Placentia (CA) Fire & Life Safety is a career department that opened on July 1, 2020. It is comprised of full-time firefighters, reserve firefighters, and single-function paramedic provided by Lynch Ambulance Service. Placentia has two fire stations that protect close to 52,000 residents over 6.63 square miles.
Health and safety of their members is a key focus for the department. They have improved their ability to handle a mayday by building a fireground rehab policy along with the addition of an RIC group supervisor accountability board. In addition, they plan to launch a three-month training series to keep health and safety at the forefront throughout the year.
For the 2021 Safety Stand Down, they found a training schedule that works for their members’ 48/96 work schedule. The training concentrated on this year’s theme of Rebuild Rehab and was broken down into 48-hour segments as follows:
Day 1
- Heat stress/hydration
- Cardiac health/nutrition
- Exposure mitigation
- Provided videos
Day 2
- Mental health
- Rehab support operations
- Recent case studies
The crews in the fire stations suspended all non-emergency activities to focus on these topics. In addition, the Orange County Training Officers Group put out a series on “Rebuild Rehab,” and the members in the stations completed that training via Vector Solutions.
According to Jon Muir, “One of the most memorable moments of this year’s Safety Stand Down was that the firefighter’s association hosted a fundraiser for a co-worker who has a child battling cancer. Many members said that the Safety Stand Down, along with the fundraiser, really brought crews closer together. They look forward to next year’s Safety Stand Down. All and all, a positive outcome for the Placentia Fire & Life Safety!”
