Latest / Our Community, Our Mission / Ep #330- Safety, Compassion and Community Partnerships

Transcript

Ep #330- Safety, Compassion and Community Partnerships · Our Community, Our Mission

0:00
SPEAKER_00: Lord, thank you.
0:01
SPEAKER_00: Thank you for today.
0:03
SPEAKER_00: Thank you for just another opportunity to um experience joy and um just the beauty of this world.
0:12
SPEAKER_00: And thank you for another day to face a lot of stuff that our community is facing and that we can um lock arms with partners such as our guest today when things aren't joyful and when things are stressful.
0:31
SPEAKER_00: Lord, thank you for um all of the incredible partners in our community that are um working hard to help others, whether it's in food scarcity, time of crisis, mental health needs, helping people break free of addiction, um, and even just people that don't know you, Lord.
0:50
SPEAKER_00: Um I pray especially right now just for so many different groups, churches, emergency responses, nonprofits, business owners who are locking arms with social services to really try to get people the help in our community they need.
1:06
SPEAKER_00: So, Lord, today I don't know what we're gonna face, but I do know facing it together is better.
1:11
SPEAKER_00: And uh Lord, I just pray for everybody that is hurting right now, whether it's the people being helped or the helpers, um, because there's a lot of that.
1:22
SPEAKER_00: Provide peace where it's needed, Lord, and we just thank you for today.
1:25
SPEAKER_00: In your name we pray.
1:26
SPEAKER_00: Amen.
1:31
SPEAKER_05: Hello, everybody.
1:32
SPEAKER_05: Thank you for joining us for our community, our mission, a podcast of the Topeka Rescue Mission.
1:36
SPEAKER_05: I'm your host today, Barry Feeker, on October the 13th of 2026.
1:41
SPEAKER_05: Good morning, Lamanda and Miriam.
1:43
SPEAKER_05: Good morning.
1:44
SPEAKER_05: October.
1:44
SPEAKER_03: I know.
1:45
SPEAKER_05: Uh-huh.
1:46
SPEAKER_03: It's just so close to Christmas already.
1:48
SPEAKER_05: I know.
1:49
SPEAKER_05: And it's warm today.
1:50
SPEAKER_05: It is gonna get rain.
1:52
SPEAKER_05: We're gonna get a cold front coming in.
1:53
SPEAKER_05: We hope, we hope, we hope.
1:54
SPEAKER_03: I'm ready for sweater winner.
1:56
SPEAKER_05: Yeah, me too.
1:57
SPEAKER_05: My sweaters are going, try me out.
1:59
SPEAKER_05: Not yet.
2:00
SPEAKER_05: So I'm going, I really hope I fit.
2:02
SPEAKER_00: I was gonna say my true test is like, are those sweaters ready for me?
2:07
SPEAKER_00: I'm not sure.
2:08
SPEAKER_05: What you do is get the stretchy kind, you know, don't dry them too much.
2:12
SPEAKER_05: So yeah.
2:13
SPEAKER_05: So anyway, we got a really cool guest that we're going to uh talk with today.
2:18
SPEAKER_05: But before we get there, um night of praise was Sunday night, this last Sunday night.
2:23
SPEAKER_05: Yes.
2:24
SPEAKER_05: It was pretty cool.
2:25
SPEAKER_05: It was it was a blessing.
2:27
SPEAKER_05: Uh there were tissues being handed out for people in tears.
2:30
SPEAKER_05: Yes.
2:30
SPEAKER_05: Because of the testimony.
2:32
SPEAKER_05: So it's cool.
2:32
SPEAKER_00: I actually had um two people come up to me afterwards and they said, Um, we love the little bag of goodies you gave us, but maybe we need a bag of goodies before the event and they need to consist of tissues.
2:46
SPEAKER_00: And I said, Okay, I'll make that note for next year, Pass Out Kleenex, um, for everybody.
2:51
SPEAKER_00: But yeah, you know, we are um in the next couple of weeks, we will do a podcast designated to only Night of Praise.
2:58
SPEAKER_00: And so we'll unpack um just the financial impact from that.
3:02
SPEAKER_00: We are so grateful for everybody that gave, um, so incredibly grateful for our sponsors um that gave ahead of time to even help us put on this event.
3:11
SPEAKER_00: And um, you know, right now I really would just love to say uh we had a lot of testimonies on Sunday night.
3:20
SPEAKER_00: Uh we had updates from previous people that we highlighted at night of praise.
3:25
SPEAKER_00: And then we had um 18 to 20 staff members that uh were brave enough and and found their courage in the Lord to get up and on cardboard signs um put struggles that they have had, some that they are still currently going through as we wait for the Lord to to intervene on those behalves.
3:47
SPEAKER_00: Um and then we had an interview, an on-stage interview.
3:50
SPEAKER_00: Um, so it was just incredible.
3:53
SPEAKER_00: And I think I'm not sure what the ripple effect is gonna be from that evening.
3:58
SPEAKER_00: And if you listen to these podcasts, you've heard me talk about wrestling as a CEO with um how much do we trust the Lord and and when do we do a call of action and how do you find that balance?
4:10
SPEAKER_00: Um and we just with the Lord's help, we found that balance Sunday night.
4:17
SPEAKER_00: And nobody left there saying, Well, TRM doesn't need us, they're sufficient.
4:24
SPEAKER_00: Um, but I also hope that nobody left there going, Well, Amanda just sounded the alarms and her faith went right out the window.
4:32
SPEAKER_00: So I don't know what all's gonna happen um from Sunday night, but what I do know is um God worked in such a beautiful way Sunday night to bring awareness to what really matters.
4:44
SPEAKER_00: And um, he really just needed me to get out of the way.
4:48
SPEAKER_00: He needed us to get our worries out of the way.
4:50
SPEAKER_00: And um Sunday night, he really used people's vulnerabilities to showcase his heart.
4:57
SPEAKER_00: And so as the team's working on the amounts and all of the back-of-the-scenes stuff that they do so incredibly well, my heart really has just had such a peace the last 36, 48 hours um since the event, because I really do think that we brought such a a personal perspective um to problems that we're facing and to really say the problems are not the people.
5:25
SPEAKER_00: Um and I think we did that well Sunday night.
5:27
SPEAKER_05: You did too.
5:27
SPEAKER_05: No, I was very, very, very happy to see it.
