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One minute. That is the time a firefighter has to put on their protective bunker gear consisting of pants, coat, hood, helmet, mask, breathing apparatus, and gloves upon an emergency dispatcher’s notification of a fire call.
“The tones will go off and [the dispatcher] will usually say ‘Stand by structural, stand by structural’ to let everyone who’s out know that we have a call,” said Greg Manglona, fire captain. “Then they’ll ring it again … and then they’ll do a quick description of what the emergency is.”
NSA Souda Bay’s Fire & Emergency Services works each day with Team Souda to prevent fires and emergencies through inspections and education, but are prepared to respond to medical, structural, and flight line emergencies, if required.
Manglona said there is a fire panel in the station that lights up and provides information about the emergency. A red light indicates a structural call, which could be triggered by a smoke detector, a pull station, or a problem with the fire suppression system. A flashing blue and red light indicates a medical call and a green light indicates there is an emergency on the flight line.
Nick Stratoudakis, fire captain, said ensuring people’s safety is their first priority when responding to a call.
“We’ll try to evacuate the building, that’s the first thing,” said Stratoudakis. “Then we’ll do our 360 [building inspection]. Then we’ll go in with the crew chiefs, with a firefighter, and inspect the building. We’ll see the fire panel [in the building] to see where exactly [it is] – that helps a lot. It will show you Room 102 second floor … so you know where to go.”
Manglona said that once a scene is controlled and everything is safe, the fire chief in-charge will let the firefighters know the job is completed.
The following is what a typical day looks like for a firefighter at NSA Souda Bay:
7:30 a.m. Arrive at the Fire Station
Firefighters start coming in around 7:30 a.m. to get ready for their shift by changing into the uniform and setting out their bunker gear, said Manglona.
7:50 a.m. Roll Call and Turnover
About 10 minutes before the shift change at 8 a.m., Manglona said the station captains or assistant chiefs will take a head count of who is present to identify if anyone is missing or has called in sick.
The on-coming shift is informed of important thing they need to know, such as: are there any fire hydrants or trucks out of service? Were there any calls that happened during their shift?
“It’s pretty much a face-to-face with my counterpart on the engine crew, or [ambulance], or any of the crash trucks,” said Manglona. “So that gives us maybe a good 10 minutes to pass on whatever we need.”
8 a.m. Shift Change and Team Meeting
The NSA Souda Bay Fire Department is staffed with both U.S. and Greek firefighters. The U.S. firefighters work 48-hour shifts and the Greek firefighters work 8-hour shifts.
The entire team meets during the morning shift change with the off-going shift and on-coming shift standing in lines facing each other. At this time the fire chief, assistant chiefs, and station captains talk about any training, drills, appointments, or specific programs that must be accomplished that day.
8:10 to 8:45 a.m. Equipment Check
Manglona said after the team meeting, everyone breaks and goes to their trucks to check that their equipment is in place and that the truck is running and has water and fuel.
While on shift, the firefighters are assigned to either a fire engine truck, crash truck (airport rescue and firefighting truck), or ambulance.
9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Classes
Each day the firefighters attend training classes on a variety of topics that are scheduled throughout the year by the training chief. The firefighters who are certified to instruct on that topic will teach the class, said Manglona.
“We can have a class on EMS [that includes] heat stress, hypothermia, hyperthermia, and that would be the focus on this day,” said Manglona. “So the next day we would have an aircraft [training]… so we’ll focus on the C-130 and break that down and go over setup and rescue.”
12 to 1 p.m. Lunch Break
1 p.m. Training and Program Management
Manglona said in the afternoon each firefighter works on their assigned program, such as purchasing, prevention, bunker testing, hazardous material, and emergency medical services.
“Depending on what program we’re in, we could be busy until 6 (or) 7 at night just on the computer or going out and inspecting during the day and coming back and doing the paperwork and the computer work.”
3:30 p.m. Physical Training
Manglona said many firefighters will go to the gym to do their physical training in the afternoon. Since the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the gym’s availability, some firefighters have started exercising in the truck stalls by lifting weights and kettlebells.
4 p.m. Day shift turnover with swing shift
The Greek firefighters who work the swing shift from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. arrive and receive turnover information from the Greek day shift crew.
“They will usually have the shift roster posted in the stalls,” said Manglona. “So when the oncoming shift comes they just look at what truck they are assigned to and then talk to the counterpart that was on it, and then go from there.”
6 p.m. Dinner
Manglona said the U.S. and Greek firefighters who are working usually try to eat dinner together several times a week.
“There’s a couple Greeks that like to cook and there are certain dishes that we request them to make,” said Manglona. “But the U.S. [firefighters], we all try to take turns.”
