Andrew Smerz, fire chief, recently discussed the Town of Brookfield's fire department. It provides emergency services for town residents 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Five people are on duty at all times. Three people serve on the fire engine and two firefighter paramedics provide emergency medical services.
The vast majority of calls (85%) are for Emergency Medical Services which range in scope from car accidents to cardiac or respiratory events. Although the town's population is only slightly older than the city's, many calls are from the town's senior apartments, assisted living and long-term care facilities.
Other fire department responses are for alarms sounding, structure fires or mutual aid requests. (In the first five months of 2008, the town had three structure fires.) Local fire departments provide mutual aid - that is, provide manpower and equipment in large events. Recent examples include the town's Silver Spur Restaurant fire and a fire in Genesee. During the fire in Genesee, the town's firefighters staffed the Town of Waukesha's firehouse.
Smerz described his department as having a very good relationship with the city's fire department and that they work cooperatively together. The town and city, New Berlin, Pewaukee and City of Waukesha all provide mutual aid to one another when needed.
All 911 calls are handled by the Waukesha County Communications Dispatch center. Although the town has only about 6,000 residents, the town's footprint spans from Greenfield Avenue to Lisbon. These form eight geographic zones for dispatch purposes. Smerz has been pleased with the central dispatch.
On June 12th, the town took its water tower to Pleasant Hill School. On Friday, the town's fire engines will be in the 4th of July Parade at Marx Park. And, there will be an Open House on October 5 during Fire Prevention Week. This hands-on event includes a tour of the fire department, the apparatus and equipment, and firefighters will show how they remove (extricate) someone from an automobile involved in a collision. What else? The Flight for Life helicopter will be landing at the town's fire department and provide tours of the helicopter.
Smerz recommends that a person who ‘feels something is physically wrong' should call 911. "You are not inconveniencing anyone. We are here - and ready - all the time."