5:29
SPEAKER_05: Um seventy some percent of your current staff are seventy-one percent.
5:34
SPEAKER_05: Um love that.
5:35
SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
5:36
SPEAKER_00: And you know, Barry, I also want to say this.
5:38
SPEAKER_00: Um, I'm not sure if he's listening, but hopefully we can share it with him.
5:42
SPEAKER_00: Another thing that just warmed my heart was uh Miriam came to let me know before the event had started that a previous employee, um, previous leader here um was waiting out in his car.
5:56
SPEAKER_00: Where's the tissue box?
5:58
SPEAKER_00: We're only three minutes in, I have no tissues.
6:00
SPEAKER_00: But anyways, um, Mr.
6:02
SPEAKER_00: Mike Foster and Mike worked at the Topeka Rescue Mission as 20 plus years.
6:09
SPEAKER_00: Yes, a right-hand person for you for 20 plus years.
6:11
SPEAKER_00: And just this morning, um, I was on my walk and um I was praying for people, and I just thought about all the work that you and your team members throughout the years have done.
6:29
SPEAKER_00: And the Lord just, I don't know, almost gave me this reminder of how He allows people the seasons in this place to do what He's asking them to do.
6:42
SPEAKER_00: And one day that won't be me, it'll be someone else.
6:46
SPEAKER_00: And I just hope that me and and my team, and I know we are, are loving the rescue mission in the same way that you and your team have.
6:56
SPEAKER_00: And I had such gratitude this morning walking around.
7:01
SPEAKER_00: Is this a hot pad?
7:04
SPEAKER_00: Just for the listeners to know there's no tissues.
7:06
SPEAKER_00: Apparently, we used them all night of praise, and they've handed me this big water.
7:12
SPEAKER_00: Probably dirty.
7:12
SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna have dirt all over my face, but it's okay.
7:14
SPEAKER_00: It's all like a fine.
7:16
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, be grateful.
7:17
SPEAKER_00: That's right.
7:17
SPEAKER_00: Thank you, Miriam.
7:18
SPEAKER_00: You're the best.
7:20
SPEAKER_00: Um, but I just thought about that and I just had so much gratitude for being in a place of transition and succession planning that you and I did, where I did get to see a little bit of that to then understand where God's needing me to help take it.
7:39
SPEAKER_00: And that is such a beautiful thing that I just um me for personally, I don't take for granted because I realize the way we've done things, Barry, is just abnormal, I guess, you know?
7:52
SPEAKER_05: Rescue mission.
7:52
SPEAKER_05: It is always abnormal.
7:54
SPEAKER_00: So when Miriam came and told me that Mike was out there, um, I went out to his car and I said, I am just so glad that you are here.
8:03
SPEAKER_00: And um I said, Do you want to go ahead and come in?
8:05
SPEAKER_00: And he said, Well, the doors haven't opened yet.
8:06
SPEAKER_00: And I was like, Listen, the doors will open for you when you show up.
8:10
SPEAKER_00: So just come on in.
8:12
SPEAKER_00: Um, but he did, and then his daughter said, Yeah, you know, dad wasn't sure he he should even come.
8:17
SPEAKER_00: He wasn't sure if anybody would remember him.
8:19
SPEAKER_00: And I was like, What?
8:21
SPEAKER_00: Of course.
8:21
SPEAKER_05: Like what he came in in his wheelchair.
8:23
SPEAKER_00: Yes, yes.
8:24
SPEAKER_00: So I walked with them inside.
8:26
SPEAKER_00: And anyways, so if you were listening, Mike Foster, or the family of Mike Foster, that really I I told him this.
8:33
SPEAKER_00: I said, It has made my day that after all these years, and and you're in retirement and all of that, that you would come back here and still want to partake in what God's doing.
8:44
SPEAKER_00: And so that just really blessed me too.
8:46
SPEAKER_05: Yeah, well, thank you.
8:47
SPEAKER_05: And uh I got a chance to see Mike and talk to him, but also Tiffany, his daughter.
8:51
SPEAKER_05: And you know, they were just blessed as I was blessed to be there.
8:53
SPEAKER_05: And of course, we're gonna unpack this more um in a couple of weeks, but uh very proud um to see how you carried the torch forward.
9:02
SPEAKER_05: It's the same story, different people, about God's love, opportunity, and people with transformed lives.
9:11
SPEAKER_05: And so that's what it's all about.
9:13
SPEAKER_05: And um, you know, yeah, things are different, different seasons.
9:16
SPEAKER_05: Uh when I first first started, we didn't have Facebook.
9:20
SPEAKER_05: Boy, what's the one?
9:21
SPEAKER_00: But you didn't have a podcast.
9:22
SPEAKER_05: We didn't have a podcast, no.
9:24
SPEAKER_05: No.
9:25
SPEAKER_00: And now I'm telling people to share about us and like our stuff on Facebook and all that's part of the.
9:30
SPEAKER_05: I wouldn't have been ready for that phase.
9:32
SPEAKER_05: So but anyway, so yeah, uh we're gonna uh talk about these important places things of today is before we talk to our guest here, um, our research and development department, um, which is worked so diligently hard on these every time uh to help us to understand.
9:48
SPEAKER_05: Uh Miranda, thank you for that.
9:50
SPEAKER_05: Um so um there's a couple of serious ones on here.
9:53
SPEAKER_05: Today, October the thirteenth is breast cancer awareness day.
9:57
SPEAKER_05: Yeah, this is the day where there's gonna be a lot of pink around.
9:59
SPEAKER_05: Yes.
10:00
SPEAKER_05: Uh and so very, very crucial thing that we understand it and support uh people who have gone through this, family members have gone through it, the prevention for it.
10:08
SPEAKER_05: A lot of things have happened in regards to um discovering ways to uh um attack this, but it's still a big, huge issue.
10:17
SPEAKER_03: But it's just so important for women to definitely go get your mammogram.
10:23
SPEAKER_03: I mean, it's just important.
10:24
SPEAKER_03: It's something it is frankly no fun.
10:27
SPEAKER_03: There's nothing remotely fun about it, right?
10:30
SPEAKER_03: But it is really important.
10:32
SPEAKER_05: Very important.
10:33
SPEAKER_05: And uh, you know, it's it's no respecter of persons.
