Who is head of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department?
District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
In June 2015, Jullette M. Saussy was named the medical director of DC Fire and EMS. On January 29, 2016, she announced her resignation from that position in a letter to Mayor Muriel Bowser. In her letter, she called the department's culture "highly toxic to the delivery of any semblance of quality pre-hospital medical care."
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
Fire Captain Brian K. Lee was named Acting Fire Chief in December 2006. Mayor Fenty announced on February 2, 2007, that all reforms in DCFEMS would be suspended until he appointed a permanent fire chief. That same day, Fenty inaugurated four new ambulances (ordered during Thompson's tenure), bringing the city's total to 37. The four were staffed with EMS-trained firefighters, not EMTs or paramedics. The department also debuted a new Electronic Patient Care Reporting System at the same press conference, which it said would improve patient care tracking.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
A May 2001 performance report showed that the D.C. fire department was deteriorating rapidly under Few's leadership. Halfway through the budget year, Few met only one of four major goals (filling 120 firefighter vacancies). The number of injuries to firefighters and civilian injuries and deaths had far outstripped the year's goals, and building inspections were far below the expected level. Ambulances were supposed to reach patients 90 percent of the time within eight minutes. Few changed this to 70 percent without explanation, and still the department could not reach the goal. The department was also caught manipulating data in an attempt to improve the response times. (For example, fire engines with paramedics aboard often responded faster to a medical emergency than a paramedic-driven ambulance with life-saving equipment. DCFEMS began incorporating fire engine response times and neglected to make the changed clear.)
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
In late August 2011, the department shuttered its Twitter account, which had been in operation since March 2009. It also encrypted its police radio broadcasts. The department's communications director, Lon Walls, justified the closure by saying, "Social media is for parties. We ain't giving parties". Chief Ellerbe provided a different rationale, arguing that incorrect information could be distributed by the Twitter feed, endangering public safety or causing problems for emergency responders. After pushback from local media, the account returned, although it no longer reported crime-related events. The department refused to decrypt its radio use, however.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
Between 2000 and 2013, DCFEMS saw four Fire Chiefs: Ronnie Few, Adrian H. Thompson, Dennis L. Rubin, and Kenneth B. Ellerbe. Few's tenure is generally considered to be very troubled, with controversies over hiring and promotions, training, and firefighter grooming, as well as multimillion-dollar equipment failures. Thompson's tenure is widely praised, although there were troubles in the EMS division and continuing controversy over the grooming policy. The death of journalist David Rosenbaum led to widespread changes in the department and the merging of the firefighter and EMS divisions.
Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection
The Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection is a statewide law agency of Connecticut for law enforcement, fire services, and scientific services. Its headquarters are in Middletown. The current commissioner is Dora B. Schriro. 
The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection was created due to a statewide reorganization of state agencies. The reorganization dissolved the Department of Public Safety, merged the Commission on Fire Prevention and Control, dissolved the Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (DEMHS) and merged the Police Officer Standards and Training Council (POST).
David Rosenbaum (journalist)
Reforms followed. By the start of 2008, the District of Columbia got a new fire chief and a full-time medical director, began electronic tracking of patient interactions, and enhanced its oversight of emergency services.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
In November 2012, Chief Ellerbe proposed a plan to reduce ambulance service between 1:00 A.M. and 7:00 A.M. and transfer these crews to service between the hours of 7:00 A.M. and noon. Ellerbe said the change would eliminate half of the 42 overnight paramedics and all 14 advanced life support ambulances. The remaining 21 paramedics would ride with fire engines or trucks (which typically respond to medical emergencies also). There would be no change to the 21 to 25 basic life support ambulances available, which are staffed by EMTs. Ellerbe said the city receives about 10 calls per hour overnight, but 20 per hour mornings. The proposal required D.C. City Council approval. The firefighters' union opposed the plan, arguing it would overload firefighters and reduced fire fighting ability. But the paramedics' union (Local 3721, American Federation of Government Employees), supported it.
Ellerbe's plan was not well received by the D.C. City Council or local citizens' groups. At an initial hearing in November 2012, the firefighters' union testified that paramedic vacancies led to staffing downgrades for the 14 overnight advanced life support ambulances, leaving them staffed with EMTs. An average of 4.4 advanced life support ambulances had been downgraded every night in the past year, the union said. Ellerbe dispute those numbers, but provided none on downgrades, saying that the real issue was call volume and not staffing. The D.C. Federation of Citizens Associations, a coalition of neighborhood citizens' groups, testified that similar redeployment plans were tested three times in the late 1980s and did not work. At a second hearing in December 2012, city council public safety committee chair Mendelson expressed frustration with plan, noting that DCFEMS has been unable to say how many paramedics it has on staff. (Ellerbe blamed a software problem for that.) Mendelson also said Ellerbe's plan also didn't seem to take into account scheduled leave, illness, or unforeseen problems.
District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
The District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department, (also known as DC FEMS, FEMS, DCFD, DC Fire, or Fire & EMS), established July 1, 1884, provides fire protection and emergency medical service for the District of Columbia, in the United States. An organ of the devolved district government, Fire & EMS is responsible for providing fire suppression, ambulance service and hazardous materials containment for the federal district.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
In addition to the ambulance mechanical problems, DCFEMS began having trouble staffing its ambulances properly in 2012 as well. The firefighters' union accused Ellerbe of mismanaging the emergency services division (which includes both paramedics and EMTs), and said that 37 emergency medical staff quit between January 2011 and December 2012. In December 2012, during hearings on the issue, City Council member Mendelson said that DCFEMS could not accurately determine how many paramedics and EMTs it had on staff, as departmental figures provided various numbers between 225 and 250.
Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia
The Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia, generally simply referred to as the Chief of Police, is the head of the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, D.C. The post is currently held by Peter Newsham who assumed in May 2017 after seven months as interim police chief.
Government of the District of Columbia
The Mayor of the District of Columbia is the head of the executive branch. The Mayor has the duty to enforce city laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Council. In addition, the Mayor oversees all city services, public property, police and fire protection, most public agencies, and the District of Columbia Public Schools. The mayor's office oversees an annual city budget of $8.8 billion.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
The "Washington Post" made public the definitional change on April 18. A DCFEMS spokesperson subsequently admitted that the full-year arson closure rate was about 34 percent. Faust told the newspaper that there was no validity to the department's new definition. When the newspaper interviewed Ellerbe about the definitional change, he left the interview without explanation and did not return.
