[quote name='Ladder 68' post='260226' date='Nov 9 2008, 19:54 ']Couple of questions I've wondered about:
Is Monroeville organized and lead by 1 Fire Chief and Command Staff or does each company have their own Fire Chief and Command Staff?
I notice a huge variance in apparatus manufacturers, is each company their own taxing entity or do they receive funds from the town/city/township?
Do they each have their own automatic-aid or mutual-aid agreements with surrounding departments or operate under 1 for all of Monroeville?
Sorry for the questions, just curious.
Thanks in advance.[/quote]
Monroeville has 5 fire companies with over 200 firefighters. We are also fire based EMS and some stations have paid personnel on hand 24/7 for EMS purposes primarily, but all personnel are cross-trained and respond on fire calls as well. All paid employee finances are covered by the individual companies not the Municipality. Each fire company has it's own line staff and administration. The Fire Chief of each company sits on what is known as the Monroeville Fire Chief's Committee (MFCC). This committee is responsible for establishing Municipal wide policies such as running assignments, protective clothing purchases, insurance coverage and agreeing to apparatus specifications and purchases. The MFCC is also is responsible for the Relief Association. The committee does not have control or say on how each fire department is run. Several of the fire companies have residency programs as well which helps supplement our staffing.
The Municipality of Monroeville does financial support each fire department in various ways. The Municipality purchases all aerial trucks and pumpers on a 15-20 year rotation. They also purchase the Mobile Command Unit and in the future may purchase other specialty units such as Air Units. They also handle all fuel and vehicle maintenance costs. Each fire department owns the buildings and property they sit on. Each department is also responsible for their own utilities and other up keep. Each department is responsible for the purchases of specialty and support vehicles such as Rescue Trucks, Squad Trucks, Ambulances and Command Vehicles (Chief's Cars). The MFCC works with the Municipality on a fire apparatus agreement. These agreements are negotiated and renewed every 5 years. This agreement has been in place since 1972.
When it comes to apparatus purchases, all the Fire Chief's must agree on what is being ordered, then the spec is placed out to bid. Yes each company has there preference, but there is a standard spec in which all fire companies are to follow. Anything not covered in the spec is covered financially by the fire company receiving the apparatus. The bids are usually awarded to the lowest bidder IF they meet the spec without too many exceptions. Each piece of apparatus is budgeted for a certain amount of money. Anything over the amount is covered by the purchasing fire company.
As for automatic mutual aid agreements we do have some in place, but they're really only used at large scale events. On all first alarm calls you're getting a minimum of 3 companies and in some cases 2 trucks depending on the location of the call. On a second alarm you're getting the remaining 2 companies. Even though we have a Quint it's not considered as a truck company since we already have 2 aerials over 100'. The Quints primary role is that of an engine company, but if needed it can be utilized as a truck company. There are instances when one of the trucks is OOS and if an inital alarm calls for 2 trucks, a mutual aid truck is automatically notified.
Monroeville responds to over 1500 fire/rescue and 4000 EMS events annually.
Here is the Monroeville apparatus roster.
Co.1
Quint 1 - 2006 Ferrara Ignitor, 77' RM Aerial - 2000/500
Engine 12- 1993 Seagrave JS, 1750/750
Rescue 1 - 1993 Mack MC100/New Lexington, 22' Walk-In Box
Squad 1 - 2004 Ford F350XLT 4D Pickup Truck 4x4
Chief 1 - 1998 Ford LTD
Ambulance 19 - 2006 Ford F350XL/AEV, Type III
Ambulance 18 - 1995 Ford E350XL/McCoy Miller, Type III
Co.3
Engine 31 - 2008 Spartan Gladiator/Crimson, 1500/750
Mini 3 - 2006 Ford F450XLT 4x4/4 Guys, 500/300
Command 32 - 1994 International/LDV, 35' Walk-In
Squad 3 - 2002 Ford Excursion XLT 4x4
Chief 3 - 2002 Ford LTD
Co.4
Truck 4 - 2003 Pierce Lance, 100' RM Ladder Tower - 2000 GPM
Engine 41 - 1996 Pierce Lance, 1500/500
Engine 42 - 2008 Pierce Quantum, 1500/500
Rescue 4- 2001 Spartan Gladiator/Saulsbury, 21' Partial Walk-In
Squad 4 - 2003 Ford F350XLT 4D 4x4/Reading, 8' Box
Chief 4 - 2004 GMC Yukon 4x4
Ambulance 49 - 2007 Chevy 4500/Life Line, Type I
Ambulance 48 - 2001 Ford E450XL/Medtec, Type III
Ambulance 47 - 2004 Ford E450XL/Medtec, Type III
Co.5
Truck 5 - 1989 E\-One Hurricane, 135' RM Aerial
Engine 51 - 2007 E\-One Cyclone II, 1500/500 (Rescue-Engine)
Tanker 5 - 2007 Kenworth T800W/KME, 1500/3200/300
Squad 5 - 2001 Ford F350XLT 4D Pickup Truck 4x4
Chief 5 - 2003 Ford Expedition XLT 4x4
Car 5 - 2007 Ford LTD
Ambulance 59 - 1998 Ford E450XL/Medtec, Type III
Ambulance 58 - 2003 Ford E450XL/Medtec, Type III
Co.6
Engine 61 - 1995 Spartan Gladiator/Quality, 1500/750
Engine 62 - 1991 Spartan Gladiator/E-One, 1500/750/200/50
Rescue 6 - 1999 Spartan Gladiator/Saulsbury, 22' Box
Squad 6 - 2005 Ford F350XLT 4D Pickup Truck 4x4
Chief 6 - 1998 Ford Expedition XLT 4x4
Car 6 - 2002 Ford LTD
Ambulance 69 - 2001 Ford E350XL/Life Line, Type III
Is Monroeville organized and lead by 1 Fire Chief and Command Staff or does each company have their own Fire Chief and Command Staff?
