PUBLISHERCOLUMBUS, MISSISSIPPI FIRE and RESCUE DEPARTMENT

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFFIRE CHIEF KENNETH MOORE

EDITORFIREFIGHTER ANTHONY COLOM

DESIGN & LAYOUTFIREFIGHTER ANTHONY COLOM

PHOTOGRAPHYFIREFIGHTER ANTHONY COLOM

ENGINEER WES MIMS

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSFIRE and LIFE SAFETY EDUCATOR / PIO CAROLE SUMMERALL

CHIEF OF TRAINING DUANE HUGHES CHAPLAIN ED MAURER

STAFFKENNETH MOORE - FIRE CHIEF

MARTIN ANDREWS: A-SHIFT BATTALION CHIEFCHRIS HANSEN: B-SHIFT BATTALION CHIEF

MARK WARD: C-SHIFT BATTALION CHIEFNEAL AUSTIN: SPECIAL OPERATIONS CHIEF

DUANE HUGHES: CHIEF OF TRAININGTODD WEATHERS: FIRE MARSHAL

CAROLE SUMMERALL: FIRE & LIFE SAFETY EDUCATOR / PIOLINDA HANSON: ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Columbus Fire and Rescue Department205 7th Street S.

Columbus, MS 39701(662) 329-5121

Cover photos by Firefighter Anthony ColomON THE COVER:

Dive Rescue : Lance Godfrey / Overland Search & Rescue: Michael Miller, Kirk Gayle, Tommy Massey, & Anthony Smith

This publication may not be reproduced in whole nor in part without the written permission of

the publisher. Copyright © 2012, Columbus, Mississippi Fire and Rescue Department.

CONTENTS

OVERLAND SEARCH & RESCUE PHOTOS .... PAGE 10

DIVE RESCUE PHOTOS .... PAGE 12

CHIEF’S CHAIR: THE HIGHEST DEGREEOF HUMANITY ..... PAGE 6EDITOR’S NOTE: THAT SOUNDS LIKEFAMILY ..... PAGE 8

2012 KIDS FIRE ACADEMYPhotos ..... PAGE 14 & 15

STAFF SPECIAL

Training Every Day ..... PAGE 12-B

MARKET STREET FESTIVAL PHOTOS .... PAGE 3-BPRESS CONFERENCE PHOTOS: COLUMBUS RECEIVESCLASS 4 FIRE INSURANCE RATING .... PAGE 5-BRELAY FOR LIFE PHOTOS ...... PAGE 7-BCOLUMBUS FIRE AND RESCUE & WARD 2 COUNCIL-MAN, JOSEPH MICKENS, PAINT EAST COLUMBUSGYM .... PAGE 8-BCOLUMBUS FIREFIGHTERS VOLUNTEER AT CAMPRISING SUN ..... PAGE 9-BWORD SEARCH ..... PAGE 13-BCOLUMBUS FIREFIGHTERS VISIT MISSISSIPPI BURNCAMP ..... PAGE 15-B

IN THE COMMUNITYWard 5 councilman, Kabir Karriem’s, LadiesAppreciation Luncheon ..... PAGE 7Engineer Shannon Murphy ..... PAGE 14-BWhen To Call A Fire Dept. Chaplain ..... 6-B

THE TRAINING SECTIONPhotos ..... PAGE 9, 11, & 13

AROUND THE STATIONPhotos .... PAGE 16 & 16-B

PROMOTIONS, GRADUATIONS, & OTHER NEWSPhotos .... PAGE 11-B

FIRE & LIFE SAFETYIt’s Time For A Change ! ...PAGE 10-BYouth Firesetting: What You Can Do ..... PAGE 5-B

FEATURES EDITORIAL

SPECIAL

EXTRA

DEPARTMENTS

ENGINEER SUSAN SNAPP:

DIVE INSTRUCTOR

Photo by Anthony Colom

IBY CHIEF KENNETH MOORE

kmoore@columbusms.org

06 l COLUMBUS FIRE and RESCUE MAGAZINE l (662) 329-5121

In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute.

Thurgood Marshall (Deceased, United States Supreme Court Justice)

Every day, the members of Columbus Fire & Rescue perform with the highest degree of

humanity and recognize the humanity of those that they serve. As they have taken on the

mission of all hazards response, they face not only fires but accidents of all manner and descrip-

tion, health crises of all kinds, chemical spills, tornados and hurricanes, entrapments - and, yes, the

occasional cat who has gotten too brave or an escaped iguana.

