Palm Beach County Fire Rescue

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Palm Beach County Fire Rescue
Palm Beach County Fire Rescue logo.png
Operational area
CountryFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States
State Flag of Florida.svg  Florida
County Flag of Palm Beach County, Florida.png Palm Beach
Agency overview [1]
EstablishedOctober 1st 1984;40 years ago (October 1st 1984)
Annual calls154,024 (FY 2023)
Employees1,810 plus 18 SAFER Grant positions
Annual budget$679 million (FY 2024 includes all operating funds)
StaffingCareer
Fire chief Patrick Kennedy
EMS level ALS
IAFF 2928
Motto“Excellence Today, Improving Tomorrow”
Facilities and equipment
Battalions8
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]

Contents

History

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]

Chief Herman W. Brice Fire Rescue Complex

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]

Structure

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]

Operations

Engine 28 PBCFR E28.jpg
Engine 28

Overview

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]

Special Operations

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]

Aerial Operations

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]

Airport Operations

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:

Trauma Hawk

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]

Support Services

Training & Safety Division

The Training & Safety Division is responsible for the training and education of Recruit Firefighters, existing Firefighters, and support personnel. Areas of training include: [26]

Dispatch

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]

Bureau of Fire, Arson, and Explosive Investigations

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]

Stations and apparatus

Fire Station Number [10] CityEngine Company or Squad CompanyTender Company, Ladder Company or Truck CompanyEMS Rescue UnitOther unitsBattalion
11 Jupiter Inlet Colony Engine 111
14 Jupiter Farms Engine 14Tender 14Rescue 14Brush 141
15 Juno Beach Ladder 15Rescue 15Brush 151
16 Jupiter Engine 16Rescue 16Brush 161
17 West Palm Beach Engine 17Rescue 17Brush 171
18 Jupiter Engine 18Rescue 18Ski 18, Ski 2181
19 Jupiter Squad 19Rescue 19District Chief 19, Battalion Chief 19, EMS 19, Special Operations 19, Brush 191
20 Wellington Engine 20Rescue 20Brush 202
21 Loxahatchee Groves Engine 21Rescue 21Brush 212
22 Westlake Engine 22Tender 22Rescue 22Brush 22, High Water 222
23 West Palm Beach Engine 23Rescue 23

Rescue 223

District Chief 23, Battalion Chief 23, EMS 2310
24 West Palm Beach Engine 24Rescue 2410
25 Wellington Engine 25Rescue 25Brush 6252
26 West Palm Beach Engine 26Rescue 26Brush 262
27 Wellington Engine 27Rescue 27Brush 272
28 Royal Palm Beach Engine 28Rescue 28District Chief 28, Battalion Chief 28, EMS 28, Brush 282
29 Royal Palm Beach Truck 29Rescue 292
30 Wellington Engine 30Rescue 302
31 Lake Worth Engine 31Rescue 313
32 Lake Worth Engine 32Rescue 32Brush 3210
33 West Palm Beach Engine 33Rescue 33, Rescue 23310
34 West Palm Beach Squad 34Rescue 34District Chief 34, Battalion Chief 34, EMS 34, Special Operations 34, TRT 349
35 Lantana Truck 35Rescue 353
36 West Palm Beach Engine 36Rescue 3610
37 Lantana Engine 37Rescue 37Ski 37, Ski 2373
38 Manalapan Engine 383
39 Palm Springs Engine 39Rescue 3910
40 Boynton Beach Engine 40Rescue 404
41 Boynton Beach Engine 41Rescue 41

Rescue 241

4
42 Delray Beach Engine 42Tender 42Rescue 42District Chief 42, Battalion Chief 42, EMS 42, Brush 42, Light & Air 42, PSV 42 (High water response), Flood response trailer, Marine 9704
43 Lake Worth Engine 43Rescue 43Brush 6433
44 Boynton Beach Engine 44Rescue 444
45 Delray Beach Engine 45Rescue 45

