SIDNEY — During the past year, the Sidney Department of Fire & Emergency Services responded to 4,066 calls for service.
“This is the third year in a row that our calls for service have exceeded 4,000 alarms,” said Chief Bradley S. Jones. “There were 3,053 EMS calls and 1,013 fire calls. The fire incidents resulted in no civilian injuries, no fatalities, and one firefighter injury; and accounted for fire losses totaling $1,392,050.”
His report continues:
The Fire Prevention Division also experienced a busy year, performing 646 fire safety inspections. The division conducted 13 fire investigations; four in our township contractual areas and nine within the city of Sidney. Preventing fires and encouraging safe practices are two key components of the division. Over 5,000 individuals, both youths and adults, were served with over 100 different fire safety programs. This included annual educational fire safety programs given to all schools, both public and parochial, in grades pre-K through fifth-grade. This year’s recurring theme was “Sleeping with your door closed.”
The year 2018 saw over 6,800 total hours of department training. Personnel participated in medical training with specific classes in; Cardiac, Geriatric and Pediatric Protocol, Trauma, 12-Lead EKG, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) and other EMS courses. Fire training included: pump operations, SCBA and fire ground tactics. Technical rescue training areas including ice rescue, river rescue, swiftwater, trench rescue, rope rescue, vehicle/machinery rescue, hazmat operations, grain bin extrication and confined space.
Personnel attended classes outside the department for Hazmat IQ, TRT – Collapse/Auto Extrication/Vehicle & Machinery Rescue Ops/Confined Space/Trench, Fireworks Education, Ohio Fire Code Update, Arson Investigators, CAP Lab, Stroke, Midwestern Ohio Arson Seminar, Ohio Fire Executives, Active Shooter, Fire Dynamics Boot Camp, EMS, and Firefighter Cancer Prevention & Mental Health Classes.
The department welcomed firefighter Lucas Woodward, firefighter Jordan Stemen, and firefighter Mitch Ahlers on Jan. 16. They have been a great addition to Sidney Fire and we look forward to many years of dedicated service with them.
In April, Mike Utz, a 16-year member of the department, was named the 2017 Firefighter of the Year.
The Department helped sponsor the 37th Midwestern Ohio Fire Investigators Seminar in April, and celebrated Fire Prevention month in October. The Nancy Adams Training Center was utilized multiple times for regional training included but not limited to EMS certification training, firefighter certification as well as many regional meetings.
In June, the Sidney Fire Department partnered with UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute (UL FSRI) to conduct a series of experiments involving live-fire. The experiments were conducted in four houses donated by the Shelby County Land Bank that were scheduled for demolition. Along with members from Sidney Fire, 12other regional departments took part in the experiments. It was an incredible learning opportunity for the department, the region and the state.
On Nov. 21, the department suffered a great loss with the passing of Lt. Tony McLain, a 19-year veteran of Sidney Fire. The loss of Tony has left a huge hole in our fire family and no words can express how much he will be missed. Tony loved being a firefighter and dedicated his life to the fire service. Please continue to keep the fire department as well as his wife and children in your thoughts and prayers. Forever and Always, 541.
