Six Alabama VFDs Form a Successful Automatic Mutual Aid Group
By President Mark Davis
January 24, 2014
Six volunteer fire departments in Shelby County, Alabama have joined together to create an automatic mutual aid group known as the Shelby County First Battalion (Brierfield, Montevallo, Pea Ridge, Maylene, County17, and West Shelby). We have had the great pleasure of working with these folks over the last four years to help themdevelop their rural water supply operations - and they have done a really great job of improving their ability to deliver and sustain a fire flow. Since the 1st of this year, the First Battalion has generated much interest because they have experienced an inordinate number of structure fire responses. Their work has caught the eye of local media and we wanted to share the "good" reporting that was done.
We have quite a few Members of our website from the First Battalion - so to those folks - we salute your effort! This has been quite an accomplishment. It took leadership to do it - so be proud of what you have accomplsihed!
County 17 and Brierfield units support the water flow at the 2013 water supply drill.
Crews from the First Battalion work together at one of several structure fires since January 1st.
Command and control of these structure fires has improved greatly by everyone working together under one Standard Operating Procedure. Apparatus and personnel are now arriving in a timely manner to make a difference.
Pea Ridge firefighters set up to draft water and fill tankers at the Montevallo drill.
Departments from the Shelby County First Battalion are shown here operating at a water supply drill in Montevallo back in 2010.
Montevallo's aerial tower was used in the water supply drill and simulated a large scale fire attack operation.
