FAQ

Contact publiced@warrentonfire.org or call 540-347-0522 to schedule a visit.

The ISO Fire Protection Rating System For many years, the Insurance Services Office, Inc. (ISO) has evaluated and rated the fire protection provided in communities. The system is called the ISO Public Protection Classification program (PPC). The PPC process grades a community’s fire protection on a scale of 1-10, based on ISO’s PPC evaluations as a factor in setting the premiums they charge for property insurance; the better the community’s PPC grade, the lower the premiums the insurance company would charge for property insurance in that community. The Warrenton Vol. Fire Company is currently an ISO Class 3/3Y rated fire company. The rating provides the Town & County with value insurance rates for both residential and commercial property owners. ISO’s data on fire losses indicates that communities with better fire protection as evaluated by the PPC, do in fact, tend to have lower losses from fire damage than other communities. An ISO rating is based on a communities water supply (40%), equipment (26%), Personnel (15%), Alarm and dispatch (10%), and training (9%). The Warrenton Vol. Fire Co. is committed to improving our fire service delivery to our citizens and continually strives to improve on our ISO rating.

Residential smoke detectors are early warning devices to wake a sleeping person or persons. Smoke detectors should be placed in each bedroom (sleeping area) and in the hallway leading to the bedrooms. Additionally one per living space. Living room, Kitchen, and Basement etc.

A fire can double in size every 60 seconds, while exponentially increasing in temperature. In minutes, the temperature can reach 1,000 degrees Celsius; too high for anything to survive. In the free burning stage of a modern lightweight construction building, firefighters have approximately 16 minutes before the roof collapses. Smoke alarms and an escape plan will get you and your family out of a burning house alive, but they cannot fight the fire. Fires, and burns caused by fire, are some of the most devastating events imaginable, especially since many fires are preventable and avoidable. The destruction caused by fires, inside and outside the home, can be catastrophic causing major damage, and in many cases, serious injury and death. Fire can strike without warning, any place, and any time. According to the National Fire Protection Association, hundred of thousands of fires in the United States each year cause over 15,000 deaths and serious injuries. These numbers are astonishing. When there is a fire, temperatures can rise to hundreds of degrees in just a few seconds. This makes escaping difficult, and if you don’t move quickly enough to get away from the fire, your chances of getting seriously injured or dying increases drastically. It has been determined that one breathe of intense heat can cause severe lung damage and may cause a person to become unconscious immediately. Fire can move very fast and it can block your escape route in a matter of seconds. You can find yourself surrounded by the flames in all the confusion, panic and become disoriented. Although fire does provide some light, when it is intense, it produces dark and heavy smoke, which darkens the air and makes it hard to see and breathe. Smoke and fumes are just as deadly and may be a major cause of death during fires. Most fire fatalities happen between the hours of 2 A.M. and 6 A.M. This is the time when most people are asleep and, unless there is a fire alarm going off; they may not wake up in time to make an escape. Many people have been found dead in their beds after a fire, which suggests that they may not have awakened. Many people don’t practice escape drills, have a plan in place, and don’t keep flashlights near their beds or where they can easily put their hands on them. During a fire, time is of the essence. A house fire can grow tremendously fast in just seconds, which leaves little time to think about what needs to be done. You must act immediately to get your family to safety. Alarms, sprinkler systems, extinguishers, and smoke detectors have made a valuable impact in drastically reducing the number of injuries and deaths caused by fires. However, much more needs to be done to continue educating people about fires and how to prevent them in the first place.

Several things can dictation whether or not the WVFC has a copy or is the generating agency of a given incident report. (EMS) 1. The Warrenton Volunteer Fire Company is supplemented by a county staffed medic unit. This unit is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The WVFC provides the transport unit while the county provides the staff. Per state regulation (Virginia Department of Health – Office of Emergency Service); each component is a separate agency. The state requires that each agency report it’s patient cares reports (PCR’s) by agency. Thus requiring that Fauquier County Department of Fire, Rescue and Emergency Management (DFREM) staff report their (PCR’s) under their agency. If the WVFC is not the reporting agency the request is passed to the county or reporting agency. 2. In some cases the Warrenton Volunteer Fire Company was unavailable to respond to your incident. In events where the WVFC was committed to another incident. Surrounding companies are called to assist our agency. In these cases where (Example): The New Baltimore Volunteer Fire and Rescue company responded and transported said patient. They become the reporting agency. The WVFC will assist you by placing you in contact with those who manage the records in these cases.

Please allow 48 hours for the initial fire report to be processed. It will be made available as soon as it is complete. Contact 540-347-0522 with further questions.

