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CapeCodFD.com |
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- Apparatus Department News |
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[ APPARATUS ] [ FIRE STATIONS ] [ DEPARTMENT ] |
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CapeCodFD.com |
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| Stations
- Apparatus Department News |
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| HARWICH | ||
| Fire Department | ||
|
UPDATED |
||
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[ APPARATUS ] [ FIRE STATIONS ] [ DEPARTMENT ] |
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| APPARATUS NEWS |
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Harwich Car 61
Harwich Forestry 67 Harwich Rescue 73
Harwich Fire Department's New Boat Harwich Marine 76
Harwich Fire Department's New Rescue
Harwich Fire Department's Tech Trailer
Harwich Cars Harwich Fire Department's New Rescue
Rescue 63 In Service Dec 2001 2001 Ford E450 Super Duty / Road Rescue Type
III Ambulance
Harwich Fire Department's New Pumper
Engine 69 In Service March 2001 2001 Emergency One 1500 gpm /
500 gal ALS Rescue Pumper Harwich Fire has also renumbered
and reassigned the following apparatus: |
| HARWICH
FIRE C61 The Harwich Chief has a 2000 Ford LTD Crown Victoria, red...undercover strobe package. C71 The Harwich Deputy now has a 1997 former police Ford FTD Crown Vic also repainted red with the strobe package. C70 Harwich C70 is a new 2000 Dodge Ram 4x4 Pickup painted white with a red stripe. R62 - EMS Rescue 352 The newest Harwich ambulance (Rescue 62) is a 2000 Ford F450 super duty / Road Rescue Type III assigned to HQ. It is white with two red stripes. This is the 2nd Type III of the same design. R73 - EMS Rescue 354 is a 1998 Ford / Road Rescue at Station #2. The newest unit replaces a 1995 International / Road Rescue Type I unit  |
| FIRE STATION NEWS |
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| DEPARTMENT NEWS |
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Maxim Returns |
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Retired Chief Dies
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| Harwich Fire
Department Budget Harwich Fire Department faces some serious budget problems, along with the Police and other departments in town. Potential layoffs and serious cuts in service may be coming if an override vote is not approved in the spring of 2005. |
Harwich Fire Department recently located its original Maxim Pumper Engine 1 and brought it home to be refurbished. |
| Harwich Fire
Department Responses HFD responses continue to increase. In 2001, HFD responded to 3,651 incidents, up 140 over last year, a 4.0% increase. Harwich is 5th busiest on Cape. |
| Harwich Fire
Department Leadership Chief Robert Peterson retired after 4 decades with the Harwich FD. WIllfred Remillard has been named Chief of the Department William Flynn has been named Deputy Chief December 2003 |
| HARWICH FIRE
DEPT KNOCKED BACK INTO THE DARK AGES Failure to pass a Prop 2-1/2 override in Harwich on May 17th has resulted in the abrupt layoff of 6 personnel (nearly 20% of the department's staffing). HFD has been operating with (2) fire stations to cover 20.93 square miles and approximately 12,000 residents. The department responded to over 3,600 emergencies in 2004 with a shift staffing level of (7) personnel - (4) at headquarters and (3) at East Harwich Station 2. The department has operated lean for years with fire engines routinely responding with (1) person on board. Multiple calls and a great deal of automatic response with neighboring towns has frequently strained staffing on ordinary days. The loss of 6 personnel, including 2 dispatchers and several paramedics will create some serious operational problems, including the possibility of closing Station 2 when insufficient personnel are available. This proud and efficient department has always had the support of the town and respect of the people, but now the fire department and police department will have to reduce services to 1980s levels...The only difference they are doing about 2,000 more runs a year and have no call fire department to provide support when the "stuff" hits the fan! And it will... soon. 07-19-05 Harwich voters earlier in the spring voted down an override attempt. Harwich Fire Department lost 6 fulltime personnel, including 2 dispatchers and 4 firefighter/paramedics. This forced them to take 2 additional medics off the floor to do desk duty, effectively losing 6 paramedics. Harwich ran 3,721 emergency calls in 2004. They ordinarily staff (2) fire stations in the 21 square mile town with a population of approx 12,000. Staffing was (1) Capt, (3) Firefighters, (1) dispatcher at Headquarters and (1) Lieut and (2) Firefighters at East Harwich Station 2. (4) groups of (7) each. With the layoffs, the department drops to (5) on two shifts and (6) on two others. This puts Harwich in a real difficult position, possibly unable to staff both stations 24/7. (Station 2 East Harwich was unstaffed and closed over night on July 5-6) Harwich is reducing its coverage as well, leading to probable delays in response times and increased firefighter safety concerns. Morale in Harwich is reportedly suffering from the situation. Harwich has always been a very proud and effective fire department, willing to do a lot, with a little. They are now paying a heavy price that may impact the department for a long time. Harwich and neighboring departments have long operated well together through automatic responses and mutual aid, with Harwich being a key player (donor) to the neighboring departments. That role may soon be reversed, yet neighboring towns are also understaffed. With multiple, simultaneous calls common place year round, and now the increased work load with the summer population increases, it is going to be a real test for everyone to meet the demands being made over the summer. |
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