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1. What do firefighters do while they are waiting for a fire or other emergency?

Firefighters have many other duties in addition to responding to emergencies. They spend a lot of
their time training for structure and wild land fire attack, motor vehicle crash extrication, rope rescue, interior search and rescue, emergency medical incidents, along with OSHA required training and other training for a variety of other different types of calls and situations they respond to. They also do commercial inspections, station and apparatus maintenance, school tours and demonstrations, public education, as well as participate on fire department and county committees and meetings.

2. What schedule do firefighters work?

A Gilroy firefighter's shift is 48 hours long. They work a rotating 6 day cycle of 48 hours on duty with 4 days off in between averaging 56 hours per week. There are crews that staff 3 shifts (A-shift, B-shift, and C-shift) 24/7/365.

3. Why do fire engines and ambulances respond on emergency medical calls?

The answer is quality of care! The Gilroy Fire Department deploys 3 strategically located fire engines to maintain short response times. The private ambulance company responds as well to provide transportation to the hospital. We endeavor to give our residents the best care possible and always provide the closest fire engine to the emergency staffed with a Firefighter / Paramedic and 2 Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), who fill the ranks of Fire Captain, Engineer and Firefighter.

This staffing enables the responding crew to simultaneously complete different tasks for the patient's care. For instance, when a patient has a heart attack, connecting the defibrillator, CPR, rescue breathing, starting an IV, and administering lifesaving medications may all need to be accomplished quickly and simultaneously in order to give the patient the best chance for survival. By having adequate personnel on hand the care of the patient is improved and the preparation time before transportation to the hospital is significantly shortened.

On some medical calls the fire engine may remain on the scene for family or a business’s assistance, but is available to respond to another emergency if another emergency call comes in.

4. Why do fire trucks with full lights and sirens go through a red light at intersections and then, after they go through, they turn off their lights and slow down?

Most likely, when you see an emergency vehicle with red lights and sirens go through an intersection and then slow down and turn the emergency lights off, they have been cancelled from the call to which they were responding by radios in the fire engine.

Often several units are dispatched to the same incident. The 1st unit may have arrived on the scene, assessed the situation and informed the dispatcher that a single engine could handle the emergency. All other responding units are then cancelled by radio and are available and ready to take another call.

5. Why do firefighters use chain saws to cut holes in the roof of a building that’s on fire?

This is called "vertical ventilation." There are two basic reasons for this practice. Dangerous superheated gases and dark smoke accumulate in a burning building. Unlike the movie versions of fires, it is impossible for firefighters to see in such an environment or for victims to survive. When a hole is cut in the roof, and the building is “vented,” the smoke and gases escape because heat and smoke rise. It increases the victim¹s chance for survival and makes it much safer and more efficient for the firefighters in the building to see and operate. It also reduces the possibilities of backdraft (explosion) and flashover.

Another reason for venting the roof is to see how far the fire has progressed. One of the fastest avenues through which fires spread is the attic. Heat and smoke rise into the attic where the fire can move quickly.

Firefighters may also go ahead of the fire on a roof and cut holes to access the attic to stop the fire from spreading through the attic.

6. Does the Fire Department service fire extinguishers?

The Fire Department does not service fire extinguishers. There are many fire extinguisher companies in the telephone book that have the proper equipment to service them.

7. When an emergency vehicle is approaching that is displaying emergency lights and sirens, what should I do?

Please pull to the right and stop. Emergency response vehicles always try to pass vehicles on the left. This will allow fire apparatus or other emergency vehicles adequate and clear lanes to safely and quickly continue its response.

Remember to look before continuing as there may be more engines responding.

8. Why did I see another Fire Department’s fire engine in Gilroy?

The city participates in an ‘Auto-Aid’ Agreement with the South Santa Clara County Fire District (which is contracted and staffed by CalFire). The “District” has engines located strategically at Gilroy Gardens, Masten and 101, and a 3rd at Watsonville and Monterey. This agreement ensures rapid response from the closest engines and the covering of responses adjacent to the city when one of the other engines is busy on other emergency calls.

The City of Gilroy is also a member of the California Mutual Aid System. This is an agreement that allows Gilroy to call for support, additional resources, and specialized teams if they are needed. It also allows other cities and towns to request Gilroy assets similarly when needed.

9. Why do so many fire trucks respond to simple incidents?

Fire Department units are dispatched according to information received by the 911 operator. The Gilroy Fire Department responds with adequate resources when they are responding to a citizen in need of help. In other words, the firefighters are prepared to deal with the worst case scenario based on the information received. It is likely that in a time critical emergency situation, requesting more units after discovering that there¹s a need after we arrive, will be too late. We have learned from experience that it is much better to cancel fire engines after we determine that they¹re not needed than it is to call for more fire engines after finding that we need more.

A structure fire requires a significant number of firefighters to simultaneously to do all of the assigned tasks that are needed to maintain firefighter and citizen safety. Firefighting teams are assigned certain responsibilities such as fire extinguishment, search and rescue, ventilation, salvage, safety, accountability and rapid intervention.

10. Why do fire trucks respond to motor vehicle accidents?

There are 2 reasons. First, vehicle accidents present other hazards such as potential fire, ruptured fuel tanks, and/or the presence of hazardous materials, downed power lines, and other potential hazards. Second, Gilroy firefighters are trained as Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics. The Fire Department, due to its strategic station locations, is usually on scene well before the County ambulance. The fire crew will assess the situation, call for additional resources, rescue victims, and prepare them for ambulance transport before the ambulance arrives. Additionally, the county civilian ambulance service is not equipped or trained for the rescue and hazards work that firefighters provide.