2017 Thomas Carr Community Service Award

The Firehouse Thomas Carr Community Service Award is designed to encourage fire departments to not only get involved in community service activities, but also to engage in activities that truly give back and elevate a community in a way that can change lives. Firehouse is proud to honor the following departments and individuals for their commitment to community.

1. Los Angeles Fire Department SOBER Unit/Marc Eckstein, MD

The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) SOBER Unit is a new, innovative and novel approach to deal with serial inebriates, who account for a disproportionately high use of emergency resources via the 9-1-1 system. With early intervention and alternative transport to a Sobering Center instead of an emergency department, these patients can get the help they need while increasing availability of LAFD emergency resources.

The LAFD SOBER Unit is staffed by a firefighter/paramedic, a nurse practitioner and a case manager (both the nurse practitioner and case manager are Exodus Recovery employees). The nurse practitioner, in conjunction with the firefighter/paramedic, performs medical clearance of these patients and then determines if they can safely transport the patient directly to the Sobering Center instead of an emergency department.

Patients requesting LAFD assistance who meet the criteria for transport to the Sobering Center are transported there directly by the SOBER Unit, avoiding having to go to the hospital where ambulances have long wait times. These patients will get the specific care and social services they need, while freeing up LAFD paramedic resources due to not having to transport and wait long periods of time for an available bed at a hospital.

The LAFD SOBER Unit—under the direction of Dr. Marc Eckstein, LAFD’s EMS Commander—is a public-private partnership in collaboration with Exodus Recovery, Inc. (a nonprofit organization) that allows the LAFD SOBER Unit to be implemented with the best staffing matrix while resulting in considerable savings for the taxpayers.

2. Valere Liljefelt

Deputy Fire Marshal/Lieutenant, Clackamas, OR, Fire District #1

Apartment Inspection Program

Clackamas Fire District #1 (CFD1) identified a need to provide fire and life safety information to multi-family housing managers and residents and to improve fire code inspections for those properties. Specifically, due to the significant number of calls that CFD1 responds to in apartment complexes, the district needed a way to ensure that crews were able to quickly identify the location of the apartment resident in need, that access was available, and that the Oregon Fire Code was being applied fairly and consistently.

Lt. Valere Liljefelt took ownership of the program and grew it into a robust and effective apartment inspection program. She has ensured that district materials are available online for residents and other agencies, and has been able to provide some in multiple languages. Further, Liljefelt identified significant deficiencies in compliance with the fire code and state statute regarding rental properties. As a result of her efforts, property owners installed 914 carbon monoxide (CO) alarms and 1,127 fire extinguishers.

Liljefelt was instrumental in securing a $35,000 FEMA grant to expand CFD1’s Apartment Inspection Program. The grant focused on developing education materials for multi-family residents as well as providing bicycle helmets, hard-of-hearing/deaf smoke alarms, and window stops to help prevent children from falling out of windows. Public service announcements and posters were distributed countywide, and outreach events were held at selected apartment complexes. Mobile home parks and manufactured home communities were later added to the program. In these communities, the district addresses water supply, fire apparatus access and visible addressing, and educational information is provided.

CFD1 also regularly teams with local Rotary Clubs to provide free smoke alarms and installation in these communities. In late 2017, Liljefelt was inspecting an apartment complex and identified refuse bins inside the hallways and within the required means of egress. The apartment manager identified that they had contracted with a valet garbage service to pick up garbage and recycling at residents’ doorways and take them to the dumpsters. Liljefelt required fire watch for the apartments while working through a stakeholder process. This has resulted in the valet garbage service being discontinued at the apartment complex and an upcoming code interpretation from the state fire marshal’s office that will set the state standard for code application regarding valet garbage services and provide a model for other states encountering the same situation.

Liljefelt’s efforts have improved safety for the residents, is improving consistency in code application across the state, and is providing a model for other states to follow. In addition, she serves as an advocate for the residents.

Note: Firehouse recognized a tie for third place.

3. Tameji R. Berry

Assistant Chief, Dallas Fire-Rescue Department

Camp L.A.D.D.E.R.

Camp L.A.D.D.E.R.—Ladies Achieving Dreams with Dedication, Enthusiasm, and Respect—is a nonprofit organization established by Assistant Fire Chief Tameji R. Berry of the Dallas Fire-Rescue (DFR) Department. The L.A.D.D.E.R. program is a one-day/one-night resident program offered to young women enrolled in grades 9–12 of the Dallas Independent School District.

The idea for Camp L.A.D.D.E.R came to light upon Chief Berry recognizing the need to introduce more young women to the fire service. Since the program has been implemented, Chief Berry, along with numerous volunteers, have dedicated their time and experience to illustrate the complex operations present within a fire department. This has been done through highlighting education, providing fire operations training and leadership skills, building self-confidence, and developing mentor relationships between the young ladies and Camp L.A.D.D.E.R. directors and volunteers. Although the interactive portion of the L.A.D.D.E.R program is only for one day and night, Chief Berry, Camp L.A.D.D.E.R volunteers and program participants have continued to build mentor relationships beyond the school year.

Over the course of the program, 42 students have completed all necessary training requirements. The L.A.D.D.E.R. program’s curriculum has allowed trained personnel from DFR, as well as female fire officers from as far New Jersey, Connecticut and North Carolina to provide motivational speeches and training that focuses on technical skills, education and the importance of teamwork. The curriculum highlights training in the following areas: CPR/first aid certification; emergency response overview; aerial ladder training; apparatus familiarization; hose training; urban search and rescue (USAR) drill/rappelling; EMS overview; fire extinguisher training; fire prevention/inspection training; and fire investigations training scenarios.

In addition to providing young women with an experience that has prepared them for the future, Chief Berry has also been able to begin the Camp L.A.D.D.E.R. Scholarship Fund, which offers competitive scholarships to all graduating high school seniors who have completed the program.

3. Darlene Braun

Firefighter, Norfolk, VA, Fire-Rescue

Camp Fury Norfolk

Camp Fury Norfolk was a partnership between Norfolk Fire-Rescue (NFR) and the Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast. The five-day camp serves young women, grades 6–12. Firefighter-Paramedic Darlene Braun served as director of the camp.

Camp Fury began in Arizona several years ago and involved the collaboration of local fire departments with the Girl Scouts to introduce girls to non-traditional career paths, such as firefighting and EMS, law enforcement and the military. Braun volunteered in 2014 and 2015 with Camp Fury Hampton, VA, and again in 2016 with Camp Fury Chesapeake, VA. It was her initiative and desire to have this program in Norfolk that made it happen in 2017.

The program took nearly a full year of planning. Braun worked with multiple agencies and personnel that are normally outside the scope of a firefighter’s interactions. Specifically, she worked with the City Attorney’s Office to draft a Memorandum of Understanding, with the City of Norfolk Public Information Office for messaging and promotions, with the Norfolk Police Department to arrange a day at their facilities to learn about law enforcement, with the U.S. Navy to secure base tour privileges for the campers, and every part of Norfolk Fire-Rescue for operational, logistics and training support.

This camp was by all measures a success, and planning has begun for Camp Fury Norfolk 2018. Braun was able to recruit several volunteers from NFR to assist with the daily activities.