Felton Fire Protection District

On May 4th at 6:58pm, Felton Fire was dispatched for a fall at the Felton Community Hall, next door to our station. Felton Fire EMTs Rebecca Mitchell and Olivia Hart-Sasso, having heard the pre-alert, arrived on scene at the time of dispatch and quickly determined that the patient, 35 year-old Reyes “Rey” Castillo, was in cardiac arrest and promptly began CPR. Acting on their training they requested a page for additional personnel, and shortly thereafter Captains Jason Bravin and Luke Moeller arrived on scene as well as BC Dan Arndt. The patient was placed on a defibrillator and shocked twice, and our crew also deployed our LUCAS automated CPR device. After AMR paramedics arrived, the patient was defibrillated a third time, resulting in the patient regaining a pulse. The patient was transported from the scene in less than fifteen minutes from time of dispatch. Today, Rey, as a delightful surprise, walked in the station and took time to visit with the responders who saved his life. We could not have been more happy or excited to welcome him. We wish him all the best as he continues to recover from the event, and are extremely thankful that through the quick response, training, and professionalism of your Felton Fire EMTs and Firefighters we were able to visit with Rey today. With National CPR and AED Awareness Week starting June 1st, we’d like to take a moment to remind our followers that bystander CPR and AED use saves lives daily.

FELTON, CA – Felton Fire Protection District is proud to announce the promotion of Captain Dan Arndt to Battalion Chief of Operations and Acting Fire Chief, following the departure of Interim Chief Dan Walters.  As Battalion Chief of Operations, Chief Arndt will supervise volunteers and professional staff, overseeing staffing, facilities, equipment, and emergency response to ensure members of the Felton community and our neighbors continue to receive a high level of service. As Acting Chief, Chief Arndt will lead the district’s administration and guide the district forward while continuing the search for a full-time chief and exploring opportunities for shared services with other districts.  He has a keen eye for finance and exploring new funding opportunities. Dan has been a resident of the San Lorenzo Valley for over forty years, and has been a volunteer firefighter for nearly as long, first with Boulder Creek, Ben Lomond, and now Felton Fire.  He has significant professional experience including twenty-seven years as a program manager in the tech industry, and currently serves as the Director of Operations at SLVUSD.  In his (albeit limited) free time, he enjoys anything outdoors, as well woodworking and metalwork; more than anything, he loves to keep busy. Felton Fire would like to thank Chief Walters for his six months of service and we wish him the best in retirement. The Felton Fire Protection District is an all-risk fire protection agency, responding to 750-900 calls for service each year, including fires, floods, rescues, medical emergencies, and public assistance. Felton Fire also participates or leads a variety of public education programs, including fire safety at local school districts and a CERT program. More information about the department can be found at www.feltonfire.com

A strong training focus is critical to the success of public saftey personnel both in their day to day performance of duties and in the development of their careers. Felton Fire is proud to have a strong culture of encouragement to continue advancing the knowledge and skills of its employees, from landing zone operations with partner agencies, to vertical vent operations, and swift water rescue techniques.