Back in the day the joke in Bridgeport was if you need a cop, call the Fire Department. They respond quickly.
Mayor Joe Ganim is reviewing a list of finalists for fire chief. Richard Thode is serving as acting chief following the retirement of Brian Rooney. Meanwhile, 2016 was a busy year for fire personnel, according to a report on the department’s Facebook page.
In 2016 the BFD responded to 17,932 incidents, an increase of 6.3% over the 16,876 incidents handled in 2015.
In addition to incident response the Department trains frequently, installs smoke alarms, participates in public fire education for our school children, maintains our apparatus and equipment, attends community events, and shovels hydrants after the snow. Your Bridgeport Fire Fighters make our community safer every day.
Why doesn’t the city of Bridgeport charge for responding to calls for service such as medical emergencies?
We are served by a private ambulance service and yet we are the first responders. If we get there first was charge first.
You should see all the medical calls the cops go out to. Every kid who throws up at school and medics are called, so too are the cops. That’s why your neighborhood doesn’t see a cop for hours at a time. It’s absolutely true! Ask the PD. OIB indeed.
Bob, the fire department doesn’t transport and firefighters can only give a level of service an MRT certification would allow them to do legally.
Both the fire and police respond to medicals so they can boost their numbers. When we were responding to way more than 16,000 we were not responding to as many medical calls.
When Police, Fire and Medical respond to a scene, regardless if its a accident, medical, incident and/or fire their presents in the communities are phenomenal. Keep in mind in the day (old school) police, fire and medical personnel were residents of their city/town they worked in, today this is not the case. The communities really don’t know who their Emergency Responders are unless they are called to their community.
In response to the Phantom’s post.
It’s no wonder the police response is so slow. Why tie up a cop on a medical call where they can’t do anything to help the patient?
What is cop going to do with a kid who is throwing up or one with a high fever? If the medics need a cop at a call,they will call one. The medics should know if a medical call is the result of criminal activity or if something does not look right.
You wonder who came up with this idea?
Lennie, any idea when a new chief will be appointed from the finalists? I heard that there is a Black gentleman in the top three and that if hired he would be the most knowledgeable chief as far as education and certifications are concerned, in the history of the BFD. The bar has been set very low with respect to past chiefs of the BFD because none in the history of the BFD has ever had a college background must less a college degree including acting Chief Thode.
DD, the mayor’s interview process involving the finalists is underway. City Hall will not release names of finalists citing personnel issues.
I would like to commend House 15 in the upper East Side.
I can’t tell you how many times they have responded on my street alone dealing with many medical calls. They were also very professional and pleasant when working with us on our Christmas Tree Lightings. Captain Cook and House 6 were also exceptional.
The BFD has almost ALWAYs beat the Police or Ambulance to incidents, unless the Police or Ambulance called for us! Good job!
The BFD is exceptional, and I feel safe knowing that. I don’t know as much as Donald and Ron in terms of the top tier, but the men and women responding are well-trained and excellent. I hope I never need their service, but if I did, I know I’d be in good hands.
Thank you so very much Lisa and in the interest of full disclosure Nick Novia was one hell of a firefighter too.
I am a retired firefighter who has needed the service of engine 15 on at least five occasions. My treatment was professional, they arrived in a hurry and I thank them with all my heart. I am glad I have lived in the area covered by engine 15 for 73 years. Thank you all.