10:36
SPEAKER_05: Um you could have um a nice job, uh healthy family, you can have a nice home, or you could be homeless.
10:42
SPEAKER_05: And it doesn't respect anything.
10:44
SPEAKER_05: That's right, right.
10:45
SPEAKER_05: So it's breast cancer awareness day, so be aware of that if you aren't already.
10:50
SPEAKER_05: It's also disaster day.
10:53
SPEAKER_05: Interesting.
10:53
SPEAKER_05: Disaster day.
10:54
SPEAKER_05: Uh it's uh also known as the International Day of Disaster, Disaster Risk Reduction Day.
11:01
SPEAKER_05: Don't think I knew that.
11:02
SPEAKER_05: Interesting, who we're gonna be talking to here in a minute.
11:04
SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
11:05
SPEAKER_05: Um uh about uh risk reduction.
11:08
SPEAKER_05: Uh good timing on that.
11:10
SPEAKER_05: So um it's one of those things that uh how do we on a global level mitigate disaster uh risk and uh build resilient communities?
11:18
SPEAKER_05: And I think that that's uh part of what we do benefit from in this nation compared to some others about you know the resources to be able to do that.
11:25
SPEAKER_05: And uh and it's not always convenient when we have codes and inspections and all those kind of things, but it's important for people's lives.
11:34
SPEAKER_03: And it's really important.
11:34
SPEAKER_03: There was just two hurricanes, right?
11:37
SPEAKER_03: Yeah that hit the United States that um that then ended up going inland to generate tornadoes and that kind of thing.
11:45
SPEAKER_03: So uh disasters happen in all different kinds of ways all the time.
11:49
SPEAKER_05: I don't know if I ever told you this, but we got hit in a tornado in 1983.
11:52
SPEAKER_05: We lost our home.
11:52
SPEAKER_03: Oh, did you?
11:53
SPEAKER_05: Yeah, that was my claim to homelessness for a while because we didn't have good coverage, so we were couch surfing for two months after that.
11:59
SPEAKER_05: So um, yeah, that was um anything can happen.
12:02
SPEAKER_00: Yes, yeah to anybody.
12:03
SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
12:04
SPEAKER_05: So the last one for today is National Face Your Fears Day.
12:08
SPEAKER_03: And you know what?
12:09
SPEAKER_03: Lamanda and I do that every Tuesday when we come to this podcast and are exposed to the potential questions you ask.
12:18
SPEAKER_00: And you keep showing up and ideally, I'm helping Miriam really overcome her anxieties, or maybe I'm enabling them because she put me closer to you today.
12:27
SPEAKER_00: I'm always on the other side with a whole person's link in between me and you, Barry, and now she's putting me right up next to you.
12:33
SPEAKER_05: Is that why you were so nice to me here this morning talking about good the good old days?
12:36
SPEAKER_00: I'm afraid you're gonna get me in the leg or something underneath the table.
12:39
SPEAKER_05: Well, I would, but there's a lot big thing holding this table up.
12:43
SPEAKER_05: So no, it's a uh, you know, there there's a lot of fear to me.
12:46
SPEAKER_05: Yeah, just everywhere you go.
12:47
SPEAKER_05: And and uh, you know, all kidding aside is that a lot of the folks that we try to help are afraid.
12:53
SPEAKER_05: And they're afraid of getting help sometimes.
12:55
SPEAKER_05: They're afraid that something's bad's gonna happen, they're gonna lose their children, or they're going to not have a place to stay, or get kicked out, or or or or and so they create systems based on fear.
13:05
SPEAKER_05: And so, but they're not the only ones.
13:07
SPEAKER_05: And so National Face Your Fears Day, um, offering a powerful opportunity to confront anxieties that hold us back.
13:14
SPEAKER_05: And uh thank you both for facing your fears and coming here.
13:17
SPEAKER_05: Diane, I'm normally pretty mean to them, but uh they didn't want to do that in front of you today.
13:21
SPEAKER_05: So anyway.
13:23
SPEAKER_00: That means he's scared of you.
13:25
SPEAKER_00: That helps us.
13:26
SPEAKER_05: She's got a badge.
13:28
SPEAKER_05: So we are very privileged today to have the Topeka Fire Department inspector, Diane Hawkins, with us today.
13:34
SPEAKER_05: Diane, welcome to our community mission.
13:36
SPEAKER_02: Thank you.
13:37
SPEAKER_05: Yeah, yeah.
13:38
SPEAKER_05: Well, you kinda know these two over here pretty well.
13:42
SPEAKER_05: You know, I thought I'm not sure you and I'd met before.
13:44
SPEAKER_05: You look familiar, but I'm not sure we met until this morning.
13:47
SPEAKER_05: Uh but um you work together with the rescue mission and Topeka Fire Department and a variety of areas, and and uh we're so grateful for that.
13:54
SPEAKER_05: Uh first responders is probably the biggest one um in that arena.
13:58
SPEAKER_05: Diane, talk about your career with Topeka Fire Department and then uh what you've done, how many years you've done this, and then um when did you get into the inspector role and what does that mean?
14:09
SPEAKER_02: Uh so I started um in 1998 with the fire department.
14:14
SPEAKER_02: Uh I had always wanted to be a paramedic.
14:19
SPEAKER_02: And I was just talking to somebody the other day about that show emergency.
14:22
SPEAKER_02: Uh that's kind of one of the reasons why I wanted to be a paramedic.
14:27
SPEAKER_05: Movies do kind of move us in certain ways.
14:29
SPEAKER_02: So um I started uh at AMR, uh the ambulance service here in town, and then um I had volunteered uh when I lived in Manhattan for a volunteer department, Blue Township.
14:43
SPEAKER_02: Um and I came here and then they were doing a big hiring here for the Topeka Part fire department, so I applied and you know got hired.
14:52
SPEAKER_02: Um I started off as just a you start off as a firefighter, um, then you get training and you move on to become an apparatus operator, which is a driver.
15:03
SPEAKER_02: And then uh you eventually take more training and then you become a lieutenant and then more training uh and you become a captain.
15:11
SPEAKER_02: Um so that I was probably I had 25 years of experience on the job um doing all that, and it just got a little trickier to kind of fight fire.
15:23
SPEAKER_02: It does it takes a lot of physical endurance to fight fire.
