Chief's Message

February is heart month. Not only for those you love and adore, but for heart health. The American Canyon Fire Board of Directors proclaimed, ‘February as American Heart Month’. This is due to statics provided by the American Heart Association that show that over 600,000 Americans die of heart disease every year and that number can be drastically reduced if members of the community are property trained in CPR.

Whether you are a football fan or not, I think the nation saw a shockingly real experience of how sudden cardiac arrest can occur during the NFL game on January 2, 2023. As millions watched and held their breath during something that was supposed to be an entertainment event, a fit, athletic 24-year-old man went into sudden cardiac arrest. With proper CPR and application of an automated external defibrillator (AED) his life was ultimately saved. I encourage each and every community member to pursue a CPR / AED class. Here is a link to do so: https://safetytrainingseminars.enrollware.com/calendar?location=119652

With this, I would like to applaud Acting Captain/Paramedic Chad Pilkington. Chad had launched and continued a program within our community to educate the freshman class at American Canyon High School to teach ‘Hands Only CPR’ and basic AED skills since 2014. He has extended these skills to multiple community events and in 2022, as a District we educated over 1,500 community members. Once again, ensuring American Canyon continues to rise to the challenge to make us safe and a ‘Heart Safe City’.

I am excited to say we have met one of our 2023 goals early on. We have longed to bring our Explorer program back and with the hard work and extensive planning of four dedicated members of our team, we were able to accomplish that goal. I will allow Acting Captain/Paramedic Rojas to elaborate a little later on.

Speaking of future firefighters, AmCan Fire will be opening a recruitment in the near future. Follow our social media and our web page at www.amcanfire.com for more information.
As always, I ‘love’ being your Chief.
Geoff Belyea
Fire Chief
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Click Here for the Monthly Statistical Report for January

CPR Training

Are you CPR Trained? Would you like to be?

The American Heart Association hosts online CPR/AED classes to provide basic life support training.

Visit: AHA CPR/AED Training to find class near you.

On Friday, January 6th, Acting Captain/Paramedic Chad Pilkington taught 'Hands Only CPR' and Fire Extinguisher training at EnviroCare, a local business here in American Canyon.

We strive to continue to educate our community with these important life saving skills.

Fire Explorer Program

By: Acting Captain/Paramedic Rob Rojas

We are excited to announce that we have officially restarted our Fire Explorer Program. The program was put on hold since January 2020 due to Covid-19 and is now reopened after three years. The Fire Explorer Program gives the youth of American Canyon, from the ages of 14-21, opportunities to learn life skills and develop core values.

There is a maximum limit of 12 explorers at a time allowed in the Fire Explorer Program. The core values of American Canyon are empowerment, dedication, adaptable, professional, transparency, kindness, responsibility, integrity, mutual respect, and empathy. These core values will be the foundation of the Fire Explorer Program.

We currently have eight new eager explorers that are ready to learn life skills and what it takes to be a firefighter. These explorers are a direct reflection of the diverse community of American Canyon. Our Explorer drills are held every second and fourth Sunday from 2-5pm. The first hour focuses on physical training that consists of pull-ups, pushups, sit ups, and a 1-mile run. It is our job to ensure the fire explorers know the priority of being physically fit and mentally prepared.

Every drill consists of new or continued topics such as deploying fire hose, ropes & knots, ladders, hydrant operations, Emergency Medical Services, etc. Through this hands-on learning experience, they get to establish a foundation of firefighting skills, duties, and activities. Explorers will learn teamwork while communicating with each other through their time in the program. Explorers are also encouraged to participate in ride-a longs. These ride a longs give the explorer full immersion on what a day in the life of a firefighter looks like.

Explorers will be involved in public education events throughout the year as community involvement is a critical aspect of the profession. Explorers are a representation of the Fire District and are taught to hold themselves to that standard.

The supervising advisors consist of Acting Captain Euclid Abalos, Firefighter Preston Quick, Probationary Firefighter Davis Pratt, and Acting Captain/Paramedic Robert Rojas. This advisory team is committed to make this program the best it can be for the youth of American Canyon.

Applications are accepted on a continuous basis. However, new explorers will be introduced every six months until the maximum amount of 12 explorers is reached. After submission of an application, explorer candidates will be notified for an oral interview before being accepted into the program.

To apply visit: www.amcanfire.com and visit the ‘Fire Explorer’ page.

What is CERT?

Community Emergency Response Team (C.E.R.T.) is a nationally recognized emergency training course that teaches essential emergency response skills. By taking and completing the CERT course you will gain the skills and confidence necessary to help yourself, your family, and your community during a disaster.

Recent ACCERT Highlights

American Canyon CERT recently assisted with traffic control during the flooding on Highway 29. This critical assistance allowed for safe diversion of thousands of drivers.

CERT Basic Classes

Pending community feedback, additional classes may be scheduled locally here in American Canyon or at Napa Valley College. Email [email protected] to express interest in taking a class.

To learn more about ACCERT visit our web site at http://www.americancanyoncert.org/ or Follow us on Facebook here.