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Tuesday, April 16, 2024
This week on Minute with the Mayor, Mayor John Huffman meets with members of the Fire Rehab Team about their essential volunteer work that has spanned close to two decades.
In an emergency, firefighters are often the first to show up. They wake up each day to serve their community while putting their lives on the line, but they need support too. Volunteers Paul Simon and Kristine Kemp show how the Southlake Fire Rehab Team dedicates itself to helping some of our bravest as they are on the scene and connecting the community in times of need.
The pair relayed that when Southlake Firefighters are dispatched to a call for an extended period, the Fire Rehab Team provides support services to recoup, recharge, and get back to what they do best – saving lives!
The team provides water, refreshments, cooling towels, and much more. “Fire Rehab’s been around for a long time now. For nearly 20 years, we’ve been providing services for the department and expanding as we go along. I believe we started with a pickup truck and a trailer, and then we moved along to get a Fire Rehab vehicle…,” said Simon.
The benefits of the team go far beyond just helping Southlake Fire, though. Kemp said, “I think for me, probably the biggest personal impact has been being on the ground when we’ve got families in our community who go through an unbelievable tragedy. Many families have fled with literally the clothes on their backs, and they have nothing. And so, because I’ve been a Fire Rehab Volunteer, I’ve connected the community with those needs….”
Mayor Huffman commented that the work of these volunteers pours into the community and makes Southlake one of a kind. Many volunteers get involved through work at the Southlake Citizens Academy, which occurs yearly. For more information about volunteering with the Department of Public Safety, visit their volunteer page here.
To watch the full episode of Minute with the Mayor, click below.
Early 2019 was the last time a badge pinning ceremony was held for new and promoting firefighters, marking the milestones in careers for firefighters, both new and old. The ceremony is a rite of passage in the fire service, explained Chief Michael Starr, who leads the Southlake Fire Department. “However, the pandemic affected these ceremonies as we protected our staff and the ones they love.”
Over two days, the Southlake Fire Department welcomed family and friends to the largest pinning ceremony in the department’s history, the first held since the pandemic reached Texas.
Nine promotions and sixteen new Southlake firefighters were celebrated in ceremonies on Monday and Tuesday. The department hired 21 firefighters during the pandemic. The new firefighters took their oath of office Monday evening at DPS Headquarters in the bay of Station 1.
“The oath of office is making an oath to protect the citizens; protect both life and property,” Starr said. During the ceremony, the firefighters had their badges pinned on their uniform by a person of their choosing, whether that be a family member, friend, or colleague. “It’s a recognition of the fact that they completed a rigorous process,” Chief Starr said. “They went through the hiring process and completed the orientation, and now they’re issued their badge that they’ll keep for their career and will only be changing when they promote.”
Deputy Chief Jeremy Wilson describes the pinning ceremony as symbolic of becoming part of the Southlake Fire Department team. He was pinned as the Deputy Fire Chief during Monday’s ceremony. “I have been through a pinning ceremony before in my career, but each one is special as it marks a new adventure and a new commitment; not only to the fire service but to the citizens of the City you are serving.”
Firefighter Nathan Alderson, previously a Southlake Public Works employee, worked hard to prepare himself for transfer and acceptance into the Southlake Fire Department. Alderson stated he knew, “this is what I need to do, this is where I belong, I belong in the Southlake Fire Department.”
Wilson feels that holding the pinning ceremony says a lot about the department, especially since they chose to include previous firefighters who could not experience their ceremonies during the pandemic.
The evening after, battalion chiefs, lieutenants, and apparatus operators who received promotions during the pandemic showed up at DPS Headquarters in the bay of Station 1 for their pinning ceremony. The devoted loved ones gathered to see them officially promoted to the next rank. Many veteran firefighters downplay the event, thinking it is not a big deal, but being able to share their accomplishments with their family members, friends, and younger fire service members spreads joy, pride, and excitement among all those who attend.
Tuesday’s ceremony celebrated two battalion chiefs, three lieutenants, and four driver/engineers who had been promoted since the pandemic.
