Inside this issue:

Fire & EMS Run Review 1

Fire Department Operations 2

EMS Bureau Report 3

Fire Prev./ Public Safety 4

Maintenance Bureau 6

Training Bureau 7

In Their Own Words 8

Planning to Protect... ...Acting to Save

May 2019 Volume 7, Issue 05

WEST BEND FIRE DEPARTMENT

Planning to Protect…..Acting to Save

YEARS of SERVICE ~ MAY

FF. M. Nickels …...05/01/17

FF. C. Bell .….…....05/22/17

FF. M. Casey……...05/16/19

May was National Stop the

Bleed Month. Stop the

Bleed was created shortly

after the traumatic event at

Sandy Hook Elementary in

2013.

A Joint Committee to Create

a National Policy to En-

hance Survivability from

Intentional Mass Casualty

and Active Shooter Events

was convened by the Ameri-

can College of Surgeons

(ACS) in collaboration with

the medical community and

representatives from the

federal government, the Na-

tional Security Council, the

U.S. military, the Federal

Bureau of Investigation, and

governmental and nongov-

ernmental emergency medi-

cal response organizations,

among others. The commit-

tee’s recommendation are

now known as the Hartford

Consensus.

A major movement from the

Hartford Consensus was an

education piece for the gen-

eral public to address major

bleeding. Stop the Bleed

was created to address this.

West Bend Fire Department

and West Bend Police De-

partment have members

who teach the Stop the

Bleed course.

In April and May a major

portion of the city work staff

were trained in Stop the

Bleed and CPR.

National Stop the Bleed Month

Emergency Activities

Types of Calls May 2019 May 2018

Year to Date (2019)

Year to Date (2018)

Fires Calls 36 38 191 188 Emergency Medical Calls 292 264 1328 1347 Paramedic Intercepts 7 10 49 51 Interfacility Transports 40 43 189 197 Community Paramedics 0 5 0 32

Totals 375 360 1757 1815

Town of Barton Calls 5 15 46 51 Town of West Bend Calls 18 12 67 51

Page 2 Fire Department Operations By Battalion Chief John Spartz

Red shift was out on the river to practice with the new For-

tuna Boat that was recently donated to the department.

Firefighters learned how to inflate the boat, maneuver it in

the water and to conduct a rescue without entering the wa-

ter. Newer firefighters were also checked off on operating

the rescue boat motor.

Water Rescue Training, Hazardous Materials and Underground Tanks

Underground storage tanks were delivered and installed at

the new Fleet and Farm store on West Washington Street.

Department tank inspectors were on-site to check tank

pressures when they were delivered. Tanks are delivered un-

der pressure. The pressure is kept in place until the tank is

buried at which time a second reading is taken to insure

there aren’t leaks.

WBFD prepare to make an “entry” dur-

ing hazardous materials technician annu-

al refresher training.

Page 3

Emergency Medical Services Bureau Battalion Chief Tom Thrash

West Bend American Legion Post EMT-Paramedic of the

Year

Every year the West

Bend Fire Department

nominates one of our

members for the West

Bend American Legion

Post EMT of the year

award. This year FF/

Paramedic Marc Rinzel

was nominated and won

the award. Marc was

nominated for his com-

mitment to our depart-

ment and the people that

we serve. He is a valua-

ble asset in working with

our new members and

teaching them how to

hone their skills. His

calm demeanor has prov-

en to be invaluable when

dealing with stressful and

difficult calls where life-

saving decisions have to

be made. The leadership

that Marc shows while

training with new mem-

bers and respond-

ing to emergency

calls makes him

stand out and de-

serving of this

award. If you see

Marc, please con-

gratulate him on

this award. Con-

grats FF/

Paramedic Marc

Rinzel.

THANK YOU!

I returned back to

work on May 21st af-

ter having kidney

cancer removed for a

2nd time in 8 months. I

am very blessed to

have a successful out-

come and was very

grateful for all the

phone calls, texts, cards

and posts..

