2008 Woodie Awards
Student takes ride in FB fire truck
Chris Vivero, photo editor for the Courier, went on a ride along with firefighters from Farmers Branch Fire Station No. 1 and wrote this account.
Chris Vivero
Issue date: 10/8/07 Section: News
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Fire Station No.1 is located at 2535 Valley View Lane. This station houses fire truck 131, fire engine 131 and medical vehicle 131. The officer for the station sets the pace for the day by being efficient and professional.
A typical day for a Farmers Branch fire station officer includes a shift starting at 7 a.m. and continuing for 24 hours.
The day begins with an equipment check in all trucks and vehicles.
The shift is every three days, which gives the firefighters a chance to work other jobs.
After the maintenance check, firefighters are encouraged to get breakfast and continue their day as a typical person would with some exceptions. One exception is watching TV; the channel is always tuned on a news station.
Contrary to popular opinion, firefighters do not sit around playing poker and watching football. Some of the firefighters discussed events of the day while others studied for examinations related to their jobs.
Farmers Branch employs 55 firefighters; the shift requires 14 firefighters on duty and all personnel have had training as paramedics and firefighters. During an emergency, it is a requirement to have someone on the engine who can begin lifesaving techniques until the paramedic vehicle arrives.
During the day, classes are given to help create team camaraderie and the classes follow the requirements set by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection.
After returning from an emergency, firefighters do routine checks on what happened and record information in a log so the next shift can be aware of the activities of the shift before.
Firefighters from Fire Station No.1 have a reputation for being aggressive when they attack fires.
They begin fighting the fire, then set up a command station as opposed to fire centers from other cities who set up the command station first.
The emergency that occurred while on the ride along was a man who cut his foot. The fire engine was the first to respond and assess the situation.
After the engine arrived the paramedic vehicle arrived and the information was relayed to the paramedics.
This particular emergency was minor, but the firefighters maintained professionalism and courtesy. The paramedic on the engine helped the man while the actual paramedics brought in the stretcher and began to help him.
For more information on the Farmers Branch Fire Department, students can go to the Web site www.ci.farmers-branch.tx.us/fire/Fire.html.
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