| Q. |
A. |
| 1. Square Miles covered by the
Bethlehem Fire and Rescue? |
Bethlehem Fire
and Rescue, Inc. proudly protects 4200 people living in an area of 36 square
miles. We operate out of 1 station that protects a primarily rural area |
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| 2. When was the fire
department formed? |
On April 11th, 1945 the
Department was initatiated and became the
Volunteer
Firemen of Navarre Inc. - Later to Become the Bethlehem Fire and Rescue Inc. |
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| 3. What were some other
firsts? |
One of the first departments
to use a tanker truck to supply water to rural areas, the first in the area
to use a fog nozzles, the first in southern stark county to have Paramedic
service, and the first department in the area to have a grass fire truck. |
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| 4. What are the requirements for applying as
a firefighter? |
You must be 18 years old or
older, In good Physical condition, have a high school Education or G.E.D.
Equivalent, be a good moral character, and free of any prior felony
convictions |
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| 5. What was the Original Name
of the Fire Department? |
The original
name of the department was "Volunteer Firemen of
Navarre Inc." |
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|
| 6.
This one is for the chief. What are some of the great advances you have
witnessed in the fire service since you have been involved? |
I suppose the invention of motorized apparatus and the phasing out of the
horse drawn steamers. As you can tell I’ve been around for awhile. |
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|
Seriously, I would have to
site a few items that top the list of advances. Everyone thinks the
fancy new equipment would be the highest rated. My top ten would include
those but not necessarily at the top. At or near the top would be
smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Think of the number of lives they
have saved with out fire service involvement. The creation of the 911
system. Again the amount of lives saved by being able to reach emergency
services is unfathomable. Residential sprinkler systems, although not
very popular at this point, many new homes are being equipped with the
systems and may in the future be a requirement for building a new dwelling.
The marriage of the Fire Service and E.M.S. It exposed the fire service
to the general public since E.M.S. touches nearly every person in one way or
another. Educating the public about fire hazards and escape procedures
including the children. Most children are teaching their parents.
Firefighter education and training procedures. Working smarter and more
safely. Space age and military technology. From thermal imaging
cameras to fabrics that will not burn, science plays its part. Now the fancy
equipment has to be recognized. Motorized fire equipment and associated
equipment. Items to numerous to mention. Fire apparatus to fit any need
and equipment that has evolved thru the years to meet the rigid needs of the
fire fighter and the service. Remember this is my list and others may
differ. Many items have been left out to save space. However, it must be
stated, the future of the fire service is in good hands and will continue to
develop and improve. The fact is we are just on the tip of the iceberg. The
future should be awe inspiring. |