“The pandemic was rough on everyone. Some things stood still, some things changed, and some things got pretty busy… but through it all, each and every member of my fire department staff provided the world-class service we are expected to give,” said Starr. “And even though some members were not able to be officially recognized at the moment due to the pandemic, it is my pleasure to give them that moment now, with all their loved ones present, happy and healthy.”
Front row left to right: Firefighter Allen Moreno, Firefighter Chase Villarreal, Deputy Chief Jeremy Wilson, Firefighter Jonathan Hurley, Firefighter David Ruble, Firefighter James Harris, Firefighter Dylon Barber. Back row left to right: Firefighter Kamry Weber, Firefighter Brady Tackett, Firefighter Jimmy Hoover, Firefighter Hayden Lavell, Firefighter Johnathan Badder, Firefighter Doug Carel, Firefighter Taylor Wines, Firefighter Tanner Yeaman, Firefighter Nathan Alderson
Front row left to right: Lieutenant Jason Moloney, Driver/Engineer Kevin Barry, Driver/Engineer J.W. Stone, Lieutenant Daniel Lyons. Back row left to right: Lieutenant Jimmy Elliott, Driver/Engineer Cody Brazelton, Battalion Chief Bryan Thomas, Battalion Chief Clif Altom, Driver/Engineer David Hill
Those who took the oath include:
Firefighter Nathan Alderson
Firefighter Johnathan Badder
Firefighter Dylon Barber
Firefighter Doug Carel
Firefighter James Harris
Firefighter Jimmy Hoover
Firefighter Jonathan Hurley
Firefighter Hayden Lavell
Firefighter Allen Moreno
Firefighter David Ruble
Firefighter Brady Tackett
Firefighter Chase Villarreal
Firefighter Kamry Weber
Deputy Chief Jeremy Wilson
Firefighter Taylor Wines
Firefighter Tanner Yeaman
Promotions Include:
Battalion Chief Clif Altom
Battalion Chief Bryan Thomas
Lieutenant Jimmy Elliott
Lieutenant Daniel Lyons
Lieutenant Jason Moloney
Driver/Engineer Kevin Barry
Driver/Engineer Cody Brazelton
Driver/Engineer David Hill
Driver/Engineer J.W. Stone
During the September 20 City Council meeting, the Southlake Fire Department, along with City Response Personnel and Mutual Aid Response, were recognized for their recent actions and pre-planning efforts regarding the DalDen Corporation fire.
On August 17, crews responded to a fire incident at 4285 T.W. King Road. The DalDen Corporation is a manufacturing company for hazmat chemical filling and packaging.
Due to the severity of the fire and the presence of chemicals, a total of four alarms were requested. Other resources in use that day include:
Approximately 75 fire personnel arrived at the scene to combat the fire.
“Thanks to the pre-planning process and working with different departments and agencies, the fire was under control within 90 minutes,” Southlake Fire Chief Mike Starr said during the City Council presentation.
The pre-planning process played a significant role in containing the fire at DalDen Corporation. Before firefighters began putting out the fire, crews identified onsite chemicals and investigated how they would respond to water to avoid any reactions. Crews were also able to bring in equipment from Public Works to build dirt damns and stop the flow of hazardous run-off into creeks.
By implementing these procedures, the City and all partners can take precautionary measures and respond to emergencies effectively and efficiently.
“We enhance our response by our mutual aid part of the NEFDA group,” said Chief Starr, “Most of the cities are part of our NEFDA resources, and we trained with them constantly to make sure that we understand their capabilities; they understand our capabilities, and we had those specialty resources.”
“We had everybody from Public Works to PD to the building department,” Chief Starr said. “Our City team really steps up.”
To learn more about the City of Southlake’s Elements for Effective Fire Response, please watch the City Council presentation online.
On September 15, at 3:32 PM, the Southlake Fire Department was called to a possible structure fire in the 1200 block of Fanning Street. The first unit arrived on the scene at 3:39 PM.
Upon arrival, firefighters found smoke showing from the roof. Additional fire units were immediately requested, and a working fire was declared. Firefighters first attacked the home’s attic to extinguish the fire quickly but then had to evacuate due to the instability of the structure’s roof.
