This article may rely excessively on sources too closely associated with the subject , potentially preventing the article from being verifiable and neutral.(October 2021) |
Operational area | |
---|---|
Country | United States |
State | Florida |
County | Palm Beach |
Agency overview [1] | |
Established | October 1st 1984 |
Annual calls | 154,024 (FY 2023) |
Employees | 1,810 plus 18 SAFER Grant positions |
Annual budget | $679 million (FY 2024 includes all operating funds) |
Staffing | Career |
Fire chief | Patrick Kennedy |
EMS level | ALS |
IAFF | 2928 |
Motto | “Excellence Today, Improving Tomorrow” |
Facilities and equipment | |
Battalions | 8 |
Stations | 52 |
Engines | 45 |
Ladders | 6 |
Squads | 2 |
Ambulances | 56 |
Tenders | 4 |
Airport crash | 4 |
Wildland | 19 |
Helicopters | 2 |
Light and air | 1 |
Website | |
Official website | |
IAFF website |
Palm Beach County Fire Rescue (PBCFR) is one of the largest fire departments in the state of Florida. With 52 stations, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue provides fire protection, Advanced Life Support, emergency medical services, technical rescue, hazardous materials' mitigation, aircraft rescue/firefighting, fire investigation, and 911 dispatching for unincorporated parts of Palm Beach County, Florida as well as 19 cities under contract. [2]
Palm Beach County Fire Rescue was created on October 1, 1984, when the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners passed a resolution consolidating the existing fire districts in Palm Beach County. Prior to 1984, the following fire districts were in existence, covering the mostly unincorporated Palm Beach County: [3]
Named after the department's first fire chief, the Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Administration and Training Complex is a 40-acre complex that houses Fire-Rescue's administrative offices, training areas, and an apparatus and support building. Both RNs and BSNs exist. The complex, located at 405 Pike Road, includes multiple classrooms and conference rooms, a 6-story training tower, a 2+1⁄2-story Class A burn building, an emergency vehicle driving course, an extrication training area, Urban Search & Rescue (USAR) props, a 10-acre lake for drafting training, and a field of various full-scale liquefied petroleum (LP) gas props. [4]
The department is made up of 8 battalions, which contain anywhere from three to nine fire stations:
Each battalion is managed by a district chief, who oversees all three shifts in their respective battalion. At the shift level, each battalion is supervised by a battalion chief and an EMS Captain. [6]
The department operates the following pieces of apparatus: [7]
The department is responsible for 1,813 square miles (4,700 km2), providing services to almost 900,000 residents throughout the county. [8] Along with the unincorporated areas of the county, PBCFR provides services for Belle Glade, Cloud Lake, Glen Ridge, Haverhill, Juno Beach, Jupiter, Lake Clarke Shores, Lake Park, Lake Worth Beach, Lantana, Loxahatchee Groves, Manalapan, Pahokee, Palm Springs, Royal Palm Beach, South Bay, South Palm Beach, Wellington and Westlake. [9]
All line personnel are either dual-certified Firefighter/EMT's or Firefighter/Paramedics. All Engine Companies, Squad Companies, Truck Companies, Ladder Companies, and Rescue Companies are Advanced Life Support (ALS) units, which means that they are staffed daily with paramedics. The department's daily minimum staffing requirement is 325 firefighters. [8]
Apparatus Types: [10]
The department has two Special Operations apparatus located at stations 19 and 34. These multipurpose units function as Heavy Rescues, Hazmat units, and Mobile Command Centers on extended operations. Members of Special Operations are responsible for Hazardous Materials (Hazmat), Dive Rescue, Confined Space Rescue, and High Angle Rescue response, [11] and they assist the Sheriff's Office's Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team. [12] Many members are also trained in Trench Rescue, Structural Collapse Rescue, and Vehicle Machinery Rescue (VMR). Each Special Operations station houses a Squad, a Rescue, and a Heavy Rescue. Station 34, which is the headquarters for Battalion 9, also houses the Special Operations Battalion Chief, the Special Operations EMS Captain, and the Heavy Rescue Equipment vehicle, TRT 34. [13]
