By Scott Mims

Sometimes there is a thin line between work and play. The two certified search and rescue dogs with North Chilton Fire Department, Bella and Ramsey, have the time of their lives while training. But that training could help save someone’s life.

Bella and Ramsey are Labrador retrievers, which means they are very active dogs. In a search and rescue mission, their natural drive to hunt — as well as their keen sense of smell — can make them invaluable tools.

“They think they’re playing, and they have high play drives,” said Jason Snipes, paramedic and dog handler with NCFD.

Snipes owns Bella, and fellow paramedic Bryan Avery owns Ramsey. The dogs are sister and brother, and are about 4 1/2 years old. NCFD obtained the animals from a family that couldn’t afford to keep the dogs.

There have been numerous cases of missing persons in the North Chilton County area in recent years. Snipes knew the closest rescue dogs would have to come from Bibb County, so he thought it would be a good idea to have Bella and Ramsey certified through NOCSAR (National Organization Certifying Search and Rescue).

“We’ve taken our own time and money to do this and get these dogs ready,” Snipes said.

Recently, NOCSAR evaluators came to Minooka Park for the dogs’ official certification tests. The dogs had to find two people located within a 5-acre area of the park within a maximum of 30 minutes.

The dogs passed with flying colors, locating both “victims” within 8 minutes and just under 12 minutes, respectively.

“When they find them, they have to bark, which is their alert, letting us know that they’ve found them,” Snipes explained.

Once a victim is located, the dog’s trainer rewards him or her with a toy. Often during training, a toy is placed at the feet of the “victim.”

“That’s all they’re looking for is that toy,” Snipes said.

Snipes and Avery also participated in a weeklong seminar conducted by NOCSAR in Perry, Fla. Both dogs also continue to train regularly at Minooka, which Snipes says is vital to their performance in a real search and rescue mission.

In fact, they have already been deployed once to assist West Chilton Fire and Rescue to find a missing 2-year-old. Fortunately, the child was located quickly before the dogs had a chance to work.

But there will be plenty more opportunities for Bella and Ramsey to use their training for good. North Chilton K-9 Search and Rescue has partnered with Southeast Shelby Search and Recovery, which means they will have access to search and rescue dogs, cadaver dogs and tracking dogs.

They also plan to train the Labradors to locate victims covered by debris.

“We’re not only going to be dispatched in Chilton County. We can go all over the state and assist with missing person cases and natural disasters,” Snipes said.

By Ben Flanagan

U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus announced last week the North Chilton Fire Department will receive a federal fire grant for $46,360.
The exclusively volunteer department will use the operations and safety grant to purchase a new cardiac rescue monitor and replace outdated equipment.
In a press release, Bachus said the grant helps ensure fire companies have the necessary resources to quickly and effectively respond to emergency calls.
He also commended the North Chilton department for qualifying for the grant.
Department chief Jason Scott said he and his volunteer staff are pleased to receive a grant that gives them access to the most up-to-date technology that will put them in a great position to save lives.
He noted the forthcoming upgrades to the station would not be possible without Bachus’ help and influence.
The station will purchase a Lifepack 15 heart monitor, upgrading from a Lifepack 11.
Scott said the new monitor is the most current technology available and can perform EKGs, non-invasive blood pressure readings and other functions.
He said any monitoring capabilities that exist in hospitals are also possible with the monitor in pre-hospital settings. The station will have two monitors.
Scott said he applied for the grant in 2009.
The funds were rewarded under the Assistance to Firefighters program, which is administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Only the applications most closely conforming to program priorities are considered and scored by peer review panels.
The station will also purchase a Storz Video Laryngscope System to secure better airways in patients.
Scott said it is the same system used in most anesthesia departments.
“Nobody in Central Alabama that I’m aware of has that system,” he said. “This is really some of the most advanced airway technology out there. This is a tremendous asset.”
He said the department, which had limited funding, was excited to receive such high quality equipment thanks to the grant.
“We’re the third busiest department in the county, and definitely the busiest volunteer station,” he said.
“This grant will allow us to provide the highest quality care for medical and trauma calls that exist out there, especially heart attack patients.”
The station currently has four paramedics on staff, but Scott said he anticipates hiring two more by next year.
He’s proud to have the right personnel to utilize the top grade technology.
The station will also purchase a K12 saw, which will allow easier access entrance into certain buildings in case of emergency.
Scott is a paramedic as well as a former nurse anesthetist.

