4/28/2008-Fire Academy Wrapping up!

It's been a long four months, but the 2008 Platteville-Gilcrest & Milliken Firefighter I Training Academy has come to end! The students went through 180 hours of training; two nights a week and every Saturday; covering topics such as fire behavior, fire attack, ventilation, search and rescue, ropes and knots, public education, fire prevention, and several others. The students received great instruction from a broad base of Instructors from Platteville-Gilcrest, Milliken, La Salle, Loveland, Fort Lupton, and Frederick-Firestone fire departments. Milliken has seven firefighters graduation this year: Tyler Allen, Dan Batten, Joe Belanger, Jonathan Burkett, Brandon Cody, Mike Farris, and Rick Raisch.

2/5/2008-Structure fire mutial aid in Johnstown

Milliken Engine 3201 was paged Mutual Aid for Johnstown Fire on a residential structure fire. Milliken Engine 3201 arrived on scene with Johnstown Engine 2901 and was assigned to conduct a primary search of the structure. Engine 3201's crew conducted a primary search and gave Command an all clear of the structure. Engine 3201 was then released. Milliken Fire Investigators remained on scene to conduct the fire investigation.

2/5/2008-Milliken Fire responds to a vehicle rollover on Highway 257

On February 5, 2008 Milliken Fire was paged to a vehicle rollover off of Highway 257 just East of the Mad Russian Golf Course. Engine 1 was the first unit onscene and found a car about 200 feet off the side of the road. After further investigation Engine 1 found one patient still inside the vehicle. It was reported that another person was in the vehicle and possibly ejected during the crash. After searching the area Milliken fire was informed that the information was wrong. Engine 1 begin patient care on the one injured victim. Weld County Paramedics and Milliken Command 3260 arrived at the same time and assisted with patient care and packaging. Milliken Engine 2 arrived shortly after and assisted with the search for the possible 2 victim. 3260 was able to gain access to the vehicle by driving down a small dirt road. The patient was loaded into the back of 3260 and then driven up to the waiting ambulance to be transported.

2/3/2008-Milliken firefighters participate in Ice Rescue Technical Training

Several Milliken Firefighters participated with other area fire departments in ice rescue technical training on Feb 3 hosted by Johnstown Fire Protection District. Training included classroom instruction and practical live exercises at the Johnstown reservoir. The practical training at the lake was covered by a few Television and Newspaper agencies. A couple of reporters were invited to don the rescue suits and act as victims in the water. Weather for this year�s event was favorable with the ice being thick enough to provide �real� conditions that rescuers would encounter. All participants were instructed in identifying different types of ice, the strengths and weakness associated with ice formations, and how to set up, command, and safely accomplish ice water rescue. The training also included scenarios that involved injured victims in the water with special medical precautions that need to be built into the rescue. Special thanks to Ryan Beyer, lead instructor.

11/28/2007-Milliken Fire assists Johnstown Fire with fatal traffic accident on CR 17

On November 28, 2007 at 11:07 a.m. Milliken Fire responded to North C.R. 17 to assist Johnstown Fire with a Vehicle Accident with injuries. Upon Milliken's arrival Engine 3202 began extrication of the driver of a white van involved in the accident using the jaws of life. While Milliken Engine 3202 was attempting to remove a patient from their vehicle, Johnstown Fire's Rescue 7 was extricating the passenger of a Jeep Cherokee involved in the accident. Sixty minutes later Milliken Engine 2 was finaly able to free the driver of the van. A Milliken firefighter transported 1 patient emergent with Weld County ambulance to Medical Center of the Rockies, while a second Milliken firefighter transported a second patient to Northern Colorado Medical Center. The passenger of the Jeep Cherokee was flown to Northern Colorado Medical Center with serious injuries. Once all patients were transported the crews began the process of removing the deceased from the Jeep Cherokee. Units on scene were Johnstown Rescue 7, Johnstown Brush 1, and Milliken Engine 2.

11/9/2007-Department takes delivery of new Sutphen Engine

The new Sutphen Shield S1 custom pumper has been delivered to the department. The engine needs to be pump tested and have additional equipment placed on it before it can be placed in service. This equipment includes but is not limited to the following. Communications systems, medical cabinet, command light, department lettering, and many others. The Engine is scheduled to go out the week of November 12th to have this work performed.

11/9/2007-Milliken engine 3203 retrofitted and returned to service

Milliken engine 3203 has been returned to service after being retrofitted in Loveland by SuperVac. The new additions to the engine include a medical compartment in the cab, lettering, additional hose bed compartments, irons holders, chainsaw and cribbing compartment, and wheel chock holders. Engine 3203 was formally 3202 and will now be a reserve engine for the district available to respond to all calls as needed.