District of Columbia Air National Guard
As militia units, the units in the District of Columbia Air National Guard are not in United States Air Force chain of command unless federalized by the president. As a federal district, the units of the DC ANG are under the direct jurisdiction of the President of the United States through the office of the Commanding General
District of Columbia National Guard unless activated. The District of Columbia Air National Guard is headquartered in Washington D.C. The commander of the District of Columbia National Guard is Major General William J. Walker.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
In July 2011, Captain Edward C. Smith (who is also the firefighters' union president) spoke to the press about a recent decision by Ellerbe to cut back on the amount of pregnancy leave for female firefighters. Within hours, Ellerbe met with Smith and said he was "displeased" with his comments and that Smith would "pay for it". Ten days later, Smith was transferred to a job that paid less and had less responsibility. Smith filed a grievance with the D.C. Office of Employee Appeals. In February 2012, DCFEMS workers painted over the "DCFD" logo at Engine Co. 7 where Smith worked. No other fire stations were altered, however. In November 2012, an arbitrator ruled that Ellerbe illegally retaliated against Smith. The arbitrator also strongly criticized Ellerbe for trying to manufacture evidence against Smith, and for supplying a false rationale for Smith's transfer. When the arbitrator's ruling was made public, D.C. City Council chair Phil Mendelson called Ellerbe's action "not good for the department" and decried the worsening tension between the fire chief and the firefighters' union.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
In late June 2013, Mayor Gray again said that he supports Ellerbe. Alan Suderman, author if the highly influential "Loose Lips" political column at the "Washington City Paper", said that Gray's support for Ellerbe was baffling, given the mayor's willingness to fire other high-level administration appointees for far less. Suderman also reported that several senior-level Gray administration officials believe Ellerbe should have been fired long ago.
Kerala Fire And Rescue Services
The head of the Department is the Director General (D.G.) who is the rank of the D.G.P., I.P.S. rank and under him there is a Director (Admn.) at the Headquarters, and a Director (Technical) at the Kerala Fire And Rescue Services Academy, Viyyur, Thrissur. There are six Regional Offices consisting of two or three districts, located in Thiruvananthapuram, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Palakkad, Kozhikode and Kannur where Regional Officers are in charge. Each district has a District Fire Office and under each District Fire Officer there are Fire & Rescue Stations where a Station Officer as the station in charge.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
In May 2007, a federal jury rejected a claim of reverse discrimination brought by 23 white officers. The officers claimed they were denied promotion in favor of African American officers who were less qualified or had less experience. It also claimed that then-Chief Ronnie Few disproportionately chose to interview black officers for promotion. While the lawsuit was pending, all promotions in DCFEMS were placed on hold.
Chicago Fire Department
The Bureau of Operations is one of four Bureaus within the organization of the Chicago Fire Department. Like the other three Bureaus, the Bureau of Operations is commanded by a Deputy Fire Commissioner, who reports to the 1st Deputy Commissioner, who in-turn reports to the Fire Commissioner. The Bureau of Operations is currently the largest Bureau within the Chicago Fire Department and is organized into four Divisions: Fire Suppression and Rescue, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Special Operations (including the Technical Rescue Unit, the Hazardous Materials Unit, and the Air-Sea Rescue Unit), and the Office of Fire Investigation (OFI). The Fire Suppression and Rescue Division is commanded by an Assistant Deputy Fire Commissioner. The Special Operations Division and the EMS Division are also commanded by an Assistant Deputy Commissioner. The Office of Fire Investigation (OFI) is under the command of the Commanding Fire Marshall, equivalent to the rank of Deputy District Chief.
Muriel Bowser
Muriel Elizabeth Bowser (; born August 2, 1972) is an American politician serving as the eighth and current mayor of the District of Columbia since 2015. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously represented Ward 4 as a member of the Council of the District of Columbia from 2007 to 2015.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
On January 25, 2014, 77-year-old Medric "Cecil" Mills, Jr., a lifelong resident of D.C., collapsed after suffering a massive heart attack in the parking lot of a Northeast D.C. shopping center, across the street from a fire station. Her daughter Marie Mills ran to his side to check on him. Bystanders called 911 and ran across the street to the firehouse for help, but rescuers inside ignored their calls. An ambulance that was supposed to be dispatched to the scene was sent to the wrong quadrant of the city, Northwest instead of Northeast D.C. Marie said she believed it took "at least 15 minutes for help to arrive." Medric later died.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
Known today by a number of acronyms — DC FEMS, FEMS, DCFD, DC Fire, or Fire & EMS — DCFEMS remains the municipal fire department and emergency medical service (EMS) agency for District of Columbia, providing fire suppression, ambulance service, and hazardous materials containment.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
DCFEMS had a budget of about $120 million in spring 2002, $74 million of which went to firefighting and $22 million to emergency medical services. The remaining $24 million went to administration, administrative support, communications, and training. The agency had 1,350 firefighters, 390 paramedics and EMTs, and 200 communications and support personnel.
Andrew Velasquez
After his tenure with the CPD, he moved over to the Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) where he assumed responsibility as Managing Deputy for 911 Operations. Mayor Richard M. Daley subsequently appointed Velasquez to lead Chicago's Office of Emergency Management and Communications as its Executive Director, a cabinet-level appointment, overseeing emergency management, homeland security, preparedness, response, traffic management and 911 emergency dispatch operations.
Organization of the Chicago Fire Department
The Bureau of Operations is currently the largest Bureau within the Chicago Fire Department and is organized into four Divisions: 
The Fire Suppression and Rescue Division is commanded by an Assistant Deputy Fire Commissioner. The Special Operations Division and the EMS Division are also commanded by an Assistant Deputy Fire Commissioner. The Office of Fire Investigation (OFI) is under the command of the Commanding Fire Marshal, equivalent to the rank of Deputy District Chief.
The Fire Suppression and Rescue Division is commanded by an Assistant Deputy Fire Commissioner (2-1-10). The Division consists of five Fire Districts, each commanded by a District Chief. Within the five Districts are 24 Battalions, each commanded by a Battalion Chief per shift, who reports to the Deputy District Chief of the District, who in-turn reports to the District Chief of the District.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
At the March 2013 hearing, Ellerbe also accused his department's mechanics and rank-and-file firefighters of purposefully sabotaging equipment. He cited the D.C. Inspector General's report of February 2013, which said there had been allegations of sabotage (including driving vehicles in low gear to damage transmissions, slashing tires, and tampering with air conditioners). The following month, Ellerbe claimed he had complete confidence in the repair personnel at DCFEMS.
