Having to get a 20-ton truck out the door in less than two minutes after waking up in the middle of the night is no easy task, but it’s one that firefighters at the Jackson Township Fire Department have mastered.
The team at Station 202 does not sit idly, waiting for an emergency. Instead, they use their time to train and prepare so they are at peak mental and physical health, ready for any situation at any moment.
Wenning understands that as the average weight for Americans increases, it makes a huge difference in how firefighters must train for emergencies, as they may need to carry victims to safety. Through his training, firefighters learn proper technique and utilize every muscle in their bodies.
But Wenning isn’t training for the short term – when he trains a firefighter, his goal is for them to maintain their physique for 30 years. That’s why he helps build habits rather than rushing them through exercises.
“These guys didn’t learn the (basic) lifts for almost a year, we were just teaching them technique,” says Wenning. “Body mechanics, balancing weak muscle groups, fixing diet, nutrition, all of these things, it’s a 360-degree process.”
It’s not just about exercise and diet, especially for emergency responders whose sleep schedules may be interrupted at any moment.
Sleeping at the station is part of the job for many firefighters. Each of their small rooms is separated by curtains and wooden shelves, which are especially important for those speedy exits.
Once training for the day is through, there are a variety of recreational activities for the firefighters to do together while they await a call. There are two rooms with TV and chairs as well as ping-pong and foosball tables.
The station is also home to a fully equipped kitchen. Jackson Township Fire Chief Randy Little says that one of the most frequently asked questions he gets is whether taxpayers pay for food at the station.
“The firefighters don’t use the taxpayers’ money to eat. They all put in seven or 10 dollars a day, then they go to the store and buy their own groceries,” he says.
Maintaining the best value for the taxpayers’ dollar is a common theme at the Jackson Township Fire Station Headquarters. Their focus on healthy habits and injury prevention ensure that firefighters are staying healthy and able to do their best work.
They optimize their time and allocate funds properly to be sure every dollar the department gets goes back into helping people.
The station makes use of some very specific technology that ensures quick response times and the safety of its crew.
Among the most interesting of these innovations is a tube that can hook up to the exhaust of a firetruck which prevents the toxic fumes from the truck from filling the air of the station. The tube is attached with magnets directly into the exhaust and disconnects automatically once the truck is out the door.
Monitors can be found all over the station which list the important details of emergency calls and the crew who is responding to them.
Where each crew is sent is up to the battalion chief. Station 202 has three, each working a 24-hour shift before taking the next 48 hours off. This schedule rotates consistently throughout the year to ensure 24/7 coverage.
Though it can be difficult for firefighters to work such long hours and spend time away from their families, Little says that work enhances his life rather than detracts from it.
“It’s a neat job. I don’t know anybody who has looked forward to going to work every single day of their life,” he says. “I knew every day when I came in, there would be something exciting that happened. And you get to spend time with your second family.”
Little had no particular interest in becoming a firefighter as a child, but figured it might be an interesting job. So, in high school, he shadowed a neighbor who was a firefighter. It’s clear to see from the badge on his chest today that the experience was a massive success.
“I wish more people could come in and observe for even a few hours,” he says. “You would see how rewarding it is, but also the sacrifices that firefighters make for the safety of the community. Every day is something new, it’s something different, and all we can do is work together as a cohesive group to ensure that everyone goes home safely to their families.”
All of these factors – living together, exercising together, eating together and responding to emergencies together – mean firefighters build fast and strong bonds with one another.
“It’s those kinds of bonds that you build over the years and those friendships that you make that are irreplaceable, and I wouldn’t have been able to make those connections if it weren’t for the fire department,” says Little.
Little grew up in Grove City and is grateful for the opportunity to serve the community that he has always called home. Grove City has a reputation for honoring its heroes and showing great appreciation for those that serve it, and Little says that they feel this impact in the fire department.
“The amount of emails, phone calls, people that stop by to thank us for what we’ve done, thank us for our service, give us feedback on family members that we’ve ran on, … that means a lot,” he says. “That really does help if you know that the actions that you’re taking are actually helping people and you get that follow-up.”
Little says that the most important safety measure for families to do is ensure that they have a working smoke detector on every floor of their home. Call the department’s non-emergency line at 614-875-5588 if you would like to schedule a free in-home visit to have your detectors tested.
Tyler Kirkendall is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at tkirkendall@cityscenemediagroup.com.
