Beekman Fire District

InfoboxFireDepartment
name = Beekman Fire Company, Inc.

incorporated = 1937
staffing = Volunteer
strength = 70
stations = 1
engines = 3
trucks = 1
squads = 4
rescues = 1
tanker = 1
utility = 2
helicopters =
fireboats =
EMSunits = 1
FirstResponderBLSorALS = CFR-BLS
chief = Shawn Beresford

Beekman Fire District is the name of the fire district that serves the town of Beekman, New York. The fire station is located in the hamlet of Poughquag at 316 Beekman Poughquag Road. [cite web |url=http://www.firedepartments.net/NewYork/Poughquag/BeekmanFireDistrict.html |title=Beekman Fire District - Poughquag, New York |accessdate=2008-04-03 |format=HTML |publisher=firedepartments.net ]

History

Beekman Fire District was the first Fact|date=April 2008 fire district in Southern Dutchess County, originating in 1937. The company originated with a few men talking it over at the Poughquag General Store and around the community. The first meeting was held in Town Hall at Poughquag on March 1, 1937. Soon, officers were elected, the constitution and bylaws drawn up and incorporated papers applied for. [http://www.beekmanhistory.com/id46.html Beekman Fire Department ] ] Beekman was the first fire company formed within Dutchess County's 8 original towns in 1937,Fact|date=April 2008 following East Fishkill Fire Department was formed, followed by Pawling. In 1977, Beekman was one of the first volunteer fire departments in the area to acquire the Hurst Tool. [ [http://www.beekmanfireco.com/documents/history.htm Past Chiefs ] ] The fire department received the United States Life Safety Achievement Award for five consecutive years in 2003. [ [http://www.beekmanfireco.com/documents/rfsi2003.htm The Beekman Fire Company has been presented with a Life Safety Achievement ward for the year 2003 by the Residential Fire Safety ] ] The award recognizes local fire prevention that contribute to reducing the number of lives lost in Residential House Fires each year. [ [http://firesafehome.org/indexflash.html Residential Fire Safety Institute: Operation Life Safety ] ]

Companies that provide mutual aid to Beekman, during a large scale event are Union Vale, Dover, East Fishkill, LaGrange and Pawling.

In April 2005 Beekman's rescue 34-51 was returning from a mutual-aid call in Pawling, when the driver lost control of the truck, killing himself and destroying the truck. 34-51's predecessor was 34-52 Rescue. [cite news |first=Nik |last=Bonopartis |coauthors=John Davis |title=New York Firefighter Dies in Accident |url=http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/article.jsp?sectionId=39&id=41060 |work=The Poughkeepsie Journal |publisher=Firehouse.com |date=2005-04-18 |accessdate=2008-04-03 ]

Department Squads

Auxiliary

The Beekman Ladies auxiliary are a group of females; often wives of firefighters at the firehouse, that conduct and assist at Bingo, Blood Drives, Fund Raising and preparing food for firefighters after Class A alarms. [ [http://www.beekmanfireco.com/auxiliary.htm Auxiliary ] ]

Engine Company

The Beekman Fire Company, Engine Company is responsible for handling all non-medical emergencies within the town's jurisdiction. Calls that the engine company are dispatched too may contain, but are not limited to Auto Accidents, Brush Fires, House Fires, and heavy rescue/extraction incidents. The engine company utilizes the Incident Command System while responding to structure fires, while utilizing the command boards located in each of the Supervisors vehicles.

Fire Police

The Beekman Fire Police are full empowered Peace Officers in the state of New York, pursuant to Section 209-c of the General Municipal Law (GML) and are registered through the Central State Registry of Peace Officers. Fire Police are charged with responsibilities such as crowd control, directing traffic at drills, fires and parades while maintaining a safe working condition for firemen on location. Prerequisites for becoming a Fire Police officer in Beekman is complete completion of the NYS mandated "Fire Police" course, and receive coaching from a senior Fire Police officer that has been in the squad for quite some time.

Rescue Squad

Calls to 9-1-1 for emergency medical services are dispatched through the Dutchess County Department of Emergency Management. The Beekman Rescue Squad is composed of Certified First Responders and Emergency Medical Technicians. A single Ambulance with Basic Life Support capabilities [ [http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/ems/counties/dutchess.htm Dutchess County ] ] is staffed by the rescue squad. All Advanced Life Support requests are sub-contracted out to Northern Dutchess Paramedics, whom are housed at the Town of Beekman Highway Garage.

tatistics

Fire Calls for 2007

From January 1,2007 to December 31,2007 the Beekman Fire District dealt with the following numbers of emergencies: [ [http://www.beekmanfireco.com/documents/activity/2007/ActivityReportDecember2007.pdf Beekman Fire Company Monthly Activity Report ] ]
* Structural fires: 21
* Non-structural fires: 14
* Non-fire emergencies: 886
* Medical emergencies: 681
* Total: 1,002

In total in 2007 there were 3 "serious" fires that became 2 Alarm fires or greater. The average response time was between 6-12 minutes and varied during different times during the day, and how many crews were on standby at the fire station.

Apparatus

All equipment is housed at the main station with the exception of 34-79, the ALS Ambulance.

ee also

East Fishkill Fire District

References

External links

* [http://www.beekmanfireco.com Beekman Fire Company: Official Website]