THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 27, 1994 TAG: 9410260145
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SHIRLEY BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CARRSVILLE LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines
JUDSON WEST, a firefighter at the Carrsville Volunteer Fire Department, carries his community service a step further than most.
West volunteers a week of his vacation each year visiting schools in the area to talk to students about fire prevention. And he plans his vacation in the fall to coincide with National Fire Prevention Week.
West always plans a visit to the classes of his children, 9-year-old Rachel, and 6-year-old Ryan, who attend Southwestern Elementary School. Convinced that children are never too young to learn about safety, he makes it a point to visit the kindergarten classes as well.
``I contact a kindergarten teacher at Southwestern and she sets it up so that I can talk to four separate classes,'' West said.
In the past, West also has visited Southampton High School and Nansemond-Suffolk Academy. In his demonstrations, he teaches students the basic methods of protecting themselves in case of exposure to fire.
``I tell them to stop, drop and roll,'' he said. ``I tell them not to play with matches and what to do if a smoke detector goes off in their home. If they leave the house, they should not go back. Once they get outside, anything in that house can be replaced, but they can't.''
Three years ago, firemen drove fire trucks to Carrsville Elementary School, gave the students a ride on the trucks, and handed out activity books and snacks.
During demonstrations, children watch the firemen put on their firefighting gear and are asked to listen to their self-contained breathing apparatus.
``It's a `Darth Vader' sound,'' West said. ``I tell them if they are in a fire and hear that sound to holler so we know where they are.''
``The fall and winter months are the most dangerous for fires,'' West said. ``Other members talk to clubs and I think it's paying off. People are more aware.''
A native of Nansemond County, West is a graduate of Forest Glen High School. Three days after graduation, he was hired at Union Camp Corp. and has worked the day shift in the Maintenance Department for 19 years. He is a member and instructor of the Hazardous Emergency Action Team at Union Camp, which meets once a quarter for training and conducts millwide fire drills.
In the fall of 1987, a friend at Union Camp approached West about joining the volunteer fire department.
``I joined because I thought if would be fun. I guess it was the little boy in me.''
Today, West is a captain and training officer for the 40-member fire department.
``I carry a beeper at all times, but if I'm at work and there's a fire, there isn't a whole lot I can do,'' he said. ``However, we have some farmers in the area during the day and some of our guys work shift work.''
After 5 p.m., however, if his beeper sounds, West rushes to put on his firefighting gear, which is carried in his Ford Ranger in a gear bag.
``Everyone heads towards the station until we hear that the trucks have checked out,'' West said. ``Then the rest of us head to the scene. Air packs are built into the seat of the trucks, so the firemen are ready to go when we get to the scene. We've been involved in fires in Holland, Franklin and Southampton County.''
Although the fire trucks don't run every day, West said that the station is manned 24 hours a day in the winter during periods of ice and snow.
``We have an outstanding Junior Department of 14- to 18-year-olds,'' he said. ``They do everything we do except drive the trucks and go into a burning building. Some have gone through state training . . . and the more you learn, the better off you are.
``Every call we go on has the potential for danger, so we train to expect the worst. Then when we get there, we're prepared.''
Training classes are held occasionally at the ``Smokehouse,'' at the Southampton regional training grounds.
``Union Camp donates scrap and we set two fires there on concrete pads,'' West said. ``Then we experience the real thing. The juniors go in with parental consent in a controlled environment. Sometimes, we do live fire training in an old house that is donated to us.''
West and his wife, Karla, live with their family near Carrsville.
He is an executive board member of the Holland Athletic Association and a member of the Holland Baptist Church and the Southwestern Elementary School PTA. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
Judson West not only volunteers as a firefighter but also he donates
his vacation time to speak at area schools about fire prevention.
by CNB