Jan 1 (Thu): Usual First Thursday Business Meeting to be postponed to Jan 8.

Jan 8 (Thu 7:00pm): January Business Meeting, postponed from its usual First Thursday.

Jan 10 (Sat 8-5pm): All-day Structure Fire class in Washington, GA. Ed, Brian, Andy, Glenn.

Jan 15 (Thu 6:30pm): First training session of the year! Maintenance: Vehicle maintenance schedule for tanker and partial for pumper. Inventory of arrived orders.

Jan 20 (Tue 7:30pm): Third Tuesday Oglethorpe Firefighters Association meeting (Farm Bureau Office in Crawford). Fire Chiefs meet at 7pm.

Jan 22 (Thu 6:30pm): Third Thursday Training session. A shorter training session. Photo IDs taken. We ran the tanker and pumper up to the church 6 miles total. Scott familiarization with driving tanker. Began to-do list on trucks/station.

Jan 29 (Thu 6:30pm): Fourth Thursday Training session. Planning session for prescription burn, Jeff Jackson. Went over conditions requirements, personnel availability, map of land.

Feb 5 (Thu 7:00pm): First Thursday business meeting.

Feb 12 (Thu 6:30pm): Second Thursday Training. Knocker checkout. Pulled knocker out of bay, ran engine for an hour, checked out fire pump, everything ok. Pumper out, started up well. Checked leak in pumper (gasket leak near PTO link) and set pan underneath for check on how much is leaking.

Feb 17 (Tue 7:30pm): Third Tuesday Oglethorpe Firefighters Association meeting (Farm Bureau Office in Crawford). Fire Chiefs meet at 7pm.

Feb 19 (Thu 6:30pm): Third Thursday Training. Set up for nursing as demo, did not actually pump water. Nursing of pumper by tanker.

Feb 26 (Thu 6:30pm): Fourth Thursday Training. Oconee County Fire Station #8. Thermal imaging presentation – use and training. (Check out batteries on thermal imager.)

Mar 3 (Tue, 9-11am): Grant-writing workshop, GFA in Forsyth, GA. Add 4 hours for driving time.

Mar 5 (Thu, 7:00pm): First Thursday Business Meeting.

Mar 12 (Thu 6:30pm): Second Thursday Training. Tested batteries and charger on thermal imaging camera, batteries putting out appropriate voltage but charging is strange. Pulled out pumper and hooked up from rear for hose discharge. Reviewed pumper pump operation, PTO, and went over accessories on pumper.

Mar 17 (Tue 7:30pm): Third Tuesday Oglethorpe Firefighters Association meeting (Farm Bureau Office in Crawford). Fire Chiefs meet at 7pm.

Mar 19 (Thu 6:30pm): Third Thursday Training. WFD LITE this week. No specific exercises, but did run the pumper and reviewed accessories. Checked oil, fire extinguishers. Brian gave a rundown on his summer schedule.

Mar 26 (Thu 6:30pm): Fourth Thursday Training. Lisa gave training on use and care of handheld radios and pagers, and protocols for communications with Central.

Apr 2 (Thu 7:00pm): First Thursday business meeting.

Apr 9 (Thu 6:30pm): Second Thursday Training. Very light training evening. Glenn and Wayne got out pumper and ran it; Phyllis and Jim arrived at 7pm for brief conversation before winding things up.

Apr 16 (Thu 6:30pm): Third Thursday Training. Multi-departmental training at Beaverdam FD. BFD, WFD, AFD, PHFD, DPFD attended, around 45 firefighters. Reviewed capabilities of attending engines from AFD, BFD, PHFD, DPFD. Dinner. Critiqued the Meyer Farm Road fire of early morning Apr 9.

Apr 21 (Tue 7:30pm): Third Tuesday Oglethorpe Firefighters Association meeting (Farm Bureau Office in Crawford). Fire Chiefs meet at 7pm.

Apr 23 (Thu 6:30pm): Fourth Thursday Training. Updated Ed on recent training, especially last week’s inter-unit training at Beaverdam. Ed brought up NFIRS questions at Association meeting on Tuesday. We ran the pumper for awhile.

Apr 30 (Thu 6:30pm): Fifth (!) Thursday Training. Wildland fire season pre-planning and training. Brian went over fire behavior, tools and apparatus, strategies, likely encounters here in Wolfskin, role of Forestry, comparisons to western US wildland firefighting, suggestions for personal home protection. Pizza! Pumper and tanker ran for awhile – air horn on tanker not working (fixed).

NOTE: Firefighter weekend in Forsyth, Friday May 1 - Sunday May 3! Glenn, Phyllis, Ed, Brian, and Scott attended.

May 7 (Thu, 7:00pm): First Thursday Business Meeting.