15:28
SPEAKER_02: So there was an opening in the fire inspections department, which is more of a desk job Monday through Friday.
15:34
SPEAKER_02: And so I applied for that and I got it.
15:36
SPEAKER_02: And so I've been doing that for about three or four years.
15:39
SPEAKER_02: Um that usually entails uh we have four inspectors in total for the department for the city, and we uh just basically have four sections that we we each have uh one fourth of the city that we kind of uh manage.
15:54
SPEAKER_02: Uh we have uh it's we we uh have certain things that we have to inspect every year, uh like so schools, hotels, restaurants, um board and cares, that type of thing.
16:08
SPEAKER_02: And then when we're we're done with all that, then we try to get into other occupancies that we don't normally get into.
16:14
SPEAKER_02: So we with this the staff that we have, we're not available, we're not able to get into every single building every year in the city of Topeka.
16:22
SPEAKER_02: It's a pretty big, pretty big city.
16:24
SPEAKER_02: Um so that's kind of what we try to do.
16:27
SPEAKER_02: Uh we try to work with uh the people um that own the occupancies uh to try to make sure that they're following the fire codes.
16:36
SPEAKER_02: Um I guess we also uh when there's new buildings that are being built or they're doing a major renovation that has to come up to the current fire code and they have to do a plan review, that type of thing, and then when they're done, we go out as inspectors and we make sure that they followed you know what they said they were gonna do and what we suggested and stuff like that.
16:57
SPEAKER_05: So there's a there's a code in regards to what's acceptable and what's not.
17:03
SPEAKER_05: So you kind of go through a building and look at the different things that they're doing, uh, whether it's a kitchen or exits or those kind of things.
17:13
SPEAKER_05: How often do you find that there's a hundred percent compliance when you walk into a facility?
17:21
SPEAKER_02: It really depends on how particular you're looking.
17:25
SPEAKER_02: I mean, if you want to go in with a fine-tooth comb, then you're gonna always find something.
17:29
SPEAKER_02: Um for the most part, uh when I first started and I was with I work with the restaurants, um, I I seem to see more things.
17:39
SPEAKER_02: Um I think working now with, you know, the restaurants now, I usually go in and I don't really find very much because I'm I'm hoping because of the relationship that we've had and kind of what they they know what I expect.
17:51
SPEAKER_02: Um and it's usually most for the most part, most of the occupancies now um you know are up to code and there there might be like uh just little things that they have to fix.
18:03
SPEAKER_05: So if there's things that need to be done, um not everybody can get them done that day.
18:08
SPEAKER_05: So is there a grace period or a time, or is there a time maybe that you don't have a grace period just because it's gotta be dealt with right now?
18:16
SPEAKER_02: Aaron Powell Right.
18:16
SPEAKER_02: So it I mean if that something had to be done right away, I mean, we would enforce that, like you know, if all the doors were locked or something like that, that's something they need to fix that day.
18:25
SPEAKER_02: And we very rarely have anything like that.
18:28
SPEAKER_02: Um For the most part, you know, it's like exit signs that aren't working or your emergency lights.
18:36
SPEAKER_02: Um sometimes they just haven't gotten their fire alarm inspected, you have to have that done annually.
18:41
SPEAKER_02: And so usually we we try to work with you know the owners and like we say we give them like 30 days, and then as long as they're working with us, keep me up to date, you know, as long as you're keeping me up to date, like you know, we're working on it.
18:55
SPEAKER_02: I had to order all new emergency lights and they're back ordered, so they won't be in for 90 days, and you know, and so we'll we'll usually work with you to you know get that done.
19:06
SPEAKER_02: Um this year we also we did start uh charging for reinspections.
19:11
SPEAKER_02: Um we hadn't done that in the past.
19:13
SPEAKER_02: And we still try to work with our occupancies, you know, to get that done.
19:19
SPEAKER_02: But sometimes they procrastinate just you know a little too much.
19:24
SPEAKER_02: And so unfortunately, you know, this is a tool that we can use to kind of get some enforcement done.
19:30
SPEAKER_05: Um but so do you or I'm sure you're at least one of your team inspect Topeka Rescue Mission?
19:36
SPEAKER_00: Yes, that'd be actually me.
19:38
SPEAKER_05: That'd be you.
19:38
SPEAKER_05: Okay.
19:39
SPEAKER_05: So you're the one that comes through, and that's why they're so nice to you.
19:42
SPEAKER_05: Yes, so uh, you know, just generally, you know, what's the health checkup of a Topeka Rescue mission in regards to its safety protocols?
19:52
SPEAKER_02: Uh it's usually uh really good.
19:53
SPEAKER_02: Um normally I just have uh there's some exit lights or exit signs or some emergency lights that are out.
19:59
SPEAKER_02: Usually your fire alarms and sprinklers are up to date.
20:03
SPEAKER_02: Uh you did have uh some fire alarm issues in the Hope Center.
20:08
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, for about 80 years.
20:11
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
20:12
SPEAKER_00: No.
20:13
SPEAKER_00: Gosh, it felt like it.
20:14
SPEAKER_00: And yeah, it's in one month.
20:16
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
20:17
SPEAKER_05: Is that the ones that uh set off and they wouldn't stop?
20:19
SPEAKER_00: Is that uh we had that issue, and then um I'm so glad that was after I had stepped down.
20:25
SPEAKER_00: Yes, you are.
20:26
SPEAKER_00: But I will say uh that the technology was described as ancient.
20:31
SPEAKER_00: Well it wasn't.
20:32
SPEAKER_00: So anyways, um so that's been such a pretty bill to pay.
20:38
SPEAKER_00: You're welcome.
20:38
SPEAKER_00: Um but no, on a serious note, I do um what Diana's saying is so true that really if you communicate with them, that's really the main key.
20:49
SPEAKER_00: Um, because we've everything that could possibly go wrong with that beautiful stinking fire panel at the Hope Center has gone wrong.
21:00
SPEAKER_00: And then trying to get the right um wiring and and make it up to par.
21:06
SPEAKER_00: I mean, it was such a process.
21:08
SPEAKER_00: And I will say that that is stressful for me and my teams on our end.
21:12
SPEAKER_00: Like we want to do the right thing and we want to get everything fixed and everything, but then some of it takes time and all of that.
21:19
SPEAKER_00: But what I appreciated is that there is always that plan B too, because we can't not have a safe place for 250 plus people, right?
