pPublished in the PURCELLVILLE GAZETTE October 10 2015 Edition brBy Bill EgglestonppOctober seems to be a transitional month. The summer heat often extends through September but in October it usually gets cold with an occasional but unreliable period of Indian Summer. We go from an average high of 80 degrees in September to an average low of 51 in October. We go from baseball to football. From summer vacations to the back to work or school grind. We go from air conditioning to furnaces which leads me to remind everyone that it is also National Fire Prevention Month.ppThis year the National Fire Protection Associations key message is to install smoke alarms in every bedroom outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of your home including the basement. Larger homes may need even more alarms. It only makes sense when you consider that roughly half of home fire deaths result from fires reported between 11pm and 7am when most people are asleep. There is no question that smoke alarms save lives. In fact having a working smoke alarm cuts the chances of dying in a reported fire by half.ppHelp us help you because members of the Loudoun fire and rescue system are prepared and willing to visit your home to offer a free smoke detector check as well as provide additional fire safety information. They will replace batteries and provide or replace smoke alarms if needed. For more information about smoke alarms call the public education hotline at 703-737-8093 or contact the Purcellville Volunteer Fire Company PVFC at 540-338-5961.ppThe company ran 52 calls in September. Officers were also busy last month visiting the Pierce Manufacturing plant in Appleton WI for an in process review. Progress continues with delivery of our new tower ladder expected soon.ppOn Wednesday Sept. 2 we were honored to play host to guide dog puppies in training at our station. Eight dogs associated with Shenandoah Region Guiding Eyes for the Blind with their fostering families gained familiarity and a calming experience by walking around our large firefighting apparatus. They also met members dressed in full personal protective equipment all of which is intended to make the dogs acclimated to a scene that we hope they will never encounter.ppContinuing to spotlight our members monthly this month I turn to one with a most memorable name especially here in Virginia. He is Robert E. Lee though of no relation to his famous namesake. But interestingly enough they both married at Arlington House formerly named the Custis-Lee Mansion. We now know it as the Arlington National Cemetery. Who knew that as a National Park you could ask to be married thereppThis member is remarkable also in his long and varied volunteer career of more than seventeen years and for his familys strong tradition of volunteerism. In 1998 Robert was first recruited by a co-worker for a simple ride-along with Sterling Rescue. He went on to become an Emergency Medical Technician EMT and an expert in rope confined space and trench technical rescues. With this strong background he attended fire school in 2007 as a rescue lieutenant along with four members of his crew. He next joined our own PVFC in 2009 as a fully qualified EMT and fire fighter where he is now a driver in training for Crew 6.ppRoberts day job is in the information technology field in Reston. His wife Sarah works for the National Volunteer Fire Council which is the leading nonprofit membership association representing the interests of the volunteer fire EMS and rescue services. Her father was a career firefighter and his son Forrest is also a firefighter with the PVFC. Forrest is currently enrolled as a student in the ongoing five month EMT course following in the family tradition of volunteer service to the community.ppWhen asked why he volunteers he first said that it was only possible because of an understanding wife. Sarah knows the nature of the job and its time commitments because she grew up in a similar environment and saw it daily. Additionally Robert admits to being something of an adrenaline junky. He relishes being trained and prepared to such a degree that he can meet emergency challenges of all types. He said that when those in need are having their worst day he must have his best day. We should all be glad that there are people like Robert and his family volunteering their time energy and accepting the dangers of the job.p
Firefighters Corner: It Was a Busy September
