“Serving Our Community Since 1871”
The Hackensack Fire Department spends 4 to 8 hours daily on training. Today’s firefighter does not just fight fires. Their job description has expanded to many different areas, such as, EMS, High Angle Rescue, Confined Space Rescue, Trench Rescue, Water Rescue, Urban Search & Rescue, Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction, Vehicle Extrication, and of course we still fight fires. In order to be prepared to respond to all of these type calls there has to be continuing training in all of the above areas. The Hackensack Fire Department is dedicated to training so that they are best prepared to help all of those in need. Most training is accomplished in house. We also receive outside training from the IAFF, Bergen County Fire Academy, and other outside resources. Three of our members belong to NJ USAR Team Task Force One and do some extensive training with them and then come back and share their experience and training with the rest of the members.
Dispatch: Emergency: Call 911
In the event of a Fire or Medical Emergency, Dial 911. Dispatchers are on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and are (APCO) Association of Public Safety Communications Officials Licensed Certified Call Takers.
Fire Department Dispatchers also answer 911 calls for several other local communities as well. The dispatchers than give pre-arrival instructions to the caller to assist in the emergency, making sure all resources are notified at the time of the call.
Fire Suppression: Emergency: Call 911
Hackensack Firefighters are highly trained and skilled in not only fire suppression and prevention, but also in Heavy Rescue, Motor Vehicle Accident Extrication and many other areas. Each engine is equipped with specialized tools, including extrication tools and Squad equipment. Some of the more common responses are Gas Leaks, Water Leaks, House Lockouts, and Smoke and Carbon Monoxide detector activations. You may also see HFD if you call for an ambulance. We respond along with an ambulance on life-threatening medical emergencies all our members are first responder trained with a large amount also emergency medical technicians. Every Fire apparatus in Hackensack is equipped with medical equipment, a defibrillator, and narcan.
Special Operations: Emergency: Call 911
The Fire Service is always evolving and world events play a major role in that evolution. Years ago all firefighters had to worry about was putting out fires and the occasional cat in the tree, those days are long gone. Today’s firefighters now respond to a myriad of events. The Hackensack Fire Department continually trains to meet these challenges. We have been fortunate to receive grants for equipment and training, and now have several Special Operations Teams. Our operational capabilities have been greatly enhanced in the last few years in all areas. HFD has special operations teams that can respond to hazardous material incidents, structural collapse, trench rescue, confined space, and high angle rope rescue team. Hackensack was also chosen as one of 10 municipalities in Northern New Jersey to be given a Homeland Security Grant for training and equipment thru the Urban Area Security Initiative. Numerous members of our department have been partaking in a comprehensive ongoing training program in these areas in conjunction with the New Jersey Urban Search and Rescue Task Force (NJTF-1). This training is ongoing and has assisted HFD during the parking garage collapse on Prospect Avenue several years ago. The Hackensack Fire Department is the only department in Bergen County to have received this grant, and will respond to any incident we are called for, regardless of geographic boundaries.
Marine Division: Emergency: Call 911
The Hackensack Fire Department also responds to water emergencies, both on the river and off! We have three boats and the department has members that are trained in both ice and cold water rescue. The boats do get called out quite often, but not for river rescue as you might think. The majority of times the boats are in the water is on city streets! Several areas of the city are prone to brief flooding during a heavy rain. So, when you see large puddles on the streets, don’t drive thru them. They’re probably deeper than you think, and you very well could be seeing the boats up close and personal!
Rescue: Emergency: Call 911
The Rescue Company provides fire-fighting support to Line Firefighters whenever necessary, however, one of their primary functions are directed towards “First Responder” and Heavy Rescue such as “MVA” (Motor Vehicle Accidents), extrications, and stabilizing victims, including confined space rescues.
Fire Prevention: Call 201-646-7685
The Fire Prevention Bureau headed by the Fire Official, Deputy Chief Chris Annunziata is staffed with 4 full time and 8 part time licensed inspectors. The office is open from 9-4:30 M-F. The bureau is responsible for enforcing the Fire Code which includes fire inspections in all occupancies, commercial and multifamily. All occupancies should be registered with the bureau with the exception of owner occupied one and two family homes. If your building/tenant space is not registered with the bureau, call 201-646-7685 and ask for an application. Unregistered occupancies (including non-owner occupied 2 family homes) may be subject to court summons. If you are selling a condominium you will need to make an appointment to obtain a Certificate of Smoke Detector and Carbon Monoxide Compliance. This takes the place of a “CO” required for one and two family home sales. Firefighter Charlie Eyer is the city Fire Sub Code Official, the Fire Sub Code is responsible for fire inspections pertaining to new construction or new equipment. He primarily works out of the Building and Land Use Department, Temporarily located at 116 Holt Street and can be reached at 201-646-3920.
