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The Racine Fire Department provides a variety of services to its community:
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In 1998, RFD put into service its first Paramedic level rescue squad. There are now three
front line Paramedic rescue squads serving Racine. Upgrading our ambulance service
to the Paramedic level allows us to provide an array of advanced life support interventions
prior to transporting patients to local Emergency Rooms.
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The best way to minimize fire loss is to prevent fire from ever beginning. RFD goes out
into the community, providing information to help prevent dangerous situations and
knowledge on handling emergency situations, increasing the likelihood of saving lives.
RFD provides fire inspections, Pre-school and Grade school education programs, and
the fire safety house programs. Project Safe, our smoke detector program, is
also coordinated through our Fire Prevention Bureau.
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The oldest and original purpose to the fire department. Although the role of the RFD has
expanded considerably over the last 150 years, fire suppression remains at the core
of our mission. Modern equipment and extensive training keeps the RFD ready to handle
fire emergencies in the City of Racine and its contracted areas.
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The
RFD has teams of personnel and a wide range of equipment to handle a variety of special
rescue situations. |
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Fire Suppression
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Fire suppression is not just about putting out house fires. Although
a residence fire is an important task, the RFD must handle fires of any size and type.
The RFD responds to fires that are smaller in nature. Vehicle
fires are fairly common but are very dangerous because of the heavy smoke usually
involved and because of the explosion hazards present in many car components. Fires
occur in trash containers of all sizes; from office garbage buckets to large construction
dumpsters and even the landfill itself. Grass, brush, fall leaves, trees, and bushes
can catch fire from dropped cigarettes, heat or sparks from railroads, or may be deliberately
set. Even though these fires are usually small and easily taken care of, they may
still be dangerous, can cause injury, property damage, or can quickly grow in size.
On the other end of the spectrum are the large fires that occur
in businesses, industrial plants and complexes, and apartment buildings. These fires
can tax the resources of any fire department. Many special considerations become involved.
Aerial ladders may have to be set up for fires in the upper areas of tall buildings.
Extra tall ceilings, tall buildings, long buildings, and buildings that have complex
floorplans can all hamper firefighting operations. Older buildings may not have the
most up-to-date safety equipment. Newer buildings may be made with less material and
can collapse faster in a fire. The number of people present in the buildings is also
certainly an important consideration. Fewer people can be harder to find; many people
will take longer to evacuate. Fires in hospitals or nursing homes make evacuation
even more complex.
There are many emergencies that are not fires. The RFD responds
to gasoline leaks at gas stations and leaky vehicle gas tanks. At vehicle accidents
with injuries, a fire company also responds to provide an element of safety for accident
victims and ambulance personnel. Responding units then often help with flammable fluid
spill clean-up efforts.
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Photograph by Timothy Stein
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A grocery store on Marquette is a total loss due to
arson.
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Photograph by Timothy Stein
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A propane tank fire is confined to its room of origin.
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Photograph by Timothy Stein
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A 3 year old child is rescued from a house fire.
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Photograph by Timothy Stein
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House fire on Lasalle St.
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Photograph by Timothy Stein
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A house fire is attacked from the outside.
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Emergency Medical Services
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The scope and volume of Emergency Medical Service (EMS) calls
have grown to such a level that the RFD, like many other fire departments, now handles
more calls for medical emergencies than any other kind. The RFD uses three kinds of
units to handle these emergencies:
First Responder Companies are fire engine and quint companies staffed with either
EMT-Basic or EMT-Paramedic personnel on board that will respond to certain medical
emergencies where time is critical such as heart attacks, difficulty breathing, or
very serious injuries.
The RFD uses EMT-Basic Ambulances to back up their paramedic units. These units are
crossed-staffed, meaning the crew is assigned to a fire unit and a rescue unit and
will respond to calls with one or the other based on the nature of the call. These
units respond when the paramedic unit in the area is already on a call. They transport
patients and provide basic first-aid skills, automatic defibrillators, a Combitube advanced
airway and epinephrine to manage severe allergic reactions.
Service provided at the EMT-Paramedic level of care can diagnose and treat certain
patients at the scene and before transport to the hospital. Some fifty different medications
are in inventory on each ambulance at this level providing treatment for asthma, diabetes,
drug overdoses, seizures and many others. The largest new area of care is cardiac
emergencies. RFD Paramedics are now trained and equipped to handle many cardiac emergencies
including pulseless and non-breathing patients.
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Photograph by Timothy Stein
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Cement truck vs Auto accident with injuries.
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Photograph by Timothy Stein
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A mini-van rolls off the street and down an embankment,
trapping the driver inside.
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Photograph by Timothy Stein
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Car vs Bicycle accident.
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Photograph by Timothy Stein
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A school bus vs car accident.
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Photograph by Timothy Stein
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A motorcycle accident results in a fatality.
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Fire Prevention
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Fire Inspections
The Wisconsin Administrative Code COMM. 14.02 (2) states; The chief of the fire department
shall be responsible for having all public buildings and places of employment inspected
for the purpose of ascertaining and causing to be corrected any conditions liable
to cause fire, or any violations of any law or ordinance relating to fire hazards
or to the prevention of fire.