British Columbia Ambulance Service
In British Columbia, responsibility for the provision of ambulance services is granted to British Columbia Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) under the auspices of the "Emergency and Health Services Act." BCEHS reports to PHSA. The members of the Emergency Health Services Commission act as a Board of Directors to the BC Ambulance Service. The commission membership consists of health service administrators, medical professionals, and government representatives. BCEHS is also responsible for the operation of the BC Patient Transfer Network, which assists physicians when it is necessary to transfer a patient to a higher level of care.
Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services
Current Fire Chief and General Manager - Darrell Reid
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
The department also saw shift in the type of services it was called upon to provide. The number of fire alarms plummeted, thanks to improvements in building fire safety and fire suppression, but worsening public health and a crisis in health care availability led the public to call on DCFEMS to provide much more emergency health care. In 2002, there had fewer than 100 fire alarms per month but 8,000 to 9,000 calls for medical assistance. By 2013, the number of calls per month had risen to almost 13,350, of which about 10,700 were for emergency medical care.
Florida Division of Emergency Management
The Florida Division of Emergency Management (DEM) is charged with maintaining a comprehensive statewide program of emergency management. The division ensures that Florida is prepared to respond to emergencies, recover from them, and mitigate their impacts. DEM is responsible for the State Emergency Response Team (SERT) which is composed of various intergovernmental entities, volunteers, and the private sector. The division coordinates the efforts of the Federal Government with other departments and agencies of state government, with county and municipal governments and school boards, and with private agencies that have a role in emergency management. The Director is appointed by the Governor of Florida, and serves as an agency head. Jared Moskowitz currently serves as the Director. He was appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis in January 2019.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
Controversy also existed over how the missing reports came to light. Chief Thompson claimed that he independently reviewed all the key documents in the case, realized the reports' importance, and brought them to the attenion of the inspector general. But the inspector general's office said it sent a letter to Thompson demanding the reports, and only then were they turned over. Speculation that DCFEMS purposefully withheld the reports rose when City Council member Phil Mendelson alleged that he requested the reports in January 2006 and the department never delivered them.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
Two more incidents occurred in April 2012. The first involved Ellerbe's demotion of Battalion Chief Richard Sterne to the rank of captain on April 8. Two firefighters and a lieutenant in a station in Northeast D.C. had accepted a case of beer from a grateful local resident. Ellerbe requested the men be suspended. Sterne discovered that the men had rejected the gift, but the resident left it behind anyway. When Sterne reprimanded the two firefighters rather than suspended them, Ellerbe issued the demotion and cited the disciplinary hearing as the reason. "Your failure to hold the members accountable for their receipt of the beer in violation of the Rules of Conduct brings into question your ability to exercise proper judgment in the performance of your assigned duties," he wrote. Sterne filed an appeal with the D.C. Office of Employee Appeals. The second incident involved the transfer of Battalion Chief Kevin Sloan. Sloan ruled that the lieutenant in the case was not guilty, as he was not present when the gift was delivered. Ellerbe subsequently transferred Sloan from active duty to a desk job in April 2012, although he gave no reason for the transfer. Sloan called the action retaliatory and said Ellerbe engaged in "workplace bullying". Sloan, too, filed an appeal.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
A number of equipment upgrades occurred during Thompson's tenures. The department began using a GPS locator on vehicles to enable dispatchers to identify which available vehicle was closest to an emergency (which the department hoped would speed up response times). Six new fire engines and six new ambulances (ordered in the waning days of Chief Few's tenure) arrived in January 2003, and another 14 fire engines, 16 ambulances, three ladder trucks, and seven command vehicles were put on order.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
Thompson resigned as fire chief in December 2006. Despite Fenty's criticism, the "Washington Post" described Thompson's tenure as a success. The "Washington Times" described his chieftaincy as one of "steady leadership", and concluded he "restored stability" to the agency.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
Another major personnel controversy erupted in December 2009 when the "Washington Times" reported that Deputy Chief Kenneth B. Ellerbe left the department to take a job in Sarasota County, Florida, but had secured a deal to receive a full pension. The pension agreement was apparently approved by Fire Captain Brian Lee, and Fire Chief Rubin did not learn about it until it was reported in the media. Ellerbe left DCFEMS in July 2009, although he would not be eligible to receive full pension benefits until he turned 50 years old on April 10, 2010. Under the terms of the deal, DCFEMS places Ellerbe on "leave without pay", which kept him technically employed by the District of Columbia. Ellerbe agreed to resign from DCFEMS on April 11. Because Ellerbe remained on the force until he turned 50, he was then able to collect 80 percent of his final pay for the next five years (an amount equal to about $600,000). When he turned 55, he qualified for a full pension benefit (100 percent of his final salary). The agreement stated that the purpose of allowing Ellerbe to go to Florida was to give him the opportunity to "acquire experience as a fire chief in a municipal fire department and thereby be better able to provide the experience of leadership in an executive manager's role". Ellerbe said it was mere coincidence that he agreed to resign on April 11, and the deal was not designed to keep him on the city payroll until he turned 50.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
In March 2002, Mayor Anthony A. Williams announced an investigation into two assistant chiefs and a deputy chief who also may have been improperly hired by Few. Williams said Assistant Chief Marcus Anderson, Assistant Chief Gary Garland, and Deputy Chief Bruce Cowan falsified their résumés by claiming high-level jobs they did not hold and listing certification and educational credentials they never earned. Few had initially raised department morale in August 2000 by reversing a number of transfers ordered by former interim Fire Chief Kenneth B. Ellerbe (and viewed as punitive by the rank and file). But the hiring of Anderson, Garland, and Cowan deeply undercut morale again. "The people [Few] promoted were not the kind of guys that got things done," one battalion chief said. "I think the odds of an insider getting things done ... are probably better".
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
The scandals led to a significant reduction in trust placed in the DCFEMS emergency medical services division, and on June 28, 2013, the public safety committee of the D.C. City Council rejected Ellerbe's altered plan.
Lakewood Township, New Jersey
The Chief of the Lakewood Fire Department is Mike D'Elia Jr.