Safety Tips

Residential fires kill around 3,000 Americans each year, but they don't need to. Most deaths can be prevented if homeowners follow some basic fire prevention tips. Here are some basic fire safety suggestions to help ensure your household is as prepared as possible in the event of a fire!

Home Fire Safety Tip #1: Install Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Simply put, having smoke detectors installed in your home is your single best weapon against fire fatalities. Of those 3,000 deaths mentioned earlier, almost � happen in homes without working smoke detectors. Smoke detectors should be placed on every floor of your home and in the immediate vicinity of any bedrooms. The detectors should be tested once a month, and the batteries should be replaced at least once a year. Most manufacturers suggest that you completely replace your smoke detectors every 10 years as well, just to be safe!

Home Fire Safety Tip #2: Develop an Escape Plan

Besides smoke detectors, the second most important thing you can do is to draw up an escape plan, and talk about it, in detail, with your family. This means planning at least two escape routes from every bedroom, purchasing fire ladders for upstairs bedrooms, and making sure that every member of your household knows basic home fire safety procedures. Checking doors for heat before opening them, crawling on the floor to stay out of the smoke, and knowing the closest way out, can all save lives in a major fire. Finally, don't just talk about your plan, practice it at least twice a year. Remember those fire drills back in grade school? Schedule a few for your home as well.

Home Fire Safety Tip #3: Install Fire Extinguishers

Having several fire extinguishers on hand throughout your home is critical when it comes to making sure small fires don't turn into big ones. Always keep one in the kitchen, one in the garage, and one in any workshop areas of your home, since those are where most residential fires start. Also, check your extinguishers regularly to make sure they're still in working order. There's nothing more heartbreaking than pulling the pin, squeezing the handle, and having nothing happen because your fire extinguisher has expired.

Home Fire Safety Tip #4: Use Your Noggin!

Many residential fires happen purely because homeowners are careless when it comes to common fire prevention tips. Never smoke in bed, for example. Doing so is just asking for trouble. Also, place space heaters at least 3 feet away from any flammable surface, including walls, since they are another major source of house fires. And finally, don't overload electrical sockets. There's a reason that outlets are manufactured with only two plug ins per unit. Overloading a circuit with extension chords and "octopus" outlets can easily lead to a fire.

Home Fire Safety Tip #5: Educate Children about the Dangers of Fire

By some accounts, over 100,000 fires are set every year by children under 5 years old playing with matches or lighters. Sit down and talk to your kids about the dangers of playing with fire, and about the potentially lethal consequences of doing so.

Home fire safety is a vital part of protecting members of your household from the devastating effects of a fire. By following a few simple fire prevention tips, you can rest easy knowing you and yours are as prepared as possible if the worst should happen to you.

Carbon monoxide is produced from incomplete combustion of fossil fuels. In the home CO can be formed, for example, by open flames, space heaters, blocked chimneys or running a car inside a garage.CO poisoning symptoms include; (confusion, headaches, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, etc). If you suspect you have suffered CO poisoning, go outside immediately and call 911. At high levels, breathing CO gas is fatal within minutes. The devices, which retail for $20-$60USD and are widely available, can either be battery-operated or AC powered (with or without a battery backup). Batteries should be replaced regularly to guarantee proper operation. We recommend you change the batteries twice a year when you change your clocks, just as you would your smoke detectors.It is important to install the detector in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

CO detectors can be placed near the ceiling or near the floor as CO is very close to the same density as air. Detectors should be placed outside the bedrooms. Since CO is colorless and odorless (unlike smoke from a fire), detection in a home environment is impossible without such a warning device. All CO detectors have "test" buttons and, like smoke detectors, should be tested regularly (weekly or monthly).Common modern (2007) battery-powered models have a limited life (of about seven years), and are designed to signal a need to be replaced after that time span.

In the Sate of Colorado you can leave your baby, up to 3 days old, with a hospital worker at any hospital,or with a firefighter at any fire station in Colorado. It is important to understand that the new law requires that if you wish to use the program, you must leave your baby with a person, and not, for example, in a bathroom at a hospital. Newborn children need lots of tender care.

Q: Do I have to take my baby to the hospital/Fire Station, or can I ask someone else?

A: Only the parent of a child can bring a baby to the hospital or Fire Station to leave with a firefighter or hospital employee.The people who receive your baby will probably ask you a few questions. Each hospital or fire station will do things a little differently, but most will offer you the opportunity to provide some health information. This background, called a "medical history," will be incredibly valuable for your baby as he or she grows up. This information will be put in your baby�s records, and may help answer health questions in the future.When you're scared, it can be hard to believe that there are people out there who care and want to help, but you know what? There are people out there who care and want to help you.

Q: What happens to my baby after I leave the hospital?

A: The hospital will take care of any medical needs your baby may have. They will then contact Children and Family Services who will take care of your child.

If you have any question please don't hesitate to call the Toll Free Hotline: 1-866-694-2229