I ask that for the month of July, each member check to see if your name has been filed on the Association roster, if you are on the Brotherhood roster, and make sure your beneficiary is correct. Please take time to check for your own benefit.
Nearly 9,000 people will die in the United States this year in water related accidents. People don't think safety. Backyard pools, our rivers and lakes will claim more deaths by drowning than what we care to think about. If your squad or EMS members have not been trained in dragging or water rescue, then it's past time for this training to take place. All members operating a rescue boat should be trained and all water rescue skills should be practiced. Practice with other squads and services, because we usually end up calling them anyway. It's important to run any type of water rescue or dragging operation the same way you run a disaster drill. Let us know about your water rescue training and dragging operations if you have a unique way of practicing or have had problems that others should be aware of.
It is hurricane season now, and we need to follow the mutual aid guidelines. Does your squad have local and area mutual aid guidelines? Does your squad know the mutual aid guidelines for State Emergency Response? Does your squad know the guidelines of the State EOC Staging Areas? If the answer to any of these questions is no, or if you have any questions about our mutual aid agreement, call the state Association office. One training meeting should be used to go over the state mutual aid agreement and the procedures for responding to a disaster.