Latest news from the Pemberville-Freedom Fire Department
GRAIN BIN SAFETY
A 2019 report showed there were 67 fatal and non-fatal grain entrapments in the country, which is an increase of 9.8% over 2018. There were 39 fatal grain entrapments in 2019. Forty-five percent of known grain entrapments involve corn.
Once entrapped, it is impossible to escape flowing grain. A flowing column of grain can entrap someone to their knees and waist in 3-5 seconds. Depending on the size and speed of the unloading auger, a person can be completely engulfed in less than 30 seconds, leading to suffocation.
Thanks to a generous donation from the Anderson’s in Maumee Ohio, the Pemberville-Freedom Fire Department now has $3,750 in life saving equipment (Grain Rescue Tube, Auger and Vacuum) to aid in rescuing trapped individuals.
We also want say Thank you to the Millennial Farmer (https://www.mnmillennialfarmer.com/) for donating $1,750 to the Fire Department to assist in purchasing live saving equipment.
Did You Know?
- The Pemberville-Freedom Fire Department has provided day crew coverage with (1) Firefighter/EMT and (1) Firefighter/Paramedic for over 20 years between the hours of 8am and 5pm.
- The PFFD has 53 firefighters.
- The PFFD has 25 Paramedics, 5 Advanced EMT's, 14 basic EMT's and 1 First Responder.
- The PFFD has 21 Firefighters trainied at a Level II, and 15 Firefighters trained at a Level I. Level II is the highest level of fire training in the state of Ohio.
- The average response time in 2020 was 8 min and 33 seconds.
- The PFFD had 1027 man-hours of training.
- 40% of emergency calls occured during the day crew hours of 8am-5pm.
Ever wonder why fire hydrants are painted a certain color?
In an effort to make it easier for firefighters to know what a specific hydrant will supply, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends that hydrants be uniformly color-coded to indicate water-flow capabilities (Known as NFPA 291), so firefighters can assess their capabilities at a glance. If a hydrant is temporarily out of service, it will be covered with a black bag, or something else that indicates it’s not to be used.
The color-coding scheme comes into play on the tops and nozzle caps. The color reflects the rated water-flow capacity of that particular hydrant:
- Blue – over 1,500 gallons per minute (gpm)
- Green – 1000 to 1,499 gpm.
- Orange/Yellow – 500 to 999 gpm.
- Red – less than 500 gpm.
The NFPA sets these standards and most fire departments and water companies try to follow them. In the end however, these are just guidelines and not necessarily requirements. The NFPA recommendation is not the only color-coding system used. Many different municipalities create their own, for their specific situation. So when you are driving around your neighborhood and see a hydrant painted a specific color, be assured that the color has a purpose.
Ever wonder what each color fire helmet represents?
There is no standard for the color of helmets so it varies from department to department. In the Pemberville-Freedom Fire Department the colors signify the rank and tenure of the firefighters.The PFFD helmet colors signify the following:
- White – Chief Officers (Fire Chief and Asst. Chiefs)
- Red – Captains and Lieutenants
- Black – Firefighter
- Yellow- Probationary Firefighter
- Orange – Cadet
Table and Chair Rental
The Pemberville-Freedom Fire Department Association has table and chair rental. We have banquet tables and standard steel folding chairs. Folding tables and chairs are ideal for casual events, such as birthdays, graduation parties, and backyard weddings. To schedule rentals contact or stop by the fire station. Rental dates vary based on availability. To help maintain the quality of our tables and chairs, we charge per table and chair. The total cost must be paid at time of pick-up.
8 foot Folding Table - $3.00 each/per day
Steel Folding Chair - $.25 each/per day