Health & Fitness
FIRE CHIEF UPDATES ACIA MEMBERS
AFPD IS IN GOOD HANDS!
Affton Fire Chief Jim Fritz has helmed the Affton Fire Protection District for three years. He briefed ACIA members at their October meeting. His staff of 36 firefighter-paramedics ran some 3,700 calls within the past year, with an increase of 250 EMS-related calls. Fire calls were down 70 calls over the preceding year, though there were six structure fires just this month. The Chief cited the additional ambulance authorized by vote of district residents as enabling the district to reduce the number of EMS calls where calling in mutual aid would have otherwise been required. During his tenure, Chief Fritz assembled an advisory group that held multiple work sessions to produce a strategic plan for the fire district. He also pointed out that he serves as Fire Marshall and visits all area businesses to make recommendations for any public safety improvements that may be advisable. He also explained the district's policy related to ambulance service billing and stressed that residents who are billed are encouraged to contact him, if such billing presents a hardship. We do not want to cause a hardship situation. However, funds that are collected are used as a source of revenue for equipment and supplies. As October is Fire Prevention Month, Chief Fritz emphasized that everyone should check the batteries in their residential fire alarms. He added that if a resident needs help in facilitating a battery change that they should call the district office and firefighters will be sent (on the quiet) to a home to do the installation. ACIA members were impressed with Chief Fritz's civic involvement, which includes service as a member of the Board of Directors of the Affton Chamber of Commerce. As he concluded his briefing, ACIA president, Larry Stone invited the Chief to become an Affiliate Member of the ACIA. Affiliates include, among others, certain Saint Louis County and State officials whose advice and counsel are deemed beneficial to the ACIA's faith-based mission of addressing positive economic development as well as addressing social ills within the boundaries of unincorporated Affton.
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