WPFD is very happy to announce the next additions to our response fleet. After much hard work and focused investment in our capabilities, our department has recently received two new rescue vehicles that will serve our department and community well.
Identical in design and construction, the two 2010 Ford F-550 trucks were custom built for our department by Central States Fire Apparatus in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. These vehicles are now in service since completing installs of department communication and response equipment for medical, rescue, and automobile fire/extrication.
Additionally, these trucks are equipped with high-pressure foam fire suppression equipment to address automotive and other fires. We can use this great new tool for faster fire ‘knock-down’ on wood and chemical/plastic/fuel fires using less water and reducing rekindle (restarts of fueled fire).
We have a special need at this time for additional people to help us with fire/rescue and medical calls during daytime hours and ask you to join us to help your community and neighbors.
Like many communities, our fire department is made of the people that work for a living. This means a majority of our volunteer force can be out of the area during ‘traditional weekday work hours (7am-6pm).
We would especially like to hear from you if:
Your job permits you to be available in/around your home area and available to respond during daytime hours
You work weekends and have a few days during the week that you are available to respond
You are retired and spend the majority of your time in the community during the day
We will provide the training and know-how. Just contact us to let us know if you are interested at 501-821-9320 with questions or visit your local WPFD station on a Tuesday night (7pm-9pm) for more information.
WPFD was dispatched to Stewart and Burlingame Roads on Monday (4/19/10) for a PCSSD School Bus that caught fire while on the way to school with children on-board. The bus began to smoke from within the engine compartment and the driver evacuated the children quickly before the fire begain to overtake the bus. WPFD was dispatched quickly and worked to control the fire that was fully engulfing the vehicle. Firefighters extinguished the blaze quickly but the vehicle was considered a total loss due to the extent of damage. At least there were no injuries to the occupants or driver in this incident. Only one minor injury was suffered by a responding firefighter. The firefighter is expected to make a full and hopefully a quick recovery.
West Pulaski Fire Department with assistance from Lake Maumelle Fire Department fought to control a large structure fire in an unoccupied home in the Ferndale area. Home owners were out of town when a fire broke out and our department was summoned to the early morning incident on Jones Road. Difficult access to the large home on a hilltop made fighting the fire a challenge as the fire fully engulfed the structure before firefighters arrived. The intensity of the fire made it impossible to save the house. A neighbor heard an explosion then saw flames and called 911. Assistant Chief Greg Brewer described the difficulty, ”We’re probably 800 feet off the road back there to it. When you see it from the road burning there’s nothing you can do it’s already through the roof.” He continued, ”We’re hauling water with tankers. We’ve hauled in about 25,000 gallons so far. This is a loss for this family and the firefighters who so desperately wanted to save the home.”
WPFD is excited about a newer fire vehicle that has just completed construction at Station #2 (Kanis Road). A truck chassis donated by the Arkansas Forestry Commission has been re-purposed as a Fire Tanker truck that will bring thousands of gallons to our fire responses. This vehicle has been designated as our new Tanker #2.
This 1993 International chassis was originally a stakebed truck used by the military for construction material delivery and will now work for us with its 2,000 gallon water tank. After receiving this chassis in October, it was sent to be retrofitted at the ADC fabrication facility in Tucker, Arkansas to get it in shape for its new life as a fire truck. Four new storage compartments were added, the entire vehicle was sandblasted, painted and then the interior was refurbished.
Firefighters at Station #2 got the truck back in early January and got right to work adding the necessary components to place it in service. Lots of wiring was added to install power controls, emergency lighting, sirens, air-horns, radios, work (scene) lighting, and tools/hardware necessary to get it roadworthy as a fire vehicle.
We are always happy to upgrade our equipment to serve our community better!
Click this link below to see additional pictures that are available at our gallery page for Tanker 2- Retrofit:
WPFD Firefighters were dispatched for an emergency patient extraction from a heavily wooded timber area recently. Responders coordinated efforts with MEMS Ambulance, Baptist Med-flight, Arkansas Game and Fish Officers, Saline and Pulaski County Sheriff offices to access extremely remote area within timber property to mobilize and extract the patient to a hilltop landing zone for emergency medical airlift to a hospital.
West Pulaski Fire Department responds to all emergency situations in our fire district area. At the time you dial 911 for emergency assistance, all necessary local (and sometimes state agencies) will be summoned as needed to begin the response, no matter what the call may be.
Choose Read More to see some images of the wildland rescue>>>>>>>
WPFD firefighters, with the help of LRFD Rescue 2, LRFD Engine 21, and MEMS worked to extricate a fallen climber from Shinall Mountain that suffered a broken ankle after falling 30 feet from a cliff area. See the story below reported by KATV.
