On-Time Ranking:200 Depts. w/Most Struct.Fires

[Guest]

Ranked from Worst response time to Best : # 1 is worst, #203 is best....

http://www.boston.com/news/special/fires/r...gs/biggest.html

[BIGRED1 71]

let me get this straight, of all the fire departments in the US that have more then 1,000 calls a year, MV is number 4 in responce time. this shows how reports are misleading. it is easy to get there fast when the only guy on the rig is the driver. just jump on and go, no need ot wait for other guys to get gear on and hop aboard.

[Truck4 48]

A little research shows that the "worst" according to the list, Yakima County, WA Station #5 shows that particular volunteer department covers 125 square miles (mostly rural) out of 3 stations. As a basis of comparison, Yonkers (far behind Mount Vernon) covers 18.3 square miles.

[Guest]

There's no doubt that this type of ranking may raise more questions than answer them...

-- We get there within 6 m but are we ready to start operations?

-- Who got there first, chief, batt.chief, POV ? They might have been under 6 m but, maybe 1st due engine took 10 m.....

Still, if over a 16-year period you're getting to the scene in under 6 minutes only 50/60/70% of the time, there is a BIG problem regardless of circumstances. And, like Truck4 said, size of geographical coverage may play a key role.

[JohnnyOV 2]

i unfortunatly must say that during school, i volunteer for Volusia County Fire Services, ranked number 4 for worst response times :sad:

[Lucifer 6]

nice, 4sq mi. 4 stations, you should be getting there in less then 6 minutes. Probably the only times they didn't was when mutual aid companies were in there....

[brgold 0]

Mount Vernon is not too shabby!

[JohnnyOV 2]

nice,  4sq mi.   4 stations,  you should be getting there in less then 6 minutes. Probably the only times they didn't was when mutual aid companies were in there....

were you talking about volusia county? :-k

[Guest]

EMSJunkie712, correct me if I'm wrong, but Volusia County FS has to cover 920 sq.miles and was only started in 1986, before the population exploded. From what I've read, things are much different now, they've been hiring a lot of career FFs and have a lot more volunteers.

[JohnnyOV 2]

EMSJunkie712, correct me if I'm wrong, but Volusia County FS has to cover 920 sq.miles and was only started in 1986, before the population exploded. From what I've read, things are much different now, they've been hiring a lot of career FFs

That is correct. Just recently, within the last 2 months, shifts have changed from a 2 man (paid) to a three man (paid) team with room for one volunteer in each rig.

and have a lot more volunteers.

As for the volunteers, they are declining rapidly. They have set up a new system that stinks when it comes to getting ff out and about. Before any firefighter can even respond to a call, paid or not, they must complete 12 classes totaling 264 hours of training. These classes are Bloodborne Pathogens, CPR/AED, ICS I, Emerg. Resp. to Terrorism, Report Writing, First Responder, Oxygen Therapy, CPR IRHMI: Basic Concepts, Semi-Automatic Defib, ICS II-VI, EVOC, Basic Pump Operations, and finally NFPA Firefighter I. Because of the time it takes to complete all of these classes, possible members are turned away. In my station, we have a total for around 10 members if my memory is correct.

As for the response time, I’m am uncertain of a law about this in FL but numerous times while I have been at the station, I have seen the engine leave w/o lights and sirens and continue down the road w/o them. The only times I have seen it leave w/ the lights and sirens on is for I-95 car accidents and Poss. Struc. Fires.

Most of the land of Volusia County is west of I-95 and is completely swamp and forest with the occasional muddy road with a Trailer or two on it. The stations west of I-95 cover huge amounts of area with minimal back roads and shortcuts. As for areas that my station is located in, the Holly Hill district, we receive numerous sf calls that take us through the crowded streets and single lane, narrow back roads that people refuse to pull over for and let the engines through, elongating the response time.

[GFD70 4]

Before any firefighter can even respond to a call, paid or not, they must complete 12 classes totaling 264 hours of training. These classes are Bloodborne Pathogens, CPR/AED, ICS I, Emerg. Resp. to Terrorism, Report Writing, First Responder, Oxygen Therapy, CPR IRHMI: Basic Concepts, Semi-Automatic Defib, ICS II-VI, EVOC, Basic Pump Operations, and finally NFPA Firefighter I

Thats not bad. At least everyone is on the same level when joining. It's sounds like its alot like probie school. I'm almost surprised they don't require Firefighter II. As for those who don't join because of the training time, your probably better off without them. If they aren't going to be dedicated to the deparment than they don't belong there.

[JohnnyOV 2]

I'm almost surprised they don't require Firefighter II.

To be a career FF you must take FF II, along with S-205 Wildland Firefighting and urban interferance, sexual harassment and cultural diversity

[CAM502 6]

let me get this straight, of all the fire departments in the US that have more then 1,000 calls a year, MV is number 4 in responce time. this shows how reports are misleading. it is easy to get there fast when the only guy on the rig is the driver.  just jump on and go, no need ot wait for other guys to get gear on and hop aboard.

First off you have never seen a FDMV rig show up anywhere with one person on it, EVER! [-X Second off Mt Vernon is a ton of people crammed into that 4 sq. miles just keep that in mind when you come down on them. I think the guys on the line do the best they can with the way it is and serve the people of Mt. Vernon well! =D>

[DMA327 12]

Damn Straight they do. 5000 runs with their kinda manpower...hell of a job

[Guest SQUADco119]

correct me if im wrong but this seems a little out of hand we should be more concerned on how we do when we get there not how fast we get there. i understand there just stats and to get there quik as possible is goo and also people shouldnt knock other departments were all in this together.