The Operations Division is the
single largest component of the St. Charles Fire Department. This
division is responsible for fire suppression, emergency medical
services and special operations activities. Members of the St. Charles
Fire Department’s Operation Division respond to over 6.800 calls for
help each year.
Operations are composed of 75 full-time personnel organized into three
platoons. Each platoon is supervised by a Battalion Chief who is
responsible for emergency and administrative functions for that
particular platoon. Each Battalion Chief subsequently reports directly
to the Deputy Chief of the department. The work schedule is an
alternating schedule of 24-hour shifts.
One chief officer and one staff captain are also assigned to the
operations division. These two people are supervisory personnel and
are assigned to an eight-hour work shift.
The St. Charles Fire Department operates out of five firehouses
located strategically throughout the city. We staff four advanced life
support engine companies and one advanced life support ladder company.
The engine companies are intended to provide water for fire
suppression, stretch fire hose and control/extinguish the fire. The
engine companies are located at firehouses 2, 3, 4 and 5. The ladder
company provides ventilation, forcible entry and search/rescue
operations. They are located at Firehouse 1. All five companies are
staffed with paramedics and equipment to provide advanced emergency
medical care.
We also staff two advanced life support ambulances at firehouses 1 and
5. Each ambulance is staffed by two paramedics whose prime function is
to provide emergency medical care and transport; however they also
perform firefighting duties during fire ground operations.
The St. Charles Fire Department also has personnel that are trained
and equipped to handle unusual or technically challenging calls that
fall outside normal fire or emergency medical responses. The personnel
making up these special units, or “teams,” are fire department
personnel that have volunteered to confront incidents that pose a high
degree of risk to both citizens and responders.
Special operations activities include hazardous materials response,
dive rescue/recovery, swift water rescue, rescue boat operations,
technical rescue activities and tactical emergency medical support.
Each of these specialized areas is staffed by members of the fire
department that have received specialized training in their particular
field of interest in addition to normal fire department training.
Special Operations
Within the St. Charles Fire Department’s Operation Division, there
exist several groups or teams of personnel that are specially trained
to handle specific high-risk events. These specially trained and
equipped personnel are spread out over all three platoons within the
fire department.
Special Operations within the St. Charles Fire Department began in
1979 with the formation of the Hazardous Material Response Team. Over
the years, other specialized units such as the Technical Rescue Team,
Dive Rescue Team, Swift Water Rescue Team and Boat Rescue Crews were
added to the fire department’s resources.
These specialty units do not replace existing units; they make our
existing personnel more productive by providing an increased level of
service to the citizens of St. Charles. Responses to floods, hazardous
chemical accidents, building collapse, and the release of weapons of
mass destruction are all addressed by our highly trained personnel. In
addition, these same firefighters and paramedics support the
operations of other departments within the City of St. Charles as
necessary.
The St. Charles Fire department has a variety of specialty equipment
and apparatus that can be used to augment general operations.
Personnel involved with special operations regularly train to maintain
proficiency in their respective areas of expertise. This striving to
maintain proficiency and to offer increased services establishes the
St. Charles Fire Department as a leader within the community and the
state.
Hazardous Material Response Team The Hazardous Materials Response Team began in 1979 and was the first
of the fire department’s special operations units. Since 1979, the
Hazardous Material Response Team has become a regional unit and is
responsible for providing coverage to both St. Charles and Warren
Counties.
The St. Charles County – Warren County Hazardous Material Response
Team is staffed daily by fire department personnel from the various
fire departments and fire districts in St. Charles and Warren
Counties. Hazardous Material Unit Two is currently stationed at our
Engine House 5.
A hazardous material incident is generally described as the
intentional or the accidental release of a radiological, toxic,
corrosive, flammable or dangerous chemical, biological or nuclear
agent into the environment. Personnel from the Hazardous Material
Response Team stand ready to respond to intentional releases such as
found with illegal drug labs, or to accidental releases that are
associated with the normal processing or transportation of hazardous
chemicals. The Hazardous Material response Team is also trained and
equipped to handle the release of nuclear, chemical or biological
materials associated with terrorism.
Water Rescue
Water rescue in the St. Charles Fire Department had its beginning in
the mid 1980’s. During that time, a 20-foot rescue boat was purchased
for water rescue responses on the Missouri River. Coordinated with the
purchase of the rescue boat was the training of specialized personnel
for underwater rescue/recovery.
Today, the St. Charles Fire Department operates a state-of-the-art
24-foot rescue boat that also boasts limited fire suppression
capabilities. The original 20-foot water rescue boat and two small
boats have been placed in reserve for use during floods. Two personal
watercraft are utilized as water rescue platforms from April through
September via a nationally available loaner program. These rescue
boats and crews are quartered at Engine House 4.
Fire Department personnel continue to operate a Dive Rescue Unit and a
Swift Water Rescue contingent. The Dive Rescue Unit continues to train
and equip itself for underwater search, rescue and recovery missions.
The mission of the personnel trained in swift water rescue techniques
is to rescue or coordinate the rescue of persons endangered by rapidly
moving water. These swift water rescues typically take place in
flashflood situations where boats cannot be used or cannot directly
approach a victim. Equipment for the Dive Rescue Unit is currently
located at Engine House 1.
Training for all of these various units is on-going and takes place
year round. Basic water rescue techniques are provided to other
members of the Fire Department once a year.
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Introduction
