Marshall Democrat-News: Local News: Marshall firefighters train on ground support for air ambulance landings (01/26/12)

Marshall firefighter Ed Harper monitors the south perimeter of the landing zone Thursday, Jan. 26, as an Air Evac Lifeteam helicopter lands on the ConAgra lot near downtown Marshall as part of a training exercise.
(Eric Crump/Democrat-News)

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Marshall Fire Department's B shift firefighters spent the afternoon in a training session to enhance their knowledge of air ambulance helicopter landing procedures.

Jerry Kirchhoff, program director with Air Evac Lifeteam of Sedalia, provided a briefing Thursday, Jan. 26, followed by a helicopter landing in the ConAgra Foods lot just north of West Arrow Street.

Captain Tim Boedeker and firefighters Ron Narron, Ed Harper, Steve Fornshell, Ron Breshears and Nick Pointer watched the helicopter land about 4 p.m. and talked with the crew for about 40 minutes to learn more about their jobs.

Marshall firefighter Ron Narron listens while Flight Paramedia Mike Marler explains some of the technology aboard the Air Evac helicopter during a training exercise Thursday, Jan. 26.
(Eric Crump/Democrat-News)

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The crew Thursday was pilot Brian Dunn, flight nurse Winnie Parker and flight paramedic Mike Marler.

In coming days, A and C shift will go through the same program.

Contact Eric Crump at ecrump@marshallnews.com

I have a little trouble understanding some of the ambivalence that is shown towards emergency services. Emergency services are like insurance. You hope you never need it, but when you do, you are darn glad you have it. As for when and where disaster strikes, it is totally random, totally unpredictable and it is never, ever convenient.

When it comes to emergency services it is usually better to be over-prepared than under-prepared. Ask anyone who survived 9/11, Katrina, Joplin, or any of the recent local house fires or wrecks on I-70 or even the Sedalia tornado. I recall the big fire at Con Agra years ago. There weren't enough emergency services in the county for that and neighboring counties were called in. There was the plane crash in the suburbs of Jefferson City in 2004. Who on that day woke up thinking a jetliner would crash on their street? Miraculously and probably heroically, the pilots (who were killed) managed to keep the plane from hitting any houses. If they hadn't, Jefferson City emergency services would have been completely overwhelmed in minutes.

Accountability and prudence with budgets is one thing, but cutting whole shifts or sections out of emergency services to "save the budget" as some city governments are doing is like playing Russian Roulette. Odds are, you won't get shot at first, but with each click of the hammer the odds diminish. Its the same thing with an emergency or disaster. Eventually one will happen that will make everyone even remotely involved wish there had been more resources on hand, especially the victims.

Firefighting whether it is a paid career or volunteer is not a game and its not about the personal prestige of driving a big red truck. If that's all it is, that person is probably better off volunteering at something else. Also, "minor and moderate injuries" can turn life threatening in hours or less. I knew an individual who fell out of a tree, got up and brushed it off and kept on hunting. Several hours later he was rushed to the hospital. The doctors said another 30 minutes would have been too late. One simply cannot know or predict those things until they are checked out in a hospital.

There are undoubtedly much better places to start cutting government waste than emergency services. That should be one of the last things on the chopping block, not the first. I predict that the cities that are aggressively cutting their police, fire and ambulance services will one day have the opportunity to regret it.

-- Posted by Mountain Lion on Sat, Jan 28, 2012, at 8:34 PM

I do know that arrow rock fire department is in the process of restructuring and I am very glad that people in this community still care enough about their neighbors to step up and answer the calls when they come in. The equipment they have Is seriously outdated and in need of some serious attention. I do know they had problems the other morning with the trucks when responding to a call. I hope that with the restructuring they get the help the responders need to protect the community and themselves.

-- Posted by 1laststand on Fri, Jan 27, 2012, at 8:16 PM

In my personal humble opinion, the real issue with this situation pertains to our tax-based first responders being required to offer support to a PRIVATE & very FOR PROFIT business - known to charge exorbitant fees ($19,000 average by their own publicity!), dispatched on whose authority???, thus financially "obligating" the recipient, who often as not has minor to moderate injuries & is medically discharged in a few hours. All this after we tax-payers are assessed to support the Saline County Ambulance Service!Smells like a scam to me.

-- Posted by flyingdionysus on Fri, Jan 27, 2012, at 6:49 PM

Well Earl let's just get rid of the fire department, Ambulance, and police. That would make every thing better I guess. The public thinks that emergency services, career or volunteer, take up too much money but when they are called upon and come, any time day or night, well then all is right with the world. I for one think we are lucky to have Marshall Fire, Saline County Ambulance,and the Marshall Police, as well as all other county departments. I would also like to say to "1laststand", I do believe Arrow Rock FD is currently rebuilding and are responding to their calls and getting the job done without problems, just an FYI.

-- Posted by Tool on Fri, Jan 27, 2012, at 6:08 PM

This week there was a house on fire, one shift responded and they had to call more in just to protect another house. Sometimes one shift (4) is not enough to make sure the fire does not spread, then we are very glad to have all the fire fighters we have,

You never know when a fire is going to happen or how big it is. Our fire fighters put theri lives in danger to protect us, and then some one wants to complain because we have three shifts, I just hope whoever it is never needs them, as for me I am very glad to have them and know I am protected day and night,

My hat is off to each one, I know if my life was in danger they would do all they could to save it.

There has been times they could of lost their life (it come close) just to protect a dwelling or life after an auto crash. God bless each one, I for one thank you do a great job.

-- Posted by buttons on Fri, Jan 27, 2012, at 11:38 AM

I have a question for you earl and every other person in this county. How many firefighters do you think need to be on a shift? People want to sit here and complain and say we are spending to much money on our fire dept. I suppose you want marshall fire dept to become like arrow rock volunteer fire dept and not be able to make it to a fire call because of old equipment and inferior equipment. I hope the day never comes for you sinnical people when you need the firefighters and paramedics and all the training they go through to put their lives on the line to save you, a family member, or all your posessions. It takes a certain type of person to be unselfish and risk their lives for a stranger! God bless all of our firefighters, police officers,paramedics, and soldiers to give their all for people they don't even know.

-- Posted by 1laststand on Fri, Jan 27, 2012, at 8:43 AM

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.....numbers are from the past, Earl thats awesome that you can read the future and know that calls are going to continue to go down. Also I'm sure if Marshall Fire took away a shift and had no coverage for a certain day and time and you needed their services that you wouldnt mind them being a few mintues late to save the neighbors house. Also you all had the opertunity for a new school with grant assistance and the whole town couldnt get away from neighborhood schools. Last time i checked its a lot easier to build one then 5

-- Posted by SalineFire on Fri, Jan 27, 2012, at 7:43 AM