What is the FD’s travel time to a call?
Why do we have a ladder truck?
How many people are on staff?
How many people need to go on a run?
Why are other jurisdictions in our township (e.g., Miami Township)?
How long are they here?
How many times do we have to use another fire company?
Explain Mutual Aid.
Why do we go into other jurisdictions?
Who do we call on depending on the area of Goshen the call is in?
If insurance doesn’t pay for an ambulance run, do I have to?
What are our fuel costs, usage?
Why do so many vehicles go on a run?
Why do you send 5 to 6 medics on a squad run?
Discuss what is supposed to happen with each fire call.
Discuss FD schedule and need for downtime.
Why do we have green trucks?
Why is Goshen not cleaned up, there are still drugs on the street?
Do the departments apply for grants?
Why does the FD staff use Township vehicles to travel around town?
What is the FD’s travel time to a call?
The average response time is five to seven minutes. Factors that increase response time include, call volume, traffic conditions, and weather.
Why do we have a ladder truck?
This type of truck is designed to get above the ground floor of a structure, and to speed rescue efforts. With multi story buildings, (Country Lake Apartments, condo’s at the Villages of Belmont, Goshen High School, O’Bannon’ Terrace etc.) it takes two firefighters to set up a ladder or platform where a ground ladder can require three or more firefighters. It also makes for a safe platform for firefighters when performing ventilation. In some cases the fire has gained so much head way that you need to get above it to control it.
How many people are on staff?
Police Department
12 full time police officers
2 part time police officer
1 civilian clerk
Fire/EMS Department - The fire department has 4 full time and 3 part time personnel on duty 24/7.
How many people need to go on a run?
The fire department sends 4 personnel on a call for a life squad run this can and will be scaled back depending on the type of call. Fire runs require the response of all personnel on most calls due to the unknown extent of the call. National Protection Association Standards require that on a structure fire that we must have two in and two out. Meaning that two fire fighters are in the structure fighting the fire and two are outside ready to go in the event of an emergency.
Why are other jurisdictions in our township (e.g., Miami Township)?
Police Department - Miami Township is in our jurisdiction constantly (much to their dismay) to cover radio calls we do not have the manpower to cover.
Fire/EMS Department - There are times when all our units are out on calls and then we must depend on our neighboring departments to make the run for us.
How long are they here?
Police Department - Including travel time to and from their area, they might be here as long as 30 – 45 minutes. On some occasions, they are tied up here for hours.
Fire Department - For squad runs the average time is 1 hour. For fire runs it can range from 1 to several hours.
How many times do we have to use another fire company?
In 2007 Miami Township responded into Goshen 47 times. Most of those were for back up squad runs.
Explain Mutual Aid.
Mutual Aid put simply, is a contract between neighboring agencies to assist each other as needed. Using other agencies could cost us though. The Mutual Aid Contract for Clermont County states that if a department covers a neighboring department’s district more than five times in a month then the responding department can negotiate with the department they covered for compensation for those runs.
Why do we go into other jurisdictions?
Police Department - They call us for assistance when their calls exceed their resources, and we do the same.
Fire/EMS Department - For the same reason that they respond into Goshen, which can be to respond to runs when our equipment and manpower is tied up on other calls, when the emergency is larger than their resources, or when one or the other has equipment that the other does not have.
Who do we call on depending on the area of Goshen the call is in?
In most cases we call in the closest department to the emergency. In some cases the Mutual Aid request is driven by the need for specialized equipment.
If insurance doesn’t pay for an ambulance run, do I have to?
No, we are on the “soft billing” plan. Whatever the Insurance Company pays is what we settle for.
What are our fuel costs, usage?
Police Department - Estimated fuel costs in 2008 is $50,000.
Fire/EMS Department – The FD used 1,974 gallons of fuel in the first three months of 2008, primarily on ambulance runs. The cost was $6,447.84.
Why do so many vehicles go on a run?
Safety is always our primary concern and we are always dealing with the unknown.
