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Fire

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1. How do I obtain a copy of a fire report?

An official fire report can be obtained at:
Greenville Fire Department
100 Public Square
Greenville, OH 45331
Please be advised that it usually takes three (3) business days for the fire report to be prepared. A $0.05 per page copy fee is required to be paid before a report can be supplied. For report requests via US Mail, a self-address, stamped envelope must be supplied to provide the report.

2. How many Fire Stations are in the City of Greenville?

The City of Greenville has one firehouse located in the city at 100 Public Square.

3. What is the ISO rating of the City of Greenville?

The Insurance Services Office has determined a Public Protection Classification of 4 for the City of Greenville.

4. Are there always Firefighters on-duty at the Greenville Fire Department?

Yes, there are always firefighters on-duty in the station; however, the firefighters may not be there due to them responding to an emergency incident or may be out of the station performing training or other details such as fire safety inspections, checking fire hydrants, performing pump tests, etc.

5. How many Firefighters are at the fire station?

The number of Firefighters assigned to the firehouse can range from five (5) to seven (7). Each shift is composed of a Captain, Lieutenant, and five firefighters. The number of Firefighters at the firehouse varies according to the number that may be off-duty on approved leave during each shift.

6. What kind of work schedule does a Firefighter have?

A Greenville Firefighter works 53 hours per week. This is accomplished by three shifts working 24 hours on-duty and 48 hours off-duty with a “Kelly Day” every two months. This schedule works out to be 114, 24-hour days (2736 hours) per year.

7. What is a typical workday for a Firefighter?

The Shift Captain assigns fire station duties to the crew for that day. Duties include apparatus checks, cooking, cleaning, and hydrant inspecting/testing. Firefighters also participate in community events and in-service training activities. The in-service training involves classroom instruction and hands-on training. Incidents may interrupt assigned duties, such as emergency and non-emergency incidents, which includes but are not limited to residential, commercial, vehicle, or trash fires, motor vehicle accidents, and fire alarms.

8. Are there ranks among the Greenville Firefighters? If so, what are they? How is a Firefighter promoted?

The Greenville Fire Department has three officer promotional opportunities for firefighter advancement. The sequences of ranks for promotion are:

• Firefighter to Fire Lieutenant
• Fire Lieutenant to Fire Captain
• Fire Captain to Assistant Fire Chief
• Assistant Fire Chief to Fire Chief

Promotions in the Department are based on Civil Service Testing.

9. Who is in charge of the Greenville Firefighters?

The Fire Chief leads the Fire Department and reports to the Safety/Service Director who is appointed by the Mayor to provide overall management and leadership of the Greenville Fire Department.

10. What does the fire department do on a fire scene?

The primary duties of the firefighters are to search any building that is or could be occupied for people that may need rescued and to extinguish the fire. Additional companies are charged with supplying water to the first engine, to be on standby to serve as backup for the first crew, gain access through “forcible entry”, and “ventilate” (the process of removing heat and smoke).

11. What is your Department’s average response time to an emergency?

Our average response time is 4.63 minutes (all calls, emergency and non-emergency).

12. How many fires does your Department respond to each year?

Greenville Firefighters respond to an average of 506 emergency calls in the City of Greenville annually. Greenville Firefighters also respond to an average of 25 mutual aid calls annually.

13. What was the biggest fire in the history of Greenville?

The City of Greenville has experienced several large fires in its history.
Several of these notable fires are:

• Palais Garden, Wayne Street, January 23, 1929 – one boy killed
• Sherman-White Poultry Plant, December 12, 1932 – Firefighter George E. Grossman killed in the line of duty
• Treaty Co. Foundry, Gray Avenue, July 14, 1941
• Producer's Creamery, Gray Ave., March 6, 1947 – 3 killed, 1 injured
• Cedar Point Auto Wrecking Co., 36 East, April 6, 1948
• Fairgrounds Secretary's Office, December 3, 1949
• Greenville Country Club, 36 East, January 30, 1951
• Treaty Company, Gray Avenue, April 23, 1951
• Fairgrounds Stock Pavilion, February 14, 1954
• Fairgrounds Horse Barn, March 2, 1954
• Hobart Brothers, Martin Street, December 4, 1957
• Basil Grubbs, Hall Street, May 3, 1966
• Darke County Tile Mill, Chestnut Street, August 13, 1976
• Darke County Home, 127 South, August 13, 1976
• Residential Fire, Martin and Warren Streets, February 14, 1991 – 4 Firefighters’ trapped and rescued via ladder
• Residential Fire, 112 Montgomery Street, September 16, 2007 – 5 killed, 4 injured
• Warehouse Fire, 126 West Third Street, July 16, 2010 – Arson fire, two person’s convicted

14. What do I do when I see an emergency vehicle approaching when I am driving?

Motorists should pull their vehicles safely to the right when an emergency vehicle is approaching. It is not recommended to stop in the middle of the road or proceed through an intersection against the signals. Remember to safely pull to the right and stop.

15. Why do I see fire trucks at the grocery store or at other stores?

Firefighters work 24-hour shifts, which require grocery shopping for food to cook, and shopping at other stores for other items needed to stock the firehouse or purchasing items for making repairs to the fire apparatus or other equipment.