21:30
SPEAKER_00: Like our operation is 24-7, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
21:35
SPEAKER_00: Um, so our teams um they took the safety so serious and they were doing manual checks and manual rounds, sometimes every hour, maybe the whole time every hour, I'm not even sure, on top of that, so that we could get the right parts in, the wiring done, you know, hire this company to bring this up to par so that it will connect to this.
21:59
SPEAKER_00: Um It was a process.
22:01
SPEAKER_00: And so that alone is stressful.
22:04
SPEAKER_00: Having the dollars to do it, we're planning it on a capital project, trying to do all of this stuff right.
22:09
SPEAKER_00: It would be even more of a nightmare if we one had an inspector that didn't hold us accountable, right?
22:17
SPEAKER_00: And didn't own this stuff because we had to depend on her for a lot of questions that we had.
22:21
SPEAKER_00: But on the other hand, it's also a nightmare if you have someone that's just so ugly and are just kind of out to get you because the load's already heavy as we're trying to do the right thing and get everything done.
22:33
SPEAKER_00: So we make a lot of jokes about what Diane does because it's inspections and we all get nervous, sort of like an on it.
22:40
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
22:42
SPEAKER_00: Not just finished too.
22:43
SPEAKER_00: That's another podcast.
22:45
SPEAKER_00: Um and it went great, but it's still stressful as you're going through it.
22:49
SPEAKER_00: But I, as the CEO, I am grateful because we depend on Diane's knowledge, even if it's like, oh great, we got to go do this whole list.
22:57
SPEAKER_00: It's stuff we don't know.
22:59
SPEAKER_00: We don't live in her world.
23:00
SPEAKER_00: And because of her knowledge, all of our people are safer.
23:03
SPEAKER_00: Right.
23:04
SPEAKER_00: And that's what we want.
23:05
SPEAKER_00: And so it is definitely a love-hate relationship with inspections.
23:10
SPEAKER_00: Um, but because of that, the rescue mission is better because of of what she does.
23:15
SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
23:15
SPEAKER_05: Well, it's it's yeah, you to your point, a worst case scenario versus having to put in new fire panels and raise the money and all that would be if something bad happened and you weren't protected.
23:25
SPEAKER_05: And so yeah, we uh we do appreciate that, uh, especially when it's all working.
23:29
SPEAKER_05: So uh Daniel, I want to kind of roll it back a little bit.
23:33
SPEAKER_05: You came on the department in 1989.
23:35
SPEAKER_05: Um 1998.
23:37
SPEAKER_05: I'll get my numbers around.
23:39
SPEAKER_05: Okay.
23:41
SPEAKER_05: Um you um uh what was it like then to be female and coming on predominantly male, I think, at that time, um, field?
23:53
SPEAKER_02: Uh so for me and the Topeka Fire Department, they had had there was at least eight to ten other women that had already been on the job.
24:02
SPEAKER_02: Um, I believe in 1980, 1981 is when they first started hiring female firefighters.
24:08
SPEAKER_02: So that wall, I guess, had already kind of been broken.
24:13
SPEAKER_02: Um so for you know, several years before I got on.
24:16
SPEAKER_02: So I appreciated that.
24:18
SPEAKER_05: And um so you didn't have to break the wall down.
24:21
SPEAKER_05: Right.
24:22
SPEAKER_05: Did you feel accepted as one of the peers on the fire department at that time?
24:27
SPEAKER_02: I did.
24:27
SPEAKER_02: Um I do think the ladies who started earlier had it was a little bit more trickier for him um to kind of go through that.
24:35
SPEAKER_02: But and you know, now the department is just wonderful.
24:40
SPEAKER_05: So you had kind of a vision to be a paramedic.
24:45
SPEAKER_05: Um why fire department?
24:47
SPEAKER_05: Um, why go into that?
24:48
SPEAKER_05: And I want to ask you the the biggest question I have of the day is what's it like driving one of those trucks?
24:52
SPEAKER_05: But anyway, before we get there, so so why fire department versus well you did some AMR work, but why did you decide I want to be a firefighter?
25:03
SPEAKER_02: I think it several things.
25:05
SPEAKER_02: Um I had done a little bit of the volunteering when I was in living in Manhattan.
25:09
SPEAKER_02: I went to college uh in Manhattan, K-State, go by state.
25:12
SPEAKER_02: Good.
25:14
SPEAKER_02: And uh when I got done with that, I wanted to get into the emergency services field kind of because of the show emergency and what what they did.
25:24
SPEAKER_02: Um and then I was able to because I didn't really have firefightering, you know, as a goal, really.
25:31
SPEAKER_02: I wanted to be a paramedic, so that would mean, you know, with an ambulance service.
25:35
SPEAKER_02: Um and I did a little bit of volunteer work with Blue Township Fire Department, just right outside of Manhattan, Kansas.
25:41
SPEAKER_02: Uh I really enjoyed it.
25:43
SPEAKER_02: Um we we moved to here to Topeka, and um I got a job with AMR.
25:51
SPEAKER_02: Um they like to overwork and underpay.
25:57
SPEAKER_02: So the fire department was hiring at the time, and they treat their employees pretty good.
26:04
SPEAKER_02: So I applied and I got hired.
26:06
SPEAKER_02: So it was kind of a just a I don't know if it's a lucky break or what is how I got into it, but I'm very glad that I did.
26:13
SPEAKER_02: I love the fire service.
26:16
SPEAKER_05: So the big question.
26:17
SPEAKER_05: So you went from fighting fires to being a apparatus worker or whatever it is, but that's driving trucks and ladders and all that.
26:27
SPEAKER_05: That's a driver.
26:28
SPEAKER_05: Okay.
26:28
SPEAKER_05: What is that like to drive that monster downtown with the big sirens going on and trying to make curves and people getting out of your way and showing up at the right time and all that kind of thing?
26:37
SPEAKER_05: Just describe that.
26:38
SPEAKER_05: I just uh you we watch it on TV.
26:40
SPEAKER_05: But you know, obviously I never got to do it.
26:42
SPEAKER_05: So help me.
26:44
SPEAKER_02: Um It is pretty exciting.
26:46
SPEAKER_02: Um I I do miss that a lot.
