F.F.A.M.

Chicks Dig It! 2013 Missouri State Fair FD

Missouri-State-FairThe Missouri State Fair Fire Department (MSFFD) has wrapped up another year of service to the patrons of the Missouri State Fair. The MSFFD continued to provide service to the 400 acre Missouri State Fairgrounds and the average 30,000 to 50,000 daily attendees, and possibly a record breaking attendance in 2013.

Members of the 2013 MSFFD represented 43 different agencies from Missouri and the Missouri Disaster Medical Team established a mobile hospital next to the firehouse. The Missouri Disaster Medical Team provided TdaP (Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis) vaccinations to fairgoers each day of the fair, for the normal MSFFD price, FREE.

During the 2013 campaign, the MSFFD responded to 142 total calls for service (111 in 2012). These calls for service included 59 medicals, 46 traumas, 5 transfers from the fairgrounds to Bothwell Hospital, 2 power pole fires, 2 motorist assists, a transformer fire, a transformer explosion, a gas leak and provided 25 special standbys for events. Emergency medical personnel treated 186 patients in the first aid station located within the firehouse.

In addition to emergency responses on the fairgrounds, crews conducted over 1,000 man hours of public relations. Crews conducted daily tours of apparatus and distributed 5,000 bags containing fire prevention materials to children. Crews provided two sessions of hands-on fire extinguisher training for the public as well as a vehicle fire demonstration, vehicle extrication demonstration, vehicle extrication tools demonstration and Missouri Task Force 1 provided a search and rescue canine demonstration to hundreds of fairgoers in front of the Pepsi Grandstand.

Media outlets including 104.7 from Moberly, 1015 AM from Sedalia, and ABC 17 News from Columbia took interest in the MSFFD. Each aired stories about the activities of the department.

2013 State Fair Fire Department
2013 State Fair Fire Department

Personnel in 2013 also participated in over 500 hours of training. Emergency medical personnel participated in daily training covering the various aspects of medical and traumatic responses. Fire personnel participated in training including live fire training, utilizing Southern Stone County FPD’s training trailer, vehicle extrication training, bunker gear drills, pump operations and fairgrounds pre-planning and familiarization.

The Command Staff comprised by Chief R.B. Brown (Union, MO) was able to overcome the challenges of 2013 to provide exceptional service during a consistently busy fair. The MSFFD had a large number of personnel serve in 2013 for the first time. Chief Brown stated, “It was great to have so many FFAM members choose to participate in the organization by serving with the MSFFD in 2013. I was ecstatic to see so many new faces. The 2013 personnel were always moving, always finding something proactive to do; whether it was more training, assisting in other areas of the department or heading to the front of the firehouse and interacting with the public as the face of the fire service for Missouri. Thank you to everyone!”

The Missouri State Fair Fire Department provides fire and medical response during the State Fair. The Missouri State Fair Fire Department is the only fully operational fire department in the United States that operates for only 11 days a year. The Department is staffed with 75 dedicated volunteers 24 hours per day throughout the State Fair providing fire suppression and advanced life support emergency medical services.

Awards 

Missouri State Fair Fire Department personnel were awarded for their outstanding work during the 2013 Fair. Those members are as follows:

  • Dispatcher Cy Fields, Paris Rural FPD, Dispatcher of the Year
  • Dispatcher Trevor Brown, FairFax FD, Junior of the Year
  • EMT Vernon Cash, Shelbina FPD, EMT of the Year
  • Engineer Blake Beahler, Cosby-Helena FPD, Firefighter of the Year
  • Captain George Creamer, Eureka FPD, Officer of the Year

Special Thanks 

The Missouri State Fair Fire Department would like to thank the following donors. Without the assistance from these donors, the Department would not have been able to operate.

  •  Johnson County FPD
  • Sullivan Fire Protection District
  • Southern Stone County FPD
  • Jefferson City Fire Department
  • St. Clair Fire Protection District
  • Atchison-Holt Ambulance District
  • Johnson County Ambulance District
  • St. Clair EMS
  • Ray County Ambulance District
  • Union Ambulance District
  • Chillicothe Emergency Services
  • MFA Oil and Propane
  • Don Weaver and Don’s Towing
  • Zoll
  • Higginsville Fire
  • Higginsville Ambulance
  • Higginsville Wal-Mart
  • Zimn Family
  • Eric Meyers
  • Bob and Sally Meyer
  • Katie and Kelly Meyer
  • Missouri Disaster Medical Team
  • Warsaw-Lincoln Ambulance
  • Pettis County Fire Protection District
  • Pettis County Ambulance District
  • Bothwell Hospital
  • Towers Fire
  • Conrad Fire
  • Jon’s Mid-America Fire
  • Precision Fire
  • Staff for Life
  • Air Evac
  • Arch
  • Life Net
  • MVA Smart Chicken
  • David Drewer Farms
  • Georgia Dean
  • Larry and Ann Jones
  • MU FRTI
  • Sayer Farms
  • Mary Jane Bergman
  • Mr. Dell’s Potatoes
  • Guy Callison
  • Rick Baldwin
  • Salisburg Meat Market
  • Gordon Ekedahl
  • Bert Sayer
  • Aaron Luce Farm
  • Derr Equipment
  • Larry Eggen
  • Tyson Parten
  • Missouri Department of Conservation
  • Bobcat of St. Louis/Columbia