Thank you to all the

members of the Fire De-

partment especially

Chief Kudek for all the

support to me and my

family. Thank you to

everyone throughout

city government for the

cards and kind words

and prayers.

Battalion Chief

Tom Thrash

Page 5

Fire Prevention & Public Safety Bureau Fire Safety Education, Code Enforcement and Fire Investigation

Teaching Kids to Make Healthy Food Choices By Amanda Henderson of Safe Children

Good nutrition provides the building blocks for healthy bodies and minds — and it’s never too soon to start teaching your kids how to make wise food choices. With so many (often un-healthy) options competing for our kids’ attention, it can be hard to encourage them to pick healthier foods over the more appealing, less nutritional options.

There’s no guarantee that these tips will convert your picky eater into a veggie-and-fruit aficionado, but they may create healthy eat-ing habits without turning mealtimes into a battle.

*Keep healthy food availa-ble and easily accessible. Whether it’s a bowl of fruit on the counter, granola, or nuts in a jar, don’t “hide” the good snacks. Model healthy snacking by choos-ing an apple over chips — your kids are watching you.

*Make healthy swaps. If your child loves microwave popcorn, trade the bagged, oil-covered for a healthy, homemade alternative. Get your little one on board by letting them pick out a pop-per for plain kernels that fits in the microwave and a sea-soning recipe you whip up to top it with.

*Get your kids involved. Set aside 30 minutes on the weekend to plan the next week’s meals together. Take the kids food shopping, and teach them how to pick the

best produce. PBS Parents recommends visiting the farmers market and picking berries and other fruits in the orchards during growing seasons.

*Encourage your kids to help in the kitchen. Even toddlers can sort foods; old-er kids can measure ingredi-ents or stir a pot (with su-pervision) on the stove.

*When it comes to meal prep, cook large batches to create leftovers and remove the temptation to eat out on nights when you don’t feel like cooking (or don’t have time).

*Don’t label foods “good” or “bad.” Show kids which foods have protein and cal-cium to build strength for running and playing. You should also teach them that vegetables and fruits contain antioxidants for healthy hair and skin.

*Take the surprise out of new foods. Child-feeding expert Dr. Dina Rose sug-gests making tasting fun.

*Don’t become a short-order cook. This is a trap that’s hard to escape if

you’ve got a picky eater. Include something your kids like with each meal when you’re introducing some-thing new. Serve meals fam-ily style, and encourage eve-ryone to serve themselves a little of everything.

*Don’t use food as a re-ward. It’s tempting to offer a treat for a job well done, but some experts say that can lead to problems later in life. Instead, reward your kids with a trip to the local park, art supplies, or some-thing else you know they’ll appreciate.

*Do permit treats. Forbid-ding unhealthy foods just adds to a child’s desire. There’s nothing wrong with an occasional glass of soda, piece of candy, or cupcake.

*Give kids choices. When you provide them with a variety of healthy options, your kid will happily decide what she wants, and you’ll be happy because you ap-prove of all her choices.

*Prioritize mealtimes. Eat as often as you can together. You can talk about your days while you keep an eye

on what your kids are eat-ing, and reinforce their good choices with praise and by setting a good example with your actions.

Food is not getting any less expensive. In fact, accord-ing to the USDA, the monthly cost to feed a fami-ly of four is $714.16. If that number seems high, look for shopping-savvy bloggers who share ways to stretch grocery budgets. Here are a few other suggestions:

*Plan your meals around store sales.

*Create a grocery list and stick to it.

*Cook larger portions so you have leftovers to re-purpose and turn into new meals.

*Buy generic brands in bulk, but do compare in-gredient lists to ensure their nutritional values.

*Buy inexpensive cuts of meat to use in stews, in Crockpot meals, and in casseroles.

*Shop for produce that’s in season; you can buy fro-zen produce too.