Fire runs in most cases have a response of two engines, one ambulance and the fire chiefs’ vehicle. Having two engines respond ensures that if one unit malfunctions or is disabled while enroute another can continue the run. We respond to vehicle accidents with two engines, two ambulances and the chiefs’ vehicle. This is done in the event of multiple injuries or entrapments. Most Squad runs are handled with one ambulance and a first responder.
Our township encompasses 36 square miles. A large portion is not covered by fire hydrants, so when there is a fire in an area without hydrants we must truck water in. In these areas we also respond with our water tanker and often it is necessary to request other tankers to respond through Mutual Aid to ensure a constant supply of water.
Why do you send 5 to 6 medics on a squad run?
Most of the time 4 personnel respond on a call depending on the nature of the call. Some calls such as a large patient, entrapment, life threatening injuries, or a non-breather will require more personnel to deal with. In the event of another call the personnel not needed on the first call will respond to the next call.
Discuss what is supposed to happen with each fire call.
All emergencies must have leadership, someone to make sure that all details are being handled and in a timely manner. We have one Chief, two Assistant Chiefs and one shift Captain. Currently, the Assistant Chiefs are acting as shift Captains and work a 24 on and 48 hour off rotation.
When a fire run happens N.F.P.A. standards call for one incident commander, one operations officer, one accountability officer, one safety officer, and a three person RIT team; all of this before anyone enters the building to fight the fire which usually requires two to three firefighters. As you can see out of a normal day of our seven on-duty firefighters, we are two to three personnel short on each call provided the squad is not on another call at the time. It is important that we add at least one Lieutenant per shift to beef up our command staff.
It is important to note that we are not the only agency that has this problem; many departments are in the same position, which is why Mutual Aid is so important, and why many departments are starting to implement automatic response to many calls.
Discuss FD schedule and need for downtime.
It is important to note that in the emergency services life and death decisions are made often. There are days when the demand is light but it is becoming more routine to have 8 to 12 calls in a 24 hour period. Making runs is not the only thing that the personnel do during the day. They conduct Fire Safety Inspections on businesses and residences, perform hydrant checks, check out the equipment, clean the station, conduct fire prevention education with schools and other groups, test hoses, and train. When you have a set number of personnel on station and they respond to multiple calls fatigue can set in. There are days when our units respond to calls while returning from the hospital. Weather conditions also have a part to play in the amount of stress on emergency responders. It is important to be able to allow the responders down time between runs to relax and recharge.
Why do we have green trucks?
In the early 70’s studies were conducted to determine the most reflective color for safety. It was determined that Lime Green was the most reflective and that Fire Engine Red actually appears as black at night. In 1976 we purchased a small Rescue Truck and had it painted Lime Green, we liked the color and have stayed with it ever since.
Why is Goshen not cleaned up, there are still drugs on the street?
Although the problem will never go away entirely, our agency has made great strides at removing drug dealers from the streets. Since 2006, we’ve made about 80 hand-to-hand buys with drug dealers, and we’ve executed a great number of search warrants on suspect’s homes. Reading the list of criminal indictments issued each week by the Grand Jury in the local papers will show you that we’re making progress. Upon the passage of this levy the police department will be able to direct more resources towards aggressively targeting drug offenses.
Do the departments apply for grants?
Yes. Both departments regularly research and apply for grants. In the last five years alone, the FD has been awarded $219,000 and the PD has been awarded more than $47,000. These grants are never guaranteed and both departments have applied for much more than what they have received. In recent years, available grants have sharply declined making it more difficult than ever to receive state and federal grant monies. Without these grants it would be necessary to ask the community for a higher millage amount.
Why does the FD staff use Township vehicles to travel around town?
They are ready to respond to your emergency. If they are at a meeting or running errands, they will be ready to respond from wherever they are. When you see the vehicles around town, the staff is usually on details such as safety inspections, checking out emergencies called into the station, attending meetings, or picking up supplies. In all cases these are personnel that are on duty and they leave these locations in the event of a call. If it is the Chiefs vehicle he is on duty any time he is in town and also responds from what ever he is doing to calls.
