Tag Archive for: #hendersonfirestudy

Henderson Fire Dept

Town Talk 01/14/20: City’s Fire Study Finds ‘More Personnel Needed Now’

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

Henderson Fire Chief Steve Cordell appeared on WIZS Town Talk Tuesday at 11 a.m.

Cordell discussed current activities involving the fire department including the City’s recently completed fire study, the annual smoke detector campaign and the upcoming county-wide campaign to be held in partnership with the American Red Cross.

Following up on a news story aired last week on WIZS 1450 AM/ 100.1 FM and posted online at WIZS.com, Cordell said years of talks with the Henderson City Council and City Manager Frank Frazier resulted in the budgeting of a fire study conducted and recently completed by outside company Management Solutions for Emergency Services.

According to Cordell, the study was completed prior to the Christmas holidays and results were presented at the Henderson City Council’s Public Safety Committee meeting held January 8.

The biggest takeaway from the study is the recommendation for the construction and operation of a third fire station in the western part of Henderson, with a suggested location of the Dabney Drive and 158 Bypass area.

Henderson is currently served by two fire stations located approximately one mile apart: Station #1 at 211 Dabney Drive and the historic Station #2 at 205 N. Garnett Street in downtown Henderson.

While just the first step in what would most likely be a lengthy process if pursued, Cordell said the study indicated what is needed now, prior to another station being built, is additional personnel.

“We currently have 30 firefighters assigned to shifts and four in administrative positions for a total of 34 certified firefighters. The staffing level has been the same since Station #1 was built on Dabney Drive in 1974. The study advised that we are in need of 12 additional personnel now to be fully staffed on fire engines and fully staffed on ladder truck response.”

Currently, the fire department responds to calls with two fire engines and either a ladder truck or rescue vehicle, depending on the situation, Cordell explained.

Smoke Detector Campaigns

Cordell reported that the City’s current annual smoke detector campaign, which begins anew each November, was 75% completed by the end of December.

“We finished the campaign for three-fourths of the city right before Christmas,” said Cordell. “Now we have the last 25% of the city to reach, so will start working on that again very soon.”

Started in 2009 after a Vance County family lost several of their children to a house fire, firefighters go door-to-door each year offering residents a free home inspection that includes checking for fire hazards, replacing old/broken smoke alarms and replacing batteries on working units.

To assist those in the county, the Henderson Fire Department, in partnership with the American Red Cross, will team up with NC Central University, Vance County’s fire departments and other community volunteers and organizations on Monday, January 20, 2020, for a “county-wide fire inspection canvassing event.”

Tune in live to WIZS Town Talk this Wednesday at 11 a.m. for more information on the county-wide event.

With questions regarding your smoke detector, fire safety or to schedule a time for a free home inspection, please call the Henderson Fire Department at (252) 430-1877.

To hear the interview with Cordell in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

Henderson Fire Dept

Henderson Fire Study Recommends Building Third Station

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

In a follow-up on the Henderson City Council’s Public Safety Committee meeting held Wednesday afternoon, City Manager Frank Frazier and Henderson Fire Chief Steve Cordell provided WIZS News with more details on the City’s recently completed fire study.

Henderson is currently served by two fire stations located approximately one mile apart: Station #1 at 211 Dabney Drive and the over 100-year-old historic Station #2 at 205 N. Garnett Street in downtown Henderson.

“After a fair amount of annexations over the last few years, we felt like it was time to review our station distribution and coverage areas,” Frazier said. “Years ago, we looked at a third station, but we felt like a study was needed to see what the data shows.”

The study, conducted by Management Solutions for Emergency Services based out of Greenville, SC, began in August 2019 with the pulling of station files dating back to 2010 – almost a decade’s worth of data.

According to Cordell, the study indicated that a third fire station was recommended for city coverage, with a suggested location around the Dabney Drive, 158 Bypass area.

“According to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), engines are supposed to be able to respond within a mile and a half; that’s what they look at when they do ISO ratings. It is two and a half miles for ladder truck companies,” said Cordell. “A new station in that vicinity would give us 92% for a mile and a half engine coverage in the city.”

The ISO (Insurance Services Office) sets ratings for fire departments on a scale of 1 to 10 based on a number of factors that impact response time and safety, Cordell explained. The lower the department’s ISO number, the less risky your house seems to insurance companies. This can equate to paying less for your homeowners insurance in the long-run.

The City’s current ISO rating is a 2, a feat that Frazier said is owed to the hard work and dedication of the fire department.

“Eventually, building another fire station could help us get to a 1; that’s a goal,” Frazier said.

Getting a third fire station built would be quite the process as Cordell estimated a $2 million price tag for the land and building, with an additional $600,000 annual operations cost for the study’s 12 recommend department staff and equipment.

Frazier said it is a large expense and the City would need to look at additional ways to fund the project, including any available USDA or FEMA assistance.

“It’s a lot of information to be absorbed and you’ve got to look at all the parameters,” said Frazier. “Everyone involved needs to review this study in-depth and decide how to proceed moving forward.”

With Frazier set to retire from the City at the end of January, he said this will be a major task moving forward for newly hired manager Edward Terrell Blackmon.