Letter to the Editor: Accurate Chappaqua Fire Department Statistics

Dear Editor:

In the first few lines of a recent Letter to the Editor it is stated that there were only 4 fires in Chappaqua [on average per year]. This number has been getting thrown around in a many discussion groups, but it is not correct and is misleading.

I am not sure who the source is for the that number, but I feel it is important to get you the correct information (see below).

More importantly I think it is essential for the residents of Chappaqua to know what the volunteer firefighters and officers do for the community.

Chief Greg Bologna

Members (as of 8-Oct-16): 69

2016 Fire Alarm Statistics

YTD 314 alarms (as of 8-Oct-16)

· 20 active fire related alarms

o 5 brush fires

o 2 car fires

o 13 fires in structure (includes chimney, furnace, oven, appliance, and electrical fires)

· 7 smoke/odor removal requiring ventilation

· 31 motor vehicle accidents

· 17 gas leaks with potential explosion

· 10 carbon monoxide incidents with positive readings and health hazard

· 17 mutual aid responses

· 31 electrical hazards (including inside structure as well as wires down, damaged utility pole and/or transformer fire)

· 19 water hazards inside structure (flooded basement, broken fire suppression system etc.)

· 23 good intent calls (steam, dust, unfounded odor)

· 6 hazardous conditions (hazardous/flammable fluid spills)

· 2 medical assist (CVAC)

· 78 unintentional transmission of fire alarm (burnt food, failure to open chimney flue etc.)

· 53 malfunctioning alarm systems

Average response time 6.5 minutes

2016 Fire Alarms (as of 4-Oct-16)

Man/Women Hours: 1,813

2016 Training (as of 4-Oct-16)

Man/Women Hours: 2,193

Note: Hours includes in-house drills and training, drills and training courses at Westchester Training Center, officers also attend training courses at the New York State training center in Montour Falls, New York and the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland

2016 House Duty, Standbys, Meetings, Fire Prevention, Community Service (as of 4-Oct-16)

Man/Women Hours: 3,981

Historical Fire Statistics

2015 Fire Alarms, Training, House Duty, Standbys, Meetings, Fire Prevention, Community Service

Man/Women Hours: 10,769

2014 Fire Alarms, Training, House Duty, Standbys, Meetings, Fire Prevention, Community Service

Man/Women Hours: 13,367

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