Each year, the brutal Texas summer takes its toll on previously manicured grass, AC units, and the water supply. Increased temperatures and little rainfall lead to drought conditions that make way for increased wildfires and grassfires each season; The Southlake Fire Department continues to provide assistance to areas in need.
As temperatures rise, so does the need for extra resources – water, gear, and helping hands, but Southlake Fire, a Northeast Fire Department Association (NEFDA) partner, is no stranger to a bond that begins with one of the golden rules – sharing is caring. This week on Minute with the Mayor, Mayor John Huffman meets with Lieutenant Frank Molinets of the Southlake Fire Department to get an in-depth look at the Wildland Deployment Program.
“Throughout the year, we participate in many deployments throughout the state of Texas, mainly wildland deployments, where we send wildland-trained firefighters out to support local jurisdictions in any time of need. For the last few years, Texas has experienced drought conditions, and these resources have been needed throughout the state on multiple occasions,” said Molinets.
The Southlake Fire Department debuted its new Tender, an apparatus that stores up to 3,000 gallons of water, on a deployment to Fort Stockton this summer. This piece of equipment assisted in extinguishing roadside flames and keeping people and animals who live there safe.
Positions on the Wildland team are highly coveted, and practice with new equipment and tactics continues long after the drought season is over. With firefighters dedicating over 100 hours each of initial training, yearly preparation with regional and state partners, and much more, the Southlake crews are ready to tackle the smoke and flames ahead.
Depending on the severity, deployments can last a few days to a few weeks, but no matter the duration, the Protect Southlake team continues to rise to the occasion.
As he listened in on what the program entailed, Mayor Huffman remarked, “It really speaks to the heart that you have and the heart that your team has, that you guys would take the time to get trained for this, but also take the time to deploy.”
To watch the full episode of Minute with the Mayor, click below.
Each year, the brutal Texas summer takes its toll on previously manicured grass, AC units, and the water supply. Increased temperatures and little rainfall lead to drought conditions that make way for increased wildfires and grassfires each season; The Southlake Fire Department continues to provide assistance to areas in need.
As temperatures rise, so does the need for extra resources – water, gear, and helping hands, but Southlake Fire, a Northeast Fire Department Association (NEFDA) partner, is no stranger to a bond that begins with one of the golden rules – sharing is caring. This week on Minute with the Mayor, Mayor John Huffman meets with Lieutenant Frank Molinets of the Southlake Fire Department to get an in-depth look at the Wildland Deployment Program.
“Throughout the year, we participate in many deployments throughout the state of Texas, mainly wildland deployments, where we send wildland-trained firefighters out to support local jurisdictions in any time of need. For the last few years, Texas has experienced drought conditions, and these resources have been needed throughout the state on multiple occasions,” said Molinets.
The Southlake Fire Department debuted its new Tender, an apparatus that stores up to 3,000 gallons of water, on a deployment to Fort Stockton this summer. This piece of equipment assisted in extinguishing roadside flames and keeping people and animals who live there safe.
Positions on the Wildland team are highly coveted, and practice with new equipment and tactics continues long after the drought season is over. With firefighters dedicating over 100 hours each of initial training, yearly preparation with regional and state partners, and much more, the Southlake crews are ready to tackle the smoke and flames ahead.
Depending on the severity, deployments can last a few days to a few weeks, but no matter the duration, the Protect Southlake team continues to rise to the occasion.
As he listened in on what the program entailed, Mayor Huffman remarked, “It really speaks to the heart that you have and the heart that your team has, that you guys would take the time to get trained for this, but also take the time to deploy.”
To watch the full episode of Minute with the Mayor, click below.
Each year, the brutal Texas summer takes its toll on previously manicured grass, AC units, and the water supply. Increased temperatures and little rainfall lead to drought conditions that make way for increased wildfires and grassfires each season; The Southlake Fire Department continues to provide assistance to areas in need.
As temperatures rise, so does the need for extra resources – water, gear, and helping hands, but Southlake Fire, a Northeast Fire Department Association (NEFDA) partner, is no stranger to a bond that begins with one of the golden rules – sharing is caring. This week on Minute with the Mayor, Mayor John Huffman meets with Lieutenant Frank Molinets of the Southlake Fire Department to get an in-depth look at the Wildland Deployment Program.
“Throughout the year, we participate in many deployments throughout the state of Texas, mainly wildland deployments, where we send wildland-trained firefighters out to support local jurisdictions in any time of need. For the last few years, Texas has experienced drought conditions, and these resources have been needed throughout the state on multiple occasions,” said Molinets.
The Southlake Fire Department debuted its new Tender, an apparatus that stores up to 3,000 gallons of water, on a deployment to Fort Stockton this summer. This piece of equipment assisted in extinguishing roadside flames and keeping people and animals who live there safe.
Positions on the Wildland team are highly coveted, and practice with new equipment and tactics continues long after the drought season is over. With firefighters dedicating over 100 hours each of initial training, yearly preparation with regional and state partners, and much more, the Southlake crews are ready to tackle the smoke and flames ahead.
