BOULDER JUNCTION
Oct. 9, 2013
Courtesy of the News-Review and The Three Lakes News
Members of the Boulder Junction Volunteer Fire Department include, front row from left,
Trish Menzia and Megan Galasel; second row, Eric Johnson, new recruit Don Melzer, Dan
Potrykus, Dan Wahlgren, Fire Chief Jim Hanson, Paul Newberg, Jim Fragassi, Jonathan
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Dobbs, Theo Indermuehle and Rick Wallden; and back row, Jason Maurer and Matt Reuss.
The department is developing a firefighter support program for on-scene care.
—Photo By Wally Geist
Boulder Junction Fire Department
developing firefighter support program
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BY WALLY GEIST
SPECIAL TO THE NEWS-REVIEW
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The Boulder Junction Fire Department is working on several new projects
in 2013, including developing a Firefighter Rehabilitation Program which
will provide on-scene care and support
of firefighters.
“Fire-fighting is hard work and has to
be done in every imaginable environment, so our program will stress hydration, cooling during hot weather and
keeping our personnel warm in cold
weather at the scene of a call,” said Fire
Chief James Hanson.
The department also implemented
the 12-lead electrocardiogram (EKG) in
its ambulance program and provided all
of its outlying volunteers with automatic external defibrillators (AED).
“Eighteen AEDs have been placed
among members of our department for a
more rapid response to cardiac arrest
calls,” said Hanson.
Boulder Junction personnel also con-
tinued training on new T&T Hydraulic
Tools rescue equipment. The tools are
hydraulically operated cutting and prying tools which are used in rescue and
extrication from buildings and vehicles,
according to Hanson.
“Engine 2, our primary rescue vehicle, has two 100-foot hose reels and the
pump to operate the T&T tools,” he said.
“Engine 2 also has a portable pump unit
that allows the rescuer to move closer to
a scene.
“Making Engine 2 our primary rescue vehicle in 2013, we also reassigned
the 56- ton three-air bag system for lifting and stabilizing during extrication to
Engine 2,” added Hanson.
Equipment and training of the volunteers has given Boulder Junction a
Class 7/8 ISO rating. The department
continues to work on mutual aid tactical
training with Manitowish Waters,
Presque Isle and Winchester.
Funds for departmental training and
equipment are raised with the annual
chicken barbecue and T-shirt sales.
“I would like to thank the Boulder
Junction Lions and Lioness clubs for
working side by side with the firefighters at the 23rd annual chicken barbecue
and for their donations at other times of
the year. Without community involvement it would be very difficult for our
department to have this fundraising
event,” said Hanson.
The fire chief said there is always a
need for more personnel.
“We always need volunteers to help
us protect those who either fall through
the ice, become involved in a wreck or
have another medical emergency,” said
Hanson.
He said the Firefighter I class is a 50hour training period and a 96-hour class
to be a certified firefighter.
“Public safety work isn’t for everyone,
but with each year that goes by, volunteers become more difficult to enlist,”
said Hanson. “Right here on the Boulder
Junction Volunteer Fire Department
and EMS, an individual has the opportunity to serve his or her neighbors and
community in an important way.”
The station continues to make good
use of two “tenders” or tank trucks,
brush truck, ambulance and other
equipment for trail, water and ice rescue.
The department is active in rapid intervention training, which focuses on
techniques for the removal of downed
firefighters or fire victims from burning
structures.
Emergency calls in Boulder Junction
have continued to rise and reached an
annual high of 168 in 2012. The current
number of calls so far in 2013 is 112, according to Hanson.
“We believe we will exceed last year’s
high number,” he said.
The firefighters, EMTs
The Boulder Junction Fire Department includes about 30 firefighters and
emergency medical technicians (EMT).
Fire Chief James Hanson has
been a firefighter and EMT in Boulder
Junction for seven years, but has 30
total years of firefighter service. He has
To BOULDER JUNCTION, Pg. 70