Good Question Series: What Special Capabilities Does Your Local Fire Department Have?
Intended Audience: Building Owners, Managers & Organizational Safety Personnel.
Fire Department Facts:
The U.S. Fire Administration counts around 27,100 fire departments in the country compared to the National Fire Protection Association (FPFA) which puts the number at about 29,400.
The National Fire Department Registry (maintained by FEMA) indicated that there are an estimated 52,312 separate fire stations.
68% of the nation’s fire departments have only one fire station.
70% of all U.S. Fire departments are all or mostly volunteer.
NFPA estimates that 37% of all fire departments only offer basic fire fighting services.
A Fire Department With Basic Fire Fighting Services Can be Defined as the Following:
A given fire department or fire station that concentrates on responding to the typical structural and vehicle fires within its geographical areas with standard engines, hoses, and firefighter personnel and without having more advanced capabilities such as EMS, technical rescue, or hazardous materials.
Specialized Fire Services Provided by Departments by Percentages:
Vehicle Extraction = 79%
Public Fire Education = 65.4%
Wildfire Fighting = 64.1%
Basic Life Support = 61%
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) = 40.6%
Technical or Specialized Rescue36.9%
Fire Cause Determination = 35.9%
Fire inspection/Code enforcement = 35.3
In-House Fire Trining Academy = 23%
Advanced Life Support = 22.8%
EMS Ambulance Transport = 22.1%
Sworn Fire investigstors = 20.1%
Hazardous Material Teams = 17.8%
Juvenile Firestarter Intervention Program = 13.7%
Airport& Aviation Fire = 8.1%
Fireboats = 5%
Why Some Fire Departments Don’t Offer Specialized Services:
Lack of Budget or Funding
Personnel Shortages
Cost of Obtaining & Maintaining the Needed Equipment
Perceived Lack of Demand for the Services
Certification & Training Requirements
Legal or Regulatory Concerns
Mutual Aid Agreements with Other Departments
What Can Property Owners Do to Get a Fire Department to Provide More Than Just Basic Services:
Assess the need for specialized services such as high rise buildings, industrial facilities or quantities of hazardous materials and why the current department capabilities are insufficient to meet those needs.
Determine if there have been loss events that could have been reduced with the availability of specific special services.
Gather community support for obtaining specialized services through flyers, public meeting, surveys and petitions.
Meet with local governments to find solutions & funding for the problem
If the services cannot be provided by the responding fire department, promote the need for mutual aid programs on a local or regional basis.
Key Takeaway:
Communities can face special fire hazards so their fire departments must be able to respond to those risks through specialized equipment, training and funding.
About the Author:
Rob Brooks is the Loss Control Manager for Centurion Insurance Services in Charleston, West Virginia. He has over 40-years experience in his profession having worked for some of the leading insurance carriers and brokers. Rob has professional certifications in both human resource management (CHRS) and workers compensation (CWCP) from Michigan State University’s School of Human Resources & Labor Relations.
Disclaimer:
This publication is intended for general educational purposes only, and not to be considered as business, financial or legal advice. Centurion Insurance Services and the writer makes no guarantees or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the reliability, completeness or suitability of the information contained herein. Readers should consult with appropriate professionals before making any decisions based on the content of this newsletter. We will not be liable for any losses or damages arising from the use of the information provided.
