Armonk Fire Department FAQ’s

    
    It isn’t just young children who share our fascination with big red trucks, the ‘jaws of life’, ambulances, and the firehouse.  Each day, friends and residents of the community ask us about the services we perform, the area we cover, how we know when and where to respond to an emergency and the reasons why we volunteer.

 

1. Does the Armonk Fire Department just fight fires?

The Armonk Fire Department fights fires and provides rescue, ambulance and emergency medical services to residents of Armonk and Banksville. Our ambulances and EMTs cover the Town of North Castle north of North White Plains, Interstate 684 from south of Exit 2 to Exit 4 and are a principal responding unit to emergencies at Westchester County Airport.

 

2. How many alarms do you receive in a year?

Last year, we received 935 alarms. 498 were for medical emergencies and 437 were for fire and other hazardous conditions.  Fortunately, more than 80% of these alarms were false (or well intentioned) or incidents in which parties were unhurt and without need for medical attention or to be taken to the hospital. In 2007, we responded to 10 working fires.

 

3. Do you have professional firefighters and EMTs?

All of our active members are trained professionals meeting New York State requirements for firefighters or emergency medical technicians.  We meet and drill continuously here in Armonk and at the Westchester County Fire Training Center in Valhalla. And while the Armonk Fire Department is 100% volunteer and there are no paid personnel, as your neighbors we are dedicated to providing the highest quality services and care throughout our community.

 

4. How many firefighters and EMTs does the department have?

Presently, we have 62 active members, of which 37 are firefighters and 20 are EMTs (some are both), we also have 3 junior members. In addition, we have non active members who no longer respond to emergencies but are active in fire company affairs.  Many of these now inactive members provided years of service to our community and, through their wisdom and experience, offer invaluable guidance to our active personnel.

 

5. How do members know when there’s a fire or medical emergency?

You may have been in town recently and heard the siren located at the corner of Maple ave. and Bedford road.  That siren is one of two ways our members are notified of a fire or medical emergency. The other is a system whereby Westchester County Fire Control (also known as 60 Control) dispatches the department via pagers carried by our firefighters and EMTs. County Control’s broadcast notifies us of the time, type and location of the alarm and extent of any injuries or additional assistance required. Members assemble at the firehouse and depart as soon as an ambulance or fire truck, as the case may be, is manned and ready to go.

 

6. Are members assigned shifts and do they sleep in the firehouse?

Members have no set hours and respond at the sound of the siren or a voice page.

When a storm threatens to block the roads with snow or fallen trees that prevent members from reaching the firehouse, some of us will spend the night in quarters to be available should an alarm be sounded. Otherwise, we respond from our homes, around town or places of business.

 

7. What if no one is available to respond to a fire alarm or medical emergency?

Most of our active members have jobs in the North Castle area that permit them to respond quickly to an alarm.  Last year, we averaged 10 members per call, which was more than sufficient to man the ambulance or get fire trucks on the road within minutes of being dispatched.

On the rare occasion that we’re initially unable to field a crew for an alarm, we ask 60 Control to send a second voice page announcing the need for personnel.

In 2007, our average response time – from initial dispatch by 60 Control to the departure of our first piece of apparatus from the firehouse – was less than five minutes, well ahead of New York State requirements.

 

8. Does the Armonk Fire Department have Paramedics?

When advanced life support is required for victims of heart attacks, strokes, serious injury and trauma and life threatening allergic reactions (among others), we have immediate access to Paramedics based out of Northern Westchester Hospital in Mt. Kisco.  Thus, when 60 Control dispatches Armonk on a medical emergency involving one of the conditions described above, it will automatically dispatch a Paramedic to meet our EMTs on location or intercept our ambulance en route to the hospital.

 

9. There’s no fire hydrant on my block.  If there’s a fire, where do you get the water?

Each of the department’s fire engines carries approximately 500-750 gallons of water enabling us to put out most fires. We also have a tanker truck that holds 3,000 gallons of water and a fire engine with hoses and equipment that enable us to draw large quantities of water from lakes and, yes, swimming pools.

Upon arriving at a working fire (a ‘working fire’ is what most people would refer to as a “real” fire), we assemble a large collapsible pool that is carried on our tanker.  Water is discharged into the pool from the tanker and drawn through hoses into one of our fire engines that then feeds the water to hoses used by firefighters in and around the building. After discharging its load, the tanker is brought to a water source (a fire hydrant or a lake), refilled, and returned to the location of the fire where it repeats the cycle.

