Firefighters and Firemen will all die one day. We hope and pray our day is not at work! We can make a difference about how we live, and this will affect how we die. I am a tremendous advocate for the Volunteer Fire system. We are a highly skilled team of men and women protecting life and property in the Vienna Community. How we work here is reflected by the departments around us. High Skill levels by Winston-Salem Fire and Forsyth County Fire have caused all departments to become better. Now we use the same Instructors and training ground and we train together too.
How we live our lives out of the department has a tremendous effect on our lives and longevity. We have to eat right , exercise, and shed stress the best ways possible. Personally the stress levels usually stay low for me. The latest North Carolina Department of Insurance inspection really racked up some stress. I could feel the effects even before the inspection. Just getting ready for an inspection that is very subjective to the Inspector is stressful. We are not talking about an Oh Well if we do Poorly. This Inspection helps to set the Insurance Rates for our Whole Fire District for Years.
I had multiple categories for variables. Walter and Staff worked tirelessly for months to collate the already compiled Data. How we trained, maintained, serviced, and inspected our equipment had to be put into Exhibits, forms, and reports. We were subject to 50% fire Department, 40% water system, and 10% communications. So even if we maximized our points we could still be only Half Good. We had to put our efforts into getting the most for Vienna. More points = Lower insurance costs.
The face to face with the Inspector is extremely important. How I answered certain questions and chose water points had a tremendous effect on our final grade. I had one situation that I knew the best answer but had to maintain the truth. I wanted our truck to pump the lake. It was us training and I really wanted to use our truck. I lost the points we could have gotten on that truck for the evolution. I missed our pump test date and was 2 days short. The first day of work was weighing heavily on my shoulders. Two losses and still a whole day of Inspection.
Actual work was the best medicine. Vienna worked with Lewisville, Forbush, Old Richmond, and Forsyth County. We did what firemen do! We pumped and hauled Water, We identified our water points and tested them. By Lunch we were mostly done. We had completed the Inspection for another 5-7 years. Our Inspector made some times clear. Vienna is better than Average. We will not find our actual Grade for 6 months. Confidence is High. The best thing is we all pulled together!
My stress level has slowly dropped and friends and family are a big part. My Volunteers and Staff are the Best in the World. My officers are leaders. We look forward to our Future. Send us your worst and we will do our BEST!!!
timlasley 