Jacksonville Firefighter FAQs

1)What is the training level of the fire fighters that serve me?????

    Every fire fighter has passed a state mandated fire fighting course known simply as “Fire Fighter Minimum Standards.”  It is a 600 hour course that teaches the basics of fire fighting.
    Upon being hired on to the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department, every new firefighter goes through a grueling 12 week training regimen that consists of basic firefighting and EMS as well as advanced emergency vehicle driving, hazardous materials training, confined space training, wildland fire fighting, and airport crash training.  There are over 200 members of the Jacksonville Fire Fighters who have received advanced terrorism training by attending various classes on weapons of mass destruction.
  All fire fighters are medically trained.  Most of the fire fighters are EMTs.  They can perform basic first aid and begin life saving resuscitation and defibrillation.  There are also over 300 paramedics who have advanced training in life saving resuscitation who respond to you daily.  These firefighters, also known as Paramedics, can start IVs, administer life-saving cardiac drugs, and even cut a hole in your neck to access your airway if necessary.

2) Why does a fire engine respond when I call for an ambulance????

    Every fire engine in Jacksonville has medical equipment on it.  Most have BLS (Basic Life Support) equipment consisting of oxygen, defibrillator, and first aid supplies.  Some fire engines are ALS (Advanced Life Support) meaning they have cardiac monitors, narcotics, and paramedics. 
   The reason a fire engine responds to you is because there are a lot more fire engines in Jacksonville than there are rescue units.  A fire engine can reach you in 5 minutes while a rescue unit may take 8.  3 minutes is a long time when a patient is not breathing.  A crew on an ALS fire engine can do everything a rescue unit does except transport to the hospital.
    There are currently only 31 rescue transport units in the city of Jacksonville.  Jacksonville has 777,704 people (Wikipedia 2004 Census) spread out over 840 square miles.  During normal work hours, there are over 1million people in the area the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department serves.  That means there is one rescue unit for every 32,258 people, a standard that is way below the national average.
    The lack of rescue units, along with the amount of ground they cover, also leads to longer response times.  Many areas of Jacksonville still need to wait over 10 minutes for a rescue to take them to the hospital. 

 

3) What kind of work week does a fire fighter have????

    Fire fighters in Jacksonville work a 24-hour shift and then are off for 48 hours.  The fire station is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week.  A normal tour of duty starts at 8:00am and lasts until 8:00am the next morning.  Fire fighters work 10 days a month, or 240 hours a month.

4) What do I do if I am driving and I see a fire truck behind me blowing its horn and flashing its lights??????

    Pull to the right of the road, slow down, and let the firefighters pass.  Fire trucks responding on an emergency call are taught to stay to the left as much as possible.  Do not stop in the middle of the road.

5) Why do so many fire units respond to a single fire????

    As many as 7-8 units respond on a typical house fire assignment.  This ensures us that there will be enough manpower and equipment on scene as quickly as possible to remedy the situation.  Once the first unit arrives on scene, the officer in charge of that unit will downgrade the assignment to only what he/she needs if necessary.  All other units will then cancel and return to their fire station.  It is the theory that it is better to cancel what you don’t need instead of getting there and not having enough to do the job.

6) Why will a fire truck have its lights and sirens on and then suddenly stop????

  This goes back to the previous question.  Units responding to a fire or EMS emergency do get cancelled while responding.  This is a common occurrence.

7) When can I get my blood pressure checked at the fire station????

   You can stop by any fire station Monday through Saturday between the hours of 9:00am and 6:00pm.  Any one of the fire fighters will gladly take you’re your blood pressure and answer any questions you may have.

8) How close should a fire station be to my house????

In the major cities across the United States, the average house is within 5 minutes of the closest fire station.  In Jacksonville, this average is met by the companies living within the I-295/9A loop.  However, residents outside this loop will have a longer wait of 5-10 minutes as fire stations are farther apart than inside the loop.

9) Do I get charged for a visit from my firefighters????
    You are not charged if you feel ill and the firefighters come to check you out.  You get charged upon being placed in the rescue unit and transported to the hospital.  You are also not charged for any fires that need to be extinguished at your residence.

10) Will Being Transported to the Hospital by Firefighters Speed up my ER Wait????

    Absolutely not.  When you arrive at the hospital Emergency Room, you are evaluated by the emergency room staff and assigned a bed accordingly.  If your condition is serious, you will be assigned a bed.  If it is not deemed serious, you could be placed in the waiting room.  Dialing 911 does not guarantee that you will avoid a long ER wait.

11) What Kind of Hazards do Firefighters face????