All Ladder and Truck companies are Quints that incorporate ladder capabilities along with pumper functions. These aerials carry Rope Rescue equipment, a large complement of saws, vehicle stabilization equipment, air lift bags, and assorted pneumatic and electrical tools that are not carried by Engine companies. All personnel assigned full-time to aerial stations are certified at a minimum in Rope Rescue operations and Aerial operations. Personnel assigned full-time to station 57 (Boca Raton) and station 73 (Belle Glade) are also certified Rescue Divers. Aside from Special Operations, these are the only 2 stations in the department with regional Dive Rescue teams. [14]
The PBCFR is responsible for providing aircraft rescue and firefighting for the Palm Beach International Airport, formerly but no longer one of the 50 busiest airports in the United States. The station, which is located near the center of the airport grounds, is home to 13 pieces of specialized firefighting equipment. [15]
These apparatuses include:
The Palm Beach County Fire Rescue partners with the Palm Beach County Health Care District to operate the Trauma Hawk Aero-Medical Program. [20] The Trauma Hawk program, established in November 1990, replaced the use of Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office helicopters to medevac critically injured patients to area hospitals. [20] At the Trauma Hawk Station, located at the south-west corner of Palm Beach International Airport, the department has two Sikorsky S-76C helicopters. [21] The air ambulances are identically equipped and can carry two patients each and up to four medical attendants if needed. [21] Each helicopter is staffed with a pilot, a registered nurse (RN) and a paramedic. The nurses and paramedics are Palm Beach County Fire Rescue employees, while the pilots are Health Care District employees. [20] In 2023, the first of two Leonardo AW169 helicopters was delivered, intended to replace the existing S-76C's, which will remain in service throughout the transition as flight teams and mechanics undergo specialized training. [22] [23] [24] [25]
The Training & Safety Division is responsible for the training and education of Recruit Firefighters, existing Firefighters, and support personnel. Areas of training include: [26]
In the 1980s, Palm Beach County became the second in the nation to implement an enhanced 911 phone system, which provides critical information regarding the location of the caller to the 911 operator. The dispatch center, known as the Alarm Office, processes all incoming calls and operates multiple radio channels. In addition to a staff of over 40 communications personnel, trainers, and dispatch supervisors, a Fire Operations Officer (FOO) is assigned to the Alarm Office at all times. The purpose of the FOO is to provide technical assistance to dispatch during multi-company operations. [27]
The department also provides dispatch services for 13 municipalities: Atlantis, Delray Beach, Greenacres, Gulf Stream, Highland Beach, Jupiter Inlet Colony, Mangonia Park, North Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Palm Beach Shores, Riviera Beach, Tequesta and West Palm Beach. [8]
Working under the Office of the Fire Marshal, the fire/arson investigators are responsible for investigating the cause & origin of fire/explosion scenes, preserving scenes, and collecting evidence. The investigators respond to all areas that are serviced by Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, in addition to those areas serviced by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office. The investigators are sworn law enforcement officers, which gives them the ability to make arrests, carry firearms, and present cases to the State Attorney's office for prosecution of any bomb/fire/arson crimes. Many are former EOD enlisted from the Navy and Marine Corps. Investigators are also members of the Palm Beach County Bomb/Arson Task Force and are all professionally qualified to provide expert witness testimony in both criminal and civil cases. [28]