Lakewood Township is served by three emergency medical services (EMS) entities, which include Lakewood EMS (LEMS), Lakewood First Aid & Emergency Squad (LFAS) and Hatzolah EMS. The squads are all independently operated, but work together to provide emergency medical services for the township. Lakewood First Aid & Emergency Squad and Hatzolah EMS are volunteer organizations, while Lakewood EMS is a career municipal service under the direction of EMS Chief Crystal Van de Zilver.
In the event of a motor vehicle accident, Lakewood First Aid & Emergency Squad are the primary providers of vehicle extrication services for the township and Hatzolah EMS serves as backup.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
On August 2, a DCFEMS ambulance caught fire outside Washington Hospital Center. An internal DCFEMS report found that the battery (which was not original to the vehicle) had an electrical problem which caused the fire. About $5,000 in damage was done to the $120,000 vehicle.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
In August 2010, Mayor Adrian Fenty was defeated in the Democratic primary for renomination as mayor. Having lost his primary political backer, Chief Rubin resigned his post effective January 2, 2011. He made his announcement on October 22, 2010.
District of Columbia National Guard
The District of Columbia Commanding General is the senior military officer and commander of the District of Columbia National Guard.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
Leadership problems occurred in the firefighting division as well. By July 2005, both of the assistant chief positions and five of the 12 deputy chief positions were vacant and being filled by acting officers. City personnel rules limited an individual to just 120 days in an acting position, and placement in an acting capacity could not be used in lieu of training or evaluation. In February 2004, Assistant Chief Pete Miller — who oversaw support personnel for the building inspection division, facilities maintenance, firefighter training division, health and safety, and vehicular maintenance — retired. Thompson appointed Deputy Chief Kenneth B. Ellerbe to the position, and Ellerbe was still there more than 17 months (510 days) later in apparent violation of the law.
Saul Levin
In July 2012, Vincent C. Gray, then Mayor of the District of Columbia, appointed Levin as interim director of the District of Columbia Department of Health. A year later, in mid-2013, Levin was named the CEO and medical director of the American Psychiatric Association (APA); since joining the association in 1987 he had served on several APA committees.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
In March 2013, Ellerbe testified at a D.C. City Council hearing in favor of his scheduling plan, which had still not been implemented.
District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
Problems with vehicle maintenance also worsened after 2010. The department lost track of the location of reserve vehicles, and sometimes listed fire engines as available for duty when they had been stripped for parts and sent to the junkyard. In 2012, the agency hired a consultant at a cost of $182,000 to create an accurate database of vehicle status and location. Both the D.C. Council and the District of Columbia's inspector general have strongly criticized the department's record. The District of Columbia Firefighters Association, Local 36, IAFF, argues that the problem lies with poor management, while DCFEMS has said the problems either cannot be accounted for or are the result of rank-and-file incompetence or neglect.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
The following year, however, overtime rose again. The department anticipated going over budget by $2 million on overtime, despite moving more firefighters off sick leave and onto the active duty rolls. The firefighters' union blamed the overtime increase on Ellerbe's failure to fill 163 departmental vacancies. Ellerbe did not deny the charge, but said in late June 2012 that "several dozen" firefighters would be hired shortly. The controversy deepened when Ellerbe closed three stations (Adams Morgan, North Cleveland Park, and Washington Highlands) for two days due to a staffing shortage. Ellerbe asserted that too many firefighters at other stations took leave, so he closed the three stations to staff the remaining ones and keep them open. The firefighters' union charged that Ellerbe was creating a false crisis. Money to pay the salaries of the unfilled positions was lying unused, and should have been spent on overtime pay to keep the three stations open, the union argued.
LaRuby May
The council Judiciary Committee has oversight over the D.C. Fire and EMS Department. May missed the June 30, 2015, vote during which the committee voted to forward for approval the nomination of Acting District Fire Chief Gregory Dean to the full council. May also missed Dean's presentation on how he would improve the department. Dean was unanimously confirmed (with May present and voting) on July 14, 2015.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
By mid-August 2013, the relationship between Ellerbe and his rank-and-file workers had degenerated into what "Washington Post" columnist Mike DeBonis called "civil war". Ellerbe's predecessor, Dennis L. Rubin, accused Ellerbe of "greatly compromis[ing]" the department, imposing "rapid and poorly planned changes", and fabricating information about departmental performance. Rubin's comments, made to the magazine "Fire Engineering", were more widely reported by the "Washington Post". Rubin said he made the statements because Ellerbe repeatedly blamed him for the department's troubles, although D.C. City Council member Phil Mendelson questioned Rubin's veracity.
Virginia Beach Department of Emergency Medical Services
Virginia Beach EMS maintains an Operations Division and an Administrative Division to support the daily emergency medical operations across the City and its Departments. Chief Edward Brazle serves as the current Chief Operating Officer of the Department.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
The fire department was established on July 1, 1884.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
Shortly after Ellerbe assumed control of DCFEMS, the department changed the way it counts arson fires. Under Fire Chief Dennis L. Rubin, any intentionally set fire was considered arson, a definition used by the National Fire Protection Association. A new definition was adopted by DCFEMS in 2011 which required that a "willful, malicious intent to start a fire" must be present. Fire department spokesman Tim Wilson later said the new definition was adopted to "reflect a more detailed analysis of how arson cases are identified and closed". It remained unclear how the department came up with its new definition.
