Stats for PVFD for 2014

Thank you to the Proctorsville Volunteer Fire Department for making such an incredible contribution to our community in 2014. 

Official Call Stats for 2014
Note: None of theses stats account for the hundreds of hours our Firefighters train, provide fire safety education at CTES, fund raise, and volunteer extra time to the community such as filling the Greven Field Ice Rink etc. through out the year.This has been the busiest year in our 181 year history. We operate as a true volunteer fire dept as none of our members collect any kind of pay.

Total # of calls: 86
Average # of Firefighters per call: 8
Total # of Man Hrs: 1581

Personnel Response
Name Calls Made Hrs on Calls
FF Mathew Flinn 78 165
1st Asst Chief Roger Sheehan 77 143
1st Capt Bob Glidden Jr 74 163
FF Karlene Glidden 65 142
Chief Bob Glidden 56 127
1st Lt Seth Perry 53 117
House Capt Brian Fitzgibbons 45 113
2nd Capt Chris Marks 41 99
2nd Asst Chief Rick Sheldon 39 95
FF Amy Perry 36 96  
2nd Lt Nate Rose 30 52
FF Seth Matlofsky 29 57
Safety Officer Ray Fitzgibbons 23 52
FF Cindy Fitzgibbons 17 33
FF Jeremy Carlisle 13 43
FF Brian Kendall 12 26
FF Jessica Rose 11 20
FF Jason James 8 15
FF David Barrows 4 6
FF Willie Ford 3 9
FF Chris Parker 1 6
FF Frank Gould 1 2
FF Jim Glidden 0 0

Truck Response # of Calls
60M1 Tanker 1 33
60M2 Engine 2 57
60M3 Utility 1 63

Type of Calls in Proctorsville
Brush Fire 1 
CO Alarm 3
Chimney Fire 2 
Fire Alarm 8
Medical Assist 16 
Motor Vehicle Crash 7
Motor Vehicle Crash W/ Entrapement 1 
Power Lines Down 2
Public Assist 5 
Snowmobile Crash 1
Snowmobile Fire 1 
Structure Fire 2
Trees down in Roadway 5 
Vehicle Fire 1

Mutual Aid to Cavendish
Chimney Fire 2 
CO Alarm 1
Dhart Med Flight LZ set up 1 
Fire Alarm /Lightning Strike 1
Structure Fire 1

Mutual Aid to Chester
Brush Fire 3 
Cover Truck 4
Flood/Assist with Welfare Checks 1 
Motor Vehicle Crash Fuel Tanker 1
Road Closure 1 
Structure Fire 6

Mutual Aid to Ludlow
Brush Fire 1 
Cover Truck 2
Structure Fire 1

Mutual Aid to Springfield
Structure Fire 1

Mutual Aid to West Weathersfield
Cover Truck 2 
Structure Fire 2

Break Down of Calls by Month
January 16 February 15 
March 5 April 8 
May 2 June 4
July 13 August 3 
September 7 October 2 
November 1 December 10

Cavendish Trees Fund Cavendish Shelter

Often, trees are the reason people lose electrical power. This year, however, the Cavendish Volunteer Fire Department used trees to help provide electricity for future power failures. How? By allocating all the profit from their annual Christmas tree sale to the Department's Emergency Shelter Initiative!

 In order to assist the population of Cavendish in times of emergencies, the Cavendish Fire Department is working to strengthen the emergency sheltering capabilities within our town. The Department is raising money to purchase an emergency generator for the Cavendish Baptist Church building. The projected cost for this endeavor is approximately $10,000.The Cavendish Fire Department believes that the church building makes an excellent shelter facility not only for its large and accommodating physical plant, but also because the Church can modify regular operations in the case of a large-scale ongoing emergency event like the aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene.

 Cavendish Baptist Church is sending a big “Thank You!” to the Cavendish Fire Department and all the individuals who purchased their Christmas tree from the Department. The current balance of the Emergency Shelter Initiative fund is $668 – a good start! To contribute to this effort or to coordinate on another public safety project please contact:

Cavendish Volunteer Fire Department

Att: Emergency Shelter Initiative

PO Box 453

Cavendish VT, 05142

Or call the Fire Station at 802-226-7790 and leave a message

Extreme Cold Weather Precautions

The National Weather Service is warning of cold temperatures for much of this week. Wind chills will be below-zero at times and could be colder than 20-degrees below zero Wednesday night into Thursday. Those temperatures have the potential to pose a danger to health and property.

Some steps to take to keep yourself, your family, your pets, and any elderly or homebound neighbors safe during cold weather:

* Monitor weather reports.

* Be a good neighbor. Check with elderly or disabled relatives, neighbors, and friends to ensure their safety.

* Minimize outside activities, particularly the elderly and very young. Also, consider your pets and limit their time outdoors.

* Dress in several layers of loose-fitting, lightweight clothing, rather than a single layer of heavy clothing. Outer garments should be tightly woven and water repellent. Wear a hat, mittens and sturdy waterproof boots, protecting your extremities. Cover your mouth with a scarf to protect your lungs.

