|
Magazine
recognizes Pierre Fire Department
By MARY GALES ASKREN
Capital Journal Staff
The Pierre Volunteer Fire
Department was recognized nationally in an editorial published in the October
issue of “FireRescue Magazine,” a publication for firefighters and rescue
workers.
Firefighter, attorney, author, lecturer and editor emeritus of “FireRescue
Magazine” James O. Page said, “Their headquarters station houses modern,
clean and well-maintained apparatus, including one of the best-equipped heavy
rescue units to be found anywhere.”
He went on to describe Pierre’s location below the Oahe Dam on the Missouri
River and said, “the Pierre Fire Department specializes in water rescue, and
they have the equipment and training to do it well.”
Pierre Fire Chief Tam Gatje said the department was grateful for the national
recognition, especially since the publication is widely read by fellow
firefighters.
“It’s always nice to be recognized by a magazine like that that’s been
around for a number of years,” he said. “The guy who did the interview was
actually the founder of the magazine, so he’s been around a lot and seen a lot
of areas around the country, so we certainly appreciate the recognition in kind
of a peer-driven magazine.”
Page visited the department earlier this year. He may have selected to stop in
Pierre during his tour of volunteer fire departments in Minnesota, South Dakota
and Wyoming because Pierre has the last volunteer fire department in a state
capital, Gatje said.
The department certainly did not expect the visit.
“This fellow did kind of pop in on us unexpectedly,” Gatje said.
During his visit, Page spoke with Gatje and Doug Hinkle, captain of Engine
Company No. 1. Page’s comments on the fire department are based on that
interview, according to Gatje.
Although the Pierre fire department is authorized for 75 members, the department
has never been at full strength. Currently, the roster includes 59 members. Of
these, 20 serve on the Rescue Squad.
“Everybody on the department belongs to a ... company which is either an
engine company or ladder company. Once they have been on a minimum of a year,
they can ask to have the additional duty of the rescue company,” Gatje said.
“That is kind of the folks that are skilled at what they’re doing and
they’re asking to do more skill tasks.”
The squad is called out for a variety of rescue situations, including water
rescue, heavy rescue, vehicle extrications and searches for lost people. Gatje
said the department has acquired increasingly better equipment over time, but is
able to handle a variety of situations because volunteers are willing to
dedicate personal time for training.
“Just through the efforts of the rescue squad members, we’ve been able to
add training and get these folks quite knowledgable on these rescue efforts,”
he said.
In addition to members with a willingness to train in a variety of areas, the
Pierre department has members who are professionals skilled in areas relevant to
firefighting and rescue work. That is also an asset to the department.
“We have people whose careers are in different areas, so we can use that
expertise to learn more in that particular area,” Gatje said.
One of the challenges that the department faces is uncertainty regarding the
response in an emergency situation. While the department has “a lot of people
dedicated to training on rescue,” when the rescue squad is called out, “you
don’t know who will be available at the time, because we’re a volunteer
department,” Gatje said. “It’s difficult to train for this.”
This year, the rescue department has not been called out as often as it has in
some years for water rescue operations. Gatje said that weather conditions and
other factors affecting boaters may have been a contributing factor.
However, the educational program begun this summer in conjunction with the state
Department of Game, Fish and Parks may have also had an impact.
“That’s another thing that we get involved with – essentially trying to
put yourself out of business by making people smarter on the water so they
don’t get in trouble,” Gatje said.
Story by: Mary Gales Askren
Capital Journal, Pierre, SD
www.capitaljournal.com
For more information about the Pierre Fire
Department, e-mail the PFD
webmaster.
|
