Emergency Inside - Mountain View Fire Department (CA)

Emergency Inside - Mountain View Fire Department (CA)

Station 1 bay with E51

The following is a summary of responses to interview questions regarding the department

Interviewees: Firefighter Steve Pairman, Lawrence, Chris, Jeff, Battalion Chief Vanderberg

General Information
Mountain View Fire Department website: https://www.mountainview.gov/depts/fire/default.asp
* Information found from MVFD website
Currently, MVFD has 21 personnel and 5 stations
MVFD serves the city of Mountain View, a city known for its giant technology companies such as Google and Facebook. It is important to note how these companies affect MVFD, whether it be commute or charity

1) What is the most common call for MVFD? Any special calls unique to MVFD?

    - Medical calls compose the majority of calls (~80%)

             -> All apparatuses are ALS (have trained paramedics aboard)

    - Fire alarms within businesses and private homes often go off (reaching their expiration date)

    - An abundance of traffic accidents occur due to the commute to work

             -> The population of Mountain View is about 90,000*

             -> Combined with the commute population, the day time population can go up to as high as 120,000 people

              -> The high density of people inevitably causes a good amount of traffic accidents

              -> Shoreline Ampitheatre (concert venue) brings in even more of a crowd during Friday and Saturday nights

2) What is MVFD able to respond to?

    - MVFD is capable of the standard response to structural fires, wildland fires, medical, and traffic

    - MVFD is capable of responding to special (and rarer) situations which include:

              -> Hazmat

              -> Urban search and rescue

              -> Swift water rescue

              -> Rope rescue

              -> Tactical EMS (SWAT team medics; see here for more information: https://www.ems1.com/ems-education/articles/tactical-ems-an-overview-QGxV4ZSohIhSxOQt/ )

3) What role does MVFD play at wildfires?

     - Important note: Covering Mountain View is the #1 priority of the MVFD

     - Unlike organizations such as CAL FIRE, MVFD is not as specialized in wildland because there is not a high number of vegetation fires in the area

     - When MVFD is dispatched for wildland response: 

              -> 12 people maximum can be deployed

              -> Remaining employees are put on forced employment in order to cover for missing personnel (21 people total in the department*)

              -> 2 strike teams can be sent (One on the OES 290 type 1 engine, one of the type 6 engine)

              -> A strike team is (usually) a crew of 4 firefighters sent out on an engine alongside with a commander. Strike teams are coordinated by the state on mass incidents

4) How does MVFD collaborate with state/federal fire organizations? Roles?

     - MVFD is capable of sending task forces at state or federal request (Ex: Firefighter Tim sent to Hurrican Dorian)

     - Leadership roles vary by a lot; it depends on several factors such as who arrives as the incident first, where the location of the incident is, etc.

     - Collaboration with CAL FIRE is good but rare; organizations tend to be separate so they do not run into each other often 

     - Many employees regard CAL FIRE's ICS structure as one of the best recent developments

             -> The ICS structure is used for managing emergency response resources

     - CAL FIRE is a great way to be introduced to the fire service and gain experience

5)  How involved is MVFD with its community? 

     - Extremely involved! MVFD is community-driven

     - MVFD proudly involves its self in various public events including the pancake breakfasts, fundraising, block parties, art and wine festivals, and more

     - With tech companies, MVFD has great connections in order to ensure fast response times

             -> Companies tend to have their own small security teams and CERT teams

             -> These groups provide initial assessment and help MVFD locate the incident among all the buildings on the company campus

             -> These groups also help escort MVFD quickly and safely to the scene

     - MVFD observes building plans of company buildings in order to plan routes for incidents

     - When a new building is being constructed, MVFD visits the site in order to understand the anatomy of the building (this is critical because if a fire occurs, MVFD knows the construction and facts about the building)

     - MVFD has a special fund which members can withdraw from to give to the homeless, addicted, hungry, or others in need of help

             -> Current MV homeless initiatives:  https://www.mountainview.gov/depts/comdev/preservation/living_in_vehicles_and_homeless_information.asp

The exterior of Station 51

6) How are the relations with the surrounding residents? 

     - Great and strong

     - MVFD is focused on a residential population but also covers tech companies

     - City council is pro-labor and pro-fire, creating a supportive environment 

     - MVFD response times are on point (about four minutes for the first apparatus to arrive on the scene for a structure fire). This makes an excellent impression on the citizens of Mountain View

     - MVFD, compared to massive departments such as San Jose city, is not as busy. This allows more time for community connections

     - MVFD focuses on interacting with citizens on calls; trust is highly valued in the community

7) What current challenges exist within MVFD? 

     - Generational differences

           -> Members of the department range from their 20s to their 50s or so

           -> Age and contrasting cultural backgrounds create ethical and expectational differences 

           -> Some members may conflict with each other and/or conflict with the environment of the fire department 

     - Lack of fires; advancements in technology have lowered the number of fires. While this in itself is fantastic, this means less work for the firefighters. A strange "no man's land" exists for firefighters; while they know that having fewer fires is good, they joined the field for fighting fire in the first place. This leaves them in an awkward position as they must refine their outlook on what the fire service is really about

8) What are the desirable qualities for an applicant who is applying for MVFD?

     - Includes mandatory requirements of 18+ and EMT certification

     - The can candidate pass the basic online test which tests skills of English and math

     - The candidate visits the department 

     - A standout candidate can include someone with: firefighting experience, paramedic experience, higher levels of education, additional languages. Any life experience is valued

     - Attitude is key. Is the candidate open to learning and makes the best of what there is?

     - Ultimately, a candidate is selected based on the feedback of all the MVFD personnel

9) Any entry-level programs such as cadets or explorers? Seasonals? Volunteers?

     - No; the department discussed it at one point but never pursued such programs (not in the interest of MVFD)

10) General engine information

     - Engine 51 (station also has a truck and an urban search and rescue, but at the time of the interview they were not present)

E51

     - Total of 3,728 ft of hose

           -> 3 inch (supply to large buildings)

           -> 2.5 inch (attack line) 

           -> 1.75 inch (interior attack)

           -> Large Diameter Hose ~5 inch (supply)

    - Standard medical equipment on the back and driver side of E51

           -> No LUCAS device! (The LUCAS is a CPR device meant to provide compressions, see info here: https://www.lucas-cpr.com/ )

           -> All CPR is done by hand

           -> Air for Paws pack (O2 for animals)

    - No auto-extrication equipment (all on T51)

    - High rise packs on the passenger side (for apartment complexes)

    - SCBAs:

           -> MSA

           -> 4500 psi

           -> 30 minutes max

    - Ballistic bag within engine (used for shooting incidents)

    - Standard firefighting tools

    - Crosslays on the midppoint of the engine

    - Salvage equipment: covers, flares, chemical extinguishers, etc.

Thank you to the MVFD for making this documentation possible!

Check out other interviews on different departments here