  Firefighters are tasked with one of the most dangerous jobs on Earth.  The average firefighter will retire and eventually pay the price physically for his efforts on the job.  Many firefighters can not even make it to retirement due to ailments suffered on the job.
  When firefighters respond to a fire, they are in danger once the buzzer goes off.  Screaming through traffic, they are immediate targets for drivers who are not paying attention.  Once they arrive on the scene of a fire, they are subject to intense heat, smoke, and toxic gases.  With increasingly new technology in building construction, new plastics and materials are being used that emit gases that are more toxic than anything firefighters have ever faced.  New construction methods used to make houses quieter are also contributing to making fires hotter.
  Fires are not the only hazards firefighters face.  With the introduction of EMS to the fire service, firefighters of this generation are facing hazards never faced by previous generations of firefighters.  Today’s firefighters face a wide array of diseases, such a Tuberculosis, Hepatitis, and AIDS.  Patients sometimes cough, vomit, and bleed on firefighters during emergencies, leaving firefighters vulnerable to many diseases.

12) How does the Fire Department’s Promotional System Work????

  In order for a firefighter to promote in the JFRD, he/she must take a written exam.  Everyone who takes the exam is given a score and numerically ranked on a list from best to worst, regardless of color or gender.  The score on this exam will determine a firefighter’s place on the list.  The JFRD follows what is known as the “Rule of One”, meaning that when it is time to promote a firefighter, the department must take the person with the best score.  When that firefighter is promoted, the firefighter with the next best score moves to the top of the list.  The Rule of One prevents friends from going down the list to pick friends over firefighters with better scores.  It also gives the citizens the best available firefighter, regardless of race or gender.
      When a position officially becomes available and the JFRD needs to fill the vacancy, the Fire Chief calls for a promotional exam.  The Fire Chief has certain rules he must follow.  Every fire station has a library of study material that is available to all firefighters on a daily basis.  The chief must only use material that is in the fire station libraries 90 days prior to the test.  The Chief must also allow for a study period of at least 60 days.  The list of material includes, among other things, JFRD Rules and Regulations, Standard Operating Guidelines, Administrative Procedures, and various books on firefighting tactics.
      When the Chief announces that a promotional exam will be held, it all boils down to who wants it the most.  Everybody gets a list of the material and everyone has the same amount of days to study.  It then becomes up to the individual firefighter to make the effort.
      Many firefighters seclude themselves from their families, studying 14 hours every day.  During test time, everything is on hold.  Firefighters have been known to rent hotel rooms or take their campers away from home to isolate themselves and concentrate.  Many firefighters sacrifice little league games, second jobs, and marital harmony to receive a promotion, which accounts for a 15% raise.  It is truly a difficult time for a firefighter and his/her family.
      On test day, all firefighters take the same test at the same time in the same place.  After the tests are graded, firefighters are ranked from best score to worst score.  In many instances, 1/100 of a point can make the difference between being at the top of a list or being in the middle of the pack.  It is the most competitive process available and is designed to give the citizens the best service possible in the City of Jacksonville.

13) Has the Fire Station in my neighborhood been targeted for budget cuts????

   In recent times, bean counters have determined that since they know firefighters are going to do their job regardless of any obstacles, closing firehouses is a good way to trim the budget.  In 2005, Mayor John Peyton, who was placed into public office based solely on the work of off duty firefighters, attempted to close fire stations in Avondale, St. Nicholas, and Pickettville.  He was unsuccessful, thanks to the communities and City Council members who realize the need for protection in these neighborhoods.

14) Why are Firefighters politically active????

  Firefighters need to be politically active because every few years, they have to negotiate pay raises with the City of Jacksonville.  It is easier to work with officials you have helped into office as opposed to working with officials when you have remained neutral.  The Jacksonville Association of Firefighters Local 122 is the sole negotiating unit for firefighters in Jacksonville.
  A second reason firefighters are political is to protect the level of service it delivers to the public.  There are politicians out there who will cut fire and rescue services in your neighborhood without thinking about it twice.  This is where the firefighters come in. 
  Firefighters are a bit different than the average city employee in that a lot of us work in the same community we currently live in or grew up in.  We have a stronger feel and commitment to the neighborhood and recognize the importance of the fire station, both on a professional and community level. 
  Firefighters are also political because there is a lot of legislation in Tallahassee that is under constant attack by politicians who are not friends of public safety.  Firefighters are constantly forced to battle for their worker’s compensation benefits.  Another benefit under constant attack is the Heart and Lung Bill, which covers firefighters due to the hazards they face.  Without being politically active, firefighters would not have a voice.

 

Have a question?????  Send them to mark@jfrd.com.