District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
In January 2010, "The Washington Examiner" reported that, in a major management failure, the agency failed to budget for seniority pay in its fiscal 2010 budget, causing a $2 million shortfall. After a hiring freeze left 130 positions unfilled, the department was projected to spend $15.4 million in fiscal 2010 (2.5 times the budgeted amount). More than 75 percent of the agency's budget goes to salaries and fringe benefits.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
During the four days of the 1968 riots following the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., all DCFEMS firefighters and EMS personnel were mobilized to battle more than 500 fires and perform 120 rescues. The department was riven by racial tension in the 1970s and 1980s, as the nearly all-white department became much more racially integrated and African American firefighters sought upper-level supervisory and management positions.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
As of late August 2013, the two parties were still negotiating over Ellerbe's firefighter scheduling plan.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
In late August 2013, DCFEMS took delivery of 14 new and six refurbished ambulances. These were the first ambulances the city received since 10 were purchased earlier in Ellerbe's tenure. Ellerbe admitted that his department was still far behind on the replacement schedule for ambulances (which typically have a three-year lifespan). Another 10 new ambulances were on order.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
Ellerbe announced on August 26 that he would resubmit his ambulance staffing plan to the D.C. City Council for approval. He pointed to 22 new paramedic hires and 20 new ambulances as a sign that the city would be able to provide good quality EMS care during night hours. Wells said the city council should be credited for pushing DCFEMS to improve vehicle purchasing and personnel hiring. But DCFES spokesman Keith St. Clair said the council's criticisms, rejections of Ellerbe's proposals, and publicity about DCFEMS problems had had no effect. St. Clair asserted that Ellerbe began making changes long before the council began its hearings.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
Fire Chief Kenneth B. Ellerbe announced on June 3, 2014, that he would resign effective July 2, 2014. "The Washington Post" noted that Ellerbe's staunchest defender, Mayor Vincent Gray, lost the Democratic primary for mayor, and would not stand for reelection. The two frontrunners in the mayoral race, Muriel Bowser and David Catania, said they would not retain Ellerbe if they took office. Assistant Chief Eugene Jones was named Interim Fire Chief.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
A major controversy over scheduling erupted in November 2011 when Ellerbe proposed that firefighters work a "3-3-3 shift"—three 12-hour days (with nights off), three 12-hour nights (with days off), and three days off. It was a staffing model used by the D.C. fire department in the 1960s and 1970s, and marked a change from the then-current practice of a single 24-hour shift followed by three days off (known as 24/72). Ellerbe claimed it would reduce staffing costs by $36 million a year after four years, and increase days worked per month to 22 from eight. Because about 40 percent of the city's firefighters lived 30 to 100 miles away, the plan also encouraged firefighters to move closer to Washington, D.C. This would enable the city to recall off-duty firefighters more quickly in an emergency, he said. The union, Local 36, IAFF, strongly opposed the plan. It said firefighters' salaries ($44,300 for a new hire, and $65,500 for a 20-year veteran) were too low to allow firefighters to live in or near the District of Columbia. The staffing plan would force them to lower their standard of living by moving nearer or into D.C., and deny them the opportunity to work second jobs. The union also said the long lead-time to recall off-duty staff was actually beneficial (since it took the city several hours to get ready during an emergency). It denied the plan would save money, and offered an analysis that showed the change would cost the city $16 million a year.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
Despite the wide array of problems in the department, Mayor Gray's office bestowed an "A+" rating on DCFEMS' performance in April 2013.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
Mayor Gray defended the inadequate vetting. He also defended his decision to forego a national search for a new fire chief, arguing that it was more important to get permanent leadership into the department. Both the firefighters' union and the D.C. Federation of Citizens Associations expressed their displeasure that a national search was not conducted, and expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of complete vetting.
Vulcan Blazers
In 2013 the BCFD promoted Captain Charline B. Stokes to Battalion Chief for Community Outreach. Stokes is the first African American female to attain the rank of Battalion Chief in the 154-year history of the Baltimore City Fire Department. Fire Chief Niles R. Ford, an African-American, is the current head of the BCFD. More strides in advancing diversity in 2015 came with the elevation of Twana Allen, the first black female promoted to the post of Fire Lieutenant at Baltimore County Fire Department. Recently, the department posted guidelines for a new physical test. For that, The IAFF(International Association of Fire Fighters) and IAFC(International Association of Fire Chiefs) got together with 10 leading fire departments and unions through the FEMA program "Fire Service Joint Labor Management Wellness/Fitness Initiative". Together, they came up with a new test called the "IAFF/IAFC Candidate Physical Ability Test" (CPAT).
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
In late 2012, Ellerbe stopped granting requests for interviews.
Organization of the New York City Fire Department
The Department's executive staff is divided into two areas including a civilian fire commissioner who is in charge of the Department and a Fire Chief who is the operational lead. The current fire commissioner is Daniel A. Nigro. and the current Chief of Department is James E. Leonard. The 28-member executive staff includes the civilian deputy commissioners who are responsible for administrative bureaus within the Department, along with the Chief of Department, Chief of Fire Operations, Chief of EMS, Chief Fire Marshal, Chief of Training and other staff chiefs. Staff chiefs include the seven citywide tour commanders, the Chief of Fire Prevention, and the Chief of Safety.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
Thompson discovered that recordkeeping under Few was so poor that the true extent of the paramedic and EMT vacancy issue could not be determined. (An internal DCFEMS study showed the agency had only 174 of the 335 emergency medical workers it needed to operate its 36 ambulances.) The situation was worsening because improvements to fire safety throughout the years meant that the city had fewer than 100 fire alarms in a month but 8,000 to 9,000 calls for medical assistance. A three-month study by the D.C. Office of the Inspector General, released in October 2002, found that the department had no accurate way of measuring how long it took for an ambulance to reach the scene once a call for aid was received. It could and did measure the time it took for ambulance crews to leave the stationhouse once they received an alert, however. This "turn-out time" was double the national average (two minutes rather than one). In two-thirds of the days covered by the study, up to a fifth of all ambulances were out of service due to staffing shortages. All 14 of the ambulances were fully staffed on just four days. The inspector general blamed part of the problem on employees who "are lazy or do not care", while the paramedic and EMT union attributed the slow turn-out time to over-worked and under-staffed employees.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
The dispute over staffing number continued into February 2012. The union claimed 20 paramedics quit DCFEMS in calendar 2011, while the agency said it was 12.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
Ellerbe later placed Walls on leave in February 2012 after a heated exchange about racism on Twitter. More than 100 firefighters walked out of a State of the Department address delivered by Chief Ellerbe in early February. On his personal Twitter feed and personal Facebook account, Walls called the action the "most blatant, ignorant and racist public display of disrespect I have ever seen". The "Washington Times" inquired about the posts, and Walls removed them at Chief Ellerbe's request. Walls' suspension-with-pay lasted a few days.
Alicia Tate-Nadeau
Gen. Tate-Nadeau was appointed by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel to serve as the Executive Director of the Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) in 2016 bringing to OEMC more than three decades of experience in national security, emergency management and public safety issues. As the Executive Director of OEMC, Tate-Nadeau oversees the department’s mission to coordinate the City’s public safety efforts and ensure the security of every resident. She also serves as the Chairman of the Illinois Terrorism Task Force (ITTF) Emergency Management Committee.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
When Ellerbe delivered his State of the Department speech (the first ever delivered by a fire chief), more than 100 firefighters turned their backs to him and then walked out to protest the plan.
