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Mumford Fire Chief returns home after Mumford Fire Chief Dan Chapman says after 29 days away from his wife and children, he was ready to come back to Mumford. Chapman was one of eight firefighters from the Greece-Ridge FD that volunteered to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina. He and the others departed Rochester on September 3, 2005 and returned October 2. The firefighters were told to pack light for their mission – only what they could carry and be prepared to live the month in austere conditions. They flew first to Atlanta, Georgia where they were sworn in as federal employees of FEMA. They were given several immunizations and received training in community relations, cultural diversity and economic differences they may encounter working with the victims of the hurricane. Chapman and his crew were sent to the Convention Center in Dallas, Texas where they assisted 1,500 evacuees from New Orleans with various details. More evacuees arrived in the aftermath of Hurricane Rita. There were many stories told of the horrid conditions suffered by evacuees in the Super Dome in the days following Katrina. The firefighters put in 12-hour days and worked for 29 straight days before getting one day off. Chapman says the Mumford firefighters did a great job in his absence. Tom McGinnis filled in as chief. It was a busy month for MFD, with four calls involving serious accidents.
Mumford Fire Chief Dan Chapman
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