* Excessive exposure can lead to frostbite, which is damaging to body tissue that is frozen. Frostbite causes a loss of feeling and a pale appearance in extremities, such as fingers, toes, ear lobes or the tip of the nose. If symptoms are detected, seek medical help immediately. Slowly warm the affected areas as you await medical assistance.

* Hypothermia can occur in extreme cases. The warning signs are uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness and apparent exhaustion. If the person's temperature drops below 95 degrees, seek immediate medical care. If medical assistance is not available, slowly warm up the person, body core first, wrapping them in a blanket or using your own body heat. Do not warm the extremities first, for this drives the cold blood towards the heart and can lead to heart failure. Do not give the person alcohol, coffee, tea or any hot food or beverage. Warm liquids are best.

* Ensure you have sufficient heating fuel, as well as emergency heating equipment in case you lose electricity. If you need information on heating assistance you can call Vermont 211.

* If you lose power or heat and need a safe place to stay call 2-1-1. 2-1-1 can tell you if any warming shelters have been established in your area or connect you with the Red Cross, which can provide safe shelter to those in need.

* Test smoke and Carbon Monoxide (CO) detectors, and change their batteries regularly. Malfunctioning heating equipment can produce harmful levels of CO, including: fuel-fired furnaces or boilers (nonelectric), space heaters with pilot lights or open flames (for example kerosene heaters, wood stoves, or fireplaces), and gas stoves or ovens - especially those with pilot lights. Cars, snowmobiles, trucks, and other vehicles run in a garage can also be sources of CO poisoning, which can be deadly. Never operate a vehicle or generator indoors; they should only be run be outside and away from the home so CO cannot vent inside living areas.

* If you lose power or heat, try to keep pipes from freezing. Leave cabinet doors around them open to allow as much heat as possible to reach them. Wrap them in insulation or layers of newspapers, covering the newspapers with plastic to keep out moisture. Allow a trickle of warm water (if available) to run from a faucet that is farthest from your water meter or one that has frozen in the past. This will keep the water moving so it cannot freeze. Learn how to shut off your water if a pipe bursts.

* Make sure your car is properly winterized. Keep the gas tank at least half-full. Carry a Winter Emergency Car Kit in the trunk including blankets, extra clothing, flashlight with spare batteries, a can and waterproof matches (to melt snow for drinking water), non-perishable foods, windshields scraper and brush, shovel, sand, towrope, and jumper cables.

Don't Have Time to Be Sick: Flu Prevention

Coughs or sneezes spread flu virus into the air, and then onto surfaces. You can take measurers so you don’t spread the virus to others, or so others don’t spread it to you.

 You can reduce your chances of getting the flu by Cover and Wash:

• Cover your mouth and nose every time you cough or sneeze. Use a tissue and throw it away. Use your arm (not your hand).

 • Observe regular cleaning habits if someone at home has the flu. Pay special attention to doorknobs, faucets, refrigerator handles, and phones.

 • Vaccinate. The Centers for Disease Control recommends that everyone six months of age and older should get a flu shot. Flu vaccines are available in a number of locations, including your provider’s office. To find the closest place for a flu shot, go to HealthMap Vaccine Finder.  

 • Every time you use a tissue, throw it in the trash and then wash your hands.

 • Remember not to share anything that goes into the mouth.

                                                  &

• Wash your hands often and well. Use soap and water for at least 15 seconds.

 • Avoid contact with sick people.

 • Stay home when you are sick.

 • Have alcohol hand sanitizer on hand if you don’t have access to soap and water.

 Giving a boost to your immune system can help to reduce the chances of getting the flu and/or reducing severity. This is particularly important for those who can’t take the flu vaccine.  Things like laugher , being physically active, or having a strong social network can boost immunity. Studies of Tai Chi and Qigong have found that they can significantly improve immune response in older adults after only five months of practice. 

 People who practice  Mindfulness meditation have been shown to reduce the incidence, length and severity of respiratory by as much as 50%. These results were nearly as effective as flu shots. "Meditation or exercise for preventing acute respiratory infection: a randomized controlled trial." Ann Fam Med. 2012 Jul-Aug;10(4):337-46.

 Call your health care provider if you think you have the flu. Flu symptoms can often be confused with the common cold, but the flu usually comes on more suddenly and is more severe.

 Symptoms of flu may include: fever (usually high); headache;  tiredness and weakness (can be extreme); dry cough; sore throat; runny or stuffy nose;  body or muscle aches; nausea; vomiting, and diarrhea (much more common among children than adults).

 A person who is sick with the flu is contagious. That means they can spread viruses. Adults can be contagious from one day before having symptoms to seven days after getting sick. Children can be contagious for longer than seven days.

 If you start to get flu symptoms:

- Get plenty of rest.

- Drink plenty of liquids.

- Don't use alcohol or tobacco.

- Stay home from work or school to protect others from catching your illness.

- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue every time you cough or sneeze.

Take medication to lessen the symptoms of flu, but NEVER give aspirin to children or teenagers who have flu-like symptoms, especially fever, without first checking with your health care provider.

To learn about the flu go to the CDC Flu site http://www.cdc.gov/FLU/