Fire Department News
Village of Berkeley Honors the Retirement of Fire Chief Frank J.
Sustr
The Village of Berkeley, its President and Board of Trustees,
publicly honored the dedication and devoted career of its
longest standing Fire Chief at the November 15
th
Village Board Meeting.
Retiring this December, Fire Chief Frank J. Sustr will leave
behind a legacy of steady leadership and commitment to
excellence that will have an impact on the Berkeley Fire
Department for years to come.
Frank Sustr began his career
with the Berkeley Fire Department in June of 1971. In quick
succession, Sustr became an EMT (1974), was appointed Lieutenant
(1977) and later named Captain (1982) of Berkeley’s fire
fighting department. In 1984, Sustr’s dedication to Berkeley was
recognized as he was appointed Chief and would remain in that
position for 27 years.
In addition to his duties as
Chief, Sustr committed countless hours of volunteerism to the
Berkeley Neighborhood Watch, the local Lions Club, the Bronco
Resale Shop and various other local charities and efforts. For
over 40 years, the citizens and employees of the Village of
Berkeley have been most fortunate to have had a person with
Chief Sustr’s passion and balance for community safety as well
as strength of community.
The Village of Berkeley, its
staff, residents and governing body, all wish Fire Chief Frank
J. Sustr well in his retirement.
FIRE
DEPARTMENT VEHICLE EXTRICATION EXERCISES
As with any job, practice makes perfect.
Where it comes to Fire Department training, practice saves
lives. Recently, the Berkeley Fire Department received
automobiles of different makes, models and sizes to practice
vehicle extrication procedures as part of its efforts for
continuing education.
Vehicle extrication is the process of
removing the vehicle from
around a person that has been involved in a motor vehicle
accident, when conventional means of exit are impossible or too
dangerous to attempt. In times such as these, the decision to
apply any number of vehicle extrication strategies must come
from experience and that experience must be informed by
practice. In every situation, a delicate approach is needed to
minimize injury to the victim. This operation is typically
accomplished by utilizing chocks and bracing for stabilization
and hydraulic and gas powered tools for cutting and pulling
apart the vehicle.
As more cars come equipped with additional
air bags for increased safety and electrical components for
increased gas efficiency, the opportunity for successful
extraction becomes increasingly difficult as well. Knowing where
to cut and how to disable air bags and electrical contacts
becomes a necessary piece of experience to avoid injury to
rescue personnel.
BERKELEY FIRE DEPARTMENT
ENCOURAGES FILE OF LIFE PARTICIPATION
The File of Life Program, a
mini-medical history posted on the outside of one's
refrigerator, is being promoted by the Berkeley Fire Department.
The File of Life card enables
EMTs to obtain a quick medical history when a patient is unable
to offer one. "The card eliminates the risk of a patient, in a
frightened state, forgetting to mention something important."
The card, which is kept in a red
plastic pocket labeled File of Life, lists the patient's name,
emergency medical contacts, other vital information,
medications, dosages, allergies, recent surgeries, religion,
doctor's name and a health care proxy. The entire pocket is
held, with a magnet to the outside of the refrigerator.
The File of Life pockets and
files are currently being distributed by the Berkeley Fire
Department. Any Berkeley citizen who has a medical condition, is
on medications, or even has allergies, should consider
participating in this program.
The cost is free. Any citizen
can pick up the File of Life pocket and file card at the Village
Hall or the Berkeley Fire Station. If there is more than one
person in the home that meets any of the above stated
conditions, there should be a separate card for each person
living in the home. The Berkeley Fire Department urges all
residents to take advantage of this program.
BERKELEY FIRE DEPARTMENT URGES
RESIDENTS TO ADOPT A FIRE HYDRANT
The Village of Berkeley asks
residents to help this winter with its “Adopt a Hydrant”
program. This unofficial program is intended to assist the
Berkeley Fire Department and B
erkeley
Public Works Department in locating and clearing snow from fire
hydrants before they become a necessary part of an emergency
situation.
Clearing the snow from around
the hydrant in your parkway or your neighbor’s front yard could
be a selfless and lifesaving act of kindness. Snow should be
removed at least two feet from around the hydrant and to the
street to make it both visible and accessible for Berkeley
personnel to connect hoses in times of need. The few minutes
that it takes to shovel around a fire hydrant could truly be the
difference in the time it takes a Village worker to save a life
or prevent incidents from happening in the first place. With
nearly 280 hydrants located throughout the Village of Berkeley,
every resident’s help is both needed and appreciated this
winter.
For Fire Department emergencies, residents may call 9-1-1 for
immediate assistance. For non-emergencies, the Village of
Berkeley Fire Department's non-emergency telephone number is
708-449-9444, where its staff will assess the situation and
mobilize the response necessary for your situation.
