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Viera Voice June issue

Now Available
Special Graduation insert
Viera High School
2009 Senior Class

By Wendy Haddad

     Station 47 went on 3,600 calls last year according to Bob Securro, chief of special operations for the station.
    “Special Operations is essentially a specialized response unit when firefighters require additional support; for example, when a building collapses, or a diesel tanker flips over. They do extrication, hazardous materials, and victim rescues,” said Orlando Dominguez, director chief of emergency services, public information officer.
    “We provide services to the entire county, all of the cities, and regular calls in our area,” said Securro.
    “Last year we helped the sheriff’s office drug agents dismantle 39
meth-amphetamine labs.  We’re hazardous technicians. We remove the chemicals from the buildings and make them safe.  We do evidence
collection, but it is something we do together with the sheriff’s office.”
   Firefighters at Station 47 take a minimum of eight classes, culminating in 500 hours of in-service training, in addition to regular fire and EMS training. The specialized training includes hazardous materials, rope technician, for rappelling, confined space technician, vehicle machine rescue, and structural collapse.
  A typical firefighter’s shift is spent 24 hours on and 48 hours off.  While on duty, about one and one-half hours of that time is spent in training. The station constantly keeps up to date with the standards of the National Fire Protection Association.
  “Engine 47 was the busiest engine last year,” added Securro. “We ran 500 fire calls.”
  The station houses a hazardous material unit, an engine, and a rescue. A new heavy rescue vehicle, currently housed at Merritt Island Station 43, will be brought to Station 48, the proposed special operations station to be built off of Stadium Parkway in West Viera.
  “Those plans are on hold pending the current budget and construction of the station,” said Securro.  
Station 48 will specialize in heavy rescue, with Station 47 remaining the hazardous materials station.
  Securro says it makes sense to house both special operations stations in Viera because of their central location in the county and easy access to I-95.
  For the past three years during the month of October, Station 47 has hosted a fund­raiser during Fire Prevention Week.  
  “It is free for the citizens. We usually do demos of our equipment; the kids get to squirt the water out of the fire hose,” he said. “The local businesses have been kind to us.”
  Securro encourages citizens to visit the fire station, although those in larger groups or those wanting to visit during evening hours should call the public education coordinator at 321-633-2056 to set up an appointment.
  If a storm approaches central Florida, the station makes sure its generators are in working order, and that hurricane shutters are in place. The number of personnel is increased, and firefighters are told to bring enough food and water with them for 72 hours.  
  But Securro could not stress the seriousness of heeding evacuation warnings. 
  “According to our Emergency Operations Center, we haven’t had hurricane sustained winds for a prolonged period of time in Brevard County during past seasons.  If anything, they were Category I or less,” said Securro. “We don’t want there to be a big misconception by the people.
  “When they say evacuate, people need to heed that warning and evacuate.”
  To see pictures of the station’s equipment and the firefighters in action, go to the station’s website at www.Brevardfire.com.