Page 6 Maintenance Bureau Battalion Chief Jeff Gustafson

Station Apparatus Floor Maintenance

West Bend Fire Depart-

ment Station #1 has just

turned 53 years old! As

the building ages we are

faced with several chal-

lenges and expenses in

keeping the proverbial

doors open for business.

Our most recent chal-

lenge was just addressed.

Station apparatus bay

garage door thresholds

were originally con-

structed of metal that

attached below the sur-

face of the concrete ap-

proach. This would keep

water from getting in

between the outside con-

crete apron and the in-

side concrete apparatus

bay. Although a great

design concept once the

metal has deteriorated

beyond repair or replace-

ment, water was allowed

to enter into the areas

and with freezing and

thawing was damaging

both areas of concrete.

With this situation, we

were faced with only a

few options.

We contacted our Public

Works Department and

they suggested filling

the void areas with a

compound that they use

for roadway repair called

Mastic Pavement Re-

pair. They obtain a ma-

chine that heats the ma-

terial to about 350 de-

grees and liquefies the

product. After this oc-

curs the product can be

poured and smoothed

into place. This material

is extremely durable. It

also bonds and remains

somewhat flexible when

cured. FD Members

removed all the old met-

al thresholds and Public

Works did the rest. A

GREAT BIG THANK

YOU to Public Works

Department, It looks

Great and will definitely

accomplish the mission!

Great City Department

Cooperation!

Before

During application

Finished Product

Page 6

Fire Prevention & Public Safety Bureau Fire Safety Education, Code Enforcement and Fire Investigation

FIREWORKS LAWS AND SAFETY

The 243rd anniversary of the birth of our great na-tion is almost upon us. The July 4th holiday brings friend and families together for brats and burgers cooked on the grill, softball games, and time on the boat. As we settle into the evening, friends and families get to watch fireworks displays in cities, towns, and vil-lages throughout the area.

But then there are those people who light off their own fireworks! Wiscon-sin State Statute 167.10 (1) defines fireworks as “anything manufactured, processed, or packaged for exploding, emitting sparks or combustion which does not have another common use.” Basically, those items that explode and/or leaves the ground can be defined as fireworks. Those items will require a permit from local munici-palities in order to use them. Examples of items that do not require a permit are:

Sparklers not exceed-ing 36 inches in length

Stationary cones and fountains

Toy snakes

Smoke bombs

Caps

Noisemakers

Confetti poppers with less than 1/4 grain of explosive mixture, and

Novelty devices that spin or move on the ground.

Random use of fireworks by untrained amateurs is discourage by law en-forcement. According to the National Fire Protec-tion Association (NFPA), in 2013, fireworks caused an estimated 15,600 fires

in the U.S., including 1,400 structure fires, 200 vehicle fires, and 14,000 outside and other fires. These fires resulted in an estimated 30 civilian inju-ries and $21 million in direct property damage, with no reported fire deaths. More than 28% of fires started by fireworks from 2009 to 2013 were reported on Independence Day.

Almost half (47%) of the reported fires on the Fourth of July were start-

ed by fireworks.

The use of Fireworks should be left to the pro-fessionals. Injuries and damage from fireworks can be expensive and det-rimental to families. Safe practices with fireworks will lead to better memo-ries for years into the fu-ture.

Professional fireworks shows are a great source of entertainment for families on July 4th. However, professional fireworks do require a permit in the City of West Bend, and also require a $2,000,000 certificate of liability insurance or an indemnity bond. Leave fireworks shows to the professionals!

