Volunteer firefighting:
Commitment from the heart
by jeff viNyARD
We are lucky to live in one of the most
beautiful places in the world, and we need
to protect it.
I have believed in volunteering
since I was very young. If you wait for a
convenient time to help others, you may
never make it happen. Especially with
emergency situations—they don’t wait for
you to get off the couch.
My name is Jeff Vinyard. I have a six-
year-old daughter who is fortunate enough
to attend Ruch School. I moved here
from Klamath Falls in 1983. I own and
operate Oregon-Land.com, the real estate
brokerage in the Applegate Store complex
and have been in the industry since 1994,
specializing in rural properties in southern
Oregon. I have supported our community
by providing school supplies to all the
elementary students in Ruch, Williams,
Jacksonville and Applegate schools, and
have contributed to the American Red
Cross. I’m currently an active member of
APPLE, a committee formed to promote
place-based education at Ruch School.
Since joining the Applegate Valley
Although the initial academy
and training does require a small
time commitment, the positive
results are too numerous to
list. The district’s dedication to
ongoing training and procurement
of the most advanced equipment
has propelled our district into one
of the finest fire departments in
the state.
The requirements to retain
your standing as an active
Volunteer firefighter Jeff Vinyard and daughter Gracie. member of the Applegate Fire
District Volunteer Association
Fire District #9 in June 2001, I have come vary slightly depending on what station
to realize the benefits of my association you are assigned to. The required drills and
with the district as a firefighter and training are a very important part of being
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).
prepared for any number of emergencies.
Along with the camaraderie of being These emergencies range from wildfires to
a member of this great group of dedicated structure fires and from automobile wrecks
volunteers and staff comes a degree of to heart attacks and allergic reactions.
responsibility to help keep the residents
I have been a firefighter for nearly
of our district safe and out of harm’s way 12 years. I have been on as many as 109
whenever possible. This is a responsibility alarm calls in one year, but I average in the
not taken lightly by the staff as well as the area of 50 to 60 alarm runs a year, which
volunteers of our district.
is really not a huge time commitment. If
Fire safety lessons
by CARey ChApUt
Fire Prevention Week is recognized
nationally on the second week of October
each year. This year’s campaign message
was “Know Two Ways Out.”
The staff of Applegate Fire District
delivered a challenge to both local
elementary schools by asking everyone to
participate in making family escape plans.
Students were asked to complete a plan
with their family, then turn it in to their
principals by the end of Fire Prevention
Week. A class from each school was
chosen for outstanding participation. Mrs.
Yerby’s second-third grade blend class from
Applegate School and Mrs. Hammers’
second-third grade blend class from Ruch
Elementary were the winners of this year’s
challenge. Firefighters from the Applegate
Fire District drove a fire truck to each
school and delivered pizzas and a safety
message to the winning classes. We thank
all of the teachers and families who made
this program such a success.
It’s important that family escape plans
show two ways out of each sleeping room
and that smoke alarms have been checked
for working condition. We ask everyone
to have a properly operating smoke alarm
outside each sleeping area; know two ways
out; when you get out, stay out; and have
a designated meeting place.
Fire Prevention Week is a great time
to remember to practice your family escape
plans, just as the end of daylight savings
is a time to set your clocks back and
check or replace smoke alarm batteries.
Early detection is so vital to your family’s
survival.
Unfortunately, fires do happen, and
too often they could have been avoided by
just practicing fire safety.
Here are a few of the most common
Applegater Winter 2012 15
you think about it, that is only one alarm a
week. Our district responds to 500 to 600
alarms a year. It gives you a feeling of pride
driving back to the station with residents
lining the streets with signs thanking the
department for the efforts put forth in
times of distress. It may not be everyone’s
cup of tea to run into burning buildings or
forests, but you really don’t know until you
have had the opportunity to provide your
neighbors with the potentially life-saving
efforts for which you have trained.
I believe everyone who reads this
either knows firsthand or knows of
someone who was helped by the emergency
response of a local fire district.
If you are interested in a rewarding
career or would simply like to help out
the community in which you live, please
consider becoming a volunteer with
Applegate Valley Fire District #9. It is very
important for you to know that the district
understands that a member’s family always
comes first.
For more information on our fire
district or to find out more about the
benefits of volunteering, stop by the
headquarters at 1095 Upper Applegate
Road, Jacksonville, Oregon, or call 541-
899-1050.
Jeff Vinyard
541-899-0646
oregonjeffie@yahoo.com
fire hazards to watch out for while
we enter our cooler season:
With the cooler days and
nights, we will start using warming
fires and space heaters again.
Please be cautious of flammable
material being too close to the
heat source.
Please keep matches and
lighters out of reach of children.
Candles are beautiful to
enjoy, but should always be blown
out when leaving or going to bed.
Volunteer firefighter getting the best of a structure fire.
Have your chimney cleaned
place. Call 9-1-1 as soon as you are safe,
at the beginning of the season to
reduce the hazard of having a flue fire and and never go back in for anything. Let us
do what we train so hard to do: serve you
use well-seasoned firewood.
Many fires start in the kitchen and in an emergency situation.
Please contact fire district office
can be avoided by not leaving the area
while cooking. Turn the stove off if you manager Carey Chaput at 541-899-1050
if you would like more information on any
have to leave, even for just a minute.
By practicing your escape plans, you of these fire safety lessons.
will know what to do in an emergency.
Carey Chaput
Make sure that everyone in your household
541-899-1050
knows two ways out of each room. Stay
Applegate Valley Fire District
low, and go to the designated meeting