ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / May 30, 2000

LAPLACE – The LaPlace Volunteer Fire Department is looking for a few good men and women. To be exact, it is looking for 100 people to be volunteerfirefighters.

Frank Fagot, president of the LVFD, former fire chief and 42-year veteran firefighter, said the department needs to recruit at least 66 more volunteers to bring the LaPlace fire fighting force up to 100.

“We want to have a total of 100 in order to fill the gap of people working during the day,” said Fagot.

Because LaPlace is basically a bedroom community, staffing a fire crew during the day is a problem. Most people are out of town during the day.At the present time the LVFD has 34 firefighters on duty, and Fagot is looking for men, women and even teen-agers to help.

Boys and girls between the ages of 13 and 18 can be trained as junior fire fighters. They are not allowed to go into fires, but they receive the sametraining and help out at fire scenes.

Fagot said he would prefer residents of LaPlace, but that is not an absolute requirement. Ideally, he would like to recruit people that work in LaPlaceduring the day.

Fagot joked, “If you can walk and chew gum at the same time, you are qualified.”Seriously, all recruits will take part in an intensive six-week training course.

Classroom training will take place at the firehouse on Hemlock Avenue in LaPlace. The actual firefighting training occurs at the LVFD facilities onWoodland Road where actual fires are set and extinguished.

All recruits are provided with a helmet, boots, suits and a custom-fit oxygen mask. They are also provided a beeper so they can be contacted.Firefighters are trained in first-aid, CPR, fire fighting and different kinds of rescue.

Fagot said there is also specialized training in dive rescues, rope rescues, high-angle rescue and handling and disposal of hazardous materials.

A firefighter must go through an extra 40-hour drivers’ training course in order to be a driver. The drivers are given a radio to contact other membersof his crew.

Robert Evans, a firefighter for six months, said the training is well- supervised and pretty thorough.

“The training was not really tough,” Evans said. “Just put your mind to it andyou will get through it.”Fagot warns potential recruits, “The training can be very exhausting, and during the summer it is very hot. But we have ways to keep you cool andsafe.”There is also the problem of people not making it through training.

“If we get 15 people in a training class, maybe eight will end up graduating,” said Fagot.

Evans said now that he is a volunteer firefighter, he wants to go to Delgado Community College and train as a professional fireman.

“That’s our big problem,” said Fagot. “Once we train them as firefightersthey move out of town. We have trained firefighters that now work all overthe country.”If you join the LVFD be prepared to help other firefighters in neighboring parishes. LaPlace has a mutual aid agreement with other towns and parishesand lends a hand to other fire fighting companies.

After the training, a new recruit does go out on fires and emergencies but is not allowed into burning structures except under supervision.

“Safety is always our biggest concern,” said Fagot, “and we want you well- trained before we let you do anything like that.”Even if you don’t want to fight fires, Fagot said the LVFD can always use volunteers to help out in the office and help with other non-fire duties.

Fagot said the LVFD is putting out bids on two new pumper trucks which will increase its fire fighting fleet size to 11. Right now the department hasseven pumpers, an aerial truck and a rescue truck.

One of the reasons volunteers are needed is that the LVFD is supported by a sales tax and the parish doesn’t have the money to pay a firefighter’s salary.

“Hopefully, we will get a paid crew one day,” said Fagot, “but just the equipment is very expensive.”A new fire truck costs in the neighborhood of $300,000, and the parish puts out $1,000 to outfit and train each volunteer fire fighter.

Despite the danger, some long hours and hard work, Fagot said, “It can really be fun. We want to make this an enjoyable experience, despite the badtimes.”After 42 years of fighting fires, Fagot himself said, “I really like it, and I see it a great community service.”So, if you feel you can make a difference and want to help out your neighbors and your community, and if you want a little excitement in your life, then call 652-9445 or go down to the LaPlace fire house on Hemlock Avenue one Monday at 7 p.m. and sign up to be a volunteer fire fighter.

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