Snyder fire department

InfoboxFireDepartment
name = Snyder Fire Department
established = 1916
staffing = Volunteer
strength = 67
stations = 1
engines = 3
squads = 2
trucks = 1
rescues = 1
chief = Thomas A. Merrill|

About the Department

The Snyder Fire Department began operations serving the residents of Snyder, NY in 1916 as the Snyder Hose Company. Today the department responds to an average of 1200 emergency calls a year. The department is comprised of all volunteers who donate their time to provide an essential service to the community, as well as devote hours to training to remain up to date with the latest firefighting concepts and tactics along with maintaining a high level of medical care to its residents through constant training.

Firematic Officers

The department is run by a Chief of Department with assistance of two Assistant Chiefs along with five captains, and five lieutenants. Two Safety Officers are also on the command staff to advise the Chief of Department or Incident Commander during fire, rescue and medical operations.

Administrative Officers

The department's day to day business operations and company meetings are run by the President of the fire company, along with other executive officers. one of the main purposes of the administrative officers, the Board of Directors and Examining Board is to screen applicants for membership into the department before they are interviewed by the Board of Fire Commissioners.

Milestones in SFD's History

The department was the first department in the Town of Amherst to provide a chiefs vehicle to the Chief of Department in 1947, and the first department in Erie County to equip all of the vehicles with fire radios and firefighters with home receivers. And in 1957 the department took delivery of its first ladder truck, a 1957 Ward LaFrance ladder. it was the first ladder truck in the Town of Amherst, NY. In 1973 the Snyder Fire Department was the first volunteer fire department in the United States to provide paramedic medical services to its residents.

The Snyder Fire District

The Snyder Fire District is the governing agency in charge of providing fire and medical services to the residents within its borders. It is Governed by a Board of Fire Commissioners who set the fire tax rate for the fiscal year and use that money to supply the firefighters with firefighting equipment and apparatus as well as the firehouse. The five commissioners are elected to a five year term on a staggered basis.

The Firehouse

The original firehouse was constructed in 1922 and underwent many additions to suit the growing needs of the fire department and built its current firehouse in 1996. The firehouse is home to the departments firematic and administrative offices, as well as training facility, kitchen, work out facility and the offices for the Snyder Fire District.

Current Fleet of Apparatus

Today the department utilizes three 1994 Sutphen pumpers all identical to one another, along with a 1990 Sutphen 100 foot Ladder truck, a 2001 Sutphen Heavy Rescue with Amkus Ultimate Hydraulic System that allows firefighters to use six hydraulic tools simultaneously. The department also utilizes two light rescue vehicles for EMS calls, one is a 2008 Chevy 1/2 ton pickup truck and a new 2007 Chevy Suburban outfitted with various medical supplies. The Chief and both the First Assistant, and Second Assistant Chief's utilize 2007 Chevy Tahoe's outfitted with a medical supplies and firefighting tools, as often the chiefs are the first units on location of an emergency.

Fire Prevention

During the National Fire Prevention Week the Snyder Fire Department host many different community group's, and local school children to teach the importance of fire prevention and fire safety. the week is then capped off with an annual Fire Prevention Open House at the firehouse were the community is invited in to view the firehouse and to view many exhibits explaining many different fire prevention topics, as well as firefighting demonstrations.

Snyder's Response to the October 2006 Storm

The October snowstorm of 2006 that hit the Buffalo area hit the Town of Amherst and particularity the Snyder area very hard dumping tons of snow and causing trees and power lines to fall all around the district. The men and women of the Snyder Fire Department stood ready as many firefighters answered over 300 calls for assistance in a little over a week. The Snyder Fire Department's members left there homes and families to serve the citizens of the district as well as responding mutual aid with other local departments such as the Eggertsville Hose Company, Williamsville Fire Department, Main-Transit Fire Company, as well as the Getzville Fire Company.

In the Line of Duty

Sadly the department has had to LODD's of the years. in 1956 Firefighter Rudy Lutz suffered a heart attack while working at the scene of a leaf fire. Tragedy struck once again in 1966 when Second Assistant Chief John Bresnahan died of a heart attach he suffered while at the scene of a barn fire at the Park School of Buffalo. Both of these fallen hero's equipment numbers have been retired by the department and plaques in there honor hang in the firehouse.

Fire Dispatch

The Snyder Fire Department along with the other nine companies in Amherst are dispatched through a central dispatch center known as the Amherst Fire Control. Amherst Fire Control also dispatches the fire companies in Clarence, Newstead and Akron.

For medical calls Twin City Ambulance Company is also dispatched through there own dispatch center to these calls to provide advanced medical and transportation to local hospitals.

External links

http://www.snyderfd.org/