Islamorada Fire Rescue

[efdcapt115 1,511]

Islamorada (pronounced Isle-ah-more-ah-dah) is a chain of islands in the Upper Keys of Florida. The fire department has three stations, 19-20-21. The 23 brothers on the job are members of IAFF Local 4374. They work 24/48. It is a combo department with approx. 50 volunteer members on the rolls. They have a career chief. In 2009 they did about 2,500 runs; approx. 80% EMS. They have four frontline apparatus, and three ALS buses (Rescues). The department works closely with Medivac choppers, as the closest Level One Trauma Center is Jackson Medical Center up on the mainland.

Lower Matecumbe Key is home to Station 19. Here they run a 2000 Sutphen Snozzle, Hale, 1500 GPM, 500 gallon booster, and one ALS Rescue unit:

On duty this day are Firefighter/Paramedic Chris Staton(L), and Firefighter/EMT Bret Frankel:

Station 20 is located on Upper Matecumbe Key. It houses a 2008 Sutphen 75' mid-mount, Hale pump, 1500 GPM, 500 gallon booster:

Tour Commander, Captain Geo(Joe) Toth(L), Firefighter/EMT James Griffeth®:

Each firehouse has an ALS Rescue. Station 20 houses this 2006 Sterling, body by ALF:

They have a hydrant system in the Keys, and supplement their water supply with this 1999 Pierce Quantum tanker, Waterous, 1500 GPM, 3000 gallon tank:

Up to the new Headquarters building, located in Founders Park, north-eastern Upper Matecumbe:

1998 Pierce Saber, top-mount pump panel, Waterous, 1250 gpm, 500 gallon booster, CAFS system:

Station 21 Firefighter/Paramedic Andrew Gamil(L), and FF/EMT Ron Jacobs:

Many thanks to the brothers of Local 4374. Stay safe!

Edited March 4, 2010 by efdcapt115

[gpdexplorer 46]

Great pics Chief!

One question, does each crew man both apparatus and then respond with either their normal rig or a rescue depending on the type of call?

[PHIL78 129]

Do they take transfers?

[efdcapt115 1,511]

One question, does each crew man both apparatus and then respond with either their normal rig or a rescue depending on the type of call?

Exactly. While visiting Station 21, they received an EMS run and both members responded on the Rescue. The other rigs will relocate accordingly to maintain coverage.

[PFDRes47cue 653]

Great pics, thanks for sharing. How many runs do they get a year. EMS? FD?

[efdcapt115 1,511]

Great pics, thanks for sharing. How many runs do they get a year. EMS? FD?

As posted, about 2,500 runs in 2009; 80% EMS.

[Guest WCDES636]

Havn't I seen you preform at the Oceanview??

[gpdexplorer 46]

Exactly. While visiting Station 21, they received an EMS run and both members responded on the Rescue. The other rigs will relocate accordingly to maintain coverage.

Thanks Chief!

[efdcapt115 1,511]

......the Oceanview??

The OV! Another great place is The Whistle Stop. Locals' joint.

[Guest WCDES636]

The OV! Another great place is The Whistle Stop. Locals' joint.

Every time I go to the area, I actually stay at the OV. Great joint to use as a homebase.

[efdcapt115 1,511]

Piercing nozzle; can be effective in an area like this with much of the construction cinder-block, ordinary, Type III. Either that or it's a heat-seaking missle.

NOTE: Been facinated much of today with Google Picasa 3. Needed resizing for these images, and this download blew me away with it's ease and performance with the Windows 7 operating system. Great app for your photos!

[efdcapt115 1,511]

For all you Bus Buffs.....Nice grill, nice cab.

[efdcapt115 1,511]

[BFD1054 1,552]

Do they take transfers?

PHIL78...im not on the job anywhere lol, nor do i know much about this FD. However, years ago i looked into re-locating to Florida to persue a fire career. If youre currently on the job up here, i would think much of your training would be recipricle, no? May be something to look at. Although im not sure of their retirement system.

Exactly. While visiting Station 21, they received an EMS run and both members responded on the Rescue. The other rigs will relocate accordingly to maintain coverage.