By Scott Mims

Local fire and rescue departments answered 5,634 calls in 2009, nearly 250 less than in the previous year.
The Clanton Fire Department answered the most calls at 1,462, followed by Jemison (669) and North Chilton (385). For the most part, units responded to a comparable number of calls in 2008.
Chilton County E-911 entered 64,874 calls into its CAD system, which was a significant decrease from 2008. During that year, more than 70,000 entries were made. The E-911 statistic includes fire and rescue calls, law enforcement calls, administrative calls and others.
E-911 Director Helen Smith said the decrease may be partially due to advances in communication equipment.
“A lot of officers are starting to use the MDT’s (mobile data terminals) now, and they do their own calling,” Smith said.
Also, in 2008, E-911 handled a high volume of dispatcher training and test calls, which would have been included in the statistic for that year’s calls.
“The volume has well increased in the past decade,” Smith said. “Ten years ago, we were barely using computers.”
Enterprise Fire Department saw an increase of more than 30 calls from 2008 to 2009. District Chief Raymond Hudman said new trailer parks in the area have increased the number of residents served.
Hudman said several new volunteers have come on board in the past year.
“We’ve had a good year personnel wise. We appreciate these young people coming on. A lot of them are in training now,” Hudman said.
The following is a listing of each fire department’s total calls for 2009:
•Clanton: 1,462
•Thorsby: 301
•Jemison: 669
•Maplesville: 176
•Union Grove: 315
•Fairview: 217
•East Chilton: 247
•Collins Chapel: 288
•West Chilton: 362
•Enterprise: 321
•South Chilton: 143
•Isabella: 116
•Verbena: 275
•Gap of the Mountain: 273
•North Chilton: 385
•Cedar Grove (recently formed): 62
•Plantersville (calls inside Chilton County): 22.

By Scott Mims

A north Chilton County family had a merry Christmas this year, thanks to the efforts of several volunteers.
The volunteers of North Chilton Fire Department, employees of Regional Paramedical Services, Sheriff Kevin Davis and deputies responded to a special call for help last week by purchasing food, gifts and clothing for a family of seven children.
In a time of economic hardship, these individuals dug into their pockets and found the true joy of Christmas — the joy of giving.
“We take for granted the needs of others in our community beyond the 911 emergency calls we respond to,” North Chilton Fire Chief Jason Scott said. “Sometimes the most simple acts of kindness provide the department members and families the greatest reward.”
A special “Christmas committee” was formed to coordinate the project. The committee comprised four NCFD volunteers — Katie Moon, Kevin Dennis, Jason Snipes and department chaplain Allen Foster.
The volunteers and employees also shopped for gifts and prepared food items. On Christmas Eve, vehicles from each department delivered the gifts and a home-cooked Christmas feast to the family.
“In this day and time, just to put food on the table is hard for some families. We are so blessed to be able to help this family this year. I just hope this starts a chain reaction, and the blessing continues,” Assistant Rescue Chief Kevin Dennis said.
North Chilton’s rescue chief, Jason Snipes, said the project was in the works even before the family’s need was known.
He said the family would not have been able to afford gifts on their own.
“This time of the year is full of miracles,” he said. “In this line of work, we see these miracles firsthand. It feels great to be able to be a miracle to a family — no doubt we were placed and sent here to do what we do.”

By Scott Mims

A Jemison man was killed and another man seriously injured in a head-on collision Tuesday, Dec. 8 north of Jemison.
Gregory Rollins, 46, of Jemison died on the scene, Chilton County Coroner Randy Yeargan confirmed.
The two vehicles, a passenger truck and a car, collided about 7 p.m. on U.S. Highway 31 just south of County Road 33. Rollins was reportedly the driver of the car. There were no passengers in either vehicle.
A section of Highway 31 was closed while emergency responders extricated both the injured man and the victim’s body. The highway was shut down for approximately four hours.
“It took us 12 minutes to extricate him,” North Chilton Fire Chief Jason Scott said, referring to the survivor. “It took over 30 minutes to extricate the body of the other victim.”
At the time of the crash, Scott was participating in a Lifesaver landing zone class along with members of North Chilton, West Chilton and West Shelby fire departments. The Lifesaver helicopter was supposed to fly down for the class but could not due to inclement weather.
“We already knew they couldn’t fly, so we never attempted to contact them after the wreck due to weather,” Scott said.