Public Education / Information Management: Call 201-646-8045
Public education delivers fire safety talks to schools, community groups, and attend events within the city. If your group has a upcoming event and would like to request the fire department to attend please contact LT. J Derevyanik for information and availability. Information management maintains the Fire Department Records Management System. These records include the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS), Statistical Data, . They also respond to insurance and billing inquiries. If you a copy of a fire report please contact fire prevention 201-646-7685.
ISO Class 1
Effective April 28, 2013, the Hackensack Fire Department has been upgraded to a Class 1 Fire Department by the Insurance Services Office (ISO). As a result of this achievement, the Hackensack Fire Department proudly joins an elite group of Class 1 fire departments. Of the more than 47,000 fire departments in the United States subject to the ISO survey, only 61 are rated as Class 1. In the state of New Jersey, Hackensack and Hoboken are the only Class 1 fire departments.
In the past years, Chief Freeman and other chief officers worked with members of the ISO gathering and reviewing the required information for the ISO rating. After the ISO’s data analysis was completed, Chief Freeman was notified by ISO of the department’s new rating of Class 1. This was a considerable upgrade from the department’s previous rating of class 3. Chief Freeman credits the department’s continued improvements in apparatus, training, equipment and communications to this superior ISO rating. He also credits the members of the Hackensack Fire Department for their hard work and dedication to the City Of Hackensack. Chief Freeman would like to thank the Mayor and Council as well as the City Manager for their continued support of the fire department.
It is important to note that the new ISO rating may improve insurance rates for residential, commercial, and industrial properties. Insurance companies often offer lower premiums in communities with better protection; therefore, residents, businesses, and industries should contact their current insurance provider to ascertain whether they qualify for a lower rate.
Through the Public Protection Classification (PPC™) program, ISO evaluates municipal fire-protection efforts in communities throughout the United States. Many communities use the PPC as a benchmark for measuring the effectiveness of their fire-protection services. The PPC program is also a tool that helps communities plan for improvements. A community’s investment in fire mitigation is a proven and reliable predictor of future fire losses.
ISO collects information on municipal fire-protection efforts in communities throughout the United States. In each of those communities, ISO analyzes the relevant data using a Fire Suppression Rating Schedule (FSRS), which is the guideline ISO uses in reviewing the fire-fighting capabilities of individual communities. The schedule measures the major elements of a community’s fire-suppression system and develops a numerical grading called a Public Protection Classification (PPC™). This is how (ISO) breaks down the percentages and determines the community’s rating. They then assign a Public Protection Classification from 1 to 10. Class 1 represents superior property fire protection, and Class 10 indicates that the area’s fire-suppression program does not meet ISO’s minimum criteria.
Fire alarms- Ten percent of the overall grading is based on how well the fire department receives fire alarms and dispatches its fire-fighting resources. ISO field representatives evaluate the communications center, looking at the number of operators at the center; the telephone service, including the number of telephone lines coming into the center; and the listing of emergency numbers in the telephone book. Field representatives also look at the dispatch circuits and how the center notifies firefighters about the location of the emergency.
Fire companies- Fifty percent of the overall grading is based on the number of fire companies and the amount of water a community needs to fight a fire. ISO reviews the distribution of fire companies throughout the area and their response times. ISO also checks that the fire department tests its pumps regularly, tests its aerial ladders, and inventories each engine company’s nozzles, hoses, breathing apparatus, and other equipment.
ISO also reviews the fire-company records to determine type and extent of training provided to fire-company personnel, number of people who participate in training & drills, firefighter response to emergencies, and maintenance and testing of the fire department’s equipment.
Water supply- Forty percent of the grading is based on the community’s water supply. This part of the survey focuses on whether the community has sufficient water supply for fire suppression beyond daily maximum consumption. ISO surveys all components of the water supply system, including pumps, storage, and filtration. To determine the rate of flow the water mains provide, evaluators from ISO observe fire-flow tests at representative locations in the community to determine the rate of flow the water mains provide. They also review the condition and maintenance of fire hydrants. Lastly, ISO counts the distribution of fire hydrants no more than 1,000 feet from the representative locations
If anyone would like to review the current ISO report, contact the fire chief’s office. Additional information on ISO can be found at www.iso.com.
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