Capt, thats interesting that they re-locate rigs to maintain their coverage, interesting. Thats gotta be a crazy job. One minute youre riding the bus, next you might be 1st due to a fire. How are Florida standards in regards to volunteer training? Are the volunteers in Islamorada pretty active and reliable?

Piercing nozzle; can be effective in an area like this with much of the construction cinder-block, ordinary, Type III. Either that or it's a heat-seaking missle.

Hey Capt, i hear some rigs on Long Island have heat-seeking missles . I think a piercing nozzle in a department like this is a very good idea. You have limited personnel where a piercing nozzle can be pretty effective. Are there any mobile homes in this area? Piercing nozzles would also work well for that application.

[efdcapt115 1,511]

Hi Mike,

Long time no see, how's the injury feeling? Hopefully better.

Regarding the standards for hiring or transfer; I've only "heard" (cannot say with any certainty) that Florida does not accept National FF1-2 Certification for hiring standards. They have their own.

With regard to responding they do fill multiple functions; Paramedic on a Rescue for one alarm, and responding in a fire truck the next. Different than NY no doubt. I haven't ever seen any, but it's my understanding some municipalities have firefighter/cops. Ever heard of that one?

Apparently they are having trouble with volunteer recruitment and retention; that much is like everywhere else I guess. Volunteering in Fl. is down.

As far as the piercing nozzle, I was thinking about a commercial occupancy with a cockloft fire as being a good example where this could be effective. If you have to pierce the cinder-block to get access, then pump it full of foam....could be effective.

It's kind of a high rent district, so the trailer parks are limited to places that cater to the PREVOST crowd. A retired Albany cop I know stays close to here in his RV which he owns outright. It's a good thing though, because the "hook-up" is $2,100 a month. That's to park, have water, electric and cable.

Anybody that tells ya Florida is cheaper to live; ain't been here in a while lol.

[efdcapt115 1,511]

Just a couple more........it really was fun doing this little project. I have a new found respect for all the fire photographers, and apparatus photographers out there. I gave the website addy to the Islamorada guys; if they read this, why not become members of this website? We're chock full of useless knowledge and then some. Thanks again!

[firebuff08 29]

I recently spent some time in Islamorada and it is beautiful there but the FD response times must suck, especially for the volunteers. The Village covers only 7 square miles, but it is a series of long and narrow islands. From the Village limits on the south to the Village limits on the north is 17 miles and there is only 1 (ONE) Road to travel on - US Route 1! The water is never more than a few blocks off to either side of Route 1 and in many places it is visible from Route 1 or even under Route 1. It can take 30 minutes to drive from one end of the village to the other!!! To put that into perspective, that is about the same distance as from the Westchester-Putnam County line north of Peekskill to North Tarrytown!! Try wrapping your head around covering that area with 3 stations, each manned by two people and all travel had to be along route 9A in Cortlandt and Croton and Rt 9 through Ossining and Briarcliff!!!!!!!!

[efdcapt115 1,511]

I recently spent some time in Islamorada and it is beautiful there but the FD response times must suck, especially for the volunteers. The Village covers only 7 square miles, but it is a series of long and narrow islands. From the Village limits on the south to the Village limits on the north is 17 miles and there is only 1 (ONE) Road to travel on - US Route 1! The water is never more than a few blocks off to either side of Route 1 and in many places it is visible from Route 1 or even under Route 1. It can take 30 minutes to drive from one end of the village to the other!!! To put that into perspective, that is about the same distance as from the Westchester-Putnam County line north of Peekskill to North Tarrytown!! Try wrapping your head around covering that area with 3 stations, each manned by two people and all travel had to be along route 9A in Cortlandt and Croton and Rt 9 through Ossining and Briarcliff!!!!!!!!

Quite accurate. I was told IFR has a PPC rating of 4; working hard on improving it to 3.

[efdcapt115 1,511]

I see that Captain Toth of IFR has joined us on EMTBravo. Welcome Cap! I hope the other brothers from your department will join us as well.

[Arrowxt 8]

That Pierce tanker looks to be the "Rear Steer" with the 425's on the rear. Was it a "Rear Steer" ?