Fire crews moved outside to protect surrounding homes and continue fire suppression efforts. The fire was under control at approximately 5:30 PM and was fully extinguished at 10:04 PM. Southlake fire crews remained on the scene throughout the night on fire watch to prevent the rekindling of the fire.
One person was injured in the fire and transported to the hospital. There were no firefighter injuries. The fire is under investigation.
The following cities provided Mutual Aid: Keller, Westlake, Colleyville, Grapevine, Fort Worth, North Richland Hills, Hurst, and Roanoke.
On Tuesday, February 8, the Tarrant County Commissioners Court honored Southlake Fire Inspector and Investigator Angie Lopez for her assistance with an investigation for the Tarrant County Fire Marshal’s Office.
Lopez utilized her investigative skills by serving as a translator to Spanish-speaking couples taken for thousands of dollars in a wedding-reception scam.
Her skills, hard work, and dedication helped bring about a successful outcome for the Tarrant County Fire Marshal’s Office.
“There’s not a challenge that Inspector Lopez will not take on.” Southlake Fire Chief Mike Starr said. “Her skills and desire to help others allows her to respond to any situation with understanding and compassion, which builds trust and bridges the gap between authorities and victims.”
At the March 1, 2022, Southlake City Council meeting, Lopez was also honored for her efforts. She has worked as a fire inspector for the City for seven years.
Inspector was also honored at the March 1, 2022, Southlake City Council meeting.
They are the first responders to arrive on a scene. They assist with the injured, visit our schools and are a beloved staple in the community. Kids look up to them and grownups want to be them. Some would even refer to them as our first real-life heroes. They are our local firefighters.
When it comes to implementing the City’s values of integrity, accountability, innovation, excellence and teamwork, the Southlake Fire Department sets the standard.
The staff is comprised of highly-trained individuals who specialize in fire prevention services emergency response, emergency management, public outreach and education and community risk.
Since firefighters are more than likely to be the first responders who arrive on the scene, training is essential.
In 2020, our firefighters accrued 14,000 hours in fire training, 4,000 hours in EMS training and 6,000 hours in professional development.
“We are required to do a certain amount of training by regulatory agencies once you become certified in both fire and EMS,” Deputy Chief of Operations Kurt Hall said.
Not only does Southlake Fire’s commitment to serving the community speak volumes, but their commitment to excellence is displayed through accolades and award-winning achievements.
“We are internationally accredited through the commission of fire accreditation international. We’ve also been awarded a grade of one through the insurance services office, so we are an ISO Class 1,” Hall said.
Southlake Fire also received the 2020 CPSE/CFAI Accreditation based on internal performance metrics and best practice measures. They were one of 10 agencies in the world to complete this accreditation.
Apart from earning some of the highest credentials in the industry, keeping citizens safe is a top priority.
According to the 2020 Southlake Fire Department Annual Report, Southlake Fire:
Southlake Fire is also a member of the Northeast Fire Department Association (NEFDA), which allows citizens of Southlake to have access to the resources of 14 other jurisdictions.
“We are a member of that association to create and to provide specialized rescue training to the community. Most fire departments require individual teams and these 14 cities have come together to cost share. It gives us access to specialty team rescue type training like high angle rescue, confined space rescue, trench rescue, technical rescue, which is structural collapse,” said Hall. “The additional training allows the employees themselves to focus on what they enjoy. When you do something you enjoy, you always provide a higher quality, a greater focus and you do a better job.”
Our firefighters also offer training and free resources through public education and outreach programs such as CPR training, fire extinguisher training, child safety seat installations and household hazardous waste disposal through a partnership with Fort Worth Environmental.
They also offer station tours for small groups and organizations.
“I think what separates the Southlake Fire Department from any other fire department is the fact that we hire employees that truly care about what they do. They want to provide a high-quality world class service to the community, and they do it in a professional manner,” Hall said.
For more information about Southlake’s Fire Department, please visit www.CityofSouthlake.com/Fire.
As part of the City’s overall commitment to set world-class standards and exceed expectations, the Southlake Fire Department is proud to announce they have been re-accredited through the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CPSE) by unanimous vote.
The Southlake Fire Department is one of only 10 agencies in the world to complete their fifth cycle of accreditation and is one of only 11 agencies in the state of Texas to be accredited through CPSE.