Fire and EMS stations are strategically located with the WVFC EMS station having 24/7 Paramedic coverage to provide rapid medical response and the WVFC Fire station having staff on hand to respond 24/7. The minimum training for a Firefighter is Basic Emergency Medical Technician. Each fire truck has the equipment necessary to deal with the majority of the problems that could be encountered at any medical scene at a basic life support level. Ancillary problems include extrication of patients from vehicles and equipment, addressing spilled or leaking flammable and combustible liquids, and ensuring overall scene safety of the general public, all first responders, and patients. The ambulance crews primary responsibility is treatment and transport patients to the hospital. The fire truck crew in many cases will initiate care and transfer it once the ambulance arrives. The Police Department responds to assure the safety of our personnel on occasions where there has been, or could be, the potential for violence at the scene. Police enforcement is also used for crowd and traffic control of the scene.

Although a cat in a tree is rarely ever an emergency the WVFC will on occasion make a “non-emergency response” at a low priority to “put eyes on the situation at hand”. Often times a can of tuna opened and placed at the bottom of the location where the cat is located will coax them down. We are of the opinion that it is better to respond and not initiate action versus not respond and be called upon to after an untoward event occurs.

Fauquier County Contribution from the Fire Tax Levy ($413,832.09) Town of Warrenton Contribution from General Fund ($150,000) Total = ($563,832.09) Revenues: Donations, Grants, Hall Rentals.

One 24 hour county staffed medic unit with two Firefighter/Medic's stationed at the EMS station. The Town of Warrenton provides two Firefighter/EMT's. On Monday & Friday only one is in station. Tuesday - Thursday both are on duty and stationed at the Fire station. The remaining positions and response is covered by volunteers.

The current national standard (NFPA 1710 – For Career Fire Departments) recommends 4 staff per Engine, 6 per Truck/Tower, and 2 medics per paramedic engine. Current staffing level assignments of the WVFC are 3 staff per Engine, Tower, Rescue or Tanker at a basic life support level. The Ambulance is 2 EMT's (BLS) or 1 EMT and 1 Paramedic (ALS).

Our firefighters work 24-hour shifts. They go to the market to buy food so that they can eat their meals in the fire stations. Trips to the markets are coordinated with other daily activities in an effort to stay in the center of their response area. Our firefighters pay for their own meals as the fire department does not pay them a per diem. Firefighters prepare their own meals as a healthier and more cost effective alternative to eating out. At times, due to heavy call volumes, they literally must eat on the run and it is not uncommon to miss a meal altogether. The citizens of our community depend on our firefighters to respond to and mitigate emergencies at a moments notice. Your safety and our safety demand that firefighters handle the physical, mental and emotional stresses of any emergency situation. We expect our firefighters to participate in physical fitness activities for 1 to 1.5 hours each shift as well as encourage them to keep up a fitness regimen on their days off, in order to stay in top physical condition. We have fitness requirements that they must maintain and they must pass a physical assessment test twice a year.

Yes, all volunteer staff are required and trained to the same national and state requirement standards. Either via National Registry (NR-EMT+) or Pro Boarded Courses (Firefighter+). Many of our staff teach EMS and VDFP course throughout the state. Paid or not each are professionals at their trade and will provide you with the highest level of care and service.

Consensus standards are developed by specific industries to set forth widely accepted standards of care and operations for certain practices. Standards are an attempt by the industry or profession to self-regulate by establishing minimal operating, performance, or safety standards, and they establish a recognized standard of care. They are written by consensus committees composed of industry representatives and other affected parties. The NFPA has many standards, which affect fire departments. The standards should be followed to protect fire and rescue personnel from unnecessary workplace hazards and because they establish the standard of care that may be used in civil lawsuits against fire and rescue departments. OSHA Standards 29 CFR 1910 132.140 Personal Protection and Respirator Equipment (includes 2 in 2 out) 29 CFR 1030 Occupational Exposure to Blood Borne Pathogen 29 CFR 1910.120 Hazardous Material Operations

Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations are set forth in title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). Although most of the regulations can be found in §1901 and §1910, fire departments should also look at §1926, which includes standards for trenching and shoring in the construction industry. State and local government rescue teams in state OSHA jurisdictions are required to comply with all applicable OSHA standards and even volunteer teams may be covered in some states. In non-OSHA states (i.e. a state which does not have its own state OSHA program), even though OSHA regulations may not apply to state or local fire or rescue agencies, fire departments should make every effort to comply with OSHA standards since they can be effective in protecting the health and safety of rescuers.

Per ordnance no open burning is allowed within the town limits.

Please call 540-347-1313 and let