SOG's during flooding

[rutola413 5]

With all this recent rain/snow, I was just wondering what different Departments due for flooding.

Will you respond to a basement pump-out? Any SOG's for Basement pumps.

Do you assist PD in road closures?

Do you have a "storm stand-by" at the station? If so, does you dispatch tone out for the stand-by?

Etc

[PFDRes47cue 653]

With all this recent rain/snow, I was just wondering what different Departments due for flooding.

Will you respond to a basement pump-out? Any SOG's for Basement pumps.

Do you assist PD in road closures?

Do you have a "storm stand-by" at the station? If so, does you dispatch tone out for the stand-by?

Etc

You respond to pump-outs (Pump Details) if your department cares about Public Relations...

With that said....Pleasantville FD does not do pump-outs. (To the best of my knowledge)

However, Potsdam FD does a lot of pump details. Pump details are very good for PR and also allow you to check out different houses. Earlier this fall, Potsdam experiences a flash flood and Potsdam FD responded to some 60 pump details in about 12 hours. We also requested mutual aid from surrounding towns to go to numerous other pump details. For pump details, we are dispatched in house and by county just like for fire calls. If there is severe flooding, we set up a command post and rehab center in HQ. Firefighters return to HQ for food and rest when needed. When we are faced with a lot of pump details, we will prioritize these. Typically, the higher the water, the quicker we come. While waiting for the water to be pumped out, we walk around and check other nearby houses and shut off the gas/electricity if needed. You would be amazed at how much this means to residents and how much money in the form of donations it brings in. We will also check houses for smoke detectors and install smoke detectors free of charge if none are found or if the existing ones are old.

As far as storm stand-by's we do not do these (at lest sine I have been a member) Part of the reason is that there are always a bunch of people hanging out at the station on (stand-by) all the time. Also, if the weather Potsdam is getting pounded by weather, people tend to make their way to the station anyways. It is amazing the difference that good moral makes around the firehouse and amongst the membership.

Edited December 13, 2010 by PFDRes47cue

[38ff 250]

Pump outs, while far from "cool" are excellent PR with the community, and we have found that residents do not forget when it is time for our yearly fund drive. Our pump out plan is one apparatus with a crew, no lights/no siren, with a trash pump that is used ONLY for pump outs. We give some pointers to the residents about sump pumps and the like, and have found that most take it and we only go to the house once, as the homeowner heeds our advice. Durring storms whem we have multiple pump outs, an officer will triage the calls, and the worst (highest water/electrical/furnace) get done first, and we go from one to the next, trading out crews as needed.

Edited December 12, 2010 by 38ff

[eric12401 77]

We do pumps as well, but there is a small section where a stream tends to flood a couple houses, and we can't do anything about it. We will assist them in moving items to higher ground if asked to though.

[ny10570 745]

Since when did PFD stop doing pump outs? The pump from old 91 was moved to the utility a while back. Did the old pump just give out?

[PFDRes47cue 653]

Since when did PFD stop doing pump outs? The pump from old 91 was moved to the utility a while back. Did the old pump just give out?

We have not done pump outs since hit with a the effects of a hurricane in 2004. I have not seen the old pump from 91 in a long time. It may not be a departmental order that we do not do pump details, but it seems the residents have been persuaded or convinced not to bother asking. Most residents whom I have personally helped with water issues, were concerned about requesting the fd.

I may be missing something but it would appear we P'ville FD does not do pump outs. In my eyes, the department could use the positive PR.

If P'ville FD does do pump outs, people (residents, members, etc) don't seem to know about it. Communication is vital!

Edited December 13, 2010 by PFDRes47cue

[JM15 386]

My feeling is if someone calls you go and do all you can. Of course if there is an actual emergency those resources shouldnt be tied up.

[Brenman1988 11]

]My department has dealt with this many times. For pump-outs we have a truck equipped with and assortment of pumps including two trash pumps. If there are multiple pump-outs we set up a command center in our firehouse and have crews at the firehouse equip multiple trucks as needed and dispatch the trucks from the firehouse by radio. We then prioritize which house is pumped out first. It depends on water height and if it endangers any utilites or furnace.

We also have the issue of having a creek run through the middle of our town. As in 2005 and 2007 it sometimes floods and evacuations and road closures need to be done. We go door to door and advise the residents the necessity to evacuate and once they leave we mark the houses and have the utility company cut power to the street. We have apparatus on either side of the creek and set up East and West command and have a central command at our firehouse. Unfortuately we have gotten alot of practice at this and keep updated with weather and water levels throughout.

This was the command board at our 2007 flood. It has who was on each apparatus and where they were and water levels at certain times on the left

[grumpyff 1,159]

Since when did PFD stop doing pump outs? The pump from old 91 was moved to the utility a while back. Did the old pump just give out?

Did they ever? never did one in all my time there.

Patterson does them. we send our brush truck with a trash pump. We have three decent pumps available if needed one is stored on the brush truck, other two in the house (plus some dinosaurs in the basment if it gets REAL BAD).

[ny10570 745]

It was infrequent, but there were never places that regularly flooded. I can remember two, one on Brentwood because of an ice dam behind the house and another because of a broken hydrant I think in the flats.