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Fire / EMS

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1. Why does a fire truck respond with the ambulance?

The City of Seguin prides itself on the delivery of state-of-the-art emergency medical services to our community. The ambulance and fire trucks are staffed by cross-trained firefighter/paramedics and firefighter/Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). A fire truck is dispatched with the ambulance on many calls for various reasons. In some cases, the fire truck may be closer and can initiate medical care before the arrival of the ambulance as they are equipped with the same lifesaving equipment as the ambulances. Certain call types require additional assistance in providing treatment and/or movement of the victim. Seguin also uses very aggressive pre-hospital emergency care treatments and the fire truck and ambulance crews together to make a highly efficient team to provide you with an unsurpassed level of care.

2. But what can a fire truck do for me if I am sick or hurt?

The fire truck carries much of the equipment that you would find on the ambulance. The fire truck crew can secure the scene, provide an assessment of your medical condition and begin treating most conditions before the ambulance arrives on the scene.

3. How may I get a tour of a Fire Station?

You can stop by your local fire station between 8 am and 5 pm and ask for a tour, or you may (and we recommend) contact us to schedule a tour. Remember, even when tours are scheduled the tour may be cut short or cancelled due to the station receiving an alarm and having to leave.

4. Why is it necessary for Fire Fighters to break windows and cut holes in a roof?

As a fire burns, it moves upward and outward. Breaking the windows and/or cutting holes in the roof (called ventilation) stops the damaging outward movement and enables firefighters to fight the fire more efficiently, actually resulting in less damage to the structure and its contents.

5. Why when I call for an emergency, do I sometimes see an ambulance or fire truck from another Fire Department or City?

During the course of a day, it is not unusual for multiple emergencies to occur at the same time. If our ambulances or fire trucks are busy, we will dispatch a unit from another agency. This mutual aid works both ways; therefore our ambulances and fire trucks are commonly dispatched to the other municipalities.

6. Why do I sometimes see fire trucks or ambulances running with their lights and sirens on, and then suddenly they turn them off?

Emergency lights and sirens are used only when responding to a call. Apparatus responding to calls are frequently canceled, or the first arriving unit determines that the call is not an emergency and tells the units to respond in a non-emergency mode, or to return to their station.

7. When I am driving and I am approached by an emergency vehicle, what should I do?

When you become aware of an approaching emergency vehicle, pull to the right and stop. If you are approaching an intersection and see an emergency vehicle that is approaching the intersection from behind you or another direction, come to a stop preferably one or two car lengths back from the intersection. These simple maneuvers can result in seconds saved by the emergency vehicle and can translate into a huge difference for someone who is having a medical emergency or is experiencing a fire.

8. How do I check my smoke detector?

Every smoke detector has a test button, usually in the center of the detector. Press the test button and hold it for a few seconds. If it is working correctly, the alarm will sound and will automatically stop when you release the button. Remember to test your smoke detector monthly and change the batteries twice a year.

9. Does the fire department do free blood pressure checks?

Any Seguin Fire Station will do free blood pressure checks without an appointment, granted they are in the station and not on a call.

10. How do I refill or check my fire extinguisher?

The Seguin Fire Department does not service or refill fire extinguishers. Look in the Yellow Pages under "fire equipment" to locate companies that do.

11. Why do we see fire department crews at the store or restaurant?

Because the crews work a 24-hour shift, they must eat their lunch and dinner at the station. The firefighters all eat the same meal, as a group. The crews pay for their food out of their own pockets. Each morning, after the equipment is checked and the housework completed, one of the vehicles (either the engine or ambulance) will then make a quick trip to the grocery store to purchase the food for the shift. Like you, on occasion they like to eat at their favorite restaurant and will eat lunch or dinner out. All crews remain in service to respond to calls during meal time.

12. Where can I get child locator decals?

In the interest of community safety, the Seguin Fire Department does not recommend that "child" or "invalid" locator decals be placed on home windows, for a variety of reasons.

First, the average family moves often - on average about once every five years. Each time a house changes hands, room use can also change. Even a single family will switch rooms with time, making the decal meaningless.

Even within a short time period, children sleep in rooms other than their own, leave their room when frightened, or spend the night away and, therefore, will often not be in the room marked with a decal.

Most importantly, a decal can also be an invitation to a burglar - or worse - to enter through that window because the occupant of that room would present less of a threat.

Keep in mind that rescuing people is a priority for all firefighters. They are trained to make a thorough and systematic search for anyone inside a burning building as soon as they arrive. Spending valuable time looking for windows marked with decals, with no assurance anyone would be in that room, could delay help to anyone still left inside.

The most effective way to protect yourself and your family in the event of a fire in your house is to:

• Be sure your smoke detectors are working properly.
• Prepare and practice a family fire escape plan.
• Consider installing residential fire sprinklers or making certain your next home has them already installed; they're like having your own firefighter on duty in your home 24 hours every day!

Of course, preventing a fire from occurring in the first place is the best way to save lives. 

13. How many smoke detectors do I need in my home and why is my smoke alarm making a funny sound (chirping)?

You should have at least one smoke detector in each bedroom, in the hallway outside each bedroom and at the top of all stairways. Smoke rises, so the best place to install a detector is on the ceiling or high on an inside wall approximately 6 to 8 inches below the ceiling. However, do not install a smoke detector within three feet of any device that might blow the smoke away.

Anytime your smoke detector goes off, it's important to pay attention. If it's sounding its loud alarm it's because it senses the presence of smoke; check your home thoroughly. If you smell smoke and are unable to locate a fire, call 911 and we'll send an engine to make sure that a fire isn't smoldering in a hidden area and it won't cost anything. If you don't smell smoke, the detector may be reacting to the presence of dust, steam, or a small insect or spider. Dust and bugs can be removed by a vacuum cleaner. If steam from a nearby shower is affecting your smoke detector regularly, move the detector to a different spot.

If the detector is just chirping, thumping, or buzzing, it probably means that the battery is low. Replace the battery as soon as possible. Without a working battery, a smoke detector can't do its job and the risk of dying in a fire increases greatly.

14. What is the best kind of fire extinguisher for my home?

A multi-purpose fire extinguisher is best for the home. Look for the rating to be at least 2A 10B C on the label. This extinguisher can be used on any type of fire commonly found in the home (it will often be labeled A-B-C). It is recommended that an extinguisher be installed in the kitchen and in the garage.

15. Why did so many firetrucks come when I just had a fire on my stove?

The fire department bases its fire response on the type of call reported to us. In the event of a stovetop fire, we are dealing with a fire in a structure. These fires have the potential to become very serious very quickly, endangering occupants' lives and property. We are not on the scene and have no way to judge how serious the call is until we arrive. Therefore, our goal is to have 15 firefighters on the scene of your fire within minutes of you calling 9-1-1.

16. How do I obtain a copy of my EMS report?

An Emergency Management Services (EMS) report can be obtained at the Fire Administration Office located inside the Municipal Court Building located at 660 S State Highway 46. You must provide a current ID when request is made.

17. How do I get a copy of a fire report?

A fire report can be obtained at the Fire Administration Office located at 660 S Highway 46. You must provide a current ID when request is made.

18. How to obtain a transport record?

All medical transport records must be sent to fire administration at ltrevino@seguintexas.gov 

19. How to obtain a EMS transport record?

An EMS report can be obtained at the Fire Administration Office located inside the Municipal Court Building located at 660 S. State Hwy 46.  You must provide a current ID when request is made.