This is going to be a short WIR as I’ve had very little office time this week. Everyone knows it’s FL-GA and that means it’s going to be a busy weekend for us and JSO!

• Outstanding reports---are getting much better. We still have a few outstanding so please keep working on getting them caught up! Thank you to everyone who has been working to get this done!!!

• Marine 40—we are assigning an additional engineer to Marine 40 to assist with staffing on the 70 foot boat. No staffing changes will occur at Marine 1 (station 38) or Marine 3 (station 39). These are not new openings but left over positions from previous budget year. (HM21, HR4)

• W4—Instructional Bulletin is coming out today governing the W4 use. I expect some issues as we implement a new policy, but similar to launching our new Rehab 37 SOG and response, each time we’ve used it, we’ve made it better through your inputs and suggestions. I expect the same will be true for W4. If you still don’t understand why we are pushing the health & safety aspect of the W4, keep reading.

• Overhaul SOG---is no more. We are out of the monitoring business at structure fires as it relates to SCBA use during overhaul. The primary reason is its inability to monitor particulates and the recent NIOSH study that shocked the fire service by showing a 200% increase in Mesothelioma in firefighters compared to the average population. That type of cancer is a particulate based carcinoma. Please continue to use the Multi-Rae for CO calls, hazmat calls, and clearing W2’s for re-occupancy such as food on the stove fires. If you are unsure of what the levels should be, please contact Station 7 or 21 and they can assist. A refresher class on the meter for all companies who carry one is forthcoming. Remember this---if you are working inside a structure fire, post 77 (overhaul, investigating, etc..), you cannot be without your PPE and SCBA. If the structure is completely free of smoke and is considered cold (fire completely out), then you may remove your gear. You may hate me now, but one day, you will thank me.

• Hydrants---our yearly inspection process concerning hydrants will be changing due to new ISO requirements mandating compliance with American Water Works Association Manual 17. The meetings began with JEA today so look for more information to come out soon. Until then, please continue with our current hydrant SOP.

• New Hires---We start a new recruit class on November 19^th. It will be a class of 36, almost all veterans. JFRD’s hire list will re-open on December 1^st for new applicants and should stay open for approximately two weeks. Please pass the word on. If someone has already been banded, they do not need to reapply.

• Training—New training opportunities are forthcoming for USAR and the Marine division. If you think you might be interested, please check your emails daily and respond accordingly. We are in dire need of additional trained members.

• Retired Firefighters Luncheon---was this week. For some it might seem like a long ways away, for others, its right around the corner. For our retired folks, this is the largest gathering to honor their sacrifices each year. What’s alarming was the number of bells rung for our retired firefighters who have passed this year. In just ten months, 22 of our best have been laid to rest. That’s a shocking number and a sad one. JSO is twice our size and doesn’t typically see those kinds of annual numbers. Here are the bravest the bell was rung for on Tuesday:

1. Captain Archie C Smith January 11, 2013
2. Captain Tim Ellis January 12, 2013
3. Captain R. E. Harvey February 11, 2013
4. Engineer Tom H King, Jr February 19, 2013
5. Lieutenant Wayne Mikell February 19, 2013
6. Firefighter R. E. Mashburn February 22, 2013
7. Engineer Elijah Fishburne February 27, 2013
8. Firefighter Joe Moore March 07, 2013
9. Engineer Robert W. Smith March 09, 2013
10. Engineer W.A. "Billy" Sellers May 12, 2013
11. Captain Thomas Byrd Jr. May 28, 2013
12. Firefighter Andre B. Hills June 04, 2013
13. Captain Billy R. Sands June 11, 2013
14. Lieutenant Jim Andreu July 04, 2013
15. Engineer Billy Freeman July 28, 2013
16. Battalion Chief W. A. Smith August 23, 2013
17. Captain B. L. Perry August 28, 2013
18. Engineer Douglas Richardson October 01, 2013
19. Captain J.S. Gardner October 05, 2013
20. Captain W.H. Taylor October 07, 2013
21. Battalion Chief Marcus Lennon October 07, 2013
22. Engineer Glen Daniels October 25, 2013

Time to give some thanks to our folks.

• Captain Trace Barrow---amongst all the media coverage and hype concerning hydrants, a concerned citizen stopped by station 34 to express his concern for his neighborhood and their hydrants. Within a short time, the crew of Engine 34 were out inspecting hydrants in the neighborhood to calm some fears even though station 34 had already inspected those hydrants this year. That’s going above and beyond and during times of media hype over these incidents, that is exactly what we needed. A big thank you!

• To everyone who volunteered for this weekend. We all know what’s in store for us. The fact you’ve volunteered to work not only makes me question your sanity, but makes me appreciate your dedication to our mission. It’s because of you, this event is always a successful and safe one.

• To each one of you, who continue to make sacrifices to make our city a better place. I know many of you are having life issues of your own at the same time we are expected to solve everyone else’s. None of us our immune to the everyday life problems the rest of the population faces yet somehow we are expected to rise above it day in and day out. Sometimes the cracks in the foundation begin to appear….hang in there, I feel it too. Then last night, when a 2 year old girl dressed as a bumble bee, quite possibly the cutest ever, knocked on our door for Halloween, for just one moment, it took my mind off all the craziness and hardship of our job. I was thankful for that.

Well that’s it for this week. Please stay alert this weekend as you never know what the next run will be or how it will challenge you.

As always, we thank you for what you do, why you do it, and for always showing why you are the best Fire Department in the country! Go Gators!!!

…sorry, couldn’t resist…J

Very respectfully,