WINNSBORO – Fairfield County Council passed a resolution last week to recognize Oct. 6 – 12 as National Fire Prevention Week. The county’s fire chief, Jason Pope, accepted the resolution from County Council Chairman Neil Robinson and reminded council and the audience of ways to prevent fire injuries and deaths. At left is Councilman Moses Bell and at right, Councilman Jimmy Ray Douglas. For home fire inspections, call Pope at 803-712-1070.
RIDGEWAY – A cooking fire that broke out in the kitchen of a mobile home a little after 3 p.m. on March 2 destroyed the home, located on Reese Lane in Ridgeway.
The home was being rented by a couple and their four-month-old daughter.
The mother told the fire service that she was cooking in the kitchen when her baby started crying in another part of the home, according to the incident report.
The mother said she went to check on the baby and when she came back into the kitchen, “the whole place was in flames,” according to the report. She then grabbed her baby and ran from the house.
Three other stations were called to the home, which was fully engulfed.
“Cooking related incidents are the leading cause of house fires nationwide,” Fairfield County Fire Service Director Jason Pope said. “We just want to caution folks to stay in the kitchen while you’re frying, grilling, boiling or broiling food. Use a timer to remind you if you are simmering, baking or roasting food. And keep anything that can catch fire – oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains – away from your stovetop,” Pope said. Another suggestion, he said, is to keep a lid nearby to smother small grease fires.
“And if a fire starts, just get out,” he said, “close the door behind you to help contain the fire, and call 911 or the local emergency number after you leave. If you try to fight the fire, be sure others are getting out and that you have a clear way out.”
“For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed,” Pope said.
“It isn’t a crisis for Fairfield County…yet, but if the trend continues it will be,” said Jason Pope, the Director for Fire Services for Fairfield County.
According to statistics cited by a Dec 6, 2018 info gram from the U.S. Fire Administration, 70% of the nation’s firefighters are volunteers. Over half of the volunteers in the country are over 40 years old. And replacements are not keeping up with demand.
“There is a generational decline in volunteerism and the reasons are multi-faceted,” said Pope. “Fairfield County is a transient community with so many of our residents leaving our area for work every day that we have fewer people at home and available during the day. Back in the mill town days supervisors would often let employees off from work to fight local fires.
“Young people have lost a sense of community. We typically have two-income households now with more debt and multiple jobs with less time available to volunteer.”
Pope says the problem is compounded with the different kinds of fires that occur now.
“Today’s homes are burning faster and hotter,” Pope explained. “In Fairfield County, the firefighters are like soldiers going into battle on the front lines. We were called out on over 1000 calls in 2018, and we have only 4 full time firefighters and around 120 active volunteers. Our volunteers are some of the most dedicated people you’ll fine. It’s tough work, but also rewarding and exciting work.”
It is also a big commitment of time for the training. Twenty or thirty years ago, the basic volunteer firefighter training was 40 hours. Today volunteers have to undergo 140 hours of training. And a basic fire Emergency Vehicle Driver Training class is necessary just to drive the fire vehicles.
“The training at the State Fire Academy is free,” Pope said, “But it’s challenging. You do have to really want to do it,” Pope said.
“While volunteers don’t get paid,” Pope said, “they do get a small stipend of $18 for every meeting/training session and fire call they make. But that’s certainly not pay.
“Being a volunteer firefighter is about people wanting to help their neighbors. Wanting to give back to their community. Wanting to be part of something good. ‘Service Above Self’ is displayed on our logo patch,” Pope said with pride. “And that’s what it is.”
At its current pace, the nation, like Fairfield County, is not keeping up with the need for volunteer firefighters.
“If national trends hold true, counties and municipalities like ours will soon be having to hire 40 full time people,” said Pope.
To find out more about becoming a volunteer, visit Fairfield County Fire Service on Facebook, Instagram and on Twitter at Fairfield Co Fire or call Pope at 803-712-1070 or drop by the station at 315 S Congress St, Winnsboro.
WINNSBORO – There was good news and bad news about the 20 grass fires that burned 100 acres along Highway 315 S. in Jenkinsville last week.
The good news: “Thanks to the quick actions of our volunteer firefighters, there were no injuries and no structures damaged. Our emergency units did amazing work,” Fairfield County Fire Director Jason Pope reported to County Council on Monday evening. He also reported that the fires, first thought to have been arson, were determined by the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Department to most likely have been set accidentally, possibly by sparks from a chain being dragged behind a vehicle.
The bad news: “If the fire had happened during the week, instead of 2:15 on Saturday afternoon, we might have had a different outcome,” Pope said.
“We have 120 volunteer firefighters in Fairfield County,” Pope said, “but we need twice that many.”
Pope recently drew attention to the need for more volunteer firefighters in the County. He agreed to donate a check for $300 (contributed by the County’s fire chiefs) to the County’s recreation department if the department’s new director, Russell Price, would agree to be lifted in a ladder truck bucket to the top of the clock tower. Price agreed, and Greenbrier Fire Chief Sammy Castles, standing on a ledge above the clock’s face, greeted Price with the check, a handshake and a firefighter’s helmet that Price wore on the ride down.
“I’m trying whatever I can to get the word out that we desperately need volunteer firefighters,” Pope said.
According to the County’s incentive pay rates, volunteer firefighters receive $25 per call. Non-firefighters receive $10 per call. Other incentives include $5 for attending approved firefighter meetings, $15 for attending approved training classes and $15 for responding to wrecks with injuries. Maximum compensation for the month is $250 .
For information about becoming a volunteer firefighter, call 803-712-1070.
WINNSBORO – Fairfield County Administrator Jason Taylor has announced the appointment of two department directors – Jason Pope, Director of the Fire Service and Chris Clausen, Planning and Community Development Director.
“After 17 years of leaving the county every day to go to work, it’s a privilege and honor to come back home to work,” Pope told Council Monday night.
A graduate of The Citadel with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Pope had a year or so of experience with the Lebanon Volunteer Fire Department before being hired by the S. C. Fire Academy in February, 2001. He has held several positions with the Academy, most recently serving as the Deputy Director.
“I have great confidence that Jason’s wealth of knowledge and experience will help him continue to move the department forward in a positive way,” Taylor said.
A native of Fairfield County, Pope said he has lived in the County all his life and has deep roots. He and his wife, Karen, and their three children, Emma Grace, Jase and Samuel Jason, live on a farm in the Lebanon community and attend Lebanon Presbyterian Church.
Clausen comes to Fairfield County with broad experience in planning for small to medium size organizations focused on rural and suburban development. He was most recently the Zoning Administrator for Chapin, where he oversaw the growth of several large development projects, initiated numerous updates to the planning and zoning ordinances and secured funding for several community development projects. Prior to that, he served as Assistant Director of Economic and Community Sustainability Department of the Santee-Lynhes Regional Council of Governments where he was involved in numerous regional planning efforts focusing on environmental, transportation, economic development and community development projects and plans.
Clausen holds a Bachelor’s degree from Liberty University with a concentration in Business and two Master’s Degrees – one from the University of South Carolina (Master of Business Administration) and one from Clemson University (Master of City and Regional Planning.) He currently resides in Northeast Columbia with his wife Carla and their three children.
In addition to managing the planning, building and zoning functions of the County as well as the development regulations and ensuring code compliance, Clausen will also be charged with proactively seeking new community development initiatives with an increased utilization of grant funding.
“I’m excited to have an asset like Chris in the county,” Taylor said, “and I’m looking forward to the developments he will bring to the residents of Fairfield.”