Fire Department Serving the citizens of Waterloo since 1904
Mission Statement TO PROTECT THE LIVES AND PROPERTIES OF THE CITIZENS OF WATERLOO BY BEING AN INNOVATIVE AND PROGRESSIVE EMERGENCY SERVICE ORGANIZATION.
Chain of Command Waterloo Fire Rescue is made up of 106 sworn firefighters and 3.5 FTE civilian positions. Fire Operations Chief of Fire Services: Pat Treloar City of Waterloo Mayor Quentin Hart EMS Prevention Hazmat A requirement of the department is all firefighters must also be registered as an EMT or above, and receive their FF1/FF2 by the first year of hire. The department currently has 59 Paramedics within its staff. Battalion Chiefs: Mike Moore Mike Jenn Marty Freshwater Captains: Ryan Mahood Carl Reninger Bill Harter Lieutenants: 20 Medical Director: Chris Hill, DO Medical Supervisor: Barb McBride, PS Medical Officers: Greg Stewart Jason Hernandez Travis Ihnen Fire Marshal: LT Chris Ferguson Investigation RTC Coordinator: Pat Brockway Instructors Engineers: 23 Firefighters/EMTs: 31 Paramedics: Assigned:21 Total: 59
Services Community Outreach Fire and Rescue Fire Investigation Fire Prevention Hazardous Materials Response Team: Serving 11 counties Medical and Ambulance Tactical Emergency Medical Team Technical Rescue Response Team: High Angle/Trench Rescue Water Rescue
Emergency Responses Calls for Service Total: 10,551 Individual Unit Call Volume Fire: 5,481 EMS: 6,807 Total Unit Call Volume: 12,288
Fire Operations 106 Sworn Firefighters 1 Aerial Unit 6 Stations 6 Engines 10 Formal Training Hours Per Month 11 Specialty Vehicles
Fire Operations: Response Times NFPA 1710/ 5.2.4.1.1 Initial Arriving Company: The fire department s fire suppression resources shall be deployed to provide for the arrival of an engine company within 240-second travel time to 90 percent of the incidents. 0:01:07 0:01:06 0:01:04 0:01:02 0:01:00 0:00:59 0:00:57 0:00:55 0:04:19 Turnout CY 2016 CY 2015 CY 2014 85% TRAVEL Time First Arriving Unit <4 minutes 0:03:36 0:02:53 0:02:10 0:01:26 CY 2016 CY 2015 CY 2014 76% RESPONSE Time First Arriving Unit <4 minutes 0:00:43 0:00:00 Travel
The new Engine 304 went into service in February of 2016. To ensure continuity within the department, 304 is the same type of truck as the previously purchased unit 305. By completing the equipment mount in house, WFR was able to reduce the time engine 304 went into service. Engine 304 was not equipped with an on-board generator. This saved the department $30,000. The total purchase price for 304 was $506,128.00. Fire Operations: New in 2016
Ambulance Service Currently 5 Ambulances in service. The busiest Ambulance had 2,555 actual calls in 2016, followed by 2,171 actual calls for the second busiest ambulance. WFR Ambulance service is a preceptor for local EMT/Paramedic courses in the State of Iowa. Currently hosting from at least 6 different schools: Hawkeye Community College North East Iowa Community College: Calmar North Iowa Area Community College Kirkwood Community College University of Iowa Allen College of Nursing
Ambulance Service: Fiscal Revenue Breakdown FY Year 2016 Percent Medicare 36% Medicaid 14% Other 50% Total 100% FY 2016 51% 36% 13% Medicare Medicaid Other BLS Non-Emergency 37 BLS Emergency 2,698 ALS Emergency 3,322 ALS 2 93
Ambulance Service: Response Times NFPA 1710: 4.1.2.1: The fire department shall establish the following objectives: 480 seconds or less travel time for the arrival of an advanced life support (ALS) unit at an emergency medical incident, where this service is provided by the fire department provided a first responder with AED or basic life support (BLS) unit arrived in 240 seconds or less travel time. 96% Travel Time <8 minutes 0:04:02 0:03:58 0:03:53 0:03:49 0:03:45 0:03:40 0:03:36 0:03:32 0:03:27 Travel CY 2016 CY 2015 CY 2014
Ambulance Service: New in 2016 New 331 went into service in December of 2016 serving as the busiest ambulance in the City of Waterloo. The previous two ambulance units that Waterloo Fire Rescue has purchased have both been Ford Chassis. The Ford Chassis cost roughly $25,000 less than the previously purchased Freightliner Chassis. First Month Call Volume for Unit 331: 187 calls
Ambulance Service: New in 2016 The Zoll AutoPulse Resuscitation System provides high-quality automated CPR to victims of sudden cardiac arrest. The AutoPulse squeezes the patient s entire chest to improve blood flow to the heart and brain at a constant and consistent rate. The only device of its kind, the AutoPulse automatically sizes to the patient, and has shown improved outcomes in numerous clinical trials. Waterloo Fire Rescue purchased one machine in 2016, but hopes to purchase more in the future to better serve the citizens of Waterloo.
