Show All Answers

1. Where should smoke detectors be placed in my home?

Residential smoke detectors are early warning devices to wake a sleeping person or persons. Smoke detectors should be placed in each bedroom (sleeping area) and in the hallway leading to the bedrooms.

2. What is the best fire extinguisher to purchase for home use?

There are several different types of fire extinguishers. We suggest that you go to your local hardware store and see extinguishers for home use. As a general rule, extinguishers labeled Class ABC are best for home use. There are several different sizes, please find the extinguisher appropriate for the size of the room it is intended for.

3. Am I allowed to drive over a fire hose?

No, it is illegal to drive over any deployed fire hoses, whether they are full of water or not. The weight of a vehicle can cause fire hoses to burst, which can endanger the lives of our firefighters as well as bystanders. It can also impede our efforts to extinguish the fire. Vehicles are frequently cited by Watertown Police for driving over fire hoses.

4. Who do I call if a fire hydrant needs repair (leaking, broken or missing caps, etc)?

Call Watertown Municipal Utilities at 882-6233. WFR has no involvement in the maintenance or repair of fire hydrants.

5. When you are not out fighting fires or on ambulance calls, what do you do?

Firefighters work a 24-hour shift. We eat, sleep and work out of our fire station. We purchase and cook all of our own meals. All daily maintenance on fire department vehicles is performed at the fire stations. We are involved in educational programs in the schools and to the public. We perform fire inspections at businesses throughout the City of Watertown. We also attend daily training to help maintain and continuously improve our skills, much of which is federally and state mandated.

6. When I called 911 and asked for an ambulance, why does a fire truck also respond with the ambulance?

Frequently medical calls require the assistance of more than just the two personnel that arrive on the ambulance. Since all of our staff are medically trained, we frequently utilize the extra manpower of an engine or rescue crew for calls where the patient is experiencing chest pain, difficulty breathing, or perhaps has been involved in a traffic accident. This is in line with federal standards, and allows us to provide the best possible care for the patient.

7. When I called 911 and asked for a fire truck, why does an ambulance also respond?

All of our Paramedic's are also cross-trained as firefighters (they even keep their firefighting gear on the ambulance). Federal standards require that we have a minimum number of personnel on scene before we enter a burning structure or other hazardous incident. If you report a fire incident, it’s common for an ambulance to respond with the fire truck to provide this assistance. This provides safety in numbers and allows us to extinguish your fire more quickly.

8. Why does the emergency equipment sometimes run with lights and siren, then just turn them off?

On occasion, the fire engine and ambulance will be driving with lights and sirens and then suddenly turn them off--perhaps only to turn into a parking lot or side street. Be assured that when this happens it means we have received information through our 911 dispatchers that the caller or incident is no longer a dire emergency. It is what we call "being cancelled". Any or all of the apparatus may continue to drive to the call or perhaps some will return to the Fire Station.