Background 

While most of our calls during the year are medical, RCVFD exists as an initial attack module for wildfires.  During the wildfire season RCVFD may be asked to participate in mutual aid and may be engaged in wildland fire for many day should it be within our fire protection district. 

For these reasons we expect most new recruits to work towards their getting their initial wildland qualifications so they can participate safely in the wildland fire environment.  Collectively this training results in a nationally recognized Firefighter 2 qualification

Some pictures from the RCVFD Festival 2018 Sept 7-9 .  Many thanks to the the people involved to make it happen.  It was a huge success 

 

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View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://www.rcvfd.org/emergency-prepardness/medical-emergency-home/author/723-philbenstein#sigFreeId58b09d935c

September 22, 2017  Ben Delatour Boy Scout Ranch Red Feather Lakes CO

 

RCVFD participated as part of a multi-agency task force for a prescribed burn operation at the Boy Scout Ranch.  Under leadership of The Nature Conservancy, we were able to introduce a healthy controlled fire of ~300 acres to the ranch.  Besides preventing a future high severity burn, the prescribed fire had many additional benefits.  These benefits included establishment of diverse wildlife habit, increases forest heath, watershed protection,  reduction of invasive species and capacity building for future burns.  RCVFD directly benefited by acquiring skills to "fight fire with fire".  Along side USFS, Poudre Canyon Fire, LCES, LSCO, CSU, Poudre River Coalition and other agencies and volunteer groups we accomplished an awesome amount of work.   Please enjoy the photos! 

 

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View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://www.rcvfd.org/emergency-prepardness/medical-emergency-home/author/723-philbenstein#sigFreeIde40d360f0f

 

Auto Extrication is a complicated process.  A patient or a number of patients are trapped in a car.  The dash is smashed in and downward due to the force of the accident.  The steering wheel has been forced down onto the legs of the driver so he is trapped also.  On top of everything the vehicle is rocking about to fall down a hill.  This is auto extrication: a skill we at the fire department hope we never have to use but it is something we practice.....

On September 10 2017,  RCVFD was fortunate to participate in this very special training by Poudre Canyon Fire Protection District PCFPD.  Before we go on... thank you Poudre Canyon Fire!!!

In the parking lot of the beautiful Shambhala Mountain Center campus,  Tony Falbo from Poudre Canyon Fire taught us some of his "jaws of life" skills as well as how to quickly and efficiently work as a team to free auto-accident victim.  From stabilizing the vehicle, punching and cutting out the windows, to cutting the posts, lifting off the roof, we used a variety of hydraulically powered tools to pry the vehicle open.  Over the course of a day we went through it all and took apart 4 cars in the process.  

We appreciate Tony and the rest of the Poudre Canyon crew for putting together an excellent training.  Neighboring fire departments training together is one of the many ways we strengthen our mountain communities.  Enjoy the photos! 

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View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://www.rcvfd.org/emergency-prepardness/medical-emergency-home/author/723-philbenstein#sigFreeIda6bff03c92

 

 

Sept 3 was the annual RCVFD festival.  We wanted to thank the hundreds of volunteers and participants that made this year's festival a huge success. The gallery of photos are from Vicky Jordan(all the good ones) and a few from Phil Benstein.

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View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://www.rcvfd.org/emergency-prepardness/medical-emergency-home/author/723-philbenstein#sigFreeId1af4a964c8

Perform your own home safety audit using the checklist from PFA located on the menu and here

 

Inspect and clean your chimney as needed. Factors that effect how often you may need to maintain your chimney are type of wood burned, how hot you burn your fires, how often you burn, and the construction/age of your fireplace/wood stove and chimney. If in doubt seek the recommendations of a professional chimney sweep.

 

Check your smoke alarms monthly. Replace them every 10 years. If you don't have smoke alarms in the required locations go get some right away.

 

Do you have a carbon monoxide alarm? Many newer fire alarms are now fire and CO combined. Modern CO alarms can also detect hazardous gases like propane. Check with the manufacturer for more information.

 

Keep flammable liquids away from furnaces and water heaters.

Responders on the RCVFD Quick Medical Response Team (QRT) will be the first to tell you a helicopter can save your life unlike any other resource we have. The trip from our most remote location to the level 1 Trauma center (MCR) is about 15min and when seconds count this can be a blessing. But the exspense is also unlike any other resource we have, over $15,000 for that 15 min flight. Many insurance companies will not pay for the flight, others only partially pay. It is for this reason we ask you to check with your medical insurnace provider find out more information and if needed contact AirMedCare Network and talk to them about their membership.

• Call 911 and if not trained in CPR provide Hands-Only CPR, or CPR without breaths, pushing hard and fast in the center of the chest to the rate of 100-120 compressions per minute.

• If are trained in CPR then perform breaths, add breaths in a 30:2 compressions-to-breaths ratio.

• When calling  911, place the phone on speaker, so the dispatcher can help you check for breathing, get the precise location and provide instructions for performing CPR.

• Dispatchers should be trained to help bystanders check for breathing and recognize cardiac arrest. Dispatchers should also be aware that brief generalized seizures may be an early sign of cardiac arrest.

 

Source heart.org

 

About 92 percent of sudden cardiac arrest victims die before reaching the hospital, but statistics prove that if more people knew CPR, more lives could be saved. Immediate CPR can double, or even triple, a victim’s chance of survival. The use of CPR dates all the way back to 1740, yet even today, most Americans don’t know how to perform it. Given properly and immediately to sudden cardiac arrest victims, CPR can save lives.  Check out local resources and learn CPR.  Some communities host a quarterly CPR party sponsored by area hospitals. 

Each volunteer responder is certified in basic CPR and participates in frequent CPR refreshers as part of RCVFD's emergency response program.