May 14 (Thu 6:30pm): Second Thursday Training. Combination 1-3-5 year plan discussion and training on portable lighting system. Identified worklight problem on tanker, Brian identified fuses and where to replace. Both engines run.

May 19 (Tue 7:00pm): Third Tuesday Oglethorpe Firefighters Association meeting (Farm Bureau Office in Crawford).

May 21 (Thu 6:30pm): Third Thursday Training. Pumper and tanker run, pumper used for hose lay and suppression exercises. Used several discharge ports – discovered passenger side are not available. Checked gauges on driver’s side. Cycled everyone through hookup, PTO engage, and discharge routine. Pumper refilled.

May 28 (Thu 6:30pm): Fourth Thursday Training. Pumper and tanker run. Cycled through hookups onto tanker fire pump, washed tanker. Tanker refilled.

Jun 11 (Thu 7:00pm): Monthly business meeting. 1-3-5 year committee meets at 6:00pm.

Jun 16 (Tue 7:00pm): Third Tuesday Oglethorpe Firefighters Association meeting (Farm Bureau Office in Crawford).

Jun 18 (Thu 6:30pm): Third Thursday Training. This was cancelled on the spot in favor of a special board meeting to discuss specific questions regarding the FEMA building grant. Earlier in the day, Phyllis, Ed, and Wayne went to Bishop to meet with Bruce regarding Oconee pumper.

Jun 25 (Thu 6:30pm): Fourth Thursday Training. Our only training meeting this month. General maintenance. Lawn mowing. Brian fixed lawn mower, strobe on tanker left front, got pumper started (finally). Measurements made on M-ville and shed to complement red Oconee pumper.

Jul 9 (Thu 6:30pm): Second Thursday Training. Pumper operation with two 1-1/2 inch hoses/nozzles. Tested drag on pump when second hose opened up (5psi drop). Ed and Brian ran pumper to Arnoldsville and back, refilled. (Gas at 1/4 tank.)

Jul 16 (Thu 6:30pm): Third Thursday Training. Ed outfitted Josh with turnout gear, structure and wildland. We sprayed water from pumper, 2.5” hose, then nursed from tanker to pumper to refill. Josh and Ed refilled tanker at hydrant. Ed notes that driver side intake does not operate from panel switch now (another fuse problem?).

Jul 21 (Tue 6:00pm): Third Tuesday Oglethorpe Firefighters Association meeting (Farm Bureau Office in Crawford). This is an insurance meeting and is an hour earlier than usual. Two reps from each department should attend.

Jul 23 (Thu 6:30pm): Fourth Thursday Training. Used 2.5” hose to partially fill tanker drop tank from pumper (very slow), then drafted back into pumper. Dumped from tanker into drop tank, then drafted back in by vacuum pump. Used rear port, confirmed that driver port is not opening via switch from main panel.

Jul 30 (Thu 6:30pm): Fifth (!) Thursday Training. Both trucks out – Brian discovered and fixed the fuse that gave out, so the driver side port now functions. It seems that we’re going to continue to have problems with fuses in the main panel – this is at least the fourth one including the poor wiring that placed the sirens and radio on the same circuit (which Brian also fixed). We pulled off two 150-foot lengths of 1.5 inch hose from the pumper bed, examined under pressure, and worked with the foam stick gun. (Always remove the cardboard lining first.) Looks like the old foam sticks may be degrading to a point where they last through last through a quarter tank (200 gallons). More recent purchase was added to the pumper bin.

Aug 13 (Thu 6:30pm): Second Thursday Training. Water dumping and drafting from tanker and droptank. Everyone cycled through the steps of gravity and pressure dumps, and then drafting from the droptank. We discovered that cruise control that operates pressure/vacuum pump speed has to be reset with brake pedal when there are multiple operations. Josh and Glenn topped off tanker from DB hydrant.

Aug 18 (Tue 7:00pm): Third Tuesday Oglethorpe Firefighters Association meeting (Farm Bureau Office in Crawford).

Aug 20 (Thu 6:30pm): Third Thursday Training. Stripping of Margaritaville at 3:30 (Ed, Brian, Wayne, Josh) then off to Watkinsville for transfer of new old pumper, arriving WFD at 7pm. (Jim, Lisa, Phyllis, David, Glenn) installing Bas, radio and flashlight chargers, replacing of hose onto top deck and crosslays. Brian, Ed, and Josh continued on Sunday afternoon.

Aug 27 (Thu 6:30pm): Fourth Thursday Training. Getting to know the new old pumper: Brian took everyone through the pump operation and hosing. Some concern about the fumes. Jim adjusted the ladder mounts so they could be locked into place more easily.

Sep 10 (Thu 6:30pm): Second Thursday Training. : General survey of the new pumper.

