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RICHMOND, Ind. — Chief Jerry Purcell described firehouse renovation initiatives and new gear purchases Monday to Richmond Frequent Council.
Then, he launched council members to seven of his latest firefighters attending the assembly.
“Crucial factor now we have is folks,” Purcell mentioned. “And now we have excellent folks.”
The brand new firefighters — Nathan Bales, Garrett Tudor, Denzel Durham, Justice Raider, Alex Younger, Josh Brown, Christian Sharats and Joe Kascheur — are the primary to graduate from a three-month academy coaching program designed by Deputy Chief Andy Buckler and carried out at RFD’s South Eighth Road coaching facility, the Israel “Izzy” Edelman Fireplace and Police Coaching Middle.
A video confirmed council members the trainees working by varied challenges. Purcell mentioned that after this profitable class, the coaching program will likely be opened to different Indiana departments.
Purcell mentioned the trainees realized to work in groups and to construct a circle of belief, two components crucial of their day-to-day jobs.
“I am very pleased with this system (Buckler) developed,” Purcell mentioned.
Reworking one fireplace station — and constructing a brand new one
Along with graduating an academy class, the hearth division this yr accomplished transforming Station three at 3850 Woodside Drive. The emergency medical transport account funded the transform.
Purcell mentioned stations want transforming to deal with a bump in personnel from three to 5 and to higher accommodate girls. When RFD started offering emergency medical transport, housing an ambulance on the stations elevated the personnel assigned to the smaller stations. Extra girls even have been employed, making RFD as numerous because it’s ever been, Purcell mentioned.
Reworking contains particular person quite than dorm-style bedrooms and separate males’s and ladies’s showers and bogs. The Station three firefighters additionally constructed a deck exterior the kitchen.
Rework plans for Station 5 at 1971 W. Predominant St. are being developed. That undertaking will begin this yr and proceed into 2023. It, once more, will likely be funded by the EMT account.
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Purcell is also searching for a location to construct a brand new, expanded Station 2 nearer to the Midwest Industrial Park, filling a niche left when Station 6 was closed. A bigger station farther west than the one at 930 Winding Ridge Drive would home the division’s aerial ladder, a pumper, the medical ATV and particular rescue gear.
Plans name for the design to be accomplished this yr with building to start subsequent spring. The EMT fund would cowl the $2 million to $2.5 million estimated value.
New gear, vans and group paramedic program
The division additionally has up to date all dive group gear utilizing EMT cash, and donations are funding a brand new live-burn prop on the coaching grounds.
RFD has ordered a 100-foot aerial truck costing greater than $1.four million to switch the present 1999 75-foot unit. It’s receiving a reduction by paying money from the EMT account. Purcell mentioned that with know-how enhancements, the brand new truck, even with the longer ladder, will likely be shorter and extra agile in metropolis streets than the present aerial unit.
A brand new pumper to place Engine 5 in reserve service is budgeted for 2023. Supply of that unit and the aerial truck, which is a yr to a year-and-a-half away, will full the substitute of all front-line gear since 2016.
RFD will search a grant to buy a brand new heavy rescue truck that might be housed on the new Station 2. When it changed its earlier rescue truck, the division bought a rescue pumper.
A two-year, $1 million grant is enabling RFD to implement a group paramedicine program that focuses on built-in healthcare. At the beginning, it is addressing drug dependancy, homelessness and psychological well being points amongst residents who use RFD’s transport companies.
A social employee already has begun work with this system, and the grant features a group paramedic place.
Purcell mentioned RFD has rebuilt itself, on the shoulders of its members, since 2013. The present initiatives and plans and, in fact, folks at the moment are constructing a greater future for the division, he mentioned.
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