Some of the time, the scene they respond to was caused by the act of being human. Perhaps a

lapse in attention or a mistake in judgment - a glance too long away from the road or a bottle of

medicine no one thought a child would notice. In the blink of an eye, someone's world has changed

and Columbus Fire & Rescue is there to do everything their training and ability can do to turn the

tide.

All of the time, those human beings who make up CFR have given everything they have to give in

making themselves the best responders they can be. In our high tech world of all hazards response,

the training never ceases. Be assured, that training stretches the endurance of the human body and

the capacity of the human mind.

24 hours, and often 48 hours or more, they are away from their beloved families and the comforts

of home. Personal challenges, the humanity of their personal lives, must often wait as they safe-

guard and rescue the lives and property of others. Special occasions pass, illnesses come and go,

grieving is put on hold - vast parts of life are missed. Asked why they do it, and the answer will

always be the same even if the words used are a little different.

In the end, we are all human and everyone needs help now and then.

Ph

oto

by E

ng

ineer

Wes

Mim

s

THE HIGHEST

DEGREE OF

HUMANITY

“

”

Mrs. Helen Karriem

Fire Chief Kenneth MooreMayor Robert Smith

Ph

oto

by E

ng

ineer

Wes

Mim

s

II’ve been with Columbus Fire and Rescue since October 23, 1995. In the almost 17 years

that I’ve been a firefighter, I’ve seen others in our department marry; have children; divorce;

have those children graduate from high school, college, and then marry; have grandchildren

born; lose loved ones; retire, and even have children that I’ve watched grow up, come to

work here.

Many of you who’ve worked many years with the same company or business have experi-

enced this also. The difference is you haven’t lived with your co-workers.

In the fire service, one who retires with at least 25 years of service will probably spend about

1/3 of his or her life living with other firefighters. Our department has a 24/48 policy (24

hours on duty, and 48 hours off). So these people can become as close to you as any family

member. On our off days we fish, attend church and sporting events, and even work sec-

ond jobs together. Depending on where a firefighter is stationed, he or she could be sitting

at a table for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with 2 to 9 other firefighters, and sleeping in the

same room as well. He or she trains and fights fire with this same group every 3 days for 25

to 30 years.

We talk like family. We laugh like family. We argue like family. We work like family. We love

one another like family. We pray like family; therefore, we live like family.

After watching grown men cry at their own retirement party, I’m pretty sure it’s because

they’re leaving people that they’ve loved for 25 or more years; people who’ve shared in expe-

riencing many of their best and worst times.

That sounds like family, huh ?

acolom@columbusms.orgBY FIREFIGHTER ANTHONY COLOM

08 l COLUMBUS FIRE and RESCUE MAGAZINE l (662) 329-5121

THATSOUNDS

LIKE FAMILY

SMOKE ALARMS SAVE LIVES l COLUMBUS FIRE and RESCUE MAGAZINE l 09

Photo by Engineer Wes Mims

Photos by Anthony Colom

DRIVER and FIREFIGHTER TRAININGPhotos by Anthony Colom

12 l COLUMBUS FIRE and RESCUE MAGAZINE l (662) 329-5121 SMOKE ALARMS SAVE LIVES l C

DIVE RESCUEPhotos by Anthony Colom

SMOKE ALARMS SAVE LIVES l COLUMBUS FIRE and RESCUE MAGAZINE l 13

ROPE RESCUE CONFINED SPACE

and

Photos by Anthony Colom

14 l COLUMBUS FIRE and RESCUE MAGAZINE l (662) 329-5121 SMOKE ALARMS SAVE LIVES l C

2012 kidsfireacademy

SMOKE ALARMS SAVE LIVES l COLUMBUS FIRE and RESCUE MAGAZINE l 15

columbus boys & girls club Photos by Anthony Colom

1. Engineer Alan Walker, Captain Mike Gibson, & Engineer Shannon Murphy 2. Sparky

3. Engineer Ray Whitson 4. Firefighter Jason Pool 5. Engineer Lamarcus Phillips

6. Engineer Brooks Pope 7. Captain Mike Chandler 8. Captain Bobby Barksdale

9. Firefighter Michael Miller 10. Battalion Chief Martin Andrews 11. Captain Jr. Lancaster

12. Battalion Chief Mark Ward & Chief of Training Duane Hughes (All photos by Anthony Colom

except #2)

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5.6.

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