| The Piqua Fire Department has always been a
leader in the area with new methods and equipment to solve
today's as well as tomorrow's problems. The department was
one of the first to offer paramedic services in 1973 and use large diameter
supply lines (1975). The use of large diameter supply
lines greatly increased the department's efficiency by allowing
the work horse (pumper) to be parked at the fire rather than at
fire hydrant down the street. This allows all equipment to
be easily accessed and the use of large diameter fire streams to
be placed in service immediately.
The department currently has a class four
insurance rating and has mutual aid agreements with all
fire departments in Miami County and is member of the Greater
Dayton Area mutual aid agreement. All members of the
department are cross trained in fire fighting and emergency
medical fields. Of the 28 members, 27 are paramedics and
various others are specially trained in rescue diving, hazardous
materials technician, fire safety inspectors, fire service instructors
and paramedic instructors. Three shifts with eight or nine members
are each assigned fire/EMS duties and work a typical twenty-four
hours on duty followed by forty-eight hours off duty with call
back responsibility. Each shift has an Assistant Chief and
Captain assigned to it with seven firefighter/medics. The
Chief and the Assistant Chief in Fire Prevention work standard
forty-hour weeks. The department has one civilian who
works as the administrative secretary.
The department currently has four city
engines (pumpers) with a combined pumping capacity of 5,550
gallons per minute. The department also has a ninety-five
foot aerial platform with a 1,500 gallon per minute capacity.
The main reason the department is able to
maintain a very late model fleet is simply citizen
support. In the early 1980's, a proposition was placed
before the voters of Piqua to enact an additional half percent
income tax for Fire and Police. The original issue was for
five years and at the end of that time, it was again placed
before voters to make it permanent and it was approved by a
margin of two to one.
In addition to providing fire and EMS
services to the citizens of Piqua, the Piqua Fire Department
also contracts with Springcreek Township and Washington Township
to provide fire and EMS services. The department is the
primary service for EMS in the townships because we have
paramedic services. On fire responses, the fire department
responds with the nearest volunteer department with are also
contracted for this service.
The Piqua Fire Department responds to calls
for many different types of services to citizens of Piqua and
those visiting our community. All fire,
paramedic/ambulance services, fire inspections, and fire safety
education programs are provided at no charge to the citizens we
proudly serve.
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