BUSIEST STATION/DEPARTMENT. CLARIFYING THE NUMBERS… On Sunday, The Sun Sentinel ran a story about Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue having the “Busiest Fire Station in the US and Canada” Regarding Ft Lauderdale Fire Rescue Station 2 as “the busiest….” unfortunately the author of the article was not advised that Fort Lauderdale Fire Station 2 is actually two stations (that cover two separate districts) in one. It houses 17 Firefighters that operate seven vehicles. Last year that station ran 25,018 calls for a total of 3574 calls per unit. By comparison, Hollywoods Fire Station 5 (which was ranked 17 busiest nationwide in the same survey) only houses nine Firefighters which staff only four vehicles. Last year it ran 14,561 calls, for a total of 3640 calls per unit. Note: this figure doesnt reflect the 300+ calls each year that the station runs into Dania Beach for Automatic Aid. I submit that if Hollywood were to combine both of its busiest stations/districts, our numbers would soundly crush the competition. Side by Side Comparison; A further breakdown of the numbers: Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue covers 38.5 sq. miles with 11 Fire Stations and 382 Firefighters. The Department ran 44,387 calls in 2013 for a total of 4035 emergency calls per station. Hollywood Fire Rescue on the other hand, covers 28sq. miles out of only six Fire Stations and 200 Firefighters with the same staffing levels as 1989. Last year, however, our Department ran 29,475 emergency calls, for a total of 4912 emergency calls per station. Now normally, one would view this clarification, as petty or meaningless. Ill view it as taking pride in ones very own Department, much like one would defend his/her own favorite sports team or car brand from ambiguous reporting. But when one also factors in the non-stop, exhaustive physical and emotional toll experienced by each of our Firefighters in comparison, one starts to understand why the members of the Hollywood Professional Firefighters Association have the dubious distinction within Florida Fire Departments of not lasting long after retirement. Of course, nobody is disputing the validity of Fort Lauderdale’s Fire Station 2 as being busy, but pound for pound; call for call, station for station and member for member….Hollywood Fire Rescue still remains a champion among titans! Anthony J Vera Firefighter/Paramedic – Hollywood Fire Rescue General Secretary/Public Relations Officer – Hollywood Professional Firefighters Damned proud of my Department! Sources: Firehouse Magazine 2013 National Run Survey
Posted on: Mon, 25 Aug 2014 13:56:52 +0000