I notice a huge variance in apparatus manufacturers, is each company their own taxing entity or do they receive funds from the town/city/township?
Do they each have their own automatic-aid or mutual-aid agreements with surrounding departments or operate under 1 for all of Monroeville?
Sorry for the questions, just curious.
Thanks in advance.[/quote]
Monroeville has 5 fire companies with over 200 firefighters. We are also fire based EMS and some stations have paid personnel on hand 24/7 for EMS purposes primarily, but all personnel are cross-trained and respond on fire calls as well. All paid employee finances are covered by the individual companies not the Municipality. Each fire company has it's own line staff and administration. The Fire Chief of each company sits on what is known as the Monroeville Fire Chief's Committee (MFCC). This committee is responsible for establishing Municipal wide policies such as running assignments, protective clothing purchases, insurance coverage and agreeing to apparatus specifications and purchases. The MFCC is also is responsible for the Relief Association. The committee does not have control or say on how each fire department is run. Several of the fire companies have residency programs as well which helps supplement our staffing.
The Municipality of Monroeville does financial support each fire department in various ways. The Municipality purchases all aerial trucks and pumpers on a 15-20 year rotation. They also purchase the Mobile Command Unit and in the future may purchase other specialty units such as Air Units. They also handle all fuel and vehicle maintenance costs. Each fire department owns the buildings and property they sit on. Each department is also responsible for their own utilities and other up keep. Each department is responsible for the purchases of specialty and support vehicles such as Rescue Trucks, Squad Trucks, Ambulances and Command Vehicles (Chief's Cars). The MFCC works with the Municipality on a fire apparatus agreement. These agreements are negotiated and renewed every 5 years. This agreement has been in place since 1972.
When it comes to apparatus purchases, all the Fire Chief's must agree on what is being ordered, then the spec is placed out to bid. Yes each company has there preference, but there is a standard spec in which all fire companies are to follow. Anything not covered in the spec is covered financially by the fire company receiving the apparatus. The bids are usually awarded to the lowest bidder IF they meet the spec without too many exceptions. Each piece of apparatus is budgeted for a certain amount of money. Anything over the amount is covered by the purchasing fire company.
As for automatic mutual aid agreements we do have some in place, but they're really only used at large scale events. On all first alarm calls you're getting a minimum of 3 companies and in some cases 2 trucks depending on the location of the call. On a second alarm you're getting the remaining 2 companies. Even though we have a Quint it's not considered as a truck company since we already have 2 aerials over 100'. The Quints primary role is that of an engine company, but if needed it can be utilized as a truck company. There are instances when one of the trucks is OOS and if an inital alarm calls for 2 trucks, a mutual aid truck is automatically notified.
Monroeville responds to over 1500 fire/rescue and 4000 EMS events annually.
Here is the Monroeville apparatus roster.
Co.1
Quint 1 - 2006 Ferrara Ignitor, 77' RM Aerial - 2000/500
Engine 12- 1993 Seagrave JS, 1750/750
Rescue 1 - 1993 Mack MC100/New Lexington, 22' Walk-In Box
Squad 1 - 2004 Ford F350XLT 4D Pickup Truck 4x4
Chief 1 - 1998 Ford LTD
Ambulance 19 - 2006 Ford F350XL/AEV, Type III
Ambulance 18 - 1995 Ford E350XL/McCoy Miller, Type III
Co.3
Engine 31 - 2008 Spartan Gladiator/Crimson, 1500/750
Mini 3 - 2006 Ford F450XLT 4x4/4 Guys, 500/300
Command 32 - 1994 International/LDV, 35' Walk-In
Squad 3 - 2002 Ford Excursion XLT 4x4
Chief 3 - 2002 Ford LTD
Co.4
Truck 4 - 2003 Pierce Lance, 100' RM Ladder Tower - 2000 GPM
Engine 41 - 1996 Pierce Lance, 1500/500
Engine 42 - 2008 Pierce Quantum, 1500/500
Rescue 4- 2001 Spartan Gladiator/Saulsbury, 21' Partial Walk-In
Squad 4 - 2003 Ford F350XLT 4D 4x4/Reading, 8' Box
Chief 4 - 2004 GMC Yukon 4x4
Ambulance 49 - 2007 Chevy 4500/Life Line, Type I
Ambulance 48 - 2001 Ford E450XL/Medtec, Type III
Ambulance 47 - 2004 Ford E450XL/Medtec, Type III
Co.5
Truck 5 - 1989 E\-One Hurricane, 135' RM Aerial
Engine 51 - 2007 E\-One Cyclone II, 1500/500 (Rescue-Engine)
Tanker 5 - 2007 Kenworth T800W/KME, 1500/3200/300
Squad 5 - 2001 Ford F350XLT 4D Pickup Truck 4x4
Chief 5 - 2003 Ford Expedition XLT 4x4
Car 5 - 2007 Ford LTD
Ambulance 59 - 1998 Ford E450XL/Medtec, Type III
Ambulance 58 - 2003 Ford E450XL/Medtec, Type III
Co.6
Engine 61 - 1995 Spartan Gladiator/Quality, 1500/750
Engine 62 - 1991 Spartan Gladiator/E-One, 1500/750/200/50
Rescue 6 - 1999 Spartan Gladiator/Saulsbury, 22' Box
Squad 6 - 2005 Ford F350XLT 4D Pickup Truck 4x4
Chief 6 - 1998 Ford Expedition XLT 4x4
Car 6 - 2002 Ford LTD
Ambulance 69 - 2001 Ford E350XL/Life Line, Type III
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