Chicago Fire Department
The Chicago Fire Department is led by the Fire Commissioner, currently Richard C. Ford II. The Fire Commissioner is appointed by the Mayor and assisted by the First Deputy Commissioner, who oversees the department's bureaus. There are four bureaus under the First Deputy Commissioner: Operations, Fire Prevention, Administrative Services & Logistics.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
On March 22, the D.C. Inspector General found more discrepancies in DCFEMs' vehicle readiness. It pointed to a July 12, 2012, incident in which DCFEMS said all 12 reserve fire engines were ready for duty. In fact, only one engine was ready. The same day, the department listed 31 ambulances in reserve and active for duty, but only 10 were ready for service. (Three ambulances listed as ready had been out of service for more than 36 months, 21 months years, and nine months.) The inspector general further reported that front-line supervisors knew there was an inadequate reserve fleet, and had complained to assistant and deputy chiefs without success; that firefighters were "routinely" sent home because there were too few vehicles; and that the quality of repairs to fire trucks and engines was poor. The inspector general also found that air conditioners in ambulances frequently failed, creating closed-door temperatures of 120 degrees Fahrenheit or more. The high heat often left paramedics ill, and reduced the quality of service provided to city residents. The "Washington City Paper" called the "dysfunction and incompetence surrounding the department's fleet management system...more than a little frightening. If D.C. were to suffer 'large-scale emergencies or mass casualty events,' the department would not have the reserve equipment needed to respond".
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
On August 19, "The Washingtonian" magazine reported on its Web site that Chief Ellerbe had an alleged confrontation with a firefighter over a picture taken of the burning Medic 27 vehicle. According to the report, Ellerbe arrived at the scene of the ambulance fire and noticed a firefighter with a smartphone in his hand. The magazine said that Ellerbe demanded that the firefighter hand over camera phone, grabbed it from the firefighter's hand, looked it over, and returned it. Ellerbe denied the incident categorically, saying he went to the scene of the fire only because "I thought my presence would initiate a faster response in removing the vehicle from public view". He requested the phone, and the firefighter willingly handed it over. Ellerbe says that when he saw the phone was not functioning, he returned it immediately. The magazine did not identify the firefighter who made the accusation. However, Ellerbe requested and received an internal investigation into the accusation. However, a week later, firefighter Sean C. Griffith, filed a criminal complaint with the D.C. police alleging that Rubin assaulted him, causing him harm that required him to seek medical treatment and spend more than a week on sick leave. A spokesman for Deputy Mayor Paul Quander called the allegation suspect and accused the firefighters' union of fabricating the incident to embarrass the department.
British Columbia Ambulance Service
The British Columbia Ambulance Service (BCAS) is the sole ambulance service and provider of pre-hospital emergency care in the province of British Columbia. BCAS is managed by British Columbia Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) and falls under the jurisdiction of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA). The service is tasked with the provision of emergency medical response province-wide. Today, BC Ambulance is among the largest Emergency Medical Services (EMS) provider in Canada and North America. The fleet consists of more than 500 ground ambulances operating from 183 stations across the province along with 80 support vehicles. BCAS provides inter-facility patient transfer services in circumstances where a patient needs to be moved between health care facilities for treatment. BCAS also operates an airevac program that utilizes both fixed-wing and rotary aircraft.
Chicago Fire Department
The Bureau of Operations is the largest Bureau within the Chicago Fire Department. The Bureau of Operations commands the following Divisions: Fire Suppression & Rescue, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Special Operations, and the Office of Fire Investigation (OFI). The Bureau of Operations is composed of over 4,500 Firefighters and Paramedics and is commanded by a Deputy Fire Commissioner.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
Thompson quickly implemented a number of changes to improve service. Five emergency medical services personnel were disciplined (which included terminating one individual and allowing another to retire). A new credentials and certifications tracking system was put in place to ensure that EMS administrators were properly certified to hold their jobs. New procedures were implemented to ensure EMS personnel understood the scope of their jobs as well as basic patient care protocols, and to better evaluate firefighters, paramedics, and EMTs. Thompson also assigned an EMS supervisor to the dispatch center, and gave the supervisor the authority to reassign EMS crews to short-staffed parts of the city as needed. Ambulance crews were given more authority to determine which hospital a patient should be driven to, and procedural improvements were made to improve communication between dispatchers and EMS crews on the scene. GPS tracking devices were added to emergency medical vehicles to allow dispatchers to identify which EMS vehicle was closest to a call, which the department said would reduce response times even further. Although he ordered these changes, Thompson nonetheless felt that the Rosenbaum case "was an aberration" which did not require substantial alterations to DCFEMS procedures or staffing.
Hurst, Illinois
The Hurst Fire Chief is Duke Woolsey and the ambulance director is Beverly Calvert. The fire and ambulance services are both fully volunteer organizations that boasts 19 firefighters and 7 EMT personnel. The Hurst EMA (Emergency Management Agency) director is Charles Colp.
The Mayor is Duke Woolsey.
New York City Fire Department
Like most fire departments of major cities in the United States, the New York City Fire Department is organized in a paramilitary fashion, and in many cases, echoes the structure of the police department. The department's executive staff is divided into two areas that include a civilian Fire Commissioner who serves as the head of the department and a Chief of Department who serves as the operational leader. The current Fire Commissioner is Daniel A. Nigro, who succeeded Salvatore J. Cassano in June 2014. The executive staff includes several civilian deputy commissioners who are responsible for the many administrative bureaus within the department, along with the Chief of Department, Chief of Fire Operations, Chief of EMS, Chief Fire Marshal, Chief of Training and other staff chiefs. Staff chiefs include the seven citywide tour commanders, the Chief of Fire Prevention, and the Chief of Safety.
