Annual Spring Loss Control Workshops

The LMCIT Spring Loss Control Workshops start March 25. This year, we are offering a full day of public safety training.

The morning Police Track will start with a workshop entitled “Keeping the Cart in Front of the Horse,” which will focus on managing changing technology. The session “Why Police Reports Are a Big Deal” will concentrate on police reports. This class has been requested by police administrators from around the state and will offer practical tips and simple strategies for writing quality police reports.

The Fire Track is back this year, offering firefighters an afternoon of sessions with very interesting titles: “Avoiding the Big Hurt,” “I Could See It Coming–The Training Safety Officer Program,” and “Avoid the Burn–Hot HR Topics for Fire Departments.”

The $20 registration fee includes course materials, snacks, and lunches. If you are attending one of the half-day sessions, you are welcome to attend any of the other courses being offered throughout the day.

Locations and Dates
March 25–Bemidji
March 26–Fergus Falls
April 2–Springfield
April 9–Duluth
April 16–Brooklyn Park
April 17–Rochester
April 22–St. Cloud
April 24–St. Paul

Register today at: www.lmc.org/LCW14RB

Remember:

                                                      Responder Safety = Public Safety



Up next…A Report From the Workshops

In the meantime, stay safe and be careful.



Rob

The Perham Fire

Firefighters battled flames throughout the night.

It was interesting that almost all of the news reports covering the January 21 large potato warehouse fire in Perham mentioned the emphasis on firefighter safety. This quote from Fire Chief Mark Schmidt was typical of the on-scene coverage: "There's a lot of freezing water going on, so we want to make sure no one slips and falls and gets hurt.” And no one did get hurt.

The Numbers
The “numbers” make that accomplishment even more impressive. The firefighting efforts during this incident involved 17 fire departments, 130 firefighters, 17 water tankers, 3 ladder trucks, -20F temperature, and a gusty wind that drove the wind chills down to -30F. The responders also pumped 1.2 million gallons of water.

Communications and Coordination
Chief Schmidt added that communication went well and described how three radio channels were used to keep the operation coordinated. Due to the size and location of the warehouse, water had to be trucked in to crews working on one side of the building. The tanker operation needed to synchronize the truck’s movements with the fill and dump sites, while tankers were guided through heavy smoke and maneuvered into position. They were assigned their own radio talk group that functioned similarly to an airport flight control system. 

Cooperation
The chief cannot talk about the fire without crediting the good working relationship with the surrounding departments. He is also quick to thank and credit the county dispatchers, area law enforcement, the Perham hospital, the Salvation Army, and Bauck Busing for providing a bus for firefighter rehab.

Firefighters worked in brutal conditions with no injuries.

Safety
In an open letter of appreciation, the chief wrote: “Thanks to all the firefighters for staying disciplined and keeping safety in high regard. I’m very proud of the command staff that I had around me that night, and how well they did with giving me information so we could make decisions to best keep all fire operations running smoothly and safely.”

This fire serves as a good example as to how communication, cooperation, and coordination are linked to fire scene safety. Congratulations to the Perham-area public safety responders.

Remember:

                                             Responder Safety = Public Safety



Up next…A Loss Control Workshops Preview

In the meantime, stay safe and be careful.



Rob

Waves of Change and Preparing for the Future

Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or the present are certain to miss the future.– John F. Kennedy

The traditional roles of police and fire are evolving.

Change is unsettling to many of us who work in public safety and risk management, and Minnesota’s public safety community is facing waves of change. The waves will be coming often, and the future may be a bit uncomfortable for a while.

The changes in the PERA police and fire retirement plan could cause as many as 15 percent of senior law enforcement personnel to retire between now and July 1. In addition to the loss of knowledge and experience, this will create a large workload for many background investigators and field training officers as new officers are hired and trained. Some departments may be operating shorthanded until the new recruits are on their own.

Retirement, demographics, and new tech are causing change.

The state’s firefighters are facing more change in the next five years than they have seen in the last 20. A number of issues, including the retention and recruitment of volunteer and paid on-call firefighters, is sparking new conversations about how to deliver fire services. Conversations about fire department mergers, consolidations, fire districts, and “auto aid” are increasing as they look at options for staffing their operations and even asking “does it matter what it says on the door of the truck?”

Population change and technology
Intermixed with all of this are the demographic changes occurring in the state. As Minnesota’s baby boomers retire, it is not only impacting the workforce but it is also affecting the call loads. For many cities the number of crimes and fire calls are down, but calls for service and medical emergencies are up.  As new cultures continue to gravitate to the state, reaching out to new populations requires different approaches to communication.

Technology and research continue to influence tactics and policies. The ongoing research into how structures burn is driving changes in firefighting tactics. I recently heard the phrase “hit it hard from the yard” as a new method of exterior attack was being discussed. New information technology and analytics for police will require increased diligence and time while these tools are assessed and new policies, procedures, and training are implemented.  

It is interesting that President Kennedy’s quote from June 1963 applies so well today. Change is the law of life. It may sound trite but departments that actively manage and prepare for these waves of change will best be able to benefit from the opportunities that are in the future.

Remember:

                                            Responder Safety = Public Safety



Up next ... A large fire, 17 fire departments, 130 firefighters and no injuries: Perham’s potato warehouse fire.

In the meantime, stay safe and be careful.



Rob