Depending on the severity, deployments can last a few days to a few weeks, but no matter the duration, the Protect Southlake team continues to rise to the occasion.
As he listened in on what the program entailed, Mayor Huffman remarked, “It really speaks to the heart that you have and the heart that your team has, that you guys would take the time to get trained for this, but also take the time to deploy.”
To watch the full episode of Minute with the Mayor, click below.
Each year, the brutal Texas summer takes its toll on previously manicured grass, AC units, and the water supply. Increased temperatures and little rainfall lead to drought conditions that make way for increased wildfires and grassfires each season; The Southlake Fire Department continues to provide assistance to areas in need.
As temperatures rise, so does the need for extra resources – water, gear, and helping hands, but Southlake Fire, a Northeast Fire Department Association (NEFDA) partner, is no stranger to a bond that begins with one of the golden rules – sharing is caring. This week on Minute with the Mayor, Mayor John Huffman meets with Lieutenant Frank Molinets of the Southlake Fire Department to get an in-depth look at the Wildland Deployment Program.
“Throughout the year, we participate in many deployments throughout the state of Texas, mainly wildland deployments, where we send wildland-trained firefighters out to support local jurisdictions in any time of need. For the last few years, Texas has experienced drought conditions, and these resources have been needed throughout the state on multiple occasions,” said Molinets.
The Southlake Fire Department debuted its new Tender, an apparatus that stores up to 3,000 gallons of water, on a deployment to Fort Stockton this summer. This piece of equipment assisted in extinguishing roadside flames and keeping people and animals who live there safe.
Positions on the Wildland team are highly coveted, and practice with new equipment and tactics continues long after the drought season is over. With firefighters dedicating over 100 hours each of initial training, yearly preparation with regional and state partners, and much more, the Southlake crews are ready to tackle the smoke and flames ahead.
Depending on the severity, deployments can last a few days to a few weeks, but no matter the duration, the Protect Southlake team continues to rise to the occasion.
As he listened in on what the program entailed, Mayor Huffman remarked, “It really speaks to the heart that you have and the heart that your team has, that you guys would take the time to get trained for this, but also take the time to deploy.”
To watch the full episode of Minute with the Mayor, click below.
Our #ProtectSouthlake Team just got a little bigger! Explore the new Fire Department Tender as it debuts right here in this exclusive Minute with the Mayor.
As part of the City’s ongoing efforts to highlight safety and security, National Safety Month is part of the bigger picture when it comes to how Southlake operates. This week on Minute with the Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem Shawn McCaskill took a field trip to Southlake DPS Station 1 to meet with Deputy Chief Jeremy Wilson about a specialty apparatus designed to kick our fire response up a notch.
In December 2022, the Fire Department received a new piece of equipment called the Tender. This apparatus is heavy-duty, complete with enough storage for 3,000 gallons of water. It is outfitted with a portable storage tank that allows the Protect Southlake Team to work without interruption.
“We really designed it to be able to dump water at a scene and respond back to another location and fill it up with water. It ensures that we have fire suppression if we lose water because of inclement weather or if we have events where we lose power and our pumps can't run,” said Deputy Chief Wilson.
This integral feature supports the efforts of the Southlake Fire Department to provide a rapid and relentless response to fires, especially in the upcoming heat of summer months.
Firefighters have been trained at Tarrant County College during the acquisition of this apparatus to better serve the community.
Although a large investment, this worthwhile piece of the safety and security puzzle provides Southlake’s citizens with the best possible protection. “Well, from a City Council perspective, we're ready, willing, and able — and y'all know this — to support you all with whatever equipment you need, including this new piece of equipment. And we're happy to do that and provide that in our budget,” said McCaskill.
To watch the full episode of Minute with the Mayor, click below.
Thanksgiving is right around the corner! On this episode of Minute with the Mayor, Mayor John Huffman is joined by Fire Marshal Kelly Clements to talk about safety precautions to keep your turkey day stuffed full of fun and festivities.
Traditions can come in all forms, whether that be cooking with the little ones, watching the Thanksgiving parade on television, or playing tackle football outside. "With all the hectic schedule going on, everything we have, sometimes we forget to be safe," said Clements.
Thanksgiving is the leading day of the year for home fires involving cooking equipment, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and to mitigate this risk for your family, here are a few safety tips to follow:
If there is a fire, the best thing you can do is to get out immediately with family members and pets. Many civilians who are injured in home fires are often injured by trying to fight the fire themselves, according to the NFPA. Call 9-1-1 and get to a safe location so experts can help.
In addition to his Thanksgiving wishes, Mayor Huffman also expressed his appreciation for the Fire Department and the City as a whole. "I hope this Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of family, fun, food, fellowship, and a time to reflect on all the blessings we've been given. We live in an incredible community," said Mayor Huffman.
For more information about the Protect Southlake Team, please visit our website.
Thanksgiving is right around the corner! On this episode of Minute with the Mayor, Mayor John Huffman is joined by Fire Marshal Kelly Clements to talk about safety precautions to keep your turkey day stuffed full of fun and festivities.
