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Firefighting Division MISSION STATEMENT “The mission of the Firefighting Division is to provide high quality, high value emergency and non-emergency services in a prompt, professional, compassionate manner and provide public education on fire and life safety issues.” SERVICES PROVIDED Firefighting Division personnel provide the following services: fire and life safety education, fire suppression, emergency medical services, homeland security preparation and response, hazardous materials responses, technical rescue services, water rescue services and a variety of other emergency and non-emergency services. FIREFIGHTING DIVISION COMMAND STAFF Deputy Chief Rodney Hitzfelder, Commander Assistant Chief Alan Boozikee, A Shift Firefighting Commander, Operations, and Special Operations Assistant Chief Willie Broadnax, B Shift Firefighting Commander, Administration Assistant Chief David Martinez, C Shift Firefighting Commander, Fiscal Support, and Special Projects OPERATIONS The Firefighting Division is comprised of 1,041 uniformed firefighters operating out of forty-nine (49) fire stations. The division provides fire protection and medical first responder service to over 1.32 million citizens with a service coverage area of over 400 square miles. The 49 fire stations are equipped with forty-nine (49) pumper companies and nineteen (19) ladder companies. The division operates eighteen (18) first responder squads in fire stations designated as double companies (a pumper and a truck). These light-duty vehicles, manned with two (2) firefighters as needed, respond to medical calls to provide initial patient care before EMS units arrive. Additionally, the division operates three Special Operations Units; a Hazardous Materials Response Team, a Technical Rescue Team, and an Airport Crash Rescue Team, each with their own specialized response apparatus and equipment. Firefighting operations are carried out in three (3) shifts (24-hours on/48 hours off). The Firefighting Division is organized into seven (7) fire districts, with a District Chief in charge of each fire district. The seven (7) fire districts have a total of approximately 286 firefighters on duty each shift. The sixty-eight (68) companies in the firefighting division were dispatched to 93, 277 emergency responses in FY ‘05-‘06. Studies performed by Firefighting Personnel Special Operations Technical Rescue Team The Technical Rescue Team (TRT) was activated February 1994 with 21 Rescue technicians. The TRT Coordinator is Captain Dennis M. Meier. The TRT is deployed out of Fire Station 11 and is currently staffed on each shift with a Captain, Lieutenant, two (2) Fire Apparatus Operators and seven (7) Firefighters (Rescue Specialist). The TRT is trained and certified in:
The TRT’s specialty vehicles currently consist of Truck 11 (95 foot platform aerial ladder truck), E11 (pumper), RU11 (Heavy rescue equipment vehicle), Squad 11(first responder vehicle), a Dive unit, and several water-craft (Jet-skis, water rescue boats). The Technical Rescue Team also has thirteen (13) assigned personnel who are members of the Texas Task Force One, an Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Team. The Texas Task Force One is a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) USAR Team that can be deployed nationwide in any disaster situation. The Hazardous Materials Response Team The mission of the San Antonio Fire Department Hazardous Materials Response Team (HMRT) is to mitigate any hazardous material(s) release or potential release as safely as possible, directing actions with the safety of the personnel, citizens, and the welfare of the environment in mind. The Hazardous Materials Response Team (HMRT) was activated in 1988. The HMRT Coordinator is Captain Mike Walsh. The HMRT is deployed out of Fire Station 35 and is currently staffed on each shift with a Captain, Lieutenant, two (2) Fire Apparatus Operators and seven (7) Firefighters (Haz-Mat Specialist). The HMRT is a dual function company composed of thirty members divided into three shifts. The HMRT provides basic fire suppression and emergency medical first responder service as well as response to hazardous materials incidents. A minimum of six-trained personnel are on duty 24-hrs a day. The HMRT provides specially trained personnel at the site of a hazardous materials release who can perform the proper corrective actions to end the threat of a release or potential release. The HMRT is also the main response arm of the Weapons of Mass Destruction Domestic Terrorism program, trained to identify agents, assist in the collection of samples, and supervise mass decontamination operations performed by the Fire Suppression Division of the San Antonio Fire Department. HMRT provides guidance and assistance to first