Firefighters are like a second family to each other. They share the duties of the job, to be sure, but more than that they share living quarters, plenty of time together and, of course, meals.
The Plain Township Fire Department, which serves New Albany as well as Plain Township, had a big say in the addition of the New Albany Safety Town, which launched in 2004 in the form of a mini town built to teach children about staying safe.
New Albany Safety Town has grown to host camps every year, and the mini town is open to the public in an effort to educate parents and children.
This is just one step toward a safer community, and Plain Township firefighter Travis Dudley offers safety wisdom for the coldest months of the year.
“We are striking into the winter season which is when the heating and cooling kicks in, so make sure you are using secondary sources of heat to properly install or use them and do so as the manufacturer recommends,” Dudley says. “Obviously, getting things like your furnace and stove checked too."
Regularly checking and repairing your appliances is vital to their longevity, safety and efficacy. It is hard to know when something could go wrong, and the more precaution that can be taken, the better.
“One of the bigger ones is obviously to check and make sure your smoke detectors are working,” Dudley says. “We try to recommend that, with the time changes, checking those, changing batteries, and making sure all are operational and working correctly too.”
Being a firefighter comes with a lot of responsibility, but having people next to you that love the job as much as you do helps, Dudley says.
“Well, obviously, we spend a third of our lives here working one day then off for two days, so this is like a second family to us,” Dudley says. “We are all here doing the same career and we love doing the job that we do, and there are so many good things to say about it.”
To be a firefighter requires adaptability. It’s not your typical nine-to-five, after all, and at any moment the firefighters could be called upon for an emergency. That means longer shifts and an alert mentality.
“The schedule is good, too; we work a lot of hours but we have days off, too, so it is nice to have that availability,” Dudley said. “We don’t work a normal work week. We work 24 hours a day, then off for 48 hours, then work for 24 more hours.”
The Plain Township Fire Department is a close-knit group that enjoys helping, caring for and teaching New Albany residents and beyond.
In addition to fire and EMS services, the Plain Township Fire Department team also educates the community on fire safety and prevention, enforces fire codes, and provides community outreach, among other initiatives.
Firefighter Jason Bates, one of Plain Township’s finest firehouse cooks according to Fire Chief Patrick Connor, shares his recipe for Jumbalaya.
Jumbalaya (No Rice)
Ingredients
2 yellow onions diced
3 green peppers diced
1 stalk celery diced
4 cans diced, fire roasted tomatoes
Minced garlic
Cajun seasoning
Black Pepper
Two 32 oz. cartons of chicken stock
2.5 lbs. chunked chicken breast or chicken thighs
Three 14 oz packages andouille/ smoked sausage sliced
2 lbs. uncooked shrimp, deveined and tail removed
Bay leaves
Tabasco sauce (if desired)
Instructions
Sauté onions, green peppers and celery in extra virgin olive oil until softened.
Add minced garlic, canned tomatoes and chicken stock and bring to a light boil.
Add Cajun seasoning, (Tabasco sauce if you're brave) and black pepper to taste. Add chicken, sausage and bay leaves and simmer covered for approximately 30 min, stirring occasionally.
Add thawed shrimp and continue to simmer approximately 5 min. Serve, over rice if desired.
Serves 8-10
