Indianapolis, Indiana-March 2008
Pike Township is one of nine townships located in Marion County, constituting its northwest corner. Pike Township is home to Eagle Creek Park and the National FFA Organization, Kiwanis International, Dow AgroSciences, Klipsch Audio Technologies, Cheever Racing, and the Indianapolis Colts.

Fire Department Awarded for Community Services
The Pike Township Fire Department has been serving the community with pride since the early 1950’s. With a full-time and part-time public educator, the department teaches the National Fire Protection Association Risk Watch Program to Kindergarten through 6th graders. The Risk Watch Program effectively teaches kids and their families the skills and knowledge they need to be safe from the areas they’re at greatest risk to unintentional injuries. The fire department received awards for their teaching in 2006 and 2007. Other school-based services include a mentoring program at Pike High School and an EMT program through the J. Everett Light Career Center at North Central High School and St. Vincent Hospital. The mentoring program allows students to visit the stations as part of a class at school to get a taste of the life of a fire fighter. The EMT program provides ride-alongs to help students build up credits towards their EMT certification.

For the community, the department holds a bike safety program at their local Rock Bottom Restaurant annually in March. Rock Bottom gives a percentage of sales during this time to benefit the department’s public education program. Additionally, a smoke detector sponsorship enables the department to “blitz” the community to provide complimentary smoke detectors and batteries.

Pike Fire Provides Career Path System
To ensure that leadership is trained and prepared, the Pike Township Fire Department has instituted a career path system. Firefighters can transition from a probationary firefighter to an officer over a 5-year period by taking a written and practical evaluation once a year that gradually provides more responsibility and training each year. Monthly training and education is provided to all firefighters and their training tower, one of a handful in the state, is used quarterly.

Planning is Important to Success
Fire Chief Gerald George has been with the Department since 1983. He became chief in January of 2007. After developing an annual plan and a master 3-5 year plan, the chief has devoted his attention to looking at apparatus replacement cycles and the department continuing education process. “A department should run like a business. We always look at how we could do things better,” states the chief. He is most proud of his department’s service delivery. ALS response is available on all apparatus and he believes the service delivery is second to none. This is testified to by a high volume of thank-you letters from the community.

Physical Fitness is Priority
Physical fitness has been an important component to the department for the last 25 years. The department performs their own fitness testing and has certain standards they are required to maintain. Medical evaluations began a little later and are designed to be non-punitive. Through their program, heart problems and other serious conditions have been discovered and addressed. “In our physically demanding job, the best condition you can be in is important,” says Chief George. “I work out to not only do my job better, but to have the benefit of enjoying life after retirement.”

Click here for the Pike Township Fire Department newsletter article.

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© 2008 Public Safety Medical Services