{"id":15955,"date":"2018-08-07T13:43:59","date_gmt":"2018-08-07T18:43:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/georgiaarsoncontrol.org\/?p=15955"},"modified":"2018-08-07T13:43:59","modified_gmt":"2018-08-07T18:43:59","slug":"unsung-hero-megan-zarcone-volunteer-female-firefighter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/georgiaarsoncontrol.org\/?p=15955","title":{"rendered":"Unsung Hero: Megan Zarcone, Volunteer Female Firefighter"},"content":{"rendered":"

(Rockland Times<\/a>) \u2013\u00a0A growing number of women are climbing tall aerial ladders and rescuing Rockland County residents from smoky rooms as members of volunteer fire companies. People who call 911 are not concerned about the gender of the firefighter who responds and rescues those plagued by a fire emergency.<\/p>\n

\u201cMegan Zarcone joined in 2010 and has been one of our top five or top 10 responders, every single one of those years,\u201d Monsey Fire Department Past Chief Adam \u2018Big Lou\u2019 Gordon told the Rockland County Times. \u201cShe has also headed up our \u2018Fire Prevention Education Committee\u2019 for the last four years and arranges all our public education with public and private schools, summer camps, etc. She is quite a \u2018pistol\u2019 and her personality makes her seem way larger in life than her petite stature might make it seem without knowing her. She does this while juggling higher education and a full-time job in her pursuit to become an addiction counselor, still helping others.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI joined at 18, became a probationary firefighter and have served as a firefighter for the past eight years,\u201d Zarcone said. \u201cDuring my training, I have been taught about thermal imaging, tower operation, the Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA), the hose lines, proper communication, personal escape systems, search techniques and venting a roof. I am a member of the Firefighter Assist and Search Team (FAST), which is dedicated solely to the search and rescue of other firefighters in distress who go down in a structure fire. The purpose of the Firefighter Drag Rescue Device is to aid with the rescue of an incapacitated firefighter by dragging him\/her along a horizontal plane. I have to be in good physical shape in order to be ready to serve, therefore, I go to the gym 2-3 times a week.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen the alarm goes off, the Tanker Truck leaves the Brewer Fire Engine Company No. 1 first. The primary purpose of the engine is to transport firefighters to the incident scene, provide a supply of 500 gallons of water to fight the fire and carry tools, equipment, and hoses needed by the firefighters,\u201d Zarcone continued. \u201cThe ladder tower is an aerial device designed for safe climbing and is attached to a bucket. Firefighters operating in the bucket have the advantage of a clear line of sight to the burning structure. The Rescue Truck has equipment to deal with an extrication of a person in a damaged vehicle. The \u2018Jaws of Life\u2019 refers to several types of hydraulic tools such as spreaders, cutters, and rams to pry open vehicles where a person is trapped. Monsey has single-family structures that are turned into multi-family units where there are walls that shouldn\u2019t be, beds that shouldn\u2019t be, no windows and boiler rooms filled with storage, so we don\u2019t know what we are getting into when fighting a house fire. What looks like a normal structure from the outside is not normal inside. Things can be replaced, but a human being cannot be replaced.\u201d<\/p>\n