Indiana's state treasurer got to experience a "day in the life of a firefighter," during a visit to Dyer on Friday.
Treasurer Daniel Elliott chairs the Statewide 911 Board. Since Elliott doesn't have a public safety background himself, he hoped the visit would give him insight into fire departments' needs.
"I think the most important thing for me is just learning and being able to understand better the risks that these men and women go through every day to make sure we're safe," Elliott told Lakeshore Public Media.
Elliott got a glimpse into Dyer firefighters' daily routine and got the chance to take part in vehicle extrication and structure evacuation training. He said his main goal was to learn, but it wasn't all serious.
"To be able to use the chainsaws and the jaws of life, that's going to be fun," Elliott said.
Another increasingly important tool for firefighters is data. Using mobile data terminals in their trucks, firefighters can see notes on what specifically is going on, where to look for people who may be trapped in their homes and whether there may be residents with special needs.
Dyer Fire Chief Joe Martin said that's especially helpful if one department has to help a neighboring community it might not be as familiar with. "Our operability between Indiana and Illinois agencies and different agencies with different dispatch centers is vitally important, too, whether it be in Dyer or whether it be across the border in Sauk Village or Lynwood or even if you go to South Chicago Heights," Martin said.
Martin noted that centralizing 911 dispatch has led to a larger data pool. "I love the data," Martin told the treasurer. "I would rather know all of those things and still have to use my analytical mind, my training, my experience, my knowledge to make the decision."
But these lifesaving tools and the latest technology all cost money. Martin says the newest radios cost more than $10,000 apiece, and each self contained breathing apparatus costs $9,000. That's why he applies for a federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant every year.
"And I think it's important for anybody on a municipal, state or federal level to know how important it is to continually fund that on a national level because those have huge impacts on us," Martin added.
He noted that's even more critical for rural volunteer fire departments, which have similar equipment needs but often fewer resources. Elliott said understanding firefighters' needs and the costs is also important for his role as board chair of the Indiana Bond Bank.