Fire Station Number [10] | City | Engine Company or Squad Company | Tender Company, Ladder Company or Truck Company | EMS Rescue Unit | Other units | Battalion |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
11 | Jupiter Inlet Colony | Engine 11 | 1 | |||
14 | Jupiter Farms | Engine 14 | Tender 14 | Rescue 14 | Brush 14 | 1 |
15 | Juno Beach | Ladder 15 | Rescue 15 | Brush 15 | 1 | |
16 | Jupiter | Engine 16 | Rescue 16 | Brush 16 | 1 | |
17 | West Palm Beach | Engine 17 | Rescue 17 | Brush 17 | 1 | |
18 | Jupiter | Engine 18 | Rescue 18 | Ski 18, Ski 218 | 1 | |
19 | Jupiter | Squad 19 | Rescue 19 | District Chief 19, Battalion Chief 19, EMS 19, Special Operations 19, Brush 19 | 1 | |
20 | Wellington | Engine 20 | Rescue 20 | Brush 20 | 2 | |
21 | Loxahatchee Groves | Engine 21 | Rescue 21 | Brush 21 | 2 | |
22 | Westlake | Engine 22 | Tender 22 | Rescue 22 | Brush 22, High Water 22 | 2 |
23 | West Palm Beach | Engine 23 | Rescue 23 Rescue 223 | District Chief 23, Battalion Chief 23, EMS 23 | 10 | |
24 | West Palm Beach | Engine 24 | Rescue 24 | 10 | ||
25 | Wellington | Engine 25 | Rescue 25 | Brush 625 | 2 | |
26 | West Palm Beach | Engine 26 | Rescue 26 | Brush 26 | 2 | |
27 | Wellington | Engine 27 | Rescue 27 | Brush 27 | 2 | |
28 | Royal Palm Beach | Engine 28 | Rescue 28 | District Chief 28, Battalion Chief 28, EMS 28, Brush 28 | 2 | |
29 | Royal Palm Beach | Truck 29 | Rescue 29 | 2 | ||
30 | Wellington | Engine 30 | Rescue 30 | 2 | ||
31 | Lake Worth | Engine 31 | Rescue 31 | 3 | ||
32 | Lake Worth | Engine 32 | Rescue 32 | Brush 32 | 10 | |
33 | West Palm Beach | Engine 33 | Rescue 33, Rescue 233 | 10 | ||
34 | West Palm Beach | Squad 34 | Rescue 34 | District Chief 34, Battalion Chief 34, EMS 34, Special Operations 34, TRT 34 | 9 | |
35 | Lantana | Truck 35 | Rescue 35 | 3 | ||
36 | West Palm Beach | Engine 36 | Rescue 36 | 10 | ||
37 | Lantana | Engine 37 | Rescue 37 | Ski 37, Ski 237 | 3 | |
38 | Manalapan | Engine 38 | 3 | |||
39 | Palm Springs | Engine 39 | Rescue 39 | 10 | ||
40 | Boynton Beach | Engine 40 | Rescue 40 | 4 | ||
41 | Boynton Beach | Engine 41 | Rescue 41 Rescue 241 | 4 | ||
42 | Delray Beach | Engine 42 | Tender 42 | Rescue 42 | District Chief 42, Battalion Chief 42, EMS 42, Brush 42, Light & Air 42, PSV 42 (High water response), Flood response trailer, Marine 970 | 4 |
43 | Lake Worth | Engine 43 | Rescue 43 | Brush 643 | 3 | |
44 | Boynton Beach | Engine 44 | Rescue 44 | 4 | ||
45 | Delray Beach | Engine 45 | Rescue 45 Rescue 245 | 4 | ||
46 | Boynton Beach | Engine 46 | Rescue 46 | 4 | ||
47 | Boynton Beach | Ladder 47 | Rescue 47 | 4 | ||
48 | Lake Worth | Engine 48 | Rescue 48 | Brush 48, Battalion Chief 48, EMS 48 | 4 | |
49 | Boynton Beach | Rescue 49 | 4 | |||
51 | Boca Raton | Engine 51 | Rescue 51 | 5 | ||
52 | Boca Raton | Engine 52 | Rescue 52 | 4 | ||
53 | Boca Raton | Engine 53 | Rescue 53 | 5 | ||
54 | Boca Raton | Engine 54 | Rescue 54 | Brush 654 | 5 | |
55 | Boca Raton | Engine 55 | Rescue 55 | 5 | ||
56 | Boca Raton | Engine 56 | Rescue 56 | 5 | ||
57 | Boca Raton | Ladder 57 | Rescue 57 | District Chief 57, Battalion Chief 57, EMS 57 | 5 | |
58 | Boca Raton | Engine 58 | Rescue 58 | 5 | ||
68 | Lake Park | Engine 68 | Rescue 68 | 1 | ||
72 | Pahokee | Engine 72 | Tender 72 | Rescue 72 | Brush 72 | 7 |
73 | Belle Glade | Engine 73 | Ladder 73 | Rescue 73 Rescue 273 | District Chief 73, Battalion Chief 73, EMS 73, Airboat 73 | 7 |
74 | South Bay | Engine 74 | Rescue 74 | Brush 74, Airboat 273 | 7 | |
81 | Palm Beach International Airport | RP 81 | Airport Captain 81, Air Stairs 81, Dragon 1, 3, 4, & 5, Escort 81, Support 81 | 9 | ||
91 | Lake Worth Beach | Engine 91 | Rescue 91, Rescue 291 | District Chief 91, Battalion Chief 91, EMS 91 | 3 | |
93 | Lake Worth Beach | Engine 93 | Rescue 93 | 3 | ||
Trauma Hawk | Palm Beach International Airport | (2) Leonardo AW169, (1) S-76C Trauma Hawks | 9 |