26:50
SPEAKER_02: Um it's sometimes frustrating because sometimes people don't hear us and you know, we're behind somebody honking and we're gonna be able to do that.
26:57
SPEAKER_05: I don't know how they don't hear about it.
26:59
SPEAKER_05: Right.
27:00
SPEAKER_05: There's other sirens that may be, but man, I'm telling you, those trucks.
27:04
SPEAKER_02: So, you know, and you know, we're trying to get somewhere.
27:08
SPEAKER_02: And usually if we have our lights and sirens on, it's usually sometimes we you might see a lot of fire trucks going somewhere and it's uh an alarm that's gone off.
27:17
SPEAKER_02: And typically those probably are just false alarms.
27:20
SPEAKER_02: Um but you know, we have a lot of fires in this city.
27:24
SPEAKER_02: We have a lot of, you know, cardiac arrests, we have a lot of strokes, we have a lot of there's a lot in the city that we see shootings, stabbings.
27:32
SPEAKER_02: Um so it's a little frustrating when you are trying to get through traffic and people can't hear you.
27:38
SPEAKER_02: But and I get how cars these days are they're pretty soundproof.
27:42
SPEAKER_02: Or if you have the radio on.
27:43
SPEAKER_02: I mean, I've I've been just going down the road in my personal car and haven't heard something.
27:49
SPEAKER_05: So it's it's you know, that'd be a challenge to have that much power coming at somebody just kind of on their iPods or whatever.
27:59
SPEAKER_05: So um first responders.
28:02
SPEAKER_05: Um we have um a 911 call.
28:04
SPEAKER_05: And if it's uh whatever medical situation, it's not just AMR that comes, it's also fire department that comes.
28:10
SPEAKER_05: And oftentimes it seems like they get there first.
28:12
SPEAKER_03: Fire gets there first, in my mind, almost 100 percent of the time.
28:16
SPEAKER_05: So what's the theory behind that?
28:18
SPEAKER_05: Um why because that's pretty pretty expensive um to deploy a fire truck.
28:25
SPEAKER_05: Um and what's the theory behind that?
28:28
SPEAKER_05: And what maybe are some better ways to do that in your in your opinion?
28:32
SPEAKER_02: So AMR has I can't tell you the exact they they fluctuate the amount of ambulances they have uh on duty in a given day, even given time.
28:43
SPEAKER_02: Um you know, they have six or seven probably during the busy time and you know, four or five in the evenings.
28:49
SPEAKER_02: So with uh first responders, we have um so we have 12 engines and we have six trucks that actually four trucks that can respond to medical calls in our territories.
29:05
SPEAKER_02: So you have you know sixteen and they're regional within the city.
29:10
SPEAKER_02: So we have sixteen opposed to the you know six or seven ambulances that AMR has.
29:16
SPEAKER_02: So we're and we're usually gonna be in that area.
29:19
SPEAKER_02: So we're gonna get there first as is, that's why we're kind of called first responders.
29:24
SPEAKER_02: And we just have more of us.
29:26
SPEAKER_02: Um there's nothing wrong with uh how AMR does that.
29:29
SPEAKER_02: I mean, it keeps them very efficient and and they they m move all over the city to make sure they're in a the proper place to respond to the needs.
29:39
SPEAKER_02: Um but we I mean it allows us as a fire department to get there first and start medical care while we're waiting for the ambulance to get there.
29:48
SPEAKER_05: Trevor Burrus Well, there's absolutely nothing wrong with uh shorter wait times if you're in a crisis.
29:52
SPEAKER_05: Right.
29:53
SPEAKER_05: Um and whoever can get there first that knows what they're doing.
29:56
SPEAKER_05: And of course, at the rescue mission, oftentimes, and my experience as well in different places of the community, uh, firefighters get there first to be able to assess and stabilize.
30:06
SPEAKER_05: So you've had um this uh desire to be involved in and uh the medical end of it, and there's something called paramedicine.
30:14
SPEAKER_05: And so what's some goals that you have and what about we may be seeing here in the near future in Topeka?
30:23
SPEAKER_02: So with uh just across the county uh whole uh United States and you know the world, um they we're getting more 911 calls.
30:32
SPEAKER_02: A lot of the calls aren't quite as emergent as they used to be in the past.
30:38
SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, we have we're getting a lot of calls for falls, a lot of calls for just elderly, uh maybe they're sick.
30:46
SPEAKER_02: Um there's a lot of calls that I'm not sure why we were sent to them in the first place, how they got past that 911 to get us dispatched for it.
30:57
SPEAKER_02: So we're seeing a trend uh that our 911 calls are going up and you know we can't put any more responders on the you know, out on the ground.
31:07
SPEAKER_02: So, you know, we're starting to run more calls, and that's you know, making us more fatigued.
31:13
SPEAKER_02: Um so the city I kind of I don't know exactly what they've been doing, but I've I've had the idea for community paramedic in for three or four years, and I've been working with the city to to try to get a community paramedic program going.
31:29
SPEAKER_02: It's been around for about 20 years throughout, you know, the United States.
31:33
SPEAKER_02: Uh and currently like Lawrence has one, Aletha has one, um Kansas City, Kansas, I think has a community pro uh paramedic program.
31:43
SPEAKER_02: Um it's to to to meet to figure out kind of why people are calling repeatedly uh for 911 and getting them resources.
31:54
SPEAKER_02: There's a you know program that you know, aging at home, so um working with the Kansas government to figure out what resources are available for to help people that are getting elderly but they don't want to or can't afford to go to a nursing home and they can stay at home.
32:12
SPEAKER_02: So that's kind of like what we're trying to do, trying to reduce those frequent 911 calls, try to get them out of the ER, get them somewhere else to help the ER.
32:22
SPEAKER_02: The ERs are pretty full these days.
32:24
SPEAKER_03: And so I've never heard of that community paramedic.
32:28
SPEAKER_03: What tell me more about that?
32:29
SPEAKER_03: What does that mean?
32:31
SPEAKER_03: Like what what does that look like?
32:34
SPEAKER_02: Um They're different in different areas.
32:37
SPEAKER_02: Um I think when like it kind of first started, there's there's a community paramedic program.
32:43
SPEAKER_02: I couldn't tell you what city.
32:45
SPEAKER_02: They were getting a lot of calls um like at the schools for like one person there's they had a person a child there that kept having um she either had diabetes or seizures and they kept calling 911.
