FIRE FIGHTING DIVISION

Assistant Fire Chief

Office location: 1401 Center Avenue, at Lincoln Street.

Office Hours are twenty-four hours a day, but the office is not staffed at all times.

Telephone: (989) 893-6513  FAX: (989) 892-4920

                The Fire Fighting Division provides the community fire fighting, emergency medical service, emergency rescue, confined space emergency rescue, and response to chemical emergencies. This division is staffed by fifty-four fire fighters who operate three twenty-four hour work shifts that provide around the clock protection with each shift under the command of an on duty battalion fire chief.

FIRE SUPPRESSION, FIRE FIGHTING DIVISION

                The primary function of the fire fighting division is to respond to fires in an effort to rescue those people who are trapped or endangered by the fire, and then to extinguish the flames. This directly supports the department's goal, which is to protect lives and property.

                The basic working unit of the fire service is a fire company, and in Bay City fifty-five fire fighters operate four engine companies, an aerial company, and a rescue squad from four fire stations located strategically in the city to provide the best possible response time.

                The primary function of the four engine companies is to attack and extinguish fires. Each of these companies operates a fire pumper that is equipped with a 1,250 gallon per minute fire pump, fire hose, and a water tank. The current front line pumpers each carry one thousand gallons of water.  This water allows the company to extinguish small fires without using a fire hydrant, or to make a quick attack on larger fires while another engine supplies water from a fire hydrant. Standard manning for an engine company would be a fire officer, an engineer, and a firefighter.

ENGINE AND AERIAL COMPANIES

Bay City's four engine companies are located at:

Engine Company 1: 1401 Center Avenue, at Lincoln Street

Engine Company 2: 940 Fremont Street, at Jennison Street

Engine Company 4: 212 South Dean Street, at Jane Street

Engine Company 5: 1209 East Smith Street, at Transit Street

Bay City Fire Fighters on Fremont Street

                The aerial company's primary function is to rescue persons trapped by the fire. They also provide the support services that allow engine companies to safely and efficiently access and extinguish fires. These services would include, but not be limited to ladders, forcible entry, ventilation, lighting, elevated large caliber water streams, and property salvage. The aerial company is equipped with an aerial platform unit that will reach a height of ninety-five feet, and apply a 1,000 gallons per minute stream. The truck is also equipped with a 1,500 gallon per minute pump that would be used during a major emergency. The crew consists of a company officer, engineer, and a fire fighter from Rescue 1. Bay City’s Aerial Company is housed at Fire Station 1 at 1401 Center Avenue.

Bay City Fire Fighters on Marquette

                All fire fighters are trained to carry out both engine and aerial company operations at the fire scene. This allows the commanding chief to assign fire companies to complete the tasks at hand without regard to the type of vehicle they used to arrive at the scene.

                The number of fire companies assigned to respond to a fire call will depend on the nature of the call and the level of risk involved. Small fires outside buildings will normally be assigned to a single engine company as a still alarm. Examples of a still alarm would be an auto fire in the street, or a grass fire that does not threaten any buildings. For all incidents that do or could involve a building a full response is sent. This would include the four engine companies, the aerial, the rescue, and the command car.

Primary Fire Response District Map (Still Alarm Response Areas)

                When a fire is beyond the control of the on duty shift or if two fires take place at the same time off duty fire fighters are called back to duty.  The number of fire fighters recalled will be determined by the commanding chief and is based on the nature of the incident.  In many cases the off duty fire fighters are called to provide the city with coverage using reserve apparatus when all the available units are committed to an incident.

                The department operates two reserve fire engines, and a reserve aerial ladder truck. These units are kept in a state of ready reserve for use when regularly assigned equipment breaks down, or for use in a major emergency by off duty fire fighters. These vehicles were once first line equipment until replaced by newer equipment.

Bay City's reserve fire equipment is located at:

Reserve Engine 1: 1401 Center Avenue at Lincoln Street.

Reserve Engine 2: 940 Fremont Street, at Jennison Street

Reserve Rescue 4: 212 South Dean Street, at Jane Street

Reserve Aerial 5: 1209 Smith Street, at Transit Street

                If an incident grows to a point where the Bay City Fire Department can not control it help can be requested from any fire department in Bay County, the City of Midland, or the City of Saginaw under mutual aid agreements. These communities can also request aid from Bay City.

EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE (EMS), FIRE FIGHTING DIVISION

                 As another way to protect the lives and property of our community, which is the department’s primary function, the Fire Fighting Division also responds to medical emergencies.

The department is licensed by the State of Michigan to provide a non-transporting basic life support service that provides life saving care to the injured or ill very quickly. This rapid response along with the use of cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, with automatic external defibrillator, and Combi-Tubes offer the victim of a cardiac arrest (heart attack) the best possible chance for survival. The Bay City Fire Department can currently provide all three of these types of treatment. Advanced life support and ambulance transportation is provided by the hospital based ambulance service.  The key to this service is fast response, and in most cases a fire department unit is on the scene and treating the patient before the ambulance arrives. This quick response relates directly to lives saved. Members of the department assist the paramedics after they arrive if needed to provide the best possible care to the patient. The Bay City Fire Department does not charge a fee for these services.

                Rescue 1 operates from the fire station at Center Avenue and Lincoln Street. This unit is staffed by two fire fighters that are licensed by the State of Michigan as Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT). Rescue 1's primary medical response district covers the northern portion of the Eastside and they cover citywide as the second unit for medical emergencies. This unit is licensed as a non-transporting basic life support unit and it carries most of the department's specialized rescue equipment.

