FIRE:

Your Fire Department responded to 3,376 alarms in 1996, a 27.5% increase from the 2,929 alarms in 1995. The alarms were received as:

The Fire Department saw an alarming increase of 13% in structure fires. Seventeen residents were injured and thirteen lost their homes. Eleven fires reached serious proportions.

Besides fires, we also respond to vehicle extrications, structural collapses, flooding, assistance to the ambulance corps, utility failures, alarm system failures, and weather related problems. In 1996 the Department completed the refurbishment of its dispatch area. To report a FIRE residents are urged to use the township fire alarm and/or the fire emergency number (911) for the quickest, most reliable fire response service.

1996 was a very eventful year for the Fire Department, as we had a tremendous increase in alarms. This was due to many events in the Township.

We saw 13 storms blanket the area creating numerous weather related emergencies. Teaneck also was subjected to a major water main break. This required a major additional effort including the use of Fire Tank trucks from rural Fire departments riding from Teaneck fire stations. An arson fire at Teaneck High School occurred during the water emergency but thankfully it was quickly quelled.

The Fire Department participation in the Mid Bergen Mutual Aid Association with Bergenfield, Bogota, Hackensack, Englewood, Ridgefield Park, and South Hackensack remains unchanged. The Association also sponsors the Hazardous Materials Response Team, which includes 19 communities for primary haz-mat response.

The haz-mat team responded to a variety of calls in 1996. Most of these responses in the member communities were handled by their fire department haz-mat members. The entire team had to respond to several major calls during the year. The most severe occurred in Bogota, where a fully loaded, gasoline tanker truck was hit by a train and required the assistance of the Teaneck FD's Haz-Mat members as well as major dispatching efforts.

The Department has in place extensive fire protection and fire prevention programs. The fire prevention bureau conducted about 5,000 fire and building inspections, which included building plan reviews and meetings with contractors and developers. These inspections and meetings occur before and during construction to insure compliance with the New Jersey Uniform Building Code. The principal goal of the fire prevention program involves inspection of existing buildings to maintain a high level of life safety for building occupants. Neighborhood fire companies conducted about 1,900 inspections of commercial buildings and occupancies to insure proper storage conditions and adequate maintenance of existing facilities to comply with the NJ State Uniform Fire Code. In addition, over 800 inspections of residential smoke detectors were made in 1996 pursuant to State requirements in the resale of private homes and re-rental of rental units. The Bureau is also responsible for the investigation of all fires which occur in the township. The investigations are conducted with cooperation from local, County, State, and Federal agencies. These include local police, County Prosecutors, Arson Task Force, State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

Uniformed members of the Department attend continuing education courses covering a wide variety of subjects including firefighting, health and safety, arson detection, firefighter 2, firefighter 3, heavy rescue, CPR, and fire incident command. In 1996 Department members continued to expand their knowledge by also taking additional optional fire schooling. In addition, members participate in in-service company training to increase their level of expertise. Haz-mat team members comply with OSHA mandated training requirements. This Haz-mat training is conducted at State academies and in-house by team member certified State instructors.

Box 54 Fire Service Support Unit, a pioneer in Fireground Rehabilitation, is the only service of its kind in Bergen County. Established in 1952 and working out of Teaneck Fire Headquarters, this volunteer unit responds to fires and emergencies throughout the county around the clock. This unit provides nourishing refreshment to firefighters and emergency workers and also provides emergency communication if necessary as the truck is equipped with tri-state communication capability.

The new safety-rated fire gear worn by firefighters, hazardous materials crews, etc., creates greater demand on the body for rehydration as per the research and recommendations by the U.S. Fire Administration on nutritional needs of firefighters/emergency workers. Members of Box 54 are trained to recognize and attend to those needs and many are further trained in CPR, Haz-Mat, Incident Command, and other fire related fields. Qualified personnel teach Fireground Rehabilitation to fire and ambulance squads throughout the county.

In 1996 Box 54 responded to 116 calls which included three days serving the needs of Teaneck residents and adjacent communities following the water main break. Box 54 delivered hundreds of gallons of bottled water to Teaneck residents, senior citizens and shut-ins. Of the 116 calls in 1996,31 were Teaneck fires and emergencies.

Funding of supplies is from donations made by Teaneck and other fire departments. Call 837-2085 for further information about joining or contributing funds or supplies.