May 16, 2019
By: Dwayne Page
Firefighting and Rescue operations can be a strenuous undertaking, carried out in all weather conditions. The risk of stress to firefighters is critically high and can adversely affect their physical condition.
To help tend to their needs at the scene, the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department has formed a Fire Rehab volunteer program which is also a member of the multi-county Middle Tennessee Rehab Alliance. The team’s purpose is to help protect the health and safety of firefighters at an emergency scene or training exercise whether it be the county fire department or other responders.
Upon request, the team members respond to fire and crash scenes to provide rehab support to firefighters. Rehab members assist in providing drinks and nourishment along with other supplies needed to keep firefighters hydrated.
Dick Kinsey is the Rehab Team Leader and Lieutenant Kristie Johnson serves as department liaison with the Rehab Team.
“Sometimes firefighters will be on the scenes of structure fires for two or three hours at a time whether it be in the cold or hot and many times exhaustion sets in. Sometimes the adrenalin gets going increasing the risk of a stroke or heart attack. The job of our Rehab Team is to get them to sit down and rest for a while. We provide them drinks and snacks to rehydrate them, provide cold packs to cool them off and do basic first aid checking vital signs. We also do things for them that they would normally have to do such as changing out cylinder bottles on their air packs so it doesn’t take away from their time fighting fires on the scene. We have nine Rehab Team members and several of them are from our citizens academy including Lora Webb, Gena Cripps, and Darlene Tramel. We feel like its important to help take care of our own,” said Lieutenant Johnson.
As a member of the Middle Tennessee Rehab Alliance, Lieutenant Johnson said the DeKalb Rehab Team has access to outside support if needed. The Alliance also includes Sumner, Davidson, Williamson, Rutherford, and Wilson Counties. “If they need anything we can go to them or if we need help they can come to us in the event of a major disaster,” she said.
County Fire Chief Donny Green said the Rehab Team began in January and has already responded to at least a couple of calls. “We plan to expand the team by adding more volunteers in the months ahead,” he said.