Re: Local Fire Department

we have a fire house in our neighborhood that services just our neighborhood & all of the volunteers have to live here as well. The proximity of the firehouse to our home was big for me, I love having it close by.
kudos to you guysfor taking CPR!

Re: Local Fire Department

My DH is a vol. FF so I think I can help. One of my exes is a dispatcher as well. The fire house that will respond to you is not necessarily the one whose name is the name of your town. The fire district boundaries are different than town boundaries. For example, my Dad lives in West Babylon, but East Farmingdale is his responding fire house.

Some fire departments have their own dispatch center. In these cases, calling their dispatch center directly can help speed along the process. If you call 911, they typically call the dispatch office of the fire house and then the call gets toned out. But when you call the fire house directly, they can immediately tone the call out. However, one dowside to calling the firehouse directly is police is not necessarily going to respond. To guarantee police response, you have to call 911. Police is separate from Fire and EMS.

If the department does not have their own dispatch center, you have to call 911, or you can find out the name of the dispatch center (FireCom for most of Nassau County) and get their phone number to call them directly. The dispatch center for Suffolk is in Yaphank (Suffolk County Fire/Rescue).

Hope that helps. Feel free to FM with any questions.

Re: Local Fire Department

Re: Local Fire Department

I spoke to Oceanside FD and they said you call either/or in an emergency. They have their emergency # or 911.

Message edited 2/13/2008 12:28:40 PM.

Re: Local Fire Department

Check your Yellow Pages or White Pages. I believe in the beginning of each there is a page with all the firehouses on it.
Growing up ours was next door. Can't get closer than that!

Or try this link.
Nassau Co firehouses

Re: Local Fire Department

I would just call 911, I think most times both cops and Firehouse or EMT are called to the caller's location.

I think that (not sure though) that the regular numbers are to each firehouse, and if it's volunteer there are chances that someone may not be in the house when you call. I don't think there is someone at the house next to my dad's 24/7. They all have beepers and are notified of a fire call that way and drive to the firehouse or to the location of the emergency.

Re: Local Fire Department

I think it completely depends on the town you live in.

We had an emergency with our 3 yr old last year and had to call the paramedics. It was Christmas eve morning (bad planning - it's a skeleton crew!) and called 911. The police responded IMMEDIATELY but it took the ambulance 10-15 MINUTES to arrive If she had stopped breathing that would have been catastrophic.

So I since called the FD and asked what we should do in the future (dd has asthma) and they couldn't really give me an answer, because it's a volunteer FD and it depends on the time of day, etc of emergency and where everyone currently is. But considering my last experience, I will first call my local FD and then 911 if needed next time.

Re: Local Fire Department

I'll throw my 2 in now.

I was a dispatcher for a very small Suffolk department. If you were in that district I would advise you to call the FD directly. They are the primary response for both fire & ambulance. Calling them direct can save valuable time.

Most dispatchers are trained. They have to pass a civil service test before they can work F/T.

However P/T workers do not need formal training and may not be able to help in an emergency. Say... assisting you in performing CPR innless they by chance happen to know it.

I know Nassau PD has emergency ambulances & some PO's are EMT's. So I think the scenario changes on who you call.

My district I have to call 911 not the FD. (I checked)

Bottom Line: Call your FD. They will tell you if you should/can call them directly in an emergency or if you should call 911. Be sure to ask if they are your 1st contact for both fire & ambulance. Some districts have separate departments for that.


ETA: Like the above poster said if you call the FD directly police will not respond inless you tell them. The FD can then call the police for you. If you need police call 911.

Message edited 2/17/2008 7:53:54 PM.