 

10. Who do you call when there’s a big fire and you need help?

There is a well established mutual aid system where nearby fire departments are mobilized by 60 Control to bring manpower and equipment, if needed, to an accident scene or working fire.  In fact, it would not be unusual for five or six departments to respond to a working fire so as to ensure an adequate supply of water (from other tankers), relief to firefighters fighting the blaze and additional resources necessary to bring the situation under control.

 

11. Are there women firefighters and EMTs?

Presently, there are 13 women in the Armonk Fire Department, 3 of whom are firefighters, 10 of whom are EMTs (some are both), and 1 junior member.

The Armonk Fire Department is an equal opportunity .

 

12. What training do you do?

Firefighters can complete a wide range of training. Most of the training is done through classes at the Westchester Fire Training center in Valhalla. Classes include Firefighter 1 and 2, Firefighter Assist Search & Rescue, Accident Vehicle Extrication Training, Rescue tech, Firefighter Survival, Emergency Vehicle Operations, Pump Ops, and many more. In addition, we have had firefighters and EMTs train at the Firehouse Expo in Baltimore and Indianapolis, and also at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland and the New York State Fire Academy in Montour Falls. 

 

13. Why is the firehouse so big?

We hear this question a lot and invite residents of our community to see for themselves how the space in our firehouse has been put to work.

We expect today’s firehouse to be in use for 50 – 75 years.  In addition to the three ambulances, four fire trucks, fireboat, ice rescue trailer, utility vehicles and other apparatus which it presently holds, our firehouse was built for changing times: (i) to accommodate a shift to paid firefighters – there are bunkrooms for men and women – as the demographics of our community shift and fewer residents elect to volunteer; (ii) house additional equipment as the number and type of structures in our community grows, (iii) to serve as a place of assembly for community events (such as voting); and (iv) to provide shelter during periods of extreme weather or other emergencies.

And, since you asked: there is neither a health club nor bar in the firehouse.  Yes, we have a workout room filled with exercise equipment (largely donated) that we encourage members to use to stay in shape.  And we enforce a strict zero tolerance policy on the use of alcohol:  members may not and must not respond to a fire or medical emergency having consumed alcohol in the hours immediately preceding the call.

 

14. What are firefighters and emergency personnel paid?

The Armonk Fire Department is 100% volunteer: none of our members are paid.  We do, however, have programs that reward members for their participation with supplemental pension benefits and reimbursement for personal medical expenses.  Importantly, eligibility under the pension program requires that members consistently meet specified response thresholds and remain with the department for a minimum number of years (the plan has vesting provisions).

 

  15.   Is there a minimum age to be a firefighter or EMT?

New York State law requires that a person be 18 years of age to serve as a firefighter and as an emergency medical technician.  However, we have a junior program that enables high school students over the age of 16 to join the department and begin familiarizing themselves with our equipment and participate in training exercises at the firehouse.  Many of our firefighters began volunteering with the department as junior members.

 

  16.    How can I support the Armonk Fire Department?

For one thing, come see us at the firehouse.  We sponsor several open houses throughout the year, including during EMS week in May in which we feature an extrication demonstration using the ‘jaws of life’ and visit by the Stat Flight medivac helicopter based out of Westchester Medical Center.

Your financial contribution is also appreciated.  Each year, the Armonk Fire Department fund drive requests donations from the community to help pay for fire dept functions and programs such as Fire prevention and EMS open house.

And last, but certainly not least, be a member: volunteer!  We are always looking for men and women who want to serve their community, learn new skills and take part in the exciting and rewarding activities that are part of being a member of the Armonk Fire Department. 

17.        How Can I contact the Fire Department?

If there is a fire or medical emergency, dial 9-1-1 without delay- even if you’re not sure of the problem.  If you are dialing from a landline phone, Westchester County’s E-911 system will route the call to the proper agency and provide your location to an operator who will ask for details about your emergency.  Clearly and calmly let the operator know the problem so they can dispatch the proper personnel and equipment.

If you have or want to notify us of an emergency and are in the immediate vicinity of the firehouse, an emergency call box is located just to the right of the windowed radio room on the side of the building. Look for the blue light on top of the call box.

For non-emergencies, please dial (914) 273-3292.

 

                        

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