Fire Chief

Coty Norton, EMT/FF

Duties and Responsibilities of the Fire Chief

  • Commands the Fire Department. Does related work as required

  • Commands the Fire Department in the protection of life and property

  • The chief works largely independently in supervising all operations and in seeing that desired work results are achieved.

  • Plans departmental operations with respect to equipment, apparatus and personnel and supervises the placing of such plans into effect

  • Directs a comprehensive training program

  • Issues orders for improvement of work methods and enforces rules and regulations

  • Prepares budget estimates of anticipated expenditures and needs

  • Responds to fire alarms and personally supervises fire fighting operations when possible

  • Keeps informed as to personnel, property and operation of the department

  • Analyzes and takes action on information to improve operations

  • Assigns personnel and equipment to such duties as the service requires

The chief must combine a broad knowledge of operational fire fighting techniques, responding to other types of 911 calls as well as being an effective administrator. This requires a sound knowledge of the laws, rules and regulation relating to fire control as well and how they might apply in his or her fire district. Above all, the chief must lead and command personnel effectively, maintain discipline in emergency situations and earn the respect of departmental members.

Assistant Fire Chief

Shane Poole, MR/CFF

Duties and Responsibilities of the Asst. Fire Chief

  • Assist the Chief in planning and directing the activities of the Fire Department

  • Responds to alarms and directs fire fighting operations at fire scenes

  • Provides general supervision and guidance to officers and fire fighters in maintenance tasks in relation to station, equiupment and grounds.

  • Inspects the personnel, station and grounds for proper condition and appearance

  • The work requires a thorough knowledge of approved fire fighting methods and practices

  • the work is carried out with a wide latitude for exercising independent judgement in commanding forces and equipment at the scene of fires and to ensure the protection of life and property

  • The asst. chief exercises general supervision of fire personnel

  • Reccomends changes in responses and running codes

  • Substitutes for the Fire Chief in his/her absence

The asst. chief must have a comprehensive knowledge of modern fire fighting equiopment and methods and know how to apply them across the fire district. The asst. chief has a responsibility for the smooth administrative functioning of the department. But, most importantly, the asst. chief must be able to lead the department in the absence of the chief and to do so in any situation.

VFD Captains

Levi Roullard, 1st Captain, FF/Vehicle Maintenance

Jeremy Trantham, 2nd Captain, EMT, CFF, Safety

Duties and Responsibilities of Captains

  • The Fire Captain is in command of a fire scene until a higher ranking officer arrives and takes command

  • Is responsible for the proper placement of equipment and assignment of fire fighters on the scene

  • Lead in the performance of physical tasks involved in fire fighting and have a high degree of responsibility for the protection of life and property

  • They are responsible for the maintenance of fire equipment and the station

  • They lead fire personnel in actual fire fighting

  • They supervise the cleaning of fire engines, checking and replacing toolsand equipment following a fire

  • They check the condition of fire fighting apparatus and appliances for proper working order

  • Does related work as required

  • Instruct personnel in fire training

  • Participate in individual and group taining courses

  • Test pumps to ensure that they will deliver their rated capacities and periodically test and date hoses

Captains are the first line of functional fire fighting controlling both equipment and personnel in appropriate manners. They will be physically involved in fire fighting, responsible for recognizing hazards and directing other fire fighters to address those hazards in a safe manner.

VFD Lieutenants

Duties and Responsibilities of Lieutenants

Joy Poole, 1st Lieutenant, EMT, FF, Secretary

Laurie Bartling, 2nd Lieutenant, AEMT, MO, TO, CFF

  • Respond to fire and emergency call when alerted or called

  • Work directly with fire fighters and see that commands from other officers are carried out

  • Should always e with or on hose lines with fire fighters

  • Act as scene commander in the absence of a superior officer

  • Have a thorough knowledge of the station and fire fighting equipment

  • Check and make reports on the condition of all equipment under his/her charge

  • Aid superior officers in all tasks of fire fighting and station maintenance

  • Perform administrative duties as may be required

  • Take part in training and demonstrations

  • Drive, ride and operate motor driven fire fighting or rescue vehicles to fires and emergencies

Lieutenants are hands on fire fighters working along side other fire fighters, directing their actions and relaying orders from the scene commander. They are a critical link in the communication chain ensuring that commands are carried out effectively and safely.

Medical Officer

Laurie Bartling, 2nd Lieutenant, AEMT, MO, TO, CFF

The medical officer, by recent tradition, is a trained and certified EMT. The medical officer's duties include ensuring that EMT's have the proper equipment to provide the standard of care. He/she must respond to calls, assist other EMT's on a call or assume command of a medical scene. The medical officer is responsible for filing reports, ordering supplies, and seeing that emergency medical support is available to fire fighters in distress. In addition, he/she must review the types of medical situations that occur in Spring Creek and set training goals based on that data.

Training Officer

Laurie Bartling, 2nd Lieutenant, AEMT, MO, TO, CFF

The training officer is responsible for executing a training program that supports the Chief's plans for the department. He/she locates trainers and sets the schedule for what training is conducted by week. This officer monitors all training, on-site and off-site, for all members of the department. He/she must review all incident reports to see what types of training may be needed. The training officer must maintain all training records, individual and departmental, to ensure that members meet the required 36 hours per year.

Secretary

Joy Poole, 1st Lieutenant, EMT, FF, Secretary

The department's secretary keeps notes and minutes of departmental meeting and is responsible various records and fire reports. The secretary corresponds with the S.B.I. in filing special fire reports required by law.

VFD Board Representative/Liaison

The VFD Board Representative serves as a conduit between fire department members and the Board of Directors providing two-way communication to keep each group informed about the intentions, actions and concerns of the other. The VFD Representative votes on Board matters to reflect the majority opinion of the VFD members.

Vehicle Maintenance Officer

Levi Roullard, 1st Captain, FF/Vehicle Maintenance

The Vehicle Maintenance Officer is responsible for keeping all vehicles in-service and supervises the inspection, maintenance and repair activities carried out by other members of the VFD. This officer is responsible for the routine inspection and maintenance of vehicles and maintaining all required records and filing all required reports. The maintenance officer must place any apparatus out-of-service if it is determined that the vehicle cannot be operated in a safe or efficient manner.

Chaplin

Art Dmytriyev, FF

The role of the Chaplain is to be the “great balancer.” The Chaplaincy program is established to provide support to the Fire Fighter and 1st Responders in very specific way. The main object of this support is to provide spiritual and emotional guidance for personnel and their families. The presence of the Chaplain, especially at the scene, is to create a sense of calm – to balance the stress level. His role is to be aware of what is going on and to look for signs of physical and emotional stress of personnel and victims and to provide appropriate assistance and advice, comfort, counsel and referrals to all present.

1403 Certified Firefighters

Coty Norton

Ed Platt

Shane Poole

Jeremy Trantham

Joy Poole

Laurie Bartling

Firefighters

Ed Johnson

Taylor Trantham

Jim Foster

Hope Davis

Rhett Kirkpatrick

John Kirkpatrick

Buz Wiseman

Gavin Davis

Lane Gentry

Michael Gehlhar

Tim Waldroup

Danny Wilcox

Peder Clary

Allie Fulp

Joe Kirkpatrick

Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT)

Coty Norton

Jeremy Trantham

Joy Poole

Laurie Bartling

Emergency Medical Responders (EMR)

Shane Poole

Search and Rescue Technicians (SAR Tech) Level I, II, or III