Fire Prevention: New in 2016 K9 Radar is a new member of Waterloo Fire Rescue. K9 Radar s handler is Fire Marshal Chris Ferguson. Radar is an intricate part of the fire investigation team, and assisted with 22 investigations from May to December of 2016. Radar was purchased and trained with donations from sponsors including: State Farm Waterloo Mills Company Den Herder Veterinary Hospital DCI Crime Laboratory Black Hawk County Attorney s Office K9 Defender Fund
Fire Prevention: 2016 Fire Investigations Investigations: 20 fires investigated (approximately 100 man hours) 7 found to be criminal in nature and referred to the Waterloo Police Department 1 arrest made K-9 Deployments (05/2016-12/2016): 22 total deployments 13 Fire scenes worked, including 1 assist outside agency (BHC Sherriff s Office) 9 public relations events/demonstrations affecting approximately 200 citizens
Hazmat and Training Waterloo Fire Rescue s Hazardous Materials Response Team serves 11 different counties. Fire trainings, as well has Hazmat trainings, are often hosted at the Hazardous Materials Regional Training Center.
Hazmat and Training: Regional Training Center Number of Classes in 2016: 125 Number of Students Taught in 2016: 3,146 Classes Provided by the HMRTC: Hazardous Materials Awareness Hazardous Materials Operations Hazardous Materials Operations for EMS Hazardous Materials Technician Hazardous Materials Recertification Fire Extinguisher CPR Burn Building Confined Space Awareness Confined Space Entry Confined Space Rescue Fire Fighter I & II OSHA and Industrial Related Classes Fire Brigade Training Vehicle Extrication
Hazmat and Training: Training Hours Current Formal Training Hours Per Month: Fire Service: 10 Ambulance Service: 4 TEMs: 8 Hazmat: 2 Tech Rescue: 2
Community Involvement 2016 $20,759.86 raised in September 2016 for the MDA through firefighters filling the boot in the City of Waterloo. Through the efforts of Captain Bill Harter, 150 residential Knox boxes were purchased for the citizens of Waterloo. This not only saves lives, but also properties. It is the first program of its kind established in Iowa. Four Waterloo Firefighters participated in the Fight For Air Stair Climb in April 2016 in Des Monies. They climbed 85 floors in full turnout gear. raising money for the American Lung Association. More than 70 people donated blood at a 2016 blood drive held at Station 1 in 2016.
Community Involvement 2016 A ride home in an ambulance for one lucky student at Lincoln Elementary during a presentation for EMS Week 2016. School presentations, job shadows, and station tours including two Facebook Live sessions with our P.I.E. Lincoln Elementary School. Station one housed the car seat safety fair in 2016. Station 3 has a car seat technician available every third Thursday of the month. In partnership with American Red Cross, more than 300 smoke detectors were installed for the citizens of Waterloo.
2016 Highlights Waterloo Fire Rescue Station 5 was utilized on August 29, 2016 as a safe haven. At approximately 21:00:00 a female infant was brought in and left at Fire Station 5. Waterloo Police Department was contacted, and the child was released safely to an officer.
Paramedic of the Year: 2016 Highlights: Paramedic/Firefighter of the Year Firefighter of the Year: Sam Hess Sam was hired in 2008 and has been an assigned paramedic with the department for 6 years. TJ Schaffer TJ was hired in 2004 and has been an engineer with the department for 9 years.