Rescue 245

4
46 Boynton Beach Engine 46Rescue 464
47 Boynton Beach Ladder 47Rescue 474
48 Lake Worth Engine 48Rescue 48Brush 48, Battalion Chief 48, EMS 484
49 Boynton Beach Rescue 494
51 Boca Raton Engine 51Rescue 515
52 Boca Raton Engine 52Rescue 524
53 Boca Raton Engine 53Rescue 535
54 Boca Raton Engine 54Rescue 54Brush 6545
55 Boca Raton Engine 55Rescue 555
56 Boca Raton Engine 56Rescue 565
57 Boca Raton Ladder 57Rescue 57District Chief 57, Battalion Chief 57, EMS 575
58 Boca Raton Engine 58Rescue 585
68 Lake Park Engine 68Rescue 681
72 Pahokee Engine 72Tender 72Rescue 72Brush 727
73 Belle Glade Engine 73Ladder 73Rescue 73

Rescue 273

District Chief 73, Battalion Chief 73, EMS 73, Airboat 737
74 South Bay Engine 74Rescue 74Brush 74, Airboat 2737
81 Palm Beach International Airport RP 81Airport Captain 81, Air Stairs 81, Dragon 1, 3, 4, & 5, Escort 81, Support 819
91 Lake Worth Beach Engine 91Rescue 91, Rescue 291District Chief 91, Battalion Chief 91, EMS 913
93 Lake Worth Beach Engine 93Rescue 933
Trauma Hawk Palm Beach International Airport (2) Leonardo AW169, (1) S-76C Trauma Hawks9

References

  1. ↑ "FY2024 Fact Sheet" (PDF).
  2. ↑ "About Us". Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Fire Rescue Mission Statement". discover.pbcgov.org.
  4. ↑ "Palm Beach County Fire Rescue - Herman W. Brice Training Complex Construction Information (Training and Safety)". Archived from the original on January 29, 2019. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  5. ↑ "Station - Station". discover.pbcgov.org.
  6. ↑ "Organization chart" (PDF). discover.pbcgov.org. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
  7. ↑ "PBCFR Fact Sheet 2023" (PDF). Retrieved October 26, 2022.
  8. 1 2 3 "Fact sheet" (PDF). discover.pbcgov.org. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
  9. ↑ "Area's Served". Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  10. 1 2 "Fire Rescue Stations and Apparatus Showcase".
  11. ↑ "Apparatus List". Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Special Operations". Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Fire Rescue - Battalion-9".
  14. ↑ "Fire Rescue FY2017 Staffing Presentation" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 14, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Station 81". Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  16. ↑ "Air Stair 1". Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Dragon 1". Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  18. ↑ "Foam 81". Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  19. ↑ "Support 81". Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  20. 1 2 3 "Trauma Hawk". Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  21. 1 2 "Station Trauma Hawk". Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  22. ↑ "2 new Trauma Hawk helicopters to replace air ambulances in service since 1999". WPTV News Channel 5 West Palm. September 17, 2023. Retrieved July 7, 2024.
  23. ↑ Contributor, Mark Huber •. "Florida's Palm Beach County Getting Two Medevac Leonardo AW169s | AIN". Aviation International News. Retrieved July 7, 2024.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  24. ↑ Editor, Town-Crier (September 21, 2023). "New Trauma Hawk Helicopter Arrives In Palm Beach County". Town-Crier Newspaper. Retrieved July 7, 2024.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  25. ↑ Gaen, Megan. "Health Care District of Palm Beach County receive AW169 helicopter". AirMed&Rescue. Retrieved July 7, 2024.
  26. ↑ "Palm Beach County Fire Rescue - Division Sections (Training and Safety)". Archived from the original on January 29, 2019. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  27. ↑ "Palm Beach County Fire Rescue - the Communications Center". Archived from the original on January 29, 2019. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  28. ↑ "Fire Rescue - Bureau of Safety Services Investigations". discover.pbcgov.org.

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