To improve the quality of life within the City of Tonawanda by providing up-to-date protection of life and property that meets the needs of the community through timely and prepared response to emergencies caused by fire, medical, hazardous materials, severe weather conditions, and all other natural or man made catastrophe; as well as fire prevention education programs and the use of good code enforcement practices, with the resources provided.


 

The City of Tonawanda Fire Department is classified as a “combination” type department meaning that we utilize a combination of both volunteer and career personnel to get the job done. This makes it possible to efficiently provide many types of services for all citizens and maintain a 3-minute or less response time throughout the City of Tonawanda at a minimal cost. The cost to taxpayers for running this department equals a small percentage of the city’s annual operating budget. The City of Tonawanda Fire Department currently operates out of 2 fire stations with Fire Headquarters located at 44 William Street. While the department had always operated out of 3 separate firehouses, we recently decommissioned the third house located at 412 Young Street where it has been purchased by a private business. This was done in an effort to increase the city’s tax revenue. In the year 2008 the department responded to over 2000 calls for help.

PERSONNEL

CAREER DIVISION

The career division is comprised of 27 members including the Fire Chief and all Command Officers.    This division is divided into a 4-platoon system and is responsible for maintaining and operating all apparatus, equipment and facilities.  Career personnel are also responsible for handling all emergency medical service requests.  A career captain is assigned as a Municipal Training Officer (MTO) and is responsible for the department’s required training program.  Another Captain is assigned as the Fire Prevention Officer who is responsible for all fire-safety programs including building inspections, elementary school fire prevention education and code enforcement. Career personnel are hired through the New York State Civil Service competitive exam process.  With the exception of the Fire Chief, all career firefighters are members of the Tonawanda Uniformed Professional Firefighters Association Local 859 AFL-CIO.

VOLUNTEER DIVISION

The volunteer division is comprised of 4 separate fire companies; Union Hook & Ladder Company #1, National Hose Company #1, Delaware Hose Company #2 (all located at 44 William Street) and Niagara Hose Company #3 located at 74 Wheeler Street.  Each of these companies have been in existence for well over 100 years, all having their beginnings dating back to the 1800’s before a paid staff was established. Each company is steeped in rich history and many pictures, documents and artifacts from early last century still exist. Today, 30 Volunteer Firefighters and 12 Fire Police Officers are currently on the department roster.  Volunteer firefighters are mainly responsible for firefighting and rescue operations but many become involved with fire prevention activities, disaster preparedness and the Fire Police Unit. Volunteer personnel must first be interviewed, undergo a thorough background check and pass a mental and physical agility exam before being accepted into the department where they are then voted into membership to a company. After being accepted, volunteers are required to attend Probationary and then Basic Firefighter training.  All volunteer members must then train regularly throughout their active membership.  Within the volunteer ranks are 3 captains and 6 lieutenants - firematic line officers assigned to enhance the “span of control” within the Incident Command System structure utilized by the department.  The Fire Chief, based upon their skills, leadership abilities and knowledge of department operations, selects these officers. The department is currently seeking people interested in becoming a volunteer firefighter.  Persons interested in becoming a volunteer firefighter must be in good physical condition, possess a valid NYS drivers license and have no criminal history background.  If interested, please print your name and phone number in the “Persons interested in becoming a Volunteer Firefighter” folder located at Fire Headquarters in the Alarm Room. A department official will contact you.    

SERVICES

The Tonawanda Fire Department is authorized to assign at least 5 on-duty personnel 24/7.  In the event of a fire, this system allows for a quick response of a first alarm assignment.  Apparatus is immediately driven directly to the emergency scene where on-duty personnel are met by volunteer and off-duty career personnel who respond directly to the scene after being alerted by a pager system.  Volunteer and career firefighters work together side by side. This type of system is very efficient making it possible to rapidly deploy charged hose lines, which directly results in very minimum fire loss amounts.

In addition to traditional fire protection the Tonawanda Fire Department also provides the following services:

·                    Paramedic-Level First Response Emergency Medical Service (EMS) - Life saving medical treatments once performed only in the hospital setting, are now performed on scene.  EMS response accounts for 60% of the department’s incident activity. Two fire vehicles are completely equipped as paramedic response units and all vehicles are equipped with automatic external defibrillators.

·                    Technical Rescue - Members are trained in the use of special tools, equipment and advanced techniques in order to help victims of many different types of accidents:

-         Confined Space/Low Angle Rescue and Standby Operations.

-         Vehicle/Machinery Extrication.

-         Ice Rescue.

-         Water Rescue.

-         Hazmat – 1^st Responder Operations.

·                    Non-Emergency Response/Services– Not all calls are for emergencies. TFD provides several types of services:

-         Lock-out/in.

-         Flooded Basement Pump Out.

-         Severe Weather Salvage/Recovery.

-         Utilities Disconnect (when hazard is present).

-         Animal Rescue.

-         Invalid Assists.

-         Smoke/Vapor Removal.

-         Blood Pressure Checks.

-         Back-up Dispatch for Grand Island Fire Company.

·                    Fire Prevention/Code Enforcement – FIRE PREVENTION SAVES LIVES!!! It’s a top priority and is extensively administered in several ways:

-         Code Enforcement - Public Assembly & Multiple Residence.

-         Code Enforcement - School Fire Safety Inspections.

-         Public & School-based Fire Safety Education Presentations and Lectures.

-         Smoke Detector/Carbon Monoxide Detector Installation.

-         Juvenile Fire Setter Intervention (J-FIRE).

-         Annual open-house demonstrations.