Most Racine inspections are made semi-annually by firefighting personnel working out
of their local station. Firefighters thereby become familiar with the construction,
layout, and individual problems they may face in a fire situation in a particular
building.
The Bureau of Fire Prevention inspectors perform inspections on three and four family
units once a year as well as special inspections such as, tanks, change of occupancy,
soda and liquor licenses, tents, and fireworks. FPB inspectors also manage follow-up
inspections for complaints that are not remedied. In summary, complaints are addressed,
remedies found, or citations are issued to accomplish this vital task.
New Construction
The fire prevention bureau is committed to provide a safe environment for the citizens
of Racine. The City of Racine adopts all National Fire Protection Association and
State codes but also has its own Fire Prevention code which in some cases is more
stringent. The inspectors review building, sprinkler, hood and duct, and fire alarm
system plans to ensure that all codes are adhered to.
Investigations
According to Wisconsin Statute 165.55, The chief of the fire department of every city,
village and town in which a fire department exists shall investigate the cause, origin
and circumstances of every fire when the damage exceeds $500, and on fires of unknown
origin he shall especially investigate whether the fire was the result of negligence,
accident or design.
For over 25 years the Racine Fire Department has worked in cooperation with local
law enforcement, the Racine County Arson Task force, the Consumer Product Safety Commission
and other agencies during and after our investigations. Not only does the investigative
work of the RFD fulfill an obligation under the law, but it also provides information
that may then be used to develop educational programs and provide focus for inspection
efforts
Public Education
The Racine Fire Department Bureau of Fire prevention strives to educate all citizens
of Racine to prevent fires and be free from the harm of fire. We start educating with
Pre-school children and continue all the way up to include the senior citizens of
our community. The very young are taught Stop, Drop, and Roll, Firefighters are your
friend, and that matches and lighters are for grown-ups. As the children get older
we stress having and practicing a home escape plan. A good escape plan includes two
ways out of every room in the home, smoke alarms on every level of the home, and a
meeting place once out of the home. We also cover the safe handling of flammable liquids.
The older children and adults are educated in safe cooking practices. The adults are
reminded to keep matches and lighters up high and away from young children. The adults
are also reminded that smoke alarms need to be on every level of the home including
the basement per state law. This is the minimum! We also stress the importance of
testing and changing batteries in the smoke alarms. We take the third graders of the
Racine community and have them go through the Fire Safety House. There we look for
home hazards such as the unsafe use of extension cords, fireplace screens, candles,
unsafe cooking practices. Then we use play smoke and have the children actually crawl
out of the Safety House. The Safety House is also taken to picnics and other community
events used in educating the public in fire safety matters. It is our pleasure to
educate the citizens of the Racine Community.
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Photograph by Dan Squires
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Firefighters give tours to schools and day-care centers.
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Photograph by RFD
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The RFD's fire safety house teaches children what it
is like in a house fire.
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Photograph by RFD
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A RFD investigator attempts to determine the cause of
a fire.
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Photograph by Timothy Stein
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An engine company visits a local school.
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Special Teams |
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As industry, technology, and our community grow so must our Fire Department. To keep
up with ever changing standards and practices, the RFD has acquired pieces of equipment
and provided personnel training for very specialized tasks.
Haz-mat is a word used increasingly often in the fire service but what is it? The
RFD maintains a specially trained team to handle the containment and in some cases,
removal or neutralization of materials that are hazardous to health, property, or
the environment. Most incidents are caused by an accidental and uncontrolled release
arising from transportation accidents or industrial processes. Another and more recent
class of Haz-Mat emergency includes terrorist activities and biological releases.
The RFD has an inventory of highly specialized equipment that allows them to first
analyze then enter a hazardous environment to rescue any victims. The RFDs Hazmat
team is currently under contract to the State of Wisconsin as a Regional Response
Team providing coverage for Racine, Kenosha, Walworth, and one half of Jefferson counties.
In any community, there are areas that can present special problems if an accident,
injury, or medical problem occurs. The RFD maintains a Technical Rescue team for emergencies
that may occur on high roof tops, or hard to reach locations, and even under the ground.
The RFD also has equipment to handle entrapments in vehicles or collapses following
accidents. There is also a Underwater Dive team to handle rescue and recovery from
the lakefront and the river as well as other small ponds and bodies of water in our
area. Specially trained teams and equipment are also maintained for rescue operations
in trenches, pits, tanks, and other and confined spaces.
The RFD has a small inventory of specialty vehicles to support the Special Teams activities:
a Tactical Command Vehicle for communications, research, and resources, a Special
Teams vehicle carrying most of the highly specialized equipment, an inflatable boat
with outboard motor, an inflatable shelter for extreme weather scenarios, a large
utility trailer to transport bulky equipment and supplies, a passenger van to move
personnel, and a number of utility vehicles to move additional equipment and personnel.
This small collection of vehicles serve to handle the more unusual incidents that
can arise and must be managed safely.
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Photograph by Timothy Stein
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RFD responds to an Anthrax scare in Kenosha, WI.
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Photograph by Timothy Stein
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Firefighters train for rescue in confined spaces.
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Photograph by Timothy Stein
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RFD responds to another Anthrax scare in town.
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©Copyright, 2003-2008 The City of Racine - Wisconsin - USA. All rights reserved.
Disclaimer of Liability
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