearn Road
Malfunctioning Oil Burner Fox Hill Lane
Building Fire Biddeford
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As a part of our ongoing practices, the Department considers general
and specialized training to be of paramount importance for the
preparedness and professionalism of all staff. Training encompasses
both fire fighting and public safety techniques, preparedness of the
individual, coordination of the various teams and proper planning for
anticipated, as well as extraordinary tasks and challenges. All members of
the Career and Call Departments (including all Firefighters, Officers,
Deputy Chiefs and the Fire Chief) participate in our training sessions
and are required to participate in a minimum of scheduled training
subjects.
The Saco Fire Department recently provided certification level
training to our personnel at the Ice Rescue Technician (IRT)
level. The different levels of training available for this and
many of the other specialized rescue situations which include
ice recue, water rescue, rope rescue, confined space rescue
and others are divided into three different training levels:
Awareness, Operations and Technician. An “Awareness”
level trained individual will recognize the hazards associated
with an incident and knows the correct individuals to call for
assistance. The “Operations” level person is trained to assist
in the rescue efforts providing support level work ashore. The
Technician level performs the actual rescue mission in the icy
waters.
All full time staff and
7 members of the
c a l l d i v i s i o n
m a i n t a i n
“Technician” level
certification in Ice
Rescue. Saco is
fortunate to have 2
c e r t i f i e d I R T
Trainers (Captain
Chris West &
FireFighter Michelle
Martel) assisting department members to maintain proficiency
with this life saving skill. Recertification’s are required every 5
years; Saco Firefighters perform annual in-house refresher
drills each winter, as conditions allow, to ensure these life
saving skil ls are
maintained.
The career s ta f f
completed their 5 year
certification training
during 2016 and the call
division has a full
cer t i f icat ion c lass
scheduled shortly.
Your Saco, Maine Fire Department Newsletter
Training Cor ner
Courtesy of Deputy Chief Robert A. Martin
Courtesy of Karl Finley, Public Education Coordinator
Your Invitation
You, your family and friends are cordially invited to
join us on Saturday, April 29th, 2017 for our Annual
Open House from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
Come down to the Central Station at anytime during
the Open House and enjoy some free refreshments
(while they last, of course) and learn about the Central
Station facility, our apparatus and various fire engines,
our Ambulances and the equipment and gear we use.
To learn more about firefighting and public safety,
we’ve planned many public safety events and exciting
demonstrations that everyone will enjoy.
Come rain or shine, we hope to see you there !
Annual Saco Fire Department Open House
Dear Saco Fire Department, Lt. Stephen Parke,
Thank you very much for your recent contribution of $125.00 to the
Saco Food Pantry. Your generosity allows us to help the needy of
Saco. We were able to help out 272 families (totaling 711 family
members). We estimate that came to 10,665 meals.
Thank you again for your continued support.
John Reynolds, Corresponding Secretary Rescue Alive Sled
Ice Rescue Training
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A short time ago, the York County Fire Chiefs Association (YCCA) held its' annual Recogni-
tion Night at Thornton Academy in Garland Auditorium. Our Call Division Chief, Raynald Leg-
endre, received two distinctive awards. Ray was awarded the Students Choice for Instructor
of the Year. This impressive award is given by the students of the YCCA Firefighter 1 & 2
Academy to the Fire Instructor who most positively impacted them throughout the 200 hour
academy. Call Division Chief Ray also received the York County Chiefs Lifetime Achievement
Award. This prestigious award is bestowed to a member of a York County Fire Department
who has dedicated many years of his/her firefighting career to coaching, mentoring, and in-
structing fire/EMS responders.
Congratulations and well done Ray!
In warmer times, Cub Scout Troop 310 held their step up and ice cream social
using a portion of the Central Station parking area. The Saco Fire Department is
the sponsor for Troop 310. During the event, the Scouts were awarded various
merit badges that the Scouts earned during the year. Gathered around Engine 5
are the members of Troop 310 along with family, friends, and Scout Leaders.
The Saco Fire Department pub-
lishes a periodic online newsletter.
Please visit our newsletter page &
to receive an email notifying you
when it is published, click below:
For the latest on what’s happening
from Saco City Hall and Depart-
ments visit the signup page to re-
ceive your choice of City notifica-
tions. Just click below:
Newsletter comments? Email the
editor, Tom Roughan, at:
Your Saco, Maine Fire Department Newsletter
Notifications Sign Up
Fire Department Newsletters
Our Annual Report with detailed
information on Department ac-
tivities, responses, equipment,
facilities, personnel and opera-
tions is available on our website.
To view or download, click:
ANNUAL REPORTS
Page 2 word solution: AIRPACK
July 31, 2061
Save this date
and don’t be
late!!
Entombed during the construction of the Central
Station, the time capsule will be opened in 50 years!
Winter brings difficult weather conditions: snow, high winds and ice as well as
frigid temperatures, power outages, hazardous driving and difficulties for pe-
destrian walking. Should you believe an elderly or infirmed neighbor needs
medical or emergency assistance, please contact our Department for informa-
tion and help. Remember, being a good neighbor is a year round responsibility.
Call Division Chief Ray LeGendre
Focus on Fire Department Staffing
Fire Chief John Duross recently announced the appointment
of the following new Call Division Firefighters:
Brianna Byther of Saco
Vincente Chapman of Saco
Matthew Cleary of Saco
Spencer Giradin of Saco
JULY 31, 2011
Happenings In and About…….