Mission Statement

The mission of the Poquonnock Bridge Fire Department is to provide the services necessary to minimize the loss of life and/or property threatened by the hazards of fire, explosions, medical, chemical, and rescue related emergencies, through fire suppression, code enforcement, and conscientious prevention and education.

The focus of the Mission Statement and a strategic planning effort shall be used to determine what services and the level of delivery, which the Department shall provide as a minimum to its taxpayers and guests visiting the community.  The potential services cover a wide range of hazards and delivery parameters. They include the following services:

Fire Suppression

Fire suppression operations are organized to effectively combat the types of fires that are likely to occur in the fire district. The priority goals of suppression activities are as follows:

	Save lives
	Limit the spread of fire
	Extinguish the fire
	Minimize the property damage from fire-related hazards

Firefighters are trained and equipped to perform an aggressive interior assault on structure fires in order to accomplish the goals.  Fires in structures present the highest probable risk to life and property in our district.  This includes fires involving occupancies such as single and multiple family dwellings, health care facilities, educational facilities, hotels, stores, office buildings, warehouses and various industries.  There are various construction types common within the protection area ranging from wood frame detached buildings to sprawling strip malls constructed of concrete and steel trusses.

The district experiences a large risk of fire in non-structural locations and facilities.  Outside fires involving brush, woods, propane and natural gas, and electrical equipment are not uncommon.  The community also contains major highway and railway arteries, and a commuter airport.  These transportation networks present the additional risk of fire in the respective vehicles and cargo.

Emergency Medical Services

The fire department provides the First Responder component to the community’s Emergency Medical Service plan.  The nearest fire department unit is dispatched to all life threatening incidents and situations where the ambulance service will be delayed. All line employees are trained as Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) to provide initial patient care.  Examples of the functions performed include patient assessment; airway management; oxygen therapy; stabilization of spinal, musculo-skeletal, soft tissue and shock injuries; stabilization of bleeding; stabilization and intervention for sudden illness, poisoning, heat/cold injuries, childbirth; and CPR and defibrillator capability.  Volunteer firefighters trained as Medical Response Technicians or Emergency Medical Technicians respond from home to incidents in their neighborhoods providing a rapid intervention for persons in need of medical care.

Rescue

Multi-Discipline rescue services are provided to cover a number of technical situations. These types of rescues include but are not limited to: vehicle extrication, boat/water emergencies, cold water/ice rescue, confined space rescue and structural collapse incidents.  

Hazardous Materials

Personnel operate at the Operational level in accordance with the Town of Groton Emergency Plan.  A defensive strategy is stressed for dealing with hazardous material incidents.  The mitigation of such incidents involves an eight-step process: site management, product identification, risk assessment, personal protective equipment, information/resource coordination, product control, decontamination, and termination.  Details on the steps are elaborated in SOP #200-3.9.  Technician level mitigation is provided by other agencies.  Prevention of hazardous material emergencies is attempted through code enforcement and application of standard safety practices.

Fire Prevention

 Fire Prevention activities provided by the department are part of the comprehensive plan to protect life and property from fire and other hazards.  Code enforcement, pre-construction plan review, public education, and fire investigations are the major components of the fire prevention plan.

Code Enforcement and Plan Review - The fire department has a responsibility to enforce many sections of Chapter 541 of the Connecticut General Statutes including numerous codes imposed by these statutes.  Annual inspections of buildings and plan reviews of proposed buildings for compliance with State statutes and regulations are conducted to rectify conditions which may cause fires or situations that may allow a fire to spread uncontrolled.  The primary goal of these inspections is to ensure the safe egress of occupants who may be endangered by the fire or its products.  The Fire Marshal, Deputy Fire Marshals and Inspectors, as certified to do so, carry out these inspections as assigned.  

Fire Investigation -  An investigation of all fires is conducted to determine the origin and cause of the ignition. This information is required in order to prevent the occurrence of future fires or at the very least reduce the severity.  If the fire is determined to be incendiary, a thorough investigation is intended to prosecute the guilty party.  In this case, the investigation becomes a deterrent to the crime of arson.   The investigations are performed by department personnel in conjunction with law enforcement agencies.  The data obtained is useful in targeting the areas of the community, demographics, and occupancies, which are more likely to have fires.  This information is then utilized in the strategic planning process to more effectively serve the community.

Public Education - Fire safety awareness programs focus on early childhood education and self-preservation training methods. This program entails the delivery of fire safety education to all day care, Pre-K and Kindergarten classes in schools located within the fire district. Age appropriate programs are delivered to the middle school and high school students on a regular basis. Community wide fire safety issues are incorporated into the department’s participation in neighborhood associations.  Programs aimed toward senior citizen groups in an effort to address their particular needs are provided as well.