“It is an honor to receive this type of recognition for the high-performance standards we have set for ourselves,” City of Southlake Fire Chief Michael Starr said. “This is proof of our dedication to be the best and provide superior safety and security services as we protect Southlake.”
In January, assessors from CPSE and the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CPSE/CFAI) reviewed the Fire Department for compliance with their 10 major categories and 252 performance indicators. Accreditation occurs every five years. The accreditation is a comprehensive self-assessment and evaluation model that enables organizations to examine past, current and future service levels along with internal performance metrics for best practice measures.
The City of Southlake is proud to raise the standard for fire departments around the work with strict application of code and regulation by the highest trained and accredited professionals.
City Council adopted the 2020 Tarrant County Hazard Mitigation Action Plan during the January 21 City Council meeting.
The plan allows access to federal mitigation grants to minimize the risk of damage that would be caused by a man-made or natural disaster.
Although the HazMAP is designed for all of Tarrant County, it accounts for and addresses the unique needs of Southlake. The plan identifies and quantifies the risks Southlake faces and serves as a tool to identify goals, strategies and projects to mitigate these risks to ensure Southlake remains a resilient community.
The City determines the risk by looking at historical data and trends.
“The City utilized data in a risk assessment to determine what areas would be impacted in case of a natural disaster. This data helped us design a plan to be prepared for these issues if or when they occur,” Amanda Meneses, City of Southlake Emergency Manager said.
To build a multi-jurisdictional, county-level HazMAP, the plan was coordinated through a partnership with Tarrant County, the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) and 33 participating jurisdictions.
The plan is a continuation for the previous HazMAP which was set to expire this year. The plan must be updated every five years and adopted by resolution.
“Our priority is to keep our community safe,” Meneses said. “If the HazMAP is not adopted, it would exclude Southlake from applying for federal mitigation grants.”
The plan meets the requirements of the Code of Federal Regulations, State of Texas Division of Emergency standards and the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000, which allows access to federal mitigation grants that would otherwise be inaccessible without an approval from HazMAP.
In Southlake, safety and security are two of the City’s highest strategic priorities and new investments are proposed within the FY 2019 budget to advance a number of safety goals.
People who live, work or play in any community want to be able to go about their days without threat, injury or property loss. The degree to which they are safe and secure in their homes, or when they are out and about living their lives is often the result of efforts made by the local municipality.
“Becoming a victim of a crime or experiencing a significant health crisis can change lives forever,” said City Manager Shana Yelverton. “It’s our aim to minimize the risk, and if something does happen, to make sure we are exceedingly helpful in setting things back to normal.”
To ensure a high level of public safety, the City is focused on a number of key initiatives for the coming year, including improving school safety, ensuring that police and fire personnel have the equipment they need to perform excellently, and even funds to minimize the risk of mosquito-borne illness.
“Campus safety is a top priority of the Southlake Police Department. Our strong partnerships with Southlake families and Carroll ISD has helped create new opportunities to enhance school safety while keeping school faculty and our students focused on learning in a safe, protected environment,” said Police Chief James Brandon.
The Crime Control and Prevention District Board of Directors has allocated more than $500,000 from the District’s half-cent sales tax revenue to fund school safety initiatives. A task force is currently studying best practices and will identify ideas to assist Chief Brandon and the Police Department with their work. These initiatives will complement the work already underway by Southlake’s 12 School Resource Officers (SROs).
The PD will also make technology purchases to aid in investigative processes and protective gear for officers.
The Fire Department has also reviewed their programs and equipment so they are ready to respond as needed.
“Readiness is about ongoing training and having the equipment and materials we need to get the job done,” said Fire Chief Michael Starr. “This fiscal year we’ll be focused on emergency management planning and tabletop exercises, managing mosquito threats, and general training.” In addition, the Department will be purchasing a replacement fire truck.
Funds are also included in the budget for workplace safety and occupational training, designed to eliminate costly accidents and lost time, and safety at City facilities and parks.
“We have an important obligation to be vigilant and well-prepared. The resources provided through the budget are well-considered investments into the safety of our beautiful community,” said Yelverton.