Mayer Community Guide MayerNGGuide19-Final

signiﬁ cant commitment, intense training, and likely danger, the members of the ﬁ re department manage to ﬁ nd an opportunity for recreation every year. The New Germany Fire Department Relief Association hosts its annual softball tournament each August, and typically, more than 20 local ﬁ re departments participate. Anyone who lives or works within the ﬁ re protection zone served by the department is eligible to volunteer for membership. Physical and other requirements must be met. Contact any ﬁ re department ofﬁ cer for more information on joining this honorable crew. Intense training is an important part of being a ﬁ reﬁ ghter. All members of the department participate in regular, ongoing training in a variety of areas. The department conducts one training meeting every month, and in addition to this, members participate in classes and training events throughout the year. One of the goals of the department is to make sure ﬁ reﬁ ghters are always prepared to deal with the situations they may encounter. Today, training is more important than ever, because the nature of ﬁ reﬁ ghting has evolved over the years. Equipment to ﬁ ght ﬁ res has also evolved, and this is another reason that ongoing training is vital. Fireﬁ ghters must be comfortable with, and understand the equipment before they are called upon to use it at a ﬁ re scene. Recently, the ﬁ re department bought two new thermal imaging cameras, which are used for interior attack ﬁ reﬁ ghting. This equipment helps ﬁ re ﬁ ghters ﬁ nd and rescue people in smoke-ﬁ lled rooms. To help keep homes safe, New Germany ﬁ reﬁ ghters remind residents to change smoke alarm batteries yearly, and to have carbon monoxide detectors replaced every seven years. Homeowners with long driveways and driveways with low-hanging branches should also make sure their driveways are cleared year-round. A 14-foot height and width opening above the driveway allows emergency vehicles to access homeowners’ property and buildings. Additionally, driveways and houses should be clearly marked with address numbers, both in town and in the country. �� 28 Guide to Mayer & New Germany 2019-2020

Mayer Community Guide MayerNGGuide19-Final | Page 28