Getting to know their firefighters

By DEVIN WEEKS

Staff Writer

RATHDRUM — How important is it to have a carbon monoxide detector?

Where should seniors keep information about medication and resuscitation in case of an emergency?

How and when do you use an automated external defibrillator (AED), and when should cardiopulmonary resuscitation be administered by civilians?

These were just a few of the questions Northern Lakes Fire Protection District firefighter and emergency medical technician Jarrod Pitts answered Wednesday afternoon during a special meeting for the residents of Golden Spike Estates in Rathdrum.

"I think public interfacing is very important," Pitts said. "It’s hard to do sometimes when we’re actually on shift, to get out there and just talk to people. A lot of times we don’t get a chance to talk with people until we’re called on someone’s really bad day."

He said this particular community hasn’t previously had the opportunity to get to know their firefighters and ask questions in this kind of relaxed, open setting.

"Knowing that, I’m glad that we’re here,” he said. “It allows them to understand who we are on a more intimate level."

More than 30 residents of Golden Spike, a 55-and-older active adult community, assembled in the community clubhouse among a handful of Northern Lakes personnel to learn more about the firefighters and the services they provide while also learning some safety tips.

Pitts opened the three-hour session by letting the attendees know that Northern Lakes, which services an area encompassing 106 square miles containing approximately 35,000 residents in Kootenai County, is dedicated to those it serves.

"The only reason we are employed by you is for you," Pitts said. "The only reason we wouldn't show up is because we're already on a call."

He answered a variety of questions regarding advanced directives and do-not-resuscitate forms, what costs are associated with a visit from the fire department and medical transport, what to check for if it is suspected someone had a stroke and any other specific questions that were on the residents' minds.

“This is so we know what to do when these things happen, like the question I asked about carbon monoxide,” said Golden Spike resident Judy Mueller. "Some place I lived before, a long time ago, the little old lady next door came over one day and was saying that she felt really sleepy in her house all of a sudden, and I told her maybe that’s what’s wrong. It turned out, we’d had a big snowfall and all of the vents on her house were covered."

Pitts said this will hopefully be one of several seminars that will allow Northern Lakes to interact with Golden Spike residents and give them the tools they need to be prepared.

"I don’t want them to have expectations of services that may not be within the realm that we provide service in," Pitts said. "I want them to have full understanding that when we get there, we’re there for them and we’re here to help them."