Chief's Chat - October 2009

By Ken Burdette, CKFR Fire Chief

We are YOUR fire department and so much more. You can count on us to respond to your fire and medical emergencies. You can also find us in schools and at community events as we work to answer questions and prevent injuries through education. In October we are participating in "Give Burns the Boot" benefiting the NW Burn Foundation on October 3 at Fred Meyers in East Bremerton, we are hosting a Central Kitsap Fire & Rescue Open House on October 10 at Station 51, and we are sponsoring a district-wide fire escape planning contest for elementary school children.

October is known as the month when we focus on fire prevention activities in part because Fire Prevention Week has been on the calendar since 1920, but did you know 75% of our calls are medical emergencies? We hope you'll take a few minutes to read through the safety messages inside this publication and take action. The members of Central Kitsap Fire & Rescue are here to help you in an emergency situation, but a partnership with residents who take injury and medical prevention seriously means we can all be more effective in minimizing injuries and attending to the health of our community.

In good times and lean times, we know taxpayers are looking for the services we provide to be as cost-effective as possible. At the same time, you want us to respond as quickly as possible when an emergency arises. This is a balancing act. To meet the emergency call volume in Central Kitsap effectively, taxpayers approved a 2006 fire levy that allows us to hire 12 additional firefighters over the course of five years beginning in 2008. We are on schedule at this time with the addition of six firefighters. Despite the current economic situation, we are confident that with prudent budgeting we will meet our target of another six new firefighters by 2011. Also in 2006, taxpayers approved funds to replace our aging emergency vehicle fleet. Many of you have seen and benefited from the addition of our four new urban fire engines and seven new rural engines that are able to maneuver narrow road and deep snow. Central Kitsap Fire & Rescue also placed into service four new medic units this year.

This winter as we head into flu and cold season, in an effort to keep the community healthy Central Kitsap Fire & Rescue recommends everyone gets a yearly seasonal flu vaccine. To keep from catching the flu and a cold, it is important to practice good, frequent hand washing. Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze. If you become ill, limit your contact with others to keep from infecting them.

Top notch service and accountability to our residents is what we strive to achieve. As Chief of Central Kitsap Fire & Rescue, I think we do a great job of meeting this goal, but I am realistic enough to know that as with any organization there is room for improvement. If you have constructive ideas on ways we can better serve the Central Kitsap community, I would appreciate hearing from you. Stop by our Open House and Chili Feed on October 10, 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM or give me a call any time at 360.447.3550.

Ken Burdette
Fire Chief

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