·                    Disaster Preparedness - The Fire Chief along with the Police Chief chair a committee made up of other concerned city residents and officials who continuously work at improving the effectiveness of the city’s disaster plan and other related concerns: 

-         Citywide Disaster Planning.

-         SAVE (School Safety) Advising.

-         Erie County Disaster Planning.

·                    Community Public Relations - TFD encourages programs that bring the fire department and the public that it serves together as much as is possible.  Each firehouse is staffed by uniformed professional firefighters around the clock.  Whether someone wants to stop in to talk about a fire safety concern or just to look at the equipment, the Tonawanda Fire Department has an “open-door” policy and the public is always welcome:

-         Tours.

-         Explorer Youth Group.

-         Open House Sessions.

-         Playground Visits.

-         Boy Scout/Girl Scout Counseling.

-         Babysitter Training.

-         Apparatus/Equipment Demonstrations.

·                    Youth Involvement – The Tonawanda Fire Department sponsors and directs an Explorer Post.  The Explorer group, a segment of the Boy Scouts of America,  is designed to teach young adults between the ages of 13 and 18 all aspects of the firefighting profession with the hope that it stirs an interest in the fire service.  Many past members of the post have gone on to become career or volunteer members of ours or other departments.  This group keeps kids busy and involved in community service. Some activities include:

-         Monthly meetings.

-         Monthly Drills/training sessions.

-         Yearly disaster drills.

-         Competition drills with posts from other departments.

-         Fire Prevention activities.

-         Tours to areas of firematic interest.

-         Assist department personnel with Rehab and clean-up responsibilities.

·                    Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Classes – This life-saving skill has been taught by department personnel for over 30 years.  Many firefighters are certified CPR instructors.  Classes are scheduled according to demand.

VEHICLE FLEET

SUPPORT VEHICLES

·                    CAR 12 - 2007 Ford Expedition [Chief of Department].

·                    CAR 6   - 2008 Ford Expedition 4X4 – Command Car/Paramedic Unit.

·                    CAR 10 - 1999 Ford Explorer [Fire Prevention Officer].

·                    CAR 11 - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban 4X4 [Municipal Training Officer]      

·                    CAR 51 - (aka. Squad 51) 1994 Ford Pickup truck [service truck used for     snow plowing, hose, basement pump-outs and just about everything else].

FIRE APPARATUS

·                    RESCUE 4 - 1987 Young/Marion Heavy Rescue Unit w/250 GPM pump.

·             LADDER 1   – 2007 Crimson 100 foot Aerial Platform Quint w/2000 gpm    

                                    pump.

·                    ENGINE 1 – 1978 American La France 1500 GPM pumper w/500 Gal. tank.

·                    ENGINE 2 –  2003 American La France 1500 GPM pumper w/750 Gal. tank.

·                    ENGINE 3 – 1996 Pierce 1500 GPM pumper w/750 Gal. tank.

·                    MARINE 5 – 2007 Titan 13 foot inflatable rescue boat.

ACTIVITY

                                    Year:   Total # of incidents:

Total Runs:              1999         -        1953

                        2000         -        1913 

                        2001         -        1829

                        2002         -        2252

                        2003         -        2049       

                        2004         -        2128

                        2005        -         2093

                        2006        -         2893      

                        2007        -        2271

                         2008        -        2208

DEPARTMENT LINE-OFFICERS

ASSISTANT CHIEFS                            CAPTAINS                             LIEUTENANTS (Vol. Div.)

6-1 David Sereno                         4-1 Joseph Bacon                 5-1 Robert Williams

6-2 Mark Schulte                           4-2 John Graf                         5-1-2 Vinny DelPriore               

6-3 Michael Young                        4-3 James Barber                  5-2-1 Frank Browning

6-4 Christopher Cowell                4-4 Richard Hosmer              5-2-2  Scott Nash

                                                        4-5  Robert Hassett                5-3-1 Steven Hugill

                                                        4-6  Thomas Wolfe                 5-3-2  Timothy Price    

                                                        5-1 Thomas Tompkins

                                                        5-2  Elizabeth Pohzehl

                                                        5-3  Matthew Kyler

FIRE POLICE UNIT

FP 01: Captain Frank Lee Corbett

FP 02: 1st Lieutenant Richard Barnard

FP 03: 2nd Lieutenant William Kinmartin

FP 04: Sergeant Christopher Mobilia

 DEPARTMENT ROSTER – Career Division

Chief of Department: Charles B. Stuart EMT-P                 

Department Secretary: Janet H. Sylvester                            

Captain Thomas Wolfe – Department Training Officer/MTO     

Captain Robert Hassett – Fire Prevention/Code Enforcement Officer

A Platoon:

Asst. Chief/AEMT David Sereno

Capt./AEMT Joseph Bacon

FF/CCT Christopher Close

FF/EMT Dennis Angelo

FF/EMT Adam Sereno

FF/EMT Douglas Sprague

B. Platoon:

Asst./CCT Chief Mark Schulte

Capt./AEMT John Graf

FF/EMT Gary Pohzehl

FF/EMT Joseph Briggs

FF/EMT Patrick McNulty

FF/AEMT Amy Newman

C. Platoon:

Asst. Chief/AEMT Michael Young

Capt./Paramedic James Barber

FF. Raymond Endres

FF/AEMT Richard Schroeder

FF/CCT Michael Hartman

FF/Paramedic Shane Mast

D Platoon:

Asst. Chief/Paramedic Christopher Cowell

Captain/AEMT Richard Hosmer

FF/Paramedic Michael Lamp 

FF/AEMT Timothy Newman

FF/AEMT John Moore

FF/EMT Jeffrey State 

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