32:58
SPEAKER_02: So they kind of started this program to kind of go there and prevent that kind of thing uh so that they didn't frequently call 911.
33:08
SPEAKER_03: That's such a great idea.
33:09
SPEAKER_03: I mean, I think about it even for the number of calls that go from our shelters um to 911 because of the situations that are going on in the shelters, whether it's seizures or people with chest pain or those kinds of things, you know.
33:24
SPEAKER_03: So it's that that's a fascinating idea.
33:27
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and then you know, you can there's you can do anything really, you just kind of have to look at your community and see the needs for your community.
33:34
SPEAKER_02: But yeah, you know, one thing could be that you get out there and you give flu shots or whatever to you know, if we can get out to the homeless.
33:41
SPEAKER_02: And I know sometimes some community programs they might go visit the homeless camps once or twice a week, which I think Lawrence does do that.
33:49
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
33:49
SPEAKER_02: And then you you know, you're bringing in prevention and stuff like that, and you're getting the resources to the people that need it before they call 911.
33:56
SPEAKER_03: Right, before it gets to that point.
33:58
SPEAKER_02: And then adds more of a burden.
33:59
SPEAKER_02: Sure.
34:00
SPEAKER_03: Or even knowing where else to call.
34:03
SPEAKER_03: You know, sometimes I think calls go to 911 because people don't know where what else to do.
34:08
SPEAKER_03: Right.
34:08
SPEAKER_03: It's an easy-to-remember number, and it's like, okay, well, I know I'll get help that way kind of thing.
34:14
SPEAKER_03: But I think this is fascinating.
34:16
SPEAKER_05: So in that kind of system uh to Miriam's point, people remember 911 is just a natural thing that they call.
34:25
SPEAKER_05: Would we be trying to equip and train the community for a different number, or would it be then that dispatch would then try to assess and then make the determination and 911 is the main place to get a hold of somebody?
34:36
SPEAKER_02: Aaron Powell Yeah.
34:37
SPEAKER_02: Currently it would be still calling 911 and they would, you know, go through their system and just figure out what's in it's emergent as not and not emergent.
34:48
SPEAKER_02: I think there are there's been talk about bringing in like a non-emergent number, a three-digit number, but um kind of across the uh country for that.
34:57
SPEAKER_05: But I can imagine that the prevention piece of this is so important.
35:02
SPEAKER_05: Um we talk about falling.
35:04
SPEAKER_05: Uh we have an aging population.
35:06
SPEAKER_05: People are living longer, they are staying in their homes longer.
35:09
SPEAKER_05: Um they don't always know how to make adjustments within their home for accessibility.
35:15
SPEAKER_05: And so they still have, you know, the same obstacles but just don't know what to do differently, or maybe don't have the resources to do anything differently.
35:24
SPEAKER_05: And so they have an accident.
35:25
SPEAKER_05: And those accidents are pretty serious sometimes.
35:28
SPEAKER_05: And so you guys go pick them up and set them up and maybe take them to the hospital, or maybe you just set them back in their chair, I guess.
35:34
SPEAKER_05: So how would this possibly work in regards to community education awareness?
35:40
SPEAKER_05: Would this be a community paramedic paramedicine type training that would be available, maybe for neighborhood associations to help people with the neighborhoods, or we got that far with that kind of thinking for prevention?
35:54
SPEAKER_02: So I mean we could bring uh fall prevention classes to communities, to assisted living centers, to retirement homes, to um just the NIAs, that type of thing to figure out I mean, there's there's different reasons why people fall.
36:11
SPEAKER_02: And if they we want to stop them falling, and then that's the potential for being injured.
36:18
SPEAKER_02: So breaking a hip or breaking something else, which means you know, long-term care.
36:23
SPEAKER_02: So we want to stop whatever is causing the falls.
36:28
SPEAKER_02: You know, sometimes it's just they have a lot of clutter in their house.
36:31
SPEAKER_02: You know, you need to, you know, maybe help clean that up for them.
36:35
SPEAKER_02: Maybe they need some grab bars, something to hold on to, um, maybe making sure they're supposed to be using their walker and that they're using it.
36:43
SPEAKER_02: Uh that's a lot of a lot of the reasons.
36:46
SPEAKER_02: Sometimes um the medication that maybe they're on is causing them to be uh dizzy or whatever, which causes the fall.
36:52
SPEAKER_02: So you might want to work with the doctor or the nurse to, you know, see if we need to adjust that.
36:59
SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, sometimes they're they're ill, they're maybe they're not eating enough and they're weak, so you know, getting meals and wheels or getting meals to them.
37:08
SPEAKER_02: Um it's it's really a a big issue.
37:12
SPEAKER_02: A very big issue.
37:13
SPEAKER_05: Yes.
37:13
SPEAKER_05: And also possibly getting neighbors to start maybe helping neighbors.
37:18
SPEAKER_05: Yes.
37:18
SPEAKER_05: In places maybe they don't normally do that.
37:21
SPEAKER_05: Well, that's uh so are we anywhere close to something like that happening?
37:25
SPEAKER_02: Uh I think we're very close.
37:28
SPEAKER_02: I just don't have a time frame as to when it's going to start.
37:31
SPEAKER_05: Earlier she had uh held up her two fingers like really, really close.
37:37
SPEAKER_05: Uh but anyway, well, thank you for doing that piece.
37:40
SPEAKER_05: So I want to just pivot before we we stop today, and that is uh talk to us from a fire department perspective on the homeless situation.
37:51
SPEAKER_05: Um yes, you guys at Topeka Rescue Mission a lot.
37:55
SPEAKER_05: Uh there are homeless in the streets.
37:57
SPEAKER_05: We have seen an exponential growth based upon a number of factors, pandemic being one of those of unsheltered people.
38:03
SPEAKER_05: Today it's harder and harder for people to stay in their housing.
38:06
SPEAKER_05: Affordable housing is an issue.
38:08
SPEAKER_05: Um social services are working all the time.
38:12
SPEAKER_05: Some churches are working in that regard.
38:14
SPEAKER_05: But from a fire department, firefighters, inspector, whatever, um, what do you see is the problems?
38:23
SPEAKER_05: What do you think that we can do from your perspective?
38:27
SPEAKER_03: Boy.
38:29
SPEAKER_03: He's asking you to solve world problems.