When asked which firefighters were the better cooks, Karl Chen, firefighter, pointed to Manglona.
“He’s grill master Greg,” said Chen.
12 a.m. Swing shift turnover with night crew
The Greek firefighters who work the night shift from 12 a.m. to 8 a.m. arrive and receive turnover information from the swing shift crew.
Fire Prevention
According to NSA Souda Bay’s Fire Chief John Rodgers, he and his Fire Department are trying to identify the unknown things that are “lying in wait” and could cause a fire.
In turn, sound Fire & Emergency Services prevention practices are the foundation of an effective fire protection and life safety program, according to the Navy’s Fire and Emergency Service Program instruction.
Included in the prevention practices of NSA Souda Bay’s Fire Department are National Fire Prevention Week events which will be held across the installation Oct. 5 – 9. This year’s NFPW theme is “Serve Up Fire Safety In The Kitchen.”
Stratoudakis said that the most common call the Fire Department responds to is related to cooking in the barracks. He said by being a little more careful and not distracted while preparing food can prevent smoke alarms from being set off by forgetting food in the microwave or in frying pans on the stove top.
“They put some oil in [a frying pan] and it smokes and then the alarm goes off,” said Stratoudakis. “I think people are paying attention but then sometimes … you get a phone call and forget this, and that is how it happens, usually.”
Manglona said another important prevention tip is being aware of how much smoke a type of food gives off when cooked.
“If you know you have something that smokes up when you’re cooking, let’s say sausage or meat, know that it is going to smoke up a little,” said Manglona. “So you may want to open up a window or a door to prevent that.”
And if you wondered whether the Fire Department responds every time a smoke detectors goes off – the answer is yes.
“If a smoke detector goes off it will automatically send it to dispatch and yeah, we’ll know,” said Manglona. “We’ll go there and we will know exactly what room and everything.”
If you would like to learn more fire prevention tips, visit www.nfpa.org or attend one of the demonstrations Team Souda’s firefighters will be holding around the installation Oct. 5 – 9.
Friday, October 2
Fire Prevention Week Proclamation Signing
1 p.m. at the Fire Station
Monday, October 5
Meet and Greet with Inflatable Firefighter
6:30 a.m. - 8 a.m. at Mouzouras Gate
Tuesday, October 6
Sidewalk CPR Demonstration and Fire Engine Static Display
10 a.m. - noon at the Navy Exchange
Wednesday, October 7
Blood Pressure Checks and Fire Extinguisher Training Demonstration
10 a.m. - noon at the Navy Exchange
Thursday, October 8
Fire Station Open House including a Smoke Detector Class, Extrication and Fire Extinguisher Demonstration
10 a.m. - noon at the Fire Station
Team Souda, Here Is What Your Fire Department Wants You To Know:
John Rodgers, Fire Chief:
“Be more cognizant of housekeeping of items [such as] storage of items in stairwells, candles in the barracks – just step up your fire safety readiness.”
“We are heavily weighted and staffed by local national Greek firefighters. In fact we have 61 [firefighters] – 40 are local national Greek firefighters and the other part is the U.S. The big thing about that is some of these Greek firefighters maintain some of our most valuable programs, life safety programs, like the respiratory protection and some of our major pieces of equipment. So they are the continuity for sure.”
Greg Manglona, Fire Captain
“Check your smoke detectors. Check your fire extinguishers. Know the proper rules on what to cook and what to do if you’re in the [barracks].
“Make sure that everything works around your common area. That’s the big thing that you don’t want to be complacent. You want to check everything. If you have any questions, if you’re not sure on anything dealing with the fire regulations or anything, come by the station – we’re open 24/7.”
Nick Stratoudakis, Fire Captain
“I think that they should know that we are like a family in here and we are all for the same purpose here. There is nothing to separate us. Greeks or Americans, we’re all for the same purpose in here – try to have the base safe and people safe. That’s the whole thing and what we try to do.”
Karl Chen, firefighter
“Treat the alarms like they are real. I know there are a lot drills and everything but there is going to be that time when it’s real and we’re going to need you to leave your barracks room or your office and follow the directions to evacuate and go to your meeting point.”
Stelios Saravelakis, firefighter
“You just have to watch out for your food. Be [physically] there in your room and if you think that the smoke will affect the alarm, open your window [and] ventilate your room.”
| Date Taken: | 10.01.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 10.02.2020 02:39 |
| Story ID: | 380051 |
| Location: | GR |
| Web Views: | 298 |
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This work, A Day In The Life of Fire & Emergency Services at NSA Souda Bay, Greece, by Joel Diller, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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