R. David Paulison
Robert David Paulison (born February 27, 1947) is an American former fire chief who served as the director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Paulison was appointed by President George W. Bush on September 12, 2005 to replace the embattled Michael D. Brown, who resigned amid controversy over his handling of disaster relief in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Prior to his appointment, Paulison was perhaps best known nationally for his 2003 advisory regarding household items (including duct tape and plastic sheeting) to have on hand in case of terrorist attack. At the 2009 National Hurricane Conference, he announced he would resign January 21, 2009.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
In March 2012, however, the "Washington Times" reported that Ellerbe was never fully vetted before being hired by Gray. The newspaper said that the Gray administration did not ask for Ellerbe's personnel file from Sarasota, where he spent nearly six months as chief before returning to Washington, D.C. The personnel file, obtained by the newspaper, revealed that several female firefighters in Sarasota had accused Ellerbe of sexual harassment. Ellerbe allegedly defended his actions to Sarasota Battalion Chief Joe Robinson that staring at women's breasts was "part of my heritage" and that none of the women in the department were good-looking. Robinson also claimed that Ellerbe warned staff not to "cross" him and that he was vindictive. Ellerbe denied harassing anyone, denied making the statements, and claimed the charges were made by union members upset with changes he made in the department. Ellerbe also claimed that Sarasota County found the allegations false, although the "Washington Times" reported there was no such finding in the personnel file. Sarasota County administrator Dave Bullock told the newspaper that Ellerbe was counseled regarding the county's sexual harassment policy after the incident, but that such counseling is routine after any such allegation (legitimate or not). City Council member Mendelson, whose public safety committee held hearings on Ellerbe's nomination, said the committee did not see nor did it ask for Ellerbe's Sarasota personnel file.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
The overwhelming number of problems and scandals proved too much, and Few resigned effective July 31, 2002. The "Washington Times" said Few left behind "an agency whose equipment, facilities and morale had been left in shambles".
Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue
Office of the Chief
Kenneth B. Ellerbe
Kenneth B. Ellerbe was the Fire Chief of the District of Columbia Fire & EMS Department from January 1, 2011 – July 2, 2014. He was chosen by then mayor-elect Vincent C. Gray in December 2010.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
In August 2013, DCFEMS reported that it had significantly lowered EMS response times in April, May, June, and July 2013. The department said its standard was to respond to a call (e.g., leave the station) within 6.5 minutes 90 percent of the time. The department lowered its response time from 84 percent of the time in February 2013 to 92 percent of the time in June 2013. The response time for critical calls (about half of those received every day) also fell, from 5:03 minutes in February 2013 to 4:02 minutes in June 2013. Ellerbe attributed the improvements to a new protocol that required ambulance crews and firefighter EMTs to submit paperwork justifying the response time every time it exceeded the standard. Ellerbe suggested that some employees were simply not responding very quickly, and noted that at least one employee was disciplined for not being able to justify a slow response time. The firefighters' union complained about the amount of paperwork required, and said crews were sacrificing safety in order to meet the response time standard. The union claimed there had been a sharp rise in minor road accidents since Ellerbe's protocol went into effect, and that some crews were lying when they said they had responded.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
The logo change caused another controversy in April 2012. The department ordered 1,750 fire-resistive polo shirts at a cost of $70,000 shortly before Ellerbe took office. On April 12, 2012, DCFEMS issued an order to all personnel stating that the shirts would be given to staff even though it bore the old logo. Less than 30 minutes later, this order was rescinded. D.C. City Council members then inquired about how the department was going to use the stored shirts. DCFEMS assistant chiefs said the order was issued in error, and department leaders promised to issue an order concerning the shirts at some point in the future. Compounding the problem, former Fire Chief Rubin claimed that two DCFEMS firefighters were severely burned and two moderately burned in 2012 because the shirts which Ellerbe continued to use were not fire-resistive. Rubin's claims were later more widely reported by national news media. Ellerbe attributed the purchase of the shirt to "trickery" by Rubin, designed to set Ellerbe up for failure.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
Maintenance problems with DCFEMS ambulances were known to the department as early as 2011. In July 2012, widespread failure of ambulance air conditioning units became common. A D.C. Inspector General's report in March 2013 clearly identified the problem, and reported it to Mayor Gray and to the D.C. City Council.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
Rubin's tenure is also considered largely successful; it saw an end to the grooming policy controversy. Yet new scandals erupted over skyrocketing overtime, budget lapses, and the hiring of three deputy fire chiefs. A major controversy over the generous retirement terms offered to Deputy Chief Kenneth B. Ellerbe led to a number of investigations. Rubin resigned after a change in mayors, and Ellerbe was appointed Fire Chief.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
While campaigning for mayor in 2006, Adrian Fenty pledged to undo the merger of fire and emergency medical services despite these improvements. But Fenty reneged on his promise, and the merger remained intact throughout his tenure as mayor of the District of Columbia (2007 to 2011).
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
In October 2006, the "Washington Times" reported that the investigation into the Rosenbaum incident had been bungled when evidence pointing to gross negligence in the case was not promptly reported to the D.C. Inspector General's office. One element of this evidence was a report which provided first-hand information that Rosenbaum's condition was much more severe than reported by EMS personnel earlier in the inspector general's investigation. Investigators said they believed the evidence showed that DCFEMS medical director Dr. Amit Wadhwa "may not have been fully responsive" to investigators and "may have made misleading statements during an official investigation". Wadhwa resigned in August 2006. A departmental spokesman said Assistant Chief of Operations Douglas Smith simply overlooked the evidence, and failed to pass it on. Although the evidence had now been found, the mayor's office declined to pursue any further investigation of negligence in the Rosenbaum case.
Boston Emergency Medical Services
- Chief of Department
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
In November 2001, the D.C. Office of Campaign Finance and the D.C. government's Office of the Inspector General began investigating Few for failing to disclose his relationship with a consultant the department had hired. Carl Holmes was hired by Few and Assistant Chief Gary Garland on a part-time basis at $1,800 a day some time in late 2000 or early 2011. Few had worked for Holmes in his previous job, and Few did not reveal his friendship with him as required by law. The following month, investigators discovered that Few had awarded two more no-bid contracts to Holmes.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
But the department was troubled. Training levels were low and customer service poor. The city's fleet was aging and in constant repair. Several fire stations were closed because they had no equipment with which to fight fires. Despite the delivery of a few trucks and engines in 2000, the department still needed to replace at least $7 million worth of old vehicles.
List of Chicago Fire episodes
The series follows the lives of the firefighters and paramedics working at the Chicago Fire Department at the firehouse of Engine Company 51, Truck Company 81, Rescue Squad Company 3, Ambulance 61 and Battalion 25, starring Jesse Spencer as Captain, previously Lieutenant Matthew Casey, Taylor Kinney as Lieutenant Kelly Severide, Charlie Barnett as Firefighter Candidate Peter Mills, who left the series in the third season episode "You Know Where To Find Me", Monica Raymund as Paramedic in Charge Gabriela Dawson, who left in the seventh premiere, Lauren German as Paramedic Leslie Elizabeth Shay, who died after an explosion in the third season premiere, Eamonn Walker as 25th Battalion Chief Wallace Boden, David Eigenberg as Lieutenant Christopher Herrmann, and Teri Reeves as Doctor Hallie Thomas. Other characters joined the series in later seasons.