38:31
SPEAKER_05: I'm nice to them that they just want to start guessing.
38:34
SPEAKER_05: Yeah, just uh just your honest and candid uh uh impression because you guys you guys are on the front lines of everything.
38:40
SPEAKER_02: We are, and I personally would love to see our fire department.
38:45
SPEAKER_02: There are so many men and women on our department that want to help people.
38:50
SPEAKER_02: And I know there are a lot of resources out there, and like so currently I've been trying to learn all the resources that we have in the city, you know, that are available, grants, just housing.
39:03
SPEAKER_02: And I'd I'd like to bring that to our department and educate our department so that they are also um more ready and available to help people get to resources.
39:15
SPEAKER_02: Or you know, we go to uh I get a lot of calls for elderly people and a lot a lot of times like their family, they're like, I just don't know what resources are available.
39:28
SPEAKER_02: And they'll reach the companies from the engine or truck will reach out to me and they'll, you know, like what do we what do we tell these people, what resources are available?
39:37
SPEAKER_02: And as I'm learning, you know, I try to teach them and I'd love to, you know, make that more of a department-wide type thing that that they know what where they can send people, and then if they can't help, then that's when they can send it, you know, to somebody like me that maybe um can get in there a little bit more and help with the resources.
40:01
SPEAKER_02: And so I uh we have such our fire department is just a family and we are very caring to this community.
40:08
SPEAKER_02: So I know there's people out there that want to help.
40:10
SPEAKER_05: That's that's good news.
40:11
SPEAKER_05: That's pretty good news to hear, isn't it, Lamanda?
40:13
SPEAKER_00: It is.
40:14
SPEAKER_00: You know, it's one of those things that uh what I'm appreciating right now kind of about this season we're in, because it hasn't always been this way in the couple of years that I've done this.
40:28
SPEAKER_00: There is, I feel like, a genuine desire for all of us kind of in these leadership roles right now to learn more.
40:40
SPEAKER_00: And so whether that is my appreciation for the fire chief, the police chief, other leaders such as Diane, um we are all really trying to understand two main things.
40:55
SPEAKER_00: We're trying to understand the other people's perspectives, and then we're trying to then explain ours.
41:03
SPEAKER_00: And that's one thing that I really have enjoyed about Diane is she is so knowledgeable in a lot of stuff.
41:13
SPEAKER_00: Practical, she's saying maybe a little.
41:16
SPEAKER_00: Um and I joke a lot with her, but I really sincerely respect her as well for her experience, her knowledge, and she's just not one that's gonna settle for mediocre.
41:32
SPEAKER_00: And she has such a high bar of excellence, and I love that.
41:37
SPEAKER_00: But one of the reasons why she's so excellent is because she admits the stuff that she's trying to learn too.
41:43
SPEAKER_00: Well, then we're able to grab onto that and we're like, hey, did you know we do this?
41:47
SPEAKER_00: Or did you know come to the warming centers?
41:50
SPEAKER_00: You know, that was one of the biggest things we did this year was invited her particularly.
41:54
SPEAKER_00: Come come see it, come see our command center, see what we do that's ran by rescue mission folks, right?
42:01
SPEAKER_00: Um, and see how that all works together.
42:04
SPEAKER_00: And so I appreciate her willingness to learn our side, um, what we are doing, limitations we have, things that we're doing really well, because then she can go spread that word of mouth.
42:15
SPEAKER_00: But then I also have a responsibility to her, the fire chief, police chief, whoever I'm working with, to also understand what their people face.
42:25
SPEAKER_00: And it's not easy.
42:27
SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, when they get five calls on the same person, that's not easy.
42:32
SPEAKER_00: And we're doing five calls on the same person, that's not easy for my staff.
42:37
SPEAKER_00: So trying to just be authentic when those challenges come up, what can we do better?
42:43
SPEAKER_00: What can we do differently?
42:44
SPEAKER_00: Um, and I feel like not just with Diane, but some others too, there is this desire to say, okay, instead of just saying we've got this issue or even complaining about it or whatever, um, what can we do together to learn more?
43:00
SPEAKER_00: And um, and I feel like our team is also doing a good job of trying to understand other people's perspectives.
43:07
SPEAKER_00: So understanding the frustration that fire might have, and it might not have been about that person, but they truly don't know how to help that person and they don't know what to do.
43:16
SPEAKER_00: Um, understanding business owners' perspectives when there's certain behaviors and stuff happening outside their doorsteps, um, the rescue mission has has a responsibility and a duty to care about that and to learn about that.
43:29
SPEAKER_00: I just appreciate the spaces where we're able to give feedback to um and that people are willing to listen, that there might be practices they need to change as well.
43:38
SPEAKER_05: And I think it starts, uh, Diane, as you said, do you have people who care?
43:42
SPEAKER_05: Um we got people who care in the fire department, people care at the rescue mission, we have law enforcement officers that care, business leaders that care.
43:49
SPEAKER_05: When you have that, you've got the best opportunity now than to say how do we care together?
43:55
SPEAKER_05: And so Diane, thank you for what you do.
43:58
SPEAKER_05: Um, thank you for sharing with us today some vision also, um, helping us understand the kind of the inners inside of what inspection means.
44:06
SPEAKER_05: What else would you like to share with our listeners today?
44:10
SPEAKER_02: Um I really don't know, but uh, I think education, learning why we have, you know, homelessness, why we have repeat 911 callers, it's all education, it's all compassion, and we just as a group have to solve the problem together.
44:29
SPEAKER_05: Yeah, very well said.
44:30
SPEAKER_05: So thank you for again being here today, and thank you for sharing what you shared with us and uh obviously uh the relationship you have uh with the community, as well as a big part of TRM, is a person like yourself.
44:43
SPEAKER_05: So thank you for being who you are.
44:44
SPEAKER_05: Thank you very much, Paul.
44:45
SPEAKER_05: Thank you.
44:46
SPEAKER_05: Well, we've heard from uh uh Topeka Fire Department Inspector Diane Hawkins today, and uh we are so grateful for the Topeka Fire Department.
44:53
SPEAKER_05: If you would like more information about Topeka Rescue Mission, you could go to TRMonline.org.
44:58
SPEAKER_05: That's TRMonline.org.
45:01
SPEAKER_05: And thank you for being a part of our community, our mission.