Changes in 2011 for HFD
01/27/2011
There were several personel changes at the Hokah FD monthly meeting that was held on January 17, 2011. Matt Vetsch was elected as 2nd Assistant Fire Chief. Jonah Ross was then elected for a 1 year term as a Captain after the spot was left Vacant when Matt Vetsch was elected as the 2nd Assistant Chief. Mike Horihan was re-elected as a Captain for a 2 year term. Lance Ross was named Training Officer of the Hokah Fire Department and for the First Responders. Lance will work with both the members of the Fire Department and the First Responder Unit to provide top notch training. Also Arlie Blexrud was appointed to the position of Safety Officer. In another personel change Troy Lange was elected by the members to serve as the Fire Department Treasurer. Troy will replace Roger Bernsdorf who has served as the treasurer for many, many years.
02-24-2010
Local emergency responders and officials attend Homeland Security training
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For the Houston County News
Six area firefighters and two law enforcement officials recently completed Homeland Security training at the Center for Domestic Preparedness in Anniston, Ala. The CDP is operated by the United States Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency and is the only federally-chartered Weapons of Mass Destruction training facility in the nation.
Ryan Buehler and Ryan Hutchinson from the La Crescent Fire Department, and Jeff Langen, Dave Feuerhelm Jr., Matt Vetsch and Kevin Walther from the Hokah Fire Department, where joined by Mark Hiser from the Houston County Sheriff’s Office and Tim Irwin of the Hokah Police Department for the week-long, free training session.
The firefighters attended a Technical Emergency Response Training class that encompasses all-hazard training such as terrorist threats and weapons of mass destruction, while the officers took classes on protective measures in law enforcement, response actions in law enforcement and hot-cobra.
“It was a very controlled environment,” Hokah firefighter Matt Vetsch said. “We focused a lot on decontamination issues. We learned everything you’d do in case of a disaster, such as a chlorine or phosgene gas spill, where we would be supporting Hazmat teams.”
The CDP provides federally-funded, interdisciplinary training for emergency responders from across the United States and U.S. Territories for 10 responder disciplines: Emergency Management, Emergency Medical Service, Fire Service, Governmental Administrative, Hazardous Materials, Healthcare, Law Enforcement, Public Health, Public Safety Communications and Public Works.
Responders attending CDP training are selected from the nation’s 11 million emergency responders. Training at the CDP ensures that responders gain critical skills and confidence to be better prepared to effectively respond to local incidents or potential weapons of mass destruction incidents.
Both of the Above Articles were from the Houston County News!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DATE: July 31, 2009
Media Contact: Kevin Walther
Phone Number: 608-406-0945
LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT RECEIVES $100,638.00 THROUGH FEMA’S
FY 2008 ASSISTANCE TO FIREFIGHTERS GRANT PROGRAM
(Hokah, MN) –Today, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) awarded a $100,638.00 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) to the HOKAH FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Nationally, the AFG awards, which will be distributed in phases, will ultimately provide approximately $560 million to fire departments and nonaffiliated emergency medical service organizations throughout the country.
AFG awards aim to enhance response capabilities and to more effectively protect the health and safety of the public with respect to fire and other hazards. The grants enable local fire departments and emergency medical services organizations to purchase or receive training, conduct first responder health and safety programs, and buy equipment and response vehicles.
“The Assistance to Firefighters Grants program has been instrumental in building capacity and providing needed resources for our nation’s firefighters,” said FEMA Administrator R. David Paulison. “From the purchase of equipment to first responder training, the AFG program has helped improve response capabilities and saved lives and property in communities throughout the United States.”
Since 2002, AFG has provided over $3.6 billion in grants to fire departments and first responder organizations to purchase response equipment, personal protective equipment, vehicles and fire prevention activities. AFG is administered cooperatively by two FEMA components: the Grants Program Directorate and the United States Fire Administration.
The full list of FY 2008 AFG recipients and other information is posted on the AFG website (www.firegrantsupport.com).
FEMA coordinates the federal government’s role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.