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Not all emergency medical responses include a fire engine. Ambulances are staffed with one paramedic/firefighter and one Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)/firefighter. There are a variety of situations that demand additional manpower or equipment:
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Our fire engines have been designed to be multipurpose vehicles. They are equipped with Emergency Medical Service (EMS) supplies and equipment similar to an ambulance. For a department of our size and the number of emergency calls, it would actually cost more to operate a small rescue unit and a fire engine. In addition, it would increase response times to other emergencies, and diminish our efficiency.
Similar to your water or sewer bill, your taxes only fund part of the service. User fees are used to shift some of the costs to those who use the service the most.
Depending on the distance away from the building, our 100-foot ladder may only reach the roof of a 75-foot building. In addition, during defensive operations, the master water stream from the aerial ladder is most effective when directed from above the fire. Thirdly, we use it in a variety of rescue situations in which the 100-foot length is critical.
The 24 hours on shift, 48 hours off shift schedule takes advantage of the special Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) rules for firefighters. It allows us to provide a true 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year service with fewer employees and less cost to the taxpayer.
The crew of firefighters spends the entire 24 hours together. They respond as a crew to all emergencies in which they are dispatched. On most occasions, a fire engine crew was on their way back from an emergency call, a training exercise, or a pre-plan of a local business. It is rare that they would leave the firehouse just to run one simple errand.
The first 20 minutes of any fire is the most crucial. We generally say that we need 25 firefighters on the scene to safely accomplish all the necessary tasks in the first 20 minutes. Should something go wrong we will need even more manpower. It’s a proven fact that an aggressive and organized initial fire attack saves lives and property.
The call taker at the 911 dispatch center enters the information given by the caller. The response code that is entered is based on the caller’s account of the event. One person’s perception of the event may be quite different from another. Sometimes, the injuries and the number of patients may not be apparent to the passerby. Other times, we are not sure what the situation is so we error on the side of caution.
At the Plainfield Fire Territory, 10% of the firefighters are women. This is almost 3 times the national average. Plainfield ranks in the top 16% of fire service organizations across the country in the employment of women firefighters. Less than 3% of our applicants are women.
View the following reasons why a firetruck from a different town might show up to the scene of a fire:
The fire department is always dispatched first. In some situations, police officers are notified that there is a fire in their area. Fire crews are generally at the station when they receive a dispatch. It takes time to don protective equipment and drive time to arrive on the scene. Police officers are generally on the street and their cars are far more nimble than a large fire truck.
Those areas have predetermined responses that include water tankers from neighboring communities. In addition, each of the Plainfield fire engines carries 1000 gallons of water. Many fire engines carry less than 500 gallons of water. In an effort to be more efficient, we have chosen to carry more water on our fire engines instead of the expense of operating a separate water tanker.
When we anticipate the need, we open an application process. The announcement is made on this website, facebook and the Government Jobs website.
You must provide proof of the following:
Most major hospitals offer courses from time to time. Some universities will have courses. We are affiliated as an Emergency Medical Service (EMS) provider with Hendricks Regional Health. Visit the Hendricks Regional Health website for future class offerings.
Due to the lack of licensed paramedics in Indiana, persons who are a licensed Paramedic (EMT-P) are preferred applicants.
Generally speaking, Yes. Any relevant education and/or experience will add credibility to the application. Call the Fire Territory Headquarters at 317-839-6939 for more information.
It is the Candidate Physical Agility Test. The course is designed to simulate tasks a firefighter would perform.
Tests are performed and cards are issued by Emergency Services Education Center (ESEC). Visit the ESEC website for more information or call them at 317-270-5703.