16. Why do the fire trucks turn on their lights to back into the station?

Greenville fire stations are not equipped for the fire apparatus to pull through the bays. Therefore, it requires the fire apparatus to back into the fire station. In an effort to back the fire apparatus into the bay the driver of the fire apparatus turn on the emergency lights (red lights) to warn all vehicles
to stop.

17. Why does the fire engine respond to auto accidents?

The Greenville Fire Department is dispatched to all auto accidents that have injuries or other hazards to the public reported to the dispatch office. In many instances, auto accidents require Firefighters to remove injured persons who are trapped. The Greenville Fire Department has special tools and equipment (Jaws of Life) for this purpose. Firefighters also assess the
scene for hazards, such as fuel leaks and downed power lines, to disable airbags and auto batteries that may need disconnecting for the safety of injured persons and emergency personnel working at the incident scene. In addition, all Greenville Firefighters are certified as Emergency Medical Technicians and assist with the medical care of injured patients.

18. What does it mean when my smoke alarm chirps?

The smoke alarm will chirp when it’s time to replace the battery. We encourage residents to change the smoke alarm battery when they change their clocks for Daylight Saving Time in the spring and fall each year. If you cannot change the battery on your smoke detector, contact the Fire Department at 548-3040 and we will do it for you.

19. What should I do if I need a smoke detector?

Smoke detectors are available at many retail stores. If you cannot afford one, contact the Fire Department at 548-3040 and we will provide one for you.

20. Is it possible to tour the fire station?

Yes, to request to visit the fire station call 937-548-3040.

21. Does the Greenville Fire Department refill fire extinguishers?

Unfortunately, the Greenville Fire Department does not refill fire extinguishers. It is recommended that you contact a commercial fire Updated: 9/27/2011 Page 5 of 7 extinguisher company for recharging. A listing of commercial fire extinguisher companies can be found in the local phone directory under fire extinguishers/equipment. Many household fire extinguishers cannot be recharged and must be discarded after use. An annual inspection of the expiration date is encouraged to ensure that the manufacturer date has not expired.

22. When should I call 9-1-1?

The Greenville Fire Department recommends dialing 9-1-1 for fires, injury or any life-threatening emergency incidents.

For non-emergency incidents, contact the City of Greenville’s Fire Department at 937-548-3040.

23. When reporting a fire, what do I tell the dispatcher?

To report a fire, remain calm and provide the dispatcher with the following:

1. Where the fire is located.
2. What is on fire.
3. Who is in danger or trapped.
4. Give brief details about the fire (example: odor, smoke, or flames).

24. When reporting a MEDICAL emergency, what do I tell the dispatcher?

To report a Medical emergency, remain calm and provide the dispatcher with the following:

1. The location of the sick or injured person.
2. What the symptoms are of the injured or ill person.
3. Does the person have a known history of illnesses?
4. Does the person take medication?

25. When reporting a VEHICLE accident, what do I tell the dispatcher?

To report a vehicle accident, remain calm and provide the dispatcher with the following:

1. The location of the accident scene.
2. The number of injuries at the accident scene.
3. Number of vehicles involved in the accident.
4. Report a brief description of the vehicles.
5. Report harmful hazards (gasoline leaks, chemical spills, and wires down).
6. Witnesses should remain on the scene until the EMS unit and Greenville Police and Fire arrive.

26. How does a person become a Greenville Firefighter?

The City of Greenville establishes an eligibility list for the position of Career Firefighter through a Civil Service selection process.

Step1: Application
Applicants must be at least 18 years of age, a United States citizen, possess a valid motor vehicle operator’s license, and possess a high school diploma or G.E.D. (at time of appointment). The Greenville Civil Service Commission will notify applicants of the time and place to report for your examinations.

Step 2: (Phase 1) Written Exam (Phase 2) Physical Capability Testing
The initial testing will be conducted under the direction of the Greenville Municipal Civil Service Commission. Those applicants who score sufficiently high enough will proceed to the next level.

Step 3: Background Investigation
A Personal History Questionnaire will be required from each candidate. Candidates also will sign waivers allowing the Background Officer to conduct an extensive background investigation. At this time, the candidate must submit a high school diploma or G.E.D.

Step 4: Oral Interview
The candidate will be required to go before an Oral Interview Board consisting of Fire Department and Human Resources representatives.

Step 5: Medical/Stress Evaluation
This step will involve a physical examination including vision and cardiovascular stress tests. Candidates must be free of dependence and addiction to narcotics, alcohol or other controlled substances.

Step 6: Appointment
Firefighter candidate names will be submitted to the Safety/Service Director for final selection and appointment to the Greenville Fire Department. Fire candidates will be notified by letter of an appointment date to report to the Fire Department. Fire recruits will be required to successfully complete approximately three months of paid training when they enter the Greenville Fire Department. All trainees will be required to successfully complete a six month probation period from date of fire training certification.

Auxiliary Firefighter:
The Greenville Fire Department also maintains a small force of Auxiliary Firefighters. Interested persons must hold a minimum of Ohio Volunteer Firefighter certification, successfully complete an interview, the physical ability test, background checks and a medical exam.