Traditions can come in all forms, whether that be cooking with the little ones, watching the Thanksgiving parade on television, or playing tackle football outside. "With all the hectic schedule going on, everything we have, sometimes we forget to be safe," said Clements.
Thanksgiving is the leading day of the year for home fires involving cooking equipment, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and to mitigate this risk for your family, here are a few safety tips to follow:
If there is a fire, the best thing you can do is to get out immediately with family members and pets. Many civilians who are injured in home fires are often injured by trying to fight the fire themselves, according to the NFPA. Call 9-1-1 and get to a safe location so experts can help.
In addition to his Thanksgiving wishes, Mayor Huffman also expressed his appreciation for the Fire Department and the City as a whole. "I hope this Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of family, fun, food, fellowship, and a time to reflect on all the blessings we've been given. We live in an incredible community," said Mayor Huffman.
For more information about the Protect Southlake Team, please visit our website.
Thanksgiving is right around the corner! On this episode of Minute with the Mayor, Mayor John Huffman is joined by Fire Marshal Kelly Clements to talk about safety precautions to keep your turkey day stuffed full of fun and festivities.
Traditions can come in all forms, whether that be cooking with the little ones, watching the Thanksgiving parade on television, or playing tackle football outside. "With all the hectic schedule going on, everything we have, sometimes we forget to be safe," said Clements.
Thanksgiving is the leading day of the year for home fires involving cooking equipment, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and to mitigate this risk for your family, here are a few safety tips to follow:
If there is a fire, the best thing you can do is to get out immediately with family members and pets. Many civilians who are injured in home fires are often injured by trying to fight the fire themselves, according to the NFPA. Call 9-1-1 and get to a safe location so experts can help.
In addition to his Thanksgiving wishes, Mayor Huffman also expressed his appreciation for the Fire Department and the City as a whole. "I hope this Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of family, fun, food, fellowship, and a time to reflect on all the blessings we've been given. We live in an incredible community," said Mayor Huffman.
For more information about the Protect Southlake Team, please visit our website.
The City of Southlake Fire Department is teaming up with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Fire Prevention Week, October 9-15, 2022.
This year’s campaign, “Fire won’t wait. Plan your escape”, works to educate and promote developing a home escape plan and practicing it regularly.
“The clock is ticking if there’s a fire in your home — both for us to effectively extinguish it and rescue anybody that’s inside, but for the occupants of that home to escape safely,” said Southlake Fire Chief Michael Starr. “We can’t stress enough having working smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, planning an escape route out of every bedroom and every room in your home, and having a place to meet outside that everyone knows.”
According to a survey conducted by the NFPA, only one of every three American households have actually developed and practiced a home fire escape plan.
While 71% of Americans have an escape plan in case of a fire, only 47% of those have practiced it.
“Modern fires in modern homes grow very, very quickly,” Chief Starr said. “With all of the synthetic materials that are petroleum based, it is a very different fire environment than it was several decades ago. So, prevention is even more critical now than it was a several years ago.”
The NFPA lists the following objectives as key messages for this year:
The Southlake Fire Department encourages all residents to embrace the 2022 Fire Prevention Week theme.
For additional information on home escape plans and fire safety, visit www.cityofsouthlake.com/Get-Prepared.
Three Southlake Firefighters (Lt. Frank Molinets, Engineer Van Wakefield, and Engineer J.W. Stone) and six other North Central Texas Firefighters make up the nine-member Chisholm Trail Rescue Team (CTRT). The team recently competed in Grimpday Competition in Belgium from September 7 – September 10, 2022.
Grimpday is an international challenge that brings together search and rescue teams from around the world (firefighters, civil defense, military, and police). The challenge takes place in Namur, Belgium, where teams compete against each other through exercises involving the unique elements of search and rescue in hazardous environments. This event was created in 2006 by Namur’s regional fire department members.
Southlake Fire Lieutenant Frank Molinets said, “This was one of the most amazing experiences that I was able to be a part of. It is the Olympics of the rope rescue world.” 
The CTRT competed in 10 events total, including the “Dalton,” which was a rescue from a rollercoaster with a 190ft ascent, and patient rescue at 100ft above the surface. They also competed in the “Highline,” which was a water rescue over a canyon at 140ft. The North Central Texas team ranked 16th out of the 24 teams that competed, with a team from Japan taking overall first in the competition.
The CTRT put themselves in the running for Grimpday by competing in the Texas Rescue Competition in late 2021. Since then, they have worked tirelessly in preparation for this event, honing their skills with over 500 training hours since January. The team also was able to fundraise over $7,000.00 for their trip.
The skills the team displayed at Grimpday directly benefit the local community. The Southlake Fire Department and Northeast Tarrant County (NEFDA) are trained and supported by the CTRT, which is now internationally recognized.
“We had the ability to see and learn from the best of the best, and it is now our responsibility to pass that knowledge on,” stated Molinets.
