 OK,
let’s get this one out of the way first...
Q. Why do firemen wear red suspenders?
A. For the obvious
reason...to hold their pants up. The heavy-duty fire resistant
pants are made to fit over regular clothing, and therefore tend
to be loose at the waist to allow them to slip into them easily.
Q. What is the
average response time for Ponderosa VFD?
A. On the average, less than 6.5 minutes.
Q. How does that
compare to other departments?
A. That is better than nearly all neighboring departments,
including fully paid departments.
Q. Is response
time measured from the time of the call to the time the first
person arrives on the scene?
A. No, from the time of the call to the time the first
apparatus arrives.
Q. How can you
respond so quickly?
A. For the most part, our drivers live close to the station and
several of our members go directly to the scene and are ready to
go into action when the first truck arrives.
Q. Ponderosa is a
volunteer fire department. Does that mean that your firefighters
are less capable than paid, career firefighters?
A. Absolutely not! Career and volunteer firefighters
obtain essentially the same training, just under different
circumstances. All firefighters have continuing education
requirements, as well. And, all firefighters have the option of
pursuing specialized training in a wide range of areas --
hazardous materials, water rescue, and so on. There are also
various levels of certifications available.
Q. How many
firefighters does Ponderosa have?
A. Currently, we have 80 firefighters, most of whom are
certified. Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer firefighter
should contact the office to learn about qualifications and
training opportunities.
Q. How many
stations does PVFD have?
A. We operate out of three stations -- Station 61, 62
and 63. All three stations are equipped with Automatic
Defibriallators (for treating heart attack victims) and other
emergency medical service equipment used to assist Cypress Creek
EMS as a First Responder agency. Many of our members are EMS
certified as paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT).
At Station 61, there
are two Pierce Saber fire engines, each with a 1500 gallons per
minute pump, a 100 ft. aerial platform for use with commercial
and apartment fires, and a 750 gallon water tank. There is also
a rescue truck for vehicular rescues, hazardous materials, and a
breathing air replenishment system for the firefighters’
self-contained breathing apparatus.
At Station 62, there is
a Pierce Lance 1250 gpm pumper and a light Rescue truck, along
with a haz-mat mitigation supply trailer. At Station 63, there
is a 2001 Mini-Pumper Light Rescue, a 1992 Pierce Dash 1500 gpm
pumper, and an “ultra-light” airplane motor and propeller on
a trailer to remove smoke from large facilities. There are also
water rescue inflatable boats.
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