Greetings from the thirteenth floor. Fall is about to fall, my question is, where did summer go? This has been a very pleasant summer, with rain and fair temperatures.
I want to pause and thank God for his protecting hand being over several of our state’s firefighters in the last two months. I have visited with nine firefighters who were injured in firefighting incidents. Some will carry scars the rest of their lives from these events. Continue to pray for their total recovery. Be diligent, use training to your benefit, and keep a watch on your fellow firefighter, so everyone goes home!
October 6-12, is National Fire Prevention Week. The theme for this year is Look, Listen, and Learn – Be Aware, Fire Can Happen Anywhere. You can go to usfa.fema.gov/prevention/outreach/fpw.html for more information. This is a great opportunity to visit with schools, daycares, senior citizens centers, and churches about fire safety. Preventing fires should be our mission and that is our goal from the thirteenth floor. Join us in putting fire out of business!
Free ten year smoke alarms have now saved 627 lives across our nations. We have six confirmed lives saved in Missouri in 2019. Our state has installed 12,453 alarms, in 5,243 homes. Thank you to each department who have participated, and partnered with the American Red Cross in this great initiative. If your department would like to participate in this life saving effort, please call our office at 573-751-2930 and ask for me. We will help get you set up. As I like to say, “Neighbors caring for neighbors, the Missouri way!”
Close Before You Doze, this is another way we can save lives and property across our state. Take time and visit this website closeyourdoor.org. It is very evident that this works. Let’s take this out with us and educate our communities how this is another tool in fire safety!
Light the Night, for fallen firefighters! Join me and others across our state who will be lighting the night red. From September 29–October 6, please turn your outside station lights red, as well as home porch lights, etc. Anyone in your community can participate by turning their lights red! This leads into the National Fallen Firefighter memorial service in Emmitsburg, Maryland October 5-6. Last year we only had one department that participated. Let’s change that this year. The thirteenth floor will be lit supporting our own LODD, (2018) Russell H. Hayes, El Dorado Fire Department. Go to firehero.org/light-the-night/ for more information.
Bells Across America for fallen fighters is another way for communities to remember firefighters who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Go to BellsAcrossAmerica.com for more details. There is several ways to participate with this ceremony. Let’s ring some bells across our state. If you do, take pictures of all of these events and send them to us. We would like to know who participated!
As many of you have heard, we have a different way for you to get the free training classes. The fire department will have to request the class from now on. Go to our website; dfs.dps.mo.gov/programs/training/contract-awarded.php this will allow you to look at classes that are available, as long as funding is available. Please contact Becky Trapani at 573-751-5303 or 573-522-2426 if you have any trouble. We want to get you training!
As we approach September 11, Patriot Day, the eighteenth anniversary of that horrendous day, we will be honoring those who lost their lives by hosting our Third Annual Division of Fire Safety 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb. Come join us in raising-funds for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundations (NFFF) who then supports your surviving family if you were to die while in the line of duty. Go to events.firehero.org/missouristate and register. Even if you can’t make it to the climb, the money goes to a great cause. We will have door prices and climber bags for the ones who register. A great investment of $35!
In closing, thank you to everyone who shows up with the best boots on the ground and leaves things better than you found them, day in and day out. I appreciate the opportunity to serve you! Please feel free to contact me at 573-751-1742 if there is anything we can do for you, and your department.
Stay Safe,
J. Tim Bean
State Fire Marshal
Division of Fire Safety
FFAM
