January2011-winner

Joe Auffert

Howell County Rural Fire District #1
West Plains, MO

Ever since Howell County Rural Fire Department was formed Chief Joe Auffert has been in command. Starting with the fire service in 1968, Chief Auffert took over the Rural Fire Department when it branched out on its own in 1982. Since then, he has been instrumental in establishing policies and classes that involve safety.

Twice a year, the department has a driving school, and all personnel are required to attend at least once that year. Fire truck drivers, as well as department personnel that drive their personal vehicles, are required to attend. Fire truck drivers are picked by looking at how safe they are driving to our calls.

Chief Auffert also instated a requirement that before someone is picked as a fire truck driver, he must have so much drive time with an officer of the department before driving an apparatus on their own. If someone has an accident, no matter how minor it may be, he has to take the class twice a year.

Additionally, when Rural Fire Department has received grants in the past for a new truck, Chief Auffert has made sure that there were as many safety features as he could get on department equipment.

Accountability is very important on the scene. Chief Auffert invested in a tag in/tag out procedure in which all of our personnel have helmet tags they wear. There is also a board that we put them on at the scenes. The department also has accountability on the mutual aid or automatic aid departments that respond with on some of the scenes. Everyone in the department is familiar with how the system is used.

Chief Auffert helped to establish an agility test that everyone does once a year. This helps the department know a person's limitations or if they are in good enough health to continue to do their job safely. Chief Auffert was also instrumental in starting an exercise program at Rural Fired Department.

In order to look out for the community, the department hosts several fire safety presentations throughout the year. The presentations center around the theme for that year's Fire Prevention Week.

Since June 2010, the department has selected a Safe Firefighter of the Month. This has helped to boost the morale of our department, as well as make all firefighters think more about safety in all aspects of their job.

Firefighting is dangerous, but Fire Chief Joe Auffert can be counted on to make it the safest profession that it can be.