Sep 15 (Tue 7:00pm): Third Tuesday Oglethorpe Firefighters Association meeting (Farm Bureau Office in Crawford).

Sep 17 (Thu 6:30pm): Third Thursday Training. Deadline for inactive firefighters to turn in outstanding equipment - see the Sep 6 post below. Practicing turnout gear and then timed donning of PPE and BA.

Sep 24 (Thu 6:30pm): Fourth Thursday Training. Crosslays on pumper – laying hose so that it all comes off in one pull. Ladder training. Use of portable lighting system during ladder training.

Oct 1 (Thu, 7:00pm): First Thursday Business Meeting. WFD Development Planning Committee meet at 6pm.

Oct 1 (Thu, 7:00pm): First Thursday Business Meeting. WFD Development Planning Committee meet at 6pm (postponed).

Oct 8 (Thu 6:30pm): Second Thursday Training.

Oct 15 (Thu 6:30pm): Third Thursday Training. Lisa and Ed briefed us on the early morning three-vehicle accident. Brian demonstrated triple lay for crosslays on the pumper. Pulled them out and put them back in.

Oct 20 (Tue 7:00pm): Third Tuesday Oglethorpe Firefighters Association meeting (Farm Bureau Office in Crawford).

Oct 22 (Thu 6:30pm): Fourth Thursday Training. Practiced triple lay using 1.5 inch crosslays on the tanker. Drove tanker 5 miles. A shorter evening.

Oct 29 (Thu 6:30pm): Fifth Thursday Training. Organized and accomplished most of the required inventory. Divided into five groups: station (Ed, Phyllis), pumper (Brian, Audrey), knocker (Glenn), tanker (Wayne), and issued equipment (Jim). Station and issued equipment (serial numbers) still need a little work. Still need $value on some items.

Nov 5 (Thu, 7:00pm): First Thursday Business Meeting.

Nov 12 (Thu 6:30pm): Second Thursday Training. Short training, with emphasis on the short. Few were able to make it this week, so we went over agendas for the remaining training in 2009, exchanged information on the budget, inventory, and upcoming December business meeting, and called it a night.

Nov 17 (Tue 7:00pm): Third Tuesday Oglethorpe Firefighters Association meeting (Farm Bureau Office in Crawford).

Nov 19 (Thu 6:30pm): Third Thursday Training. Wayne drove the pumper for the first time, with Brian instructing on dash controls and operation, 15 miles to the church and back, down Blacksnake Road, down Timberland Trail, and return. In preparation for the Saturday Restoration Run at which Wolfskin will serve as checkpoint firetruck at three locations. Phyllis, Jim, and Glenn reviewed the WFD Bylaws for fine tuning of certain definitions, and worked on end of year purchases.

Nov 21 (Sat 7-11am): Fifth Annual Restoration Run. New pumper used to occupy three checkpoints along the way, ensure safety of runners, establish direction at intersections, and drive and park appropriately from point to point. Cary directed the mission and Wayne and Glenn conducted the details (Wayne drove).

Nov 26 (Thu 6:30pm): Thanksgiving - Our usual training meeting will be cancelled.

Dec 3 Thu 6:30pm): First Thursday Business Meeting. This is our usual Monthly Meeting, beginning at 6:30pm. All are welcome to attend but only Board Members vote on business matters during the 6:30-7pm period. The bylaws can be downloaded as a Word Doc here. Oglethorpe County SOG (Standard Operating Guidelines) can be downloaded as Word doc here.

Dec 3 (Thu 7:00pm): Annual Firefighter Member Meeting. Elections (general voting by firefighters) will be held for 2010 Board Members, Chair/Fire Chief. Vice-Chair/Assistant Fire Chief, and Firefighter of the Year beginning at 7pm. All WFD members please attend!

Dec 3 (Thu 7:30pm): Annual Board of Director's Meeting. Elections of the Treasurer and Secretary of the New Board.

Dec 10 (Thu 7:00pm): Second Thursday Training, and our last of the year. Touch base on availability for the rest of the month. Discussion about the sale of the roofing portion of the building materials with Ed to research pricing for sale as scrap and report by Monday.

Dec 15 (Tue 7:00pm): Third Tuesday Oglethorpe Firefighters Association (cancelled).

Dec 17 (Thu 6:30pm): Annual Wolfskin Party. Probably the usual time and place, to be announced shortly. This is a pot luck where we celebrate our accomplishments for the year, make announcements, and generally pretend to try to maintain the sober demeanor that befits a fire department ;-) . More later!

Dec 24 (Thu): Training cancelled.

Dec 31 (Thu): Training cancelled.

Jan 7 (Thu, 7:00pm) First Thursday Business Meeting.