A fire engine or fire truck is a vehicle, usually a specially-designed or modified truck, that functions as a firefighting apparatus. The primary purposes of a fire engine include transporting firefighters and water to an incident as well as carrying equipment for firefighting operations in a fire drill. Some fire engines have specialized functions, such as wildfire suppression and aircraft rescue and firefighting, and may also carry equipment for technical rescue.
The Los Angeles Fire Department provides firefighting services as well as technical rescue services, hazardous materials services and emergency medical services to the citizens of the city of Los Angeles, California, United States. The LAFD is responsible for approximately four million people who live in the agency's 471 square miles (1,220 km2) jurisdiction. The Los Angeles Fire Department was founded in 1886 and is the third largest municipal fire department in the United States, after the New York City Fire Department and the Chicago Fire Department. The department is sometimes also referred to as the Los Angeles City Fire Department or "LA City Fire" to distinguish it from the Los Angeles County Fire Department, which serves unincorporated areas and, via contracts, other incorporated municipalities within Los Angeles County without their own fire departments. The department is currently under the command of Chief Kristin Crowley.
Palm Beach International Airport is a public airport in Palm Beach County, Florida, located just west of the city of West Palm Beach, Florida, United States, for which it serves as the primary airport. It is also the primary airport for most of Palm Beach County, serving the suburbs and cities of Boca Raton, Wellington, Boynton Beach, Jupiter, and Palm Beach Gardens. It is the third busiest airport in the Miami metropolitan area after Miami International Airport and Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport. The airport is operated by Palm Beach County's Department of Airports. Road access to the airport is direct from I-95, Southern Boulevard, and Congress Avenue. The airport is bordered on the west by Military Trail.
The New York City Fire Department, officially the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) is the full-service fire department of New York City, serving all five boroughs. The FDNY is responsible for providing Fire Suppression Services,Specialized Hazardous Materials Response Services,Emergency Medical Response Services and Specialized Technical Rescue Services in the entire city.
A fireboat or fire-float is a specialized watercraft with pumps and nozzles designed for fighting shoreline and shipboard fires. The first fireboats, dating to the late 18th century, were tugboats, retrofitted with firefighting equipment. Older designs derived from tugboats and modern fireboats more closely resembling seafaring ships can both be found in service today. Some departments would give their multi-purpose craft the title of "fireboat" also.
A water tender, sometimes known as a water tanker, is a type of firefighting apparatus that specializes in the transport of water from a water source to a fire scene. Water tenders are capable of drafting water from a stream, lake or hydrant.
Firefighting jargon includes a diverse lexicon of both common and idiosyncratic terms. One problem that exists in trying to create a list such as this is that much of the terminology used by a particular department is specifically defined in their particular standing operating procedures, such that two departments may have completely different terms for the same thing. For example, depending on whom one asks, a safety team may be referred to as a standby, a RIT or RIG or RIC, or a FAST. Furthermore, a department may change a definition within its SOP, such that one year it may be RIT, and the next RIG or RIC.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD) provides firefighting and emergency medical services for the unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County, California, as well as 59 cities through contracting, including the city of La Habra, which is located in Orange County and is the first city outside of Los Angeles County to contract with LACoFD.
Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services (MFES) provides fire protection, technical rescue services, hazardous materials response, and first responder emergency medical assistance to the city of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
Aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) is a type of firefighting that involves the emergency response, mitigation, evacuation, and rescue of passengers and crew of aircraft involved in aviation accidents and incidents.
A rescue vehicle is a specialised vehicle designed to transport and provide the equipment necessary for technical rescue. Vehicles carry an array of special equipment such as the jaws of life, wooden cribbing, generators, winches, hi-lift jacks, cranes, cutting torches, circular saws and other forms of heavy equipment unavailable on standard trucks. This capability differentiates them from traditional pumper trucks or ladder trucks designed primarily to carry firefighters and their entry gear as well as on-board water tanks, hoses and equipment for fire extinguishing and light rescue. Most rescue vehicles lack on-board water tanks and pumping gear, owing to their specialized role. A rescue vehicle is typically operated by a rescue squad, but in some areas it may be integrated with emergency medical services or fire departments.
As firefighting has a rich history throughout the world, traditions in this profession vary widely from country to country.
The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department (SDFD) is the full-service fire department of San Diego, California. It was established on August 5, 1889. The department responds to over 183,000 calls per year. It covers 343 square miles of service area, including 17 miles of coastline. It is the second-largest municipal fire department in California, after the Los Angeles Fire Department.
The Israel Fire and Rescue Services is the national Israeli fire and rescue organization. The organisation also provides rescue services from terror attacks, car accident and dangerous substance spillages, along with Magen David Adom, the National EMS. They are also involved in public education and awareness campaigns. The service is accessed by calling 102 from any phone. As of 2022, the commissioner of the services is Eyal Casspi.
Fort Lauderdale Fire-Rescue Department is the fire and rescue service provider for the City of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, as well as the cities of Wilton Manors and Lazy Lake through service contracts. Additionally the FLFRD is responsible for ARFF at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport. In 2013, the department responded to 44,387 calls for service.
The Ventura County Fire Department (VCFD) provides fire protection and emergency response services for the unincorporated areas of Ventura County, California, and for seven other cities within the county. Together, these areas compose the Ventura County Fire Protection District in the state of California, United States. The Ventura County Board of Supervisors is the fire district's board of directors. These five elected supervisors appoint the fire chief, and task him with providing fire protection services for the district.
The Trauma Hawk Aero-Medical Program provides air ambulance services for Palm Beach County, Florida. On-scene paramedics will decide whether or not a Traumahawk is necessary in a situation. On average, a Traumahawk is dispatched between 1 and 5 times a day for traumatic injuries, including those from vehicle accidents to sports injuries, as well as transport for stroke and cardiac patients. Operated by the Health Care District of Palm Beach County, the service uses two identical 1999 Sikorsky S76-C+ helicopters as air ambulances.
Fire services in the United Kingdom use a variety of fire appliances, which perform a wide range of general and specialised roles and fit into several distinct categories. Contemporary fire appliances carry a multitude of equipment and firefighting media to deal with different types of emergencies ranging from fires, rescues, vehicle extrication, floods, salvage, casualty and trauma care.
Firefighting in the United States dates back to the earliest European colonies in the Americas. Early firefighters were simply community members who would respond to neighborhood fires with buckets. The first dedicated volunteer fire brigade was established in 1736 in Philadelphia. These volunteer companies were often paid by insurance companies in return for protecting their clients.
The Santa Barbara County Fire Department (SBCFD) provides fire protection and emergency response services for the unincorporated areas of Santa Barbara County, California, and for multiple cities within the county. Together, these areas compose the Santa Barbara County Fire Protection District.
{{cite web}}
: |last=
has generic name (help){{cite web}}
: |last=
has generic name (help)