A team and a machine made the difference<br>Robert Rublin can smile<br>

In April 2000 Robert Rublin had a heart attack. Lacey Weatherford, a neighbor with training from the fire department, came in and began to work. Robert's wife Mary, a trained nurse, manned the phones and soon had to call in a "full code." By that time the AMS ambulance and rescue vehicles from the Winslow Fire Department were on their way.

When the full team got there it was a single, expensive machine that made the difference. Called the Semi-Automatic External Defibulator (AED for short), the machine gives the crew the technical support to keep a heart attack victim alive until they reach a cardiac care facility.

Robert Rublin is one of at least five people whose lives have been saved in Winslow because the fire department has this equipment. The first one was rescued in the first week the department had the machine available.

When the team assembled nearly a year later for the picture at the Rublin's house, the neighbors were told not to worry, as cars and trucks piled up in the neighborhood street - this was a social occasion.

THE TEAM: Winslow Fire Department and AMS ambulance EMT's cooperate in rescue.

J.J. McKinney, WFD; James Weatherford, WFD; Gilbert Moncayo, WFD; Mary and Robert Rublin; Lacey Weatherford, WFD, Josh Stewart, WFD; Tina Donnelly, AMS; and Mary Ann Smith, WFD

Winslow has an extraordinarily well-equipped and well-trained fire department. They go on even more rescue calls than they do fire calls although one of the upgrades for this year was improvement of the fire training facility.

There are seven full time employees and they are backed by by two companies of volunteers. They also work in cooperation with the AMS ambulance service and other emergency crews throughout the area. When you have an emergency in Northern Arizona everybody comes. The problem arises when there are multiple emergencies, because services are at distances that must be measured in time.

Among other accomplishments fire department staff conducted approximately 100 inspections for homeowners and commercial buildings. They cooperated with the state Fire Marshall in removal of underground fuel tanks and one of the firefighters is training as an arson investigator.

Fire prevention activities go on year round, with special emphasis on October, Fire Prevention Month. The department also participated in Career Day activities, provided tours of the station and taught CPR courses.

Acquiring the new pumper truck meant less overtime for the department. People may notice that the truck goes wherever the duty personnel go.

Along other equipment the department acquired an air monitor and a Haz-Cat kit for chemical identification.

Fire department staff assisted at many city events such as the Standin' on the Corner Park Celebration, the rodeos, the Fourth of July (where they raised the money and fire the fireworks!) and bringing Santa Claus to the Christmas Parade on Engine 1, where his sleigh fits exactly.

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