CPR / AED

Thanks to those firefighters who made it through another CPR / AED recertification. Your attention to detail is appreciated. Thanks for all you do for the Department.

Association Meeting

Scott Co. Firefighters Association meeting at Fort Blackmore this Thurdsay at 1930 hrs. All FBVFD firefighters are requested to attend if possible.

Christmas Party

Plan for the annual Christmas Party for Firefighters on Saturday 20th December.

EMT Class and Recertification Class

An EMT Class will begin on 20OCT08 at 1800 at Scott Co Life Saving Crew in Gate City. Those interested should contact Assistant Chief Perry.

An EMT Recertification Weekend will begin Friday, 19Oct08 and will be held at Nickelsville Rescue Squad. Those EMT's who wish to attend this recerticiation weekend should contact Capt. Marshall with NVRS in Nickelsville. The class will contineu on Sunday daytime and finish on Monday evening.

Upcoming Association Meeting Locations

2008-2009 Scott Co Firefighters Association meeting times and locations are listed below:

All times 1930 hrs:
Oct 02 - Nickelsville Fire Department
Nov 06 - Weber City Fire Deparment
Dec 04 - Fort Blackmore Fire Department

Holmatro Tools

An inspection of the Holmatro tools will be done at 1300 on Friday, 19OCT08, by the Rural Development Coordinator from Lebanon, VA. Any Officer that is free that day should report to the hall by 1245 hrs.

CPR Recertification

A CPR REcertification will be scheduled in the near future. It is hoped that this training can be done in October. Contact the Chief Officer for more information.

Candy Stand-by

Stand-by at FBVFD 31OCT08 1600-2000

FBVFD will sponsor a candy-giveaway at the Station on the date listed above. Firefighters are urged to attend. Members are requested to be on stand-by during the week-end as it is usually a high activity slice of time. Contact a Department Officer if you cannot attend.

VDFP Meeting

The Virginia Department of Fire Programs, District IV, coordinator, Mr. Dennis Price, will be at Gate City Fire Department on Tuesday , 14OCT08, at 1900. All Departments are requested to send a respresentative.

Fire Prevention Week

Fire Preventio Week is October 7-13, 2008. The Department will be presenting a program to the Fort Blackmore Primary School on Friday, 10OCT08 at 0900. All Department members are requested to attend.

Cake Walk

Cake Walk to be held June 14th. It may be held at one of two places: Front Porch Store or Fort Blackmore Primary School. Contact the Department for information. 276-995-2035

Chief on the Move

The Chief at Fort Blackmore VFD must go to his mom's out West to help her transition to a new way of life. Her health has taken a different turn. Chief Currier will be gone until late June, '08. Assistant Chief Perry will be the contact for the Department at 276-995-2035 STATION or 276-995-1156 FAX. Chief Currier will leave contact numbers before he goes West.

A Personal Note

I would like to take this space to thank all those volunteers at Fort Blackmore Fire Department who took time out of their busy schedule to stand-by at the Station during May 10th's County-Wide Exercise. I was very proud of the way you all did that. It is unfortunate that word did not filter to the Exercise Coordinators that you were available for that Exercise. I would like to take the rest of this space to remind Scott County that there are Seven fire departments inside the county boundaries, and there are actually Four EMS Providers in our county, which includes Fort Blackmore VFD First Responders. We may be small, and we may be far out in the countryside, but our hearts are just as big, and we volunteer our time and talent just like everyone else...

CPR Class

A recertication class for CPR will be held in May. Those interested, contact the Chief or Assistant Chief.

County-Wide Full Scale Event

The Scott County Department of Emergency Management will be holding it's 2nd annual Full Scale Event in May, 2008. Those firefighters who wish to attend should contact Chief Currier or Assistant Chief Perry for further information. Others who are not participating are requested to stand-by their radio in case of a fire department incident, or at the station.

Holmatro Extrication Tools

Tools and class for new extrication equipment that will be delivered to the Department, ref USDA Grant funds, will be held 1600 on 17th April, Thursday. All firefighters are urged to attend.

Pool Fill

Plan for an 18,000 gallon pool fill in the Big Moccasin RD area, Nickelsville, on the week of 12th April, 2008. Any firefighters not working on the day of the fill are requested to participate. Actual date and time TBA.

Vehicle Extrication Class

VA Fire Programs Vehicle Extrication Class to be held at Jonesville Training Center - Lee County, on Saturday 26th April, 2008. All Firefighters are urged to attend this training.

EVOC 3

Emergency Vehicle Operators Course : to be held in Roanoke on 12-13 April, 2008. Four firefighters from FBVFD will attend, staying overnight near the city.

Holmatro Extrication Tools

Our USDA grant to receive $17,500 through USDA Rural Development was approved in 2007. Currently, we are waiting on delivery. Delivery is scheduled for 15MAY08. We are excited to recieve this grant and look forward to delivery and training. The Holmatro Extrication Tools consist of spreader, cutter, ram, and hydraulic equipment and lines. These tools will aid us in extrication of victims in motor vehicle accidents and any other fire scene that requires extrication. We are trying to be patient, but the excitement builds.

EVOC CLASS HELD AT DUFFIELD STA3

EMERGENCY VEHICLE OPERATORS CLASS was held at Duffield VF&D's Station 3 over the weekend of 09FEB08. The class Instructor for VA DEPT OF FIRE PROGRAMS held the classroom portion on Saturday and the driver portion in the cold and blustery Sunday of 10FEB08. Twenty-six firefighters from Hiltons VFD, Gate City VFD, Fort Blackmore VFD, Abingdon VFD, Nickelsville VFD, and Duffield VF&R participated. When the Class 3 testing was completed, the Instructors allowed the firefighters to also take their Class 1 & 2 EVOC cone course test. Firefighters that attended the class, if certified, will be able to drive Class 1,2,&3 vehicles for their Departments. At this time, this certification is a lifetime certification through the VDFP. This lifetime certification may change in the future: an additional re-cert class may be in the works for Fire Programs EVOC certified firefighters. Congratulations to all.

EVDT vs EVOC

EVDT {Emergency Vehicle Driver Training} through VFIS is no longer accepted by VA Dept of Fire Programs. Our insurance carrier is in a scramble to have this driver training course re-certified. Currently, FBVFD is in the process of getting its drivers certified through EVOC and not EVDT. For those interested in taking EVOC {Emergency Vehicle Operators Classes}, contact the Training Officer.

EVOC

EVOC 3 through the VA Dept of Fire Programs will be taught at Duffield Fire & Rescue Station 3 on Sat-Sun 9-10 FEbruary, 2008, time 0800.

FBVFD Receives USDA Rural Development Grant

Fort Blackmore VFD received $16,500 towards extrication gear. The Holmatro Extrication Equipment is being ordered as we write this. Training and shipping are including. Our end of the Grant is approximatly $5500