IAFF 1479 / Merced City Firefighter's Association

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public assist

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mutual aid

hazmat

investigation

airport ops

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EMS

The majority of fire department calls through out the U.S., are EMS calls. EMS stands for emergency medical services. While some departments respond to every call whether it is a heart attack or a stubbed toe. We respond only to life threatening emergencies. This include possible heart attacks, strokes, diabetic emergencies, drowning, falls, plus many others. The criteria our dispatch uses is defined as true time emergencies. ALOC (altered level of consciousness), chest pains, difficulty breathing, immanent child birth. Many people wonder why so many people both fire and ambulance are present on medical emergencies. Two reasons, one is personnel. The ambulance typically carries two people, but most life saving operations require at least four, so the fire department helps fill the void. The other reason is time to arrive on scene. Local 1479 prides itself on a 5 minute response time to anyone within the city limits. This is accomplished through strategic station placement, training, and dedication. This rapid response allows us, the firefighters of local 1479 to arrive on scene and begin basic life saving techniques.

Fire calls

Over the last few years fire departments have aggressively promoted prevention. This prevention can be seen in mandatory smoke alarms, finished garages, and solid core doors between garage and living quarters. These are just a few of the code improvements / changes that have been implemented to assist us in our firefighting efforts. Smoke alarms have not only drastically reduced the number of fire deaths in the U.S., but also facilitate early recognition and response. Finished walls, ceilings and solid doors limit fire spread to the room of origin. These construction methods coupled with training and excellent equipment enable local 1479 to engage in some very aggressive fire attack, limiting building damage, but more importantly limiting damage to personal properties. Wall and roofs can be replaced, the memories found in pictures and memorabilia are lost forever when fire burns.