responding fire companies and is the liaison for the San Antonio Fire Department with city, state, and federal responding agencies at the scene of hazardous materials incidents. These groups include the San Antonio Water Systems, San Antonio Public Works, Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, and the Environmental Protection Agency. In Weapons of Mass Destruction incidents, the HMRT provides the same liaison services with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the FBI Hazardous Materials Response Unit, and other law enforcement entities. The HMRT personnel are trained to the Hazardous Materials Technician level, Weapons of Mass Destruction Technician level, and specialties such as Highway Transportation Emergencies, Railroad Tank Car incidents, Chlorine emergencies, and other fields in hazardous materials response. In addition to the training received, the HMRT provides training to other entities including the Bexar County Weapons of Mass Destruction team, EMS Medical Special Operations Unit, and members of the Technical Rescue Team. Responding with one command vehicle, one equipment vehicle, and a specialized emergency truck and trailer configuration, a multitude of equipment and expertise can be brought to the scene of a hazardous materials incident throughout the city. In addition, all San Antonio Fire Department firefighting personnel are trained to the Hazardous Materials Operations level, the Weapons of Mass Destruction operations level, and have received continuing education in mass decontamination operations. This first responder and specialized team configuration provides for fast response and assistance to those in need. Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) Team Mission Statement: The mission of the Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting Team (ARFF) is to deliver to the scene of an aircraft accident, a team of highly trained firefighters, with the appropriate equipment, to effect the rescue of passengers and extinguish the fire in a timely manner.
Location: The ARFF team is located at Fire Station #23 which is at San Antonio International Airport. The address is 1750 Skyplace Blvd., San Antonio, TX 78216. The office phone number is 210-207-3473. Fax 210-207-3508. Personnel: ARFF is comprised of 25 uniform personnel and one civilian administrative staff assistant. Captain Melvin Keilers is the ARFF Coordinator and he performs administrative and training functions for the team and serves as the contact between the Aviation and Fire Departments. He is available M-F 7:45 AM to 4:30 PM. Each shift at Fire Station #23 is assigned the following manpower: one officer/EMT, three Fire Apparatus Operators/Paramedics, and four Fire Fighters/EMTs. Minimum manning requires six personnel including one paramedic on duty at all times. Training and Certification Requirements: ARFF personnel are required to obtain certification from the Texas Commission on Fire Protection (TCFP) as Basic Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighters in order to be assigned to the ARFF Team. The TCFP standards require that all personnel applying for ARFF certification hold Basic Structural Fire Fighter certification and successfully complete a commission approved Basic Aircraft Rescue Fire Suppression curriculum. This course consists of 120 hours of classroom instruction and hands-on training in the following subject areas as prescribed by the U. S. DOT Federal Aviation Administration in the Federal Aviation Regulations Part 139 (FAR Part 139):
In order to maintain certification, each member of the ARFF team is required by FAA and TCFP regulations to complete continuing education during the year. All personnel assigned to the ARFF team also complete the yearly continuing education requirements for Structural Fire Fighter. Additionally, all ARFF personnel are to participate in at least one live-fire drill every 12 months. Services Provided: The ARFF Team personnel provide a number of services to the airport community in addition to responding to aircraft emergencies.
Equipment/Vehicles: The rescue vehicles which respond to aircraft emergencies are crucial pieces of equipment. We rely upon them to be able to get to the desired location in a very short time, and then once at the site, we rely upon them to be able to establish a safe escape path and to extinguish the fire. ARFF responds with the following vehicles to various emergencies:
The Aircraft Rescue vehicles are equipped with various extinguishing agents such as: Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF), Halon, Halotron, and Purple K Dry chemical. The variety of agents enables the ARFF Team to use the appropriate extinguishing agent on various types of aircraft fires.
Services Division
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