Happy New Year from all of us at Dammeron Valley Fire & Rescue! We know 2020 has been a challenging year for everyone, and like all of those we serve, we look forward to 2021 with hope for year filled with health, safety, and happiness for all.
Message from Chief Barnes
Happy New Year! I hope everyone enjoyed a safe and healthy holiday season. As we head into a new year, I am both excited and mindful of the challenges we face as a department and community when it comes to our safety. 2020 was one of the busiest years this department has experienced for fire, traffic, and EMS calls, and we expect this trend to continue as our community grows.
We completed the year responding to 184 calls, which represents a 14% increase over 2019 and a 74% increase from just five years ago! As our department commits to its goals for this year of keeping our volunteers and community safe, we’ll also be focused on increasing our engagement and communication with the residents of Dammeron Valley. We’ll be launching several new initiatives aimed at improving communication, volunteerism, and opportunities for more people to be involved in the great things happening with DVFR. These include:
Weekly updates with the number of calls the department responds to, including summaries of the types of incidents
“Coffee (or Cocoa!) With the Chief” – A scheduled opportunity for members of the community to visit the station and ask questions, provide feedback, and share ideas.
Community Education – Ongoing community outreach, including in-person (once it’s safe) and virtual education and training to help improve our community’s risk rating and help our community members make their homes and properties more defensible.
As I’ve mentioned many times over the last few months, I’m continually impressed and grateful for the strong sense of community in Dammeron Valley, and I am optimistic that 2021 will continue to see greater involvement from everyone as we add volunteers, improve our training, and position our department to lead the way in responsiveness and professionalism. Thank you for your continued support, and again…Happy New Year!
EMS Captain Announcement
As previously announced, Frank Orlando has been promoted to Captain of DVFR’s Emergency Medical Services. As the department continues to focus on and improve upon our ability to deliver a best-in-class EMS response, DVFR is significantly expanding the volunteer EMT team, and Frank will provide leadership and direction as these volunteers complete their certifications and respond to calls.
Frank and his wife have lived in Dammeron Valley since 2017 and Frank has volunteered with DVFR for the past two years. After serving more than 20 years in law enforcement, Frank’s extensive public safety experience is a valuable asset for our department. Frank recently completed the rigorous training and testing to receive his Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT) certification. With the department’s only other AEMT retiring from the department, we’re grateful to Frank for the time and effort he put in to achieve this critical certification.
Please join us in congratulating Frank on both his AEMT certification and his promotion to EMS Captain! Thank you for your dedication and service, Frank.
We invite everyone to stay connected to the department by subscribing to our updates on our website. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter @DVFireRescue