Meeting Report - Feb 3, 2005

LIEVT MEETING -- 2/3/2005 by Kit Cafaro

Middle Island Fire Department hosted the dinner meeting for approximately fifty members and guests at the Headquarters at Rte 25 and Arnold Place.

The Middle Island hosts served an excellent dinner followed by a superb dessert table and beverages. The president, Steve Velazquez, presented each of them with an LIEVT chef’s hat.

Steve opened the meeting and introduced Chris Lo Preto, former President of LIEVT as well as mechanic at Sayville Fire District and adjunct professor of automotive engineering at SUNY (State University of New York). Chris spoke to the members about the upcoming EVT certification tests. He will have a preparation class at SUNY Farmingdale on Wed., February 16 and has arranged for the tests to be held on March 23 at Farmingdale. Anyone interested in taking the test must register by March 2. The details can be found on the website http://www.lievt.org.

Kit represented the group at the FDSOA (Fire Department Safety Officers Assn) annual meeting. She told the members that almost one quarter of the attendees were from Long Island. A picture of the group that attended one class is on the LIEVT website.

The treasurer, Paul Sailon, reminded the members that dues were still $35 and asked the members to send them in.

Jon Moore, Jr. of Tempest Technology was introduced. He displayed and demonstrated exhaust fans, blades and saws. He discussed maintenance and Positive Pressure Ventilation and took questions from the floor. At the end of his presentation, Steve presented him with a framed Certificate of Appreciation and a multi-purpose tool and ruler inscribed with the LIEVT logo.

Nate Berry of Fire Research introduced the members to the new website which he has developed – he and Fire Research will provide this for the members. He pointed out each feature and answered the members’ questions. There was a very active discussion on the pros and cons of certain features and the advantages and/or disadvantages of having them available to the general public. The members were quite impressed with the progress Nate has made since he conceived this at the last meeting. He plans to conduct a half-day class on the website in the next few months. Steve presented him with a framed Certificate of Appreciation and an LIEVT tool and ruler.

The raffles consisted of many shirts from Tempest Technologies, theatre tickets from Fire News, a Fire Extinguisher and two Streamlight Stylus lighting tools from South Shore Fire and Safety and a $50 Gift Certificate to Home Depot from Fire Research.

Before he adjourned the meeting, Steve announced the next meeting will be on March 24 in Manhasset-Lakeville Fire Department. He reminded the members to check the website for details.