FY2015 Arlington Fire Department Annual Report FY 2015 | Page 14

FY 2015 Accomplishments Annual Fire Rescue Training Prevention Study and Findings 2015 Focus: High Rise High Rise training was completed in FY 2015 as part of a two-year process. The initial classroom portion, conducted in FY 2014, reviewed all necessary functions of battling a high rise fire. The focus was on firefighter safety and maintaining crew unity to prevent serious injury or death. In the spring of FY 2015, a citywide hands-on drill was held, incorporating the classroom lessons. The training focused on the factors encountered during a high rise incident and the importance of establishing key operational functions. In 2015, the Arlington Fire Department conducted an indepth study of Fire Prevention’s duties, responsibilities, and workload in an effort to assess the section’s ability to retain highly skilled workers. Members of the team gathered detailed data on Fire Inspection, Fire Investigations, and Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams’ duties, certification requirements, and workloads. Issues identified in the report were submitted with recommendations to address each issue. The report’s findings were approved and the recommendations were implemented in August 2015. Cardiac Survival Training 9th EOD K-9 Unit In December 2014, a ninth canine was donated anonymously to the Fire Department and a canine handler was identified. In January 2015, both Jay White and George (dog) were sent to Alabama for 10 weeks of training. The team was certified in March and were put into service in April for the Academy of Country Music Awards Event. In 2015, the Arlington EMS System made its 100th cardiac arrest save since implementation of the Cardiocerebral Resuscitation (CCR) Protocol in June 2011. The CCR protocol focuses on providing optimal timing for defibrillation, minimizing interruptions to chest compressions, minimizing pauses between chest compressions and defibrillation, early administration of intravenous epinephrine, and minimizing over-ventilation during cardiac arrest. During FY 2015, the Arlington EMS System saved 24 lives with this program and showed an outstanding bystander CPR rate of 55.2%, which is well above the national average of 39%. DUTY / HONOR / COMPASSION 13 / EXCELLENCE