|
|
|
Questions that just don't fit anywhere else
|
|
|
|
Where can I get the "Into the Fire" DVD?
You can purchase it at the Fireman's Fund web site.
Why do I see emergency vehicles driving with lights and siren, go through a red light, and then turn off their lights and slow down?
Fire trucks and ambulances are often part of a tiered response system, meaning they are part of a group of emergency vehicles dispatched to a call. Most of the time these are fire related calls in which multiple emergency equipment is dispatched. Occasionally, when the first vehicle arrives on the scene, it is determined that the incident does not need all the equipment that was dispatched or it was a false alarm. It is easier to err on the side of caution and cancel an unneeded fire truck or ambulance response than to call for it when it is too late. For this reason, an emergency vehicle will continue safely through a red light and then turn its lights and siren off and return to available service.
Why do I see an ambulance or fire truck parked outside a store? Are they shopping on duty?
Sometimes, the crews are doing inspections and "pre-plans" of area businesses. Every business in the district is inspected annually, and a map of the outside and inside is updated. In other cases they are getting meals for the firehouse. Firefighters/paramedics work 24 hour shifts. Firefighters live and eat together and will usually decide during the shift what they will eat that day. The district allows them to go to the grocery store and buy food with their own money for the day. The crew takes the emergency vehicle so all members can stay together and respond immediately to emergencies if needed.
Why do so many vehicles respond to simple incidents?
Fire apparatus are dispatched according to information received by a 911 dispatcher. As discussed earlier, it is better to have more equipment than needed than to call for it when it is too late. At emergency scenes the work can be very strenuous, and always time critical. Each piece of equipment and its crew has a separate task to do. When considering each truck has only 3 firefighters on-board, personnel get used up quickly. Specific duties of each crew include interior fire attack, EMS, search teams, ladder operations, ventilation crews, and rescue intervention teams. With the appropriate number of people, all these tasks can be performed simultaneously. If you see a crew of people standing outside an incident, it is most likely because they are a "back-up" crew. The job of the back-up crew is to intervene if the crews working inside get into trouble. Crews must be rotated in and out of the fire scene so as to keep "fresh" firefighter/paramedics available for new jobs.
Is the fire department responsible for the fire hydrants?
Yes and no. City and county water departments are responsible for repair and upkeep of the hydrants, however, Monarch Fire and EMS inspects and flows every hydrant in the district annually. You may have seen us opening a hydrant in your neighborhood. This is done to flush out any debris that may have collected over time, and to make sure the hydrant is working properly. We also have maps and make sure that we know the location of each hydrant in the district. We understand they may not be aesthetically pleasing, but do not paint or hide a fire hydrant with plants or fencing. The paint on the hydrant represents hydrant flow rate. Hydrant flow rate is very important to the firefighter/paramedic’s when fighting fires. Hiding hydrants behind shrubbery, fences, etc. makes it difficult for us to locate them, and can lead to major problems during an emergency. And remember, parking in front of a hydrant is a violation, but more importantly could mean the loss of life and/or property.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| S |
M |
T |
W |
T |
F |
S |
|
|
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
|
12
|
13
|
14
|
15
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
|
19
|
20
|
21
|
22
|
23
|
24
|
25
|
|
26
|
27
|
28
|
29
|
30
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Upcoming
Events: |
| No
Events Found |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
PRINT/SAVE
EMAIL
