New Brunswick

[Tom Hannan]

The city runs 3 engines, a truck and an on duty chief to each call unless otherwise directed as a still. Our Rutgers University firehouse is on campus but currently is home to the Emergency Services Division---Ems and the Emergency Service trucks run out of here. Deactivated as a fire response building, we went from 3 engines to two then none---18 vehicles run out of our division--4 ambulance and the rest are response for any emergency non-firefighting calls. The Rutgers station has been here since the 1942 Civilain Defense days. While Rutgers has 50,000 students, teachers, and staff, response is quick from other stations. Shutting down the engine companies and only running rescues and ambulances has not been an issue.

[Box 2565]

Hi Tom,

Your comment regarding the elimination of the engines at Rutgers is interesting.  With the focus of the fire service directed towards EMS I believe that more "fire stations" without firefighting apparatus will come to be.

I am curious as to what the 14 non-ambulance units are.  Can you fill us in as to the functions they serve (fire prevention - haz mat?)?

Thanks,

Steve

[Tom Hannan]

Rutgers has a strong pro active inspection program--all full time uniformed Emergency Services employees have to maintain fire inspector/fire official certifications from the state. Our  recent hirees were all experienced inspectors from other places. Our  campus buildings and dorms numbers almost 1000. Some require 4 inspections a year--but all get at least one official annual inspection and a follow up for corrections and abatements. It is a never ending task. Almost all buildings are sprinklered--all dorms are required to be sprinklered-- Rutgers has its own highly trained Sprinkler NFPA 25 people maintaining and testing all the systems as required. The 24 hour response staff uses a number of equipped vehicles, used mainly for problem solving and technical calls , incident command, light rescue, EMS, and fire alarm response. The total number of responses may number in the thousands but the actual incidences of "fires" in the buildings is almost nothing. Any verbal reports of smoke or fire will instantly escalate a call to where fire department engine and truck companies will respond immediately. Our staff ensures evacuatuion and will attempt to contain the situation and initiate command.  We continually work very well with the Rutgers Police, Housing Department and Physical Plant , using direct radio communications capabilities. Student employment opportunities allow for constant extinguisher checks--local smoke detector checks, exit  and emergency lighting checks, fire door operations, evacuation drills and educating the university population. Administration and record keeping employees ensure the program is on track and schedules the required work on a daily basis. All major social and cultural events are planned through our department--and all events are checked as they are in progress. large sporting events are logistical and tactical responsibilities of the Police, Emergency Management and Emergency Services.  We provide all EMS and safetry at the stadium, employing our vast amount of resources and vehicles. All sporting events are monitored for visitor safety and security. Emergency services takes every opportunity to keep the program visible to the community--safety posters, training opportunities, easy to identify uniforms for instant recognition, our vehicles are marked in a uniform fashion---we are constantly out and about on the campuses, we  are the primary people that respond to emergency and non emegency calls, people ask for us when they have a problem. We have specialized equipment for haz-mat response, decontamination and zone duties are teamed with other applicable responders.