                On the majority of days the crew of Rescue 1 cross-mans Rescue 1 and provides the needed manpower for Engine Company 1 and Aerial Company 1. When Rescue 1 responds to a medical emergency Engine 1 and Aerial 1 are still available for service but with a reduced crew. On fire calls the crew of Rescue 1 responds as manpower for the fire companies. The fire fighter assigned to operate with the aerial company brings Rescue 1's vehicle to the scene so its equipment is available at the fire scene. This also allows the unit to be made available for other fire or medical calls as soon as the officer in command releases them. The cross-manning system allows the department to provide both types of service with the same number of fire fighters making it more cost effective.

                All four of Bay City's engine companies are also licensed by the State of Michigan to provide non-transporting basic life support service and they respond to medical emergencies in their medical districts. Each engine company is staffed with at least one fire fighter/EMT at all times, and members not licensed as EMTs are licensed as Medical First Responders. The use of the engine companies for medical emergencies allows response times to be cut which provides the public better service while maintaining cost effectiveness at the same time.

Primary EMS Response District Map

EMERGENCY RESCUE, FIRE FIGHTING DIVISION

                Members of the Fire Fighting Division are also trained and equipped to provide emergency rescue services for the community.  The most common type of rescue service provided is the safe removal of persons trapped due to auto accidents. The department is equipped with two sets of the "Jaws of Life" and other specialized rescue equipment for these and other rescue operations. The majority of the specialized rescue equipment is carried on Rescue 1, but Engine 4 is also carrying a set of “Jaws”. The department also provides water rescue service to persons in danger on the Saginaw River in either open water or on the ice. The Bay City Fire Department is equipped with two small rescue boats, cold water rescue suits and other water rescue equipment. Members of the fire department cooperate with the U. S. Coast Guard on all incidents that involve the Saginaw River.

CONFINED SPACE RESCUE, FIRE FIGHTING DIVISION

                The MIOSHA ruling regarding operations in confined spaces has impacted several city departments and numerous city businesses. MIOSHA Part 90, Confined Space Entry, establishes the minimum requirements for practices and procedures, which protect employees from the hazards associated with confined spaces.

                MIOSHA Part 90 defines a confined space as:

1.        A space large enough and so configured that an employee could enter and perform work.

2.        A space that has limited means of entry and exit.

3.        A space that is not designed for continuous human occupancy.

   MIOSHA Part 90 further defines a Confined Space as a Permit

Required Confined Space if it has one or more of the following characteristics:

1.        Contains or has the potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere.

2.        Contains a material that has the potential for engulfing an entrant.

3.        Has an internal shape that could trap or asphyxiate an entrant, such as being trapped by inwardly converging walls.

4.        Contains any other recognized serious safety or health hazard, such as electrical, mechanical, or physical hazards.

An example of a common confined space emergency is a city employee or contractor who is overcome by an oxygen deficient atmosphere or a poisonous gas in a sewer. OSHA records indicate sixty percent of all confined space fatalities are “would be rescuers”. Due to this fact and in response to MIOSHA Parts 74 and 90, the Bay City Fire Department has prepared for responses to confined space emergencies within the city. All members of the department have completed training in confined space rescue from Michigan State University in 1998. In addition, many members of the department have also received advanced training in confined space emergencies and rope rescue techniques. Furthermore, the department received a large cargo trailer and the equipment needed to allow fire fighters to perform rescues in confined spaces in 1998.

                MIOSHA Part 90 requires employers who have employees entering permit required confined spaces to have a pre-established rescue service on standby at the site, or a guaranteed response anytime entry operations take place. Due to the commitments to Fire and EMS responses within the city, the Bay City Fire can not assume responsibility for providing a dedicated confined space rescue service to any business or agency as required under MIOSHA Part 90.

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS TEAM, FIRE FIGHTING DIVISION

                Responding to spills or releases of dangerous chemicals or hazardous materials is also a function of the fire fighting division.  State law places the primary responsibility for responding to this type of incident with the fire department, and tasks them to be the lead agency with command and planning responsibility (Public Act 207 of 1941, as amended).

                Each of the four engine companies responds to hazardous materials incidents in their primary response district. They are trained and equipped to take actions that confine the spilled material to the smallest possible area. Their actions at a hazardous materials incident would be considered defensive in nature. The most common hazardous materials incidents handled by the engine companies are fuel spills from vehicles.

                All members of the fire fighting division are trained to meet the requirements of the State of Michigan's First Responder, Operations Training Program. When an incident is beyond the engine company members’ level of training or if special equipment is needed the incident would be handled by members of the hazardous materials team.

                The Bay City Fire Department Hazardous Materials Team is activated for incidents that are beyond the control of the engine companies. The team is made up of ten fire fighters trained to the State of Michigan's Hazardous Materials Technician Level. These fire fighters are assigned to fire companies in the city, and called as a team when needed. Their level of training allows them to better evaluate the situation, and provide the commanding chief the information needed to make proper decisions. They may also take actions required to keep an escaping material in its container, which would be considered an offensive action. The team also works closely with the Bay City Department of Public Works when heavy equipment or materials such as sand are needed. Whenever the spiller can be identified they are billed for the services of the fire department and all other city departments as allowed under city ordinance. Members of the team also provide the department with pre-plans for hazardous materials response. The hazardous materials team also has a specialized mutual aid agreement with the hazardous materials teams of Midland and Saginaw. The Hazardous Materials Team's vehicle is stored at the Fire Station 2 at 940 Fremont.