Fire Instruction & Training Bureau Deputy Chief Chuck Beistle & Captain Bob Monday

Page 7

May is Stoke Awareness Month May is National Stroke Awareness Month. An-nually in the United States about 795,000 peo-ple suffer a stroke and 140,000 people die from a stroke making it the fifth leading cause of death in the country. Stroke is also the leading cause of disability in the United States. These disa-bilities include physical challenges such as swal-lowing, weakness in arms and legs or vision prob-lems. Communication and cognitive problems also affect people who had suffered from a stroke. Cognitive deficits are changes in thinking, like difficulty solving prob-lems. A stroke often alters communication, with its location influencing what will be affected. In addition to communi-cation problems like aphasia, a condition af-fecting the ability to un-derstand or process lan-guage, communication deficits may include de-creased attention, distract-ibility and the inability to inhibit inappropriate be-havior. Problem-solving ability is sometimes af-fected, usually more in survivors of right-brain strokes. People that have had a stroke also suffer from emotional and be-havioral changes. Stroke impacts the brain, and the

brain controls our behav-ior and emotions. Stroke victims may experience feelings of irritability, forgetfulness, careless-ness or confusion. Feel-ings of anger, anxiety or depression are also com-mon. The good news is that with the help of therapy

and hard work over many months and sometimes years many disabilities resulting from stroke tend to improve over time. There are three main types of stroke. An is-

chemic stroke (most com-mon) happens when blood flow through the artery that supplies oxy-gen-rich blood to the brain becomes blocked. A hemorrhagic stroke hap-pens when an artery in the brain leaks blood or rup-tures (breaks open). The leaked blood puts too much pressure on brain cells, which damages them. Transient ischemic attack (TIA) is sometimes called a “mini-stroke.” It

is different from the ma-jor types of stroke be-cause blood flow to the brain is blocked for only a short time. Depending on the type of stroke, quick recognition and advance-ments in medicine can help patients while still suffering from a stroke. In the West Bend Fire

Department paramedics work with emergency room personal to quickly diagnosis the type of stroke and provide the appropriate care. When paramedics are on the scene of a suspect a suspected stroke they per-form a test called the Cin-cinnati Stroke Scale. It is a system used to di-agnose a potential stroke in a pre-hospital setting. It tests three signs for ab-normal findings which may indicate that the pa-tient is having a stroke:

Facial droop

Arm drift

Slurred speech

Paramedics also check the patient’s blood sugar lev-el to rule out a low blood sugar problem. Finally, they determine the time the patient was last seen well or normal. The paramedics then communicate this infor-mation to emergency room staff and if the pa-tient falls within some certain criteria a Stoke Alert is called. The patient is taken di-rectly to CT scanner by paramedics upon arrival at the hospital. Once it is determined what type of stroke they patient is having the ap-propriate course of action is taken. If the patient is having an Ischemic stroke, a medi-cation call TPA is admin-istered to dissolve the blood clot. If the stroke is found to be heterogenic the patient may require surgery to relieve the pressure.

325 N 8th Ave.

West Bend, WI 53095

262.335.5054

www.ci.west-bend.wi.us

In Their Own Words…...

WEST BEND FIRE DEPARTMENT

Planning to Protect… ...Acting to Save

The back page of our newsletter features a note or card that we have received from our

customers….the people we serve. Whether it is during an ambulance call, fire

call, or a public education assignment, the members of the West

Bend Fire Department are always dedicated to mak- ing their

contact with area residents a positive ex-

perience.

Personnel Spotlight: MPO Steve Stockhausen MPO/Paramedic Steven

Stockhausen has been

with the WBFD since

2010. Steve has been in

the fire service since 1999

when he was a member of

the Newburg Fire Depart-

ment. At that time Steve

was the youngest certified

firefighter in the state at

the age of 16. Steve com-

pleted his paramedic de-

gree at LTC in 2006. Steve

has experience working at

St. Joseph’s Hospital and

at Froedtert Hospital in

the Emergency Depart-

ment, the time spent there

has helped with his skills

as a Paramedic. Steve is

also a member of the

Washington County Dive

Team. Steve was born and

raised in the West Bend

Area where he and his

wife Brittany are raising

two children Chace who is

almost 2 and Hallie who is

only a few months old.