Frequently Asked Questions
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1. |
Why is a fire
truck always sent with an ambulance? |
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2. |
How do I know
my smoke detectors are working? |
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3. |
Why do my smoke
detectors beep? |
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4. |
Why are the fire
trucks seen all over town when there is no fire there? |
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5. |
What do the firemen
do all day? |
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1. |
Why is a fire truck always sent
with an ambulance? |
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The fire department and the ambulance
provider, UMMHC, work as a four man team. In the new EMS2000 regulations
four persons are recommended for answering a call for medical assistance.
Also, fire personnel are ‘first responders’. The fire
truck is dispatched at the same time as the ambulance. The expectation
is that the fire truck is closest to the scene ( since there are
three fire stations and only one ambulance station) and can minister
to the victims in the time before the ambulance arrives. We assume
that any call from a residence is a confirmed need for medical assistance,
since the victim or someone with the victim has placed the call.
The fire trucks all carry defibrillators, oxygen, and trauma medical
supplies as part of the standard inventory. All firefighters are
trainer to first responder level, while some are Emergency Medical
Technicians.
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2. |
How do I know my smoke detectors
are working? |
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You should become familiar with how
to test your detectors. Instructions are enclosed with every detector.
The simplest way to test the detector is to push the test button.
This will arm the detector and cause it to sound until you release
the test button.
It is important to test detectors for many reasons. The obvious
reason, to assure they are working. Less obvious but equally important,
you and your family members need to know what the sound is in order
to plan a response to hearing the detectors. Hearing this piercing
sound in the dead of night will cause confusion and panic if you
do not know what the sound is and how to react to it. Children need
to know the sound. Parents need to arrange with their children what
their exit escape plan is for when the alarm sounds. You can contact
the fire department for a free pamphlet on fire safety using EDITH
(Exit Drills in the Home).
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3. |
Why do my smoke detectors beep? |
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Smoke detectors beep for one of three
reasons.
- They are dirty and the detector sees something across its beam
and calls it smoke.
- The battery is getting weak and a built-in alarm is warning
you to change the battery.
- There is some reason/cause that may trip the alarm momentarily
and then the alarm resets on its own.
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4. |
Why are the fire trucks seen all
over town when there is no fire there? |
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Your fire department is charged with the
responsibility of inspecting every public property in the Town of
Shrewsbury. Also, every bank transaction involving mortgages requires
a fire inspection. Every oil burner modification requires a fire inspection.
The Shrewsbury Fire department performs over 2,000 inspections in
any given year. |
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5. |
What do the firemen do all day? |
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With 2,000 inspections 3,000 calls for
service each year, the firefighters are constantly moving and working.
Our mission statement states we educate the public on fire safety,
prevent fires and loss through inspection, and in the third aspect
of our mission, extinguish fires, mitigate hazardous material incidents,
minister to victims, and answer any other call for service.
Scheduled educational events include Safety Awareness and Fire
Education (SAFE) presentations to every elementary class, assemblies
on safety, senior socials (safety awareness programs with a cook
out or spaghetti dinner), Project Alarm (free smoke detectors installed
for all seniors) , Change the Clock – Change the Battery (
free batteries for detectors installed ).
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