Women Prisoners Protect Facility, Serve Outside Area
features
How can a new volunteer fire department he different? Consider, first, it is an all-female department. Second, it is formed entirely of inmates from the Federal Correctional Institute at Alderson, W. Va. Women’s lib? Why not?
In January 1978, Darrell Keller transferred to Alderson from McNeil Island as safety manager. Together, Lt. W. B. Howard, a former Los Angeles fire fighter, and Keller, a former Tacoma, Wash., fire fighter, have built a oneof-a-kind fire department.
Ten selected inmates, who met high standards, were chosen for the first cadre. From the first few meetings, enthusiasm over this new and, yes, exciting activity ran high. The meetings were held with the Alderson Volunteer Fire Department and the Tri-County Volunteer Fire Department with a mutual desire to integrate the F.C.I. fire pumper and crew into a part of the total operation of fire protection services in the Alderson area.
Training arrangement
Training has been arranged through the fire service extension at West Virginia University in cooperation with the State Department of Education, Bureau of Vocational, Technical and Adult Education. Nine members of the crew completed Section I of this training in February 1978. Section II was completed in October, with five members receiving certificates.
Section I is designed for the new fire fighter, with emphasis placed on the study and practical evolution of the fundamentals of fire fighting. It includes the basic use of ladders, breathing equipment, small tools, forcible entry, chemistry of fire, protective equipment, introduction to salvage and portable fire extinguishers.
The advanced training for the fire fighter who has successfully completed Section I and who desires to continue her fire service education is covered in Section II. This covers all of Section I in more detail and includes ventilation, fire pumps and principles of foreground movement, size-up and field problems. Each section provides 24 hours of classroom and fireground instruction. The evaluation of the individual student consists of class attendance and participation, skills, safety and competency. The skill and knowledge the students gain is designed to be helpful to them as fire fighters and to their individual fire departments. All training is conducted in conjunction with the Alderson Volunteer and Tri-County Fire Departments.
Last September, seven members of the F.C.I. Fire Department participated in forest fire suppression training. Upon completion, all members received certificates and became registered through the State of West Virginia, Department of Natural Resources.
The members are trained with the institution as their main concern, as well as community involvement. They have responded for both the institution and the community in a professional manner, going about their duties in deliberate fashion with little regard to the dangers.
In an institutional setting as ours, members are released or transferred. Under the direction of the institution’s safety department, new members are selected and added after meeting the mandatory criteria. The chief and assistant chief are appointed by the safety manager.
The F.C.I. Fire Department has been designated as Engine 18 through the Greenbriar County Emergency Dispatch for response to the community. The citizens of Alderson are used to seeing the big, white fire truck from F.C.I. going through town, Code 3. But, what really gets their eyes is the fact that the crew is all female, well trained and eager to help whenever the call goes out.
Future training includes a 72-hour emergency medical technician course. When completed, the F.C.I. Fire Department will be certified in both fire suppression and emergency first aid.
