The role of a fire department has changed dramatically over the last 30 years. Traditionally a fire department did one thing, put fires out, as our society has evolved so has the fire service. We have gone from just suppressing fires to filling every void in emergency response that can be found, with one ultimate goal, the preservation of life and property.
The following list of fire department responsibilities is not all inclusive. One item missing from this list, it is the amount of time we as firefighters must spend educating ourselves, going to schools and practicing for the different types of emergencies we may be required to respond to.
We extinguish fires, no matter the size or cause. Our goal is to prevent loss of life and minimize the damage that a fire will cause.
With our population becoming older our EMS activities are increasing. We currently staff three full time Advanced Life Support ambulances. The level of care provided to our patients is the highest level allowed by the State of Indiana. In addition to our ambulance fleet, our engine and rescue companies are trained in EMS and respond with the ambulances to provide the quickest and the highest quality of care to the community we serve.
Many years have passed since the fire service realized the best way to save a life is to make your homes and businesses safer. Our fire safety education programs start with the Fire Safety House and continue with the efforts of all our firefighters.
One of the ways we prevent fires is by determining what in our community is causing fires, and then educating the public on how to prevent them from recurring. To do this we have a highly trained team of fire investigators who look at each fire scene and determine the fires origin and cause.
As technology becomes more advanced the chemicals we use and transport across our highways become more dangerous. When an accident occurs the first units called to the scene are from the fire department. Each firefighter on the department is trained at either the HazMat Operations level, or HazMat Technician level.
From motor vehicle accidents to water accidents people find the most unusual ways to get trapped. It is our responsibility to be prepared to rescue the public from any way they can find to put their lives in danger (With the exception of Law Enforcement Activities). From the patient entrapped in a motor vehicle accident, to high angle rope rescue, to a child with their hand in the spokes of a bicycle, we maintain the tools and the training to help.