London Fire Brigade
Dany Cotton is the Commissioner for Fire and Emergency Planning, which includes the position of Chief Fire Officer; she replaced Ron Dobson who served as Commissioner from 2007 until the end of 2016. Statutory responsibility for the running of the brigade lies with the London Fire Commissioner, which in April 2018 replaced the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA).
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
But at the end of May 2002, DCFEMS was in deep turmoil. The "Washington Times" called it a "crisis in management that has left the D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department with crumbling stations, aging vehicles, faulty radios, inadequate training and flagging morale among its 1,900-plus members". There was tension between firefighters and emergency medical services personnel (who had worse pay and benefits); turnover among low-paid paramedics left fire companies understaffed; low pay made it difficult to recruit new paramedics; the "dead zones" in the new radio system were still not fixed after two years; the city installed four radio antenna towers for its radio system instead of the 19 towers required; some firefighters were using vehicles that were supposed to have been scrapped four years ago; there were so few reserve vehicles that on some days there was no reserve; fire stations plumbing and roofs leaked, and electrical systems were outdated and in poor repair; and firefighter vacancy rates had not improved in two years, creating $2 million in overtime costs. The entire communications system failed for 10 and a half hours after three of the radio dispatch system's four towers suffered rain and lightning damage during a storm. Unqualified cadets were being allowed to graduate from an affirmative action firefighter training academy, and as many as two-thirds of the cadets in the program lacked emotional maturity, had discipline problems (one actually shot another), failed to show up for class, or failed required portions of the course. Training for veteran firefighters was so inadequate that the best-trained firefighters in D.C. were ones who got training by working part-time for all-volunteer fire departments near the District of Columbia.
Carlos A. Giménez
Joining the City of Miami Fire Department as a firefighter in 1975, he was appointed Fire Chief by City manager Cesar Odio in 1991, serving through 2000. While serving as Chief of Fire-Rescue, Giménez is credited with modernizing the City's Fire Department and overseeing one of the largest re-organizations in the department's history. He is a former member of the International City Managers Association, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the National Fire Protection Association, the Florida Fire Chiefs, and the Fire Officers Association of Miami-Dade. Commissioner Gimenez also served on the Federal Emergency Management Agency Urban Search and Rescue Advisory Committee and as the Chair of the Legal Issues Subcommittee.
Detroit Fire Department
By the end of March 2014, Commissioner Jackson resigned due to a life-threatening neural disease. On April 8, 2014, Deputy Commissioner Edsel Jenkins was named as the new Executive Fire Commissioner. He resigned in October 2015, and was succeeded in office by Eric Jones.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
Overtime pay dropped in Ellerbe's first eight months on the job. The department incurred $12 million in overtime in fiscal 2010, but according to Ellerbe was on track to spend just $5 million in all of fiscal 2011 (although that was still $1 million more than budgeted). The "Washington Examiner" credited the drop to a new legal limit of $20,000 in overtime per firefighter per year, imposed by the city council.
Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal
Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal (SIM) is responsible for fire and rescue operations in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. EMS first-response has been available in limited areas since 1976 and to the entire service area since 2009. The SIM is the 7th largest fire department in North America. The department offers High Angle Rescue (stations 13 & 27), Collapse Rescue (station 47), HazMat Response (station 29), Ice Rescue and Nautical Rescue.
Government of Denver
The DFD currently operates out of 34 Fire Stations (including 4 Airport Stations) in 6 Districts, each under the command of an Assistant Chief, located throughout the city. The Denver Fire Department also operates a fire apparatus fleet of 28 Engines, 14 Trucks, 1 Heavy Rescue, 1 Hammer Team (Technical Rescue) Unit, 1 Haz-Mat. Unit, 1 Collapse Unit, 1 Water Rescue Unit, and numerous other special, support, and reserve units. The current Chief of Department is Eric Tade.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
Rubin faced a major budgetary scandal in 2009 and 2010. In fiscal year 2009 (which ended September 30, 2009), DCFEMS spent $11 million on overtime, although it had budgeted just $5 million. Chief Rubin blamed the problem on extensive firefighter and EMS vacancies, which forced the department to incur overtime. Hiring freezes imposed by the city worsened the situation, he said, and led to even more overtime. Rubin warned the D.C. City Council in November 2009 that fiscal 2010 overtime expenditures would be about $8 million, although the council had approved an overtime budget that remained steady at just $5 million. To avoid going over budget, Rubin claimed that shutting down the fire training academy and the building inspection division, closing several fire stations, and reducing staffing on fire trucks was the only way to rein in these costs. City council members disputed his claim.
History of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department
The ambulance maintenance issue made national headlines on August 12, 2013, when a DCFEMS ambulance that was part of President Barack Obama's motorcade ran out of gas on the South Lawn of the White House. EMS personnel said they reported a broken fuel gauge months ago, while DCFEMS said workers failed to fill the vehicle with gasoline.
On August 13, 2013, two DCFEMS ambulances caught fire—one while delivering a patient a Washington Hospital Center, the other while responding to an emergency call at an apartment building on Benning Road SE. (Another ambulance was dispatched to take the patient to the hospital.) The firefighters union argued the problem arose from poor management, while DCFEMS said the problems either cannot be accounted for or are the result of rank-and-file incompetence or neglect. An image of the burning ambulance outside the apartment building made its way onto the Internet and received widespread distribution nationally.
Chicago Fire Department
CFD's Special Operations division has a Battalion Chief dedicated to it (5-1-5), who will always be among the chiefs dispatched to a special incident.
Because the Chicago Fire Department handles the city's Emergency Medical Services, certain large-scale incidents, such as a major vehicle accident or a building collapse will require a special EMS Response. This response is also known as a "Plan" from the CFD's EMS Division. These plans consist of EMS Units and Fire Units, depending on the incident. EMS Plans can also be assigned to fires where a large EMS presence is needed or special events, such as a marathon where injuries may arise.
During a Hazardous Materials (Haz-Mat.) Incident, such as a chemical spill or leak, the Chicago Fire Department assigned three specific levels of response depending on the size and magnitude of the incident. Aside from standard fire suppression equipment and Haz-Mat. equipment, the CFD also can dispatch standard fire suppression equipment whose crews have special training in hazardous materials situations and mitigation. These companies are called the Hazardous Incident Team (H.I.T.).