LOYAL. LOCAL. COMPLETE.
When Paris Fire Captain Steve Gallagher arrives on scene, he approaches each incident with the same mindset.
“I always say that we did not cause the problem that we are dispatched to, we are here to make it better,” said Gallagher.
He joined the fire department March 1, 1996, and has held many responsibilities: EMT for 23 years, fire investigator for 15 years and captain for 14 years. As a captain, he is in charge of daily operations of the A-Shift and directs his team members at the scene for firefighting, extrication or medical assistance depending on the call.
Gallagher continues as a fire investigator for the department and other job duties that are not as public include: report writing, daily training, public relations and information.
Gallagher may be one of those people destined from an early age to become a firefighter.
His father was a firefighter and retired from the Ridge Farm Fire Department as an assistant chief after serving the volunteer department for 40 years. In addition, Gallagher’s father-in-law retired from the Paris Fire Department as a captain with 30 years of experience.
“I guess you could say it was obvious what path I would choose as a career,” Gallagher said.
Helping people is the main reason he continued as a firefighter. While calls may be similar in nature, such as a traffic accident or the need for medial assistance, the circumstances almost always differ and that adds to the experience firefighters need. Gallagher explained firefighters can respond efficiently because of the training they do, plus the experience they bring to each scene from other incidents.
His hobby is partially a continuation of his job interest. He enjoys visiting antique stores and other venues with his wife seeking to add to a collection of fire collectibles and items connected to either Paris or Edgar County.
October is National Fire Prevention Month and Gallagher encourages everyone to take measures that maximize safety at home. A key element to home safety is the use of carbon monoxide alarms.
The colorless and odorless gas is a byproduct of incomplete combustion. Gas furnaces and ranges produce the gas, but so does a parked automobile in the garage with the engine on. In high enough concentration, CO is lethal in all cases so early detection through an alarm device is an important preventative tool.
Gallagher suggests these tips:
CO alarms should be installed in a central location outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home and in other locations where required by applicable laws, codes or standards. For the best protection, interconnect all nCO alarms throughout the home. When one sounds, they all sound.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for placement and mounting height.
Choose a CO alarm that has the label of a recognized testing laboratory.
Call the fire department’s non-emergency number to find out what number to call if the CO alarm sounds.
Test CO alarms at least once a month; replace them according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
If the audible trouble signal sounds, check for low batteries. If the battery is low, replace it. If it still sounds, call the fire department.
If the CO alarm sounds, immediately move to a fresh air location outdoors or by an open window or door. Make sure everyone inside the home is accounted for. Call for help from a fresh air location and stay there until emergency personnel.
If a vehicle needs to warm, remove it from the garage immediately after starting it. Do not run a vehicle or other fueled engine or motor indoors, even if garage doors are open. Make sure the exhaust pipe of a running vehicle is not covered with snow.
During and after a snowstorm, make sure vents for the dryer, furnace, stove, and fireplace are clear of snow build-up.
Only use a generator in a well-ventilated location outdoors away from windows, doors and vent openings.
Gas or charcoal grills can produce CO and are for outdoor use only.