Our Hometown
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Lyons FD receives donation Lyons Fire Chief Chuck Witt recalls an incident in 2000 when a roof collapse resulted in three men plunging 40 feet into a vinegar vat that, fortunately, was empty at the time. As the only fire department with a Confined Space Rescue Team within 60 miles, the Lyons Fire Department dispatched firefighters to rappel into the restrictive confines of the vat, assess and treat the workers injuries, and prepare them to be lifted out safely. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that work sites with confined spaces such as sewers, wells, casings, tanks, silos, vaults and elevator shafts develop confined space plans to address potential hazards. The Lyons Fire Department provides local businesses and municipalities with free confined space consultation and training that otherwise would cost these organizations thousands of dollars. Confined space rescues don't generate multiple calls, but you have to be prepared, says Witt. In our area, this specialty is unique. There is a great deal of training and equipment that goes with it. Sometime in the next few weeks, the Lyons Fire Department will accept delivery of a heavy technical rescue truck specifically designated to carry the departments confined space rescue and hazardous materials equipment. The truck can transport six people along with special ropes, rigging, pulleys, air quality monitoring equipment, HazMat suits and decontamination equipment. Consolidating all this equipment, currently scattered among three vehicles, onto one truck will facilitate a quicker response time. What's the cost of this new truck to local taxpayers? Absolutely nothing. Over the years, Lyons native Bob Ohmann, owner and president of St. Lawrence Homes in Raleigh, NC, has supported the Lyons Fire Department through personal donations and coordination of supplies and equipment from other organizations. Through his involvement, the department has received donations of fire suits, generators, equipment upgrades, new flooring, an air conditioning unit, new windows and glass doors. 'Although he moved away, Bob has maintained an interest in the town,' says Witt. 'He's done tremendous things for us.' According to Lyons Mayor Corrine Kleisle, this latest donation is valued at around $250,000. 'Bob Ohmann has been extremely generous to this community,' the mayor said. Ohmann has donated more than $500,000 worth of equipment to the Lyons Fire Department, not including the new truck. If our town had to finance all these purchases and pay back the additional interest over five or ten years, that's a very large amount wed have to recover through taxes, notes the mayor. For an organization of its size, the Lyons Fire Department provides a wide variety of services to the surrounding region. With only two full-time employees and six part-time staff, the department receives around 360 calls a year, about 20 of which Witt deems heart-pounding. According to Witt, the department's budget for the 2005-2006 fiscal year is $254,221, less than the $258,482 they received in 1992-1993 when they had four full-time employees. Adjusted for inflation, the 1992-1993 budget would equal $348,701 today. 'Our goal is to keep the budget as low as possible while offering a level of service that everyone in the community can be proud of,' says Witt. In addition to donations, the Fire Department benefits from continual fundraising efforts and occasional grants. Over the past 10 years or so, fundraising efforts have financed over $1 million in equipment purchases, including a $175,000 pumper truck. In 2003, State Sen. Michael Nozzolio arranged for a $40,000 grant to the fire department to purchase a self-contained breathing apparatus. Additional grants from the senator helped the cost-conscious department pay for such basic items as firemen's coats, pants, boots and helmets. Other grants have paid for portable defibrillators and a special thermal energy camera that can help locate bodies in smoke-filled rooms or detect hot spots that could flare up again after the initial fire is put out. Lyons (with 5831 residents) can't rely on a quick emergency response from those major cities. As such, the local fire department has to be self-sufficient when it comes to certain critical emergency services. Each truck is equipped with emergency medical services equipment, and fire truck drivers each of whom is a certified emergency medical technician are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. In most surrounding towns, fire and EMS services are provided by volunteers. 'We're one of a few communities in the area that employs full-time staff on its fire department,' Kleisle added. In addition to fielding calls for fires and confined area rescues, the department has also responded to situations involving natural gas and ammonia leaks, carbon monoxide poisoning, and downed electrical wires. Following a severe microburst windstorm in 1998, that left some residents without power for over a week, fire department staff assisted with EMS calls and helped clear roads. The department also sees increased activity following severe ice storms that can close major roads and leave some residents stranded. Outside their traditional roles as firefighters, fire department staff also volunteer manpower to help direct traffic and provide safety during the annual Peppermint Days festival every July. Firemen also staff the Booster Club food stand at high school football games so club members with sons on the team can watch their kids play. 'Although our budget has gone down, we're providing more services than we did in 1993,' says Witt, who has been with the fire department since 1981 and has served as fire chief since 2002. Following a mishap several years ago at Parker Hannifin's Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Division in Lyons, OSHA advised the company to develop a confined space rescue plan. Sensing an unmet need in the region, the Lyons Fire Department established the Confined Space Rescue Team and provides on-site training at businesses throughout the area. 'Safely extracting individuals from enclosed spaces is not something every fire department can do. Enclosed space rescue is an unusual capability for a fire department of our size,' says Witt. 'Qualifications can change, and its vital for our team to stay up to date.' When responding to enclosed space rescue calls, the team has to assess the situation, cordon off the area, and manage the entire incident. To minimize risks, they have to make sure that any nearby gas and electricity are shut off, and that air quality is monitored. If there's not enough oxygen to support a rescuer, a team member can go up to 300 feet on a line supplying continuous air. As a county seat, Lyons is home to the Wayne County Court House and other buildings that could serve as targets in potential hazardous materials scenarios. Lyons legislative and judicial significance, combined with the prevalence of historical buildings and proximity to several large companies, necessitates what Ohmann calls a big-city fire department. The major rail line running through Lyons also prompts concerns of accidents involving train cars transporting toxic substances such as ammonia and other industrial chemicals. If a hazardous materials spill were to occur, the Lyons Fire Department is equipped and trained to assess the situation, cordon off the area, monitor the air, and set up decontamination ponds to help wash off exposed individuals while containing the contaminated water until it can be properly disposed. 'HazMat is a large realm, and we're sort of in the middle,' says Witt. 'We can do a lot more than most fire departments, but were not at the top level.' Lyons also assists surrounding fire departments by sending their Firefighter Assistance and Search Team (FAST) to fires in other communities. FAST teams typically remain on the perimeter and are prepared to take action in case firefighters get trapped in a burning building.
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