Fire FAQ
How do I get a copy of a fire report?
Call the Department at 843-545-4200.
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How do I get a outdoor burning permit?
Call Central Dispatch at 843-527-6763.
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Do you get cats out of trees/telephone poles/off of roofs?
No. Try opening a can of tuna and waiting for the cat to get down on its own.
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Where can I go to get my blood pressure checked?
Any fire station between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
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How can I schedule a fire truck or a firefighter at my function?
Call Fire Prevention Bureau at least three weeks in advance at 843-545-4200.
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Who do I call about a fire extinguisher that doesn't work?
Check the Yellow Pages under Fire Extinguishers.
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Who do I call to get sand bags?
City Business Owners may call the Street Department at 843-545-4700. Bags are empty.
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Why do so many fire apparatus respond to simple incidents?
Fire Department units are dispatched according to information received by the 9-1-1 operator. The Georgetown City Fire Department thinks pessimistically when they respond to citizens in need of help. In other words, the firefighters are prepared to deal with the worst that could happen. They are fast, well-trained and pleasant in their response.
The fire department's philosophy is to get our firefighters there as soon as possible. This will be either an engine company or a ladder truck company. In preparation for the worse case scenario, an ambulance often is dispatched as well. The first unit on the scene may not be an advanced life support unit (a unit with paramedics). Therefore, such a unit also will be responding. There may be three fire department vehicles on the scene for what appears to be a "simple" incident. However, in emergency services we have learned that if we assume something is "simple," we can be horribly mistaken.
Plus, we respond as fast as we can prepare to encounter the worst. The winner in these situations will always be the citizen who needs help.
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How come I see fire trucks with full lights and sirens go through a red light at intersections and then, after they go through, they turn off their lights and slow down?
As explained in the previous answer, sometimes several units are dispatched to the same incident. The first unit may have arrived on the scene, surveyed the situation and informed the dispatcher that the situation was under control. All other responding units were cancelled and put back into service, ready to take another call.
Most likely, when you see an emergency vehicle go "Code 3" (lights and siren) through an intersection and then slow down and turn the emergency lights off, they have been cancelled from the call they were going on.
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Why do I see firefighters cutting holes in the roof of a building on fire?
This is called "venting the roof." There are two basic reasons for this practice. Dangerous gases and dark smoke accumulate in a burning building.
Unlike the movie versions of fires, it is impossible for firefighters to see in such an environment. When a hole is made in the roof because the building is "vented," the smoke and gases escape because heat and smoke rise. It makes it much easier for the firefighters in the building to see.
It also reduces the possibilities of backdraft and flashover. Another reason for venting the roof is to see how far the fire has progressed. One of the fastest avenues through which fires spread is the attic. Heat and smoke rise into the attic where the fire can move quickly. Firefighters may go ahead of the fire on a roof, cut holes to access the attic and stop the fire from spreading through the attic.
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How can I become a firefighter?
Call us at 843-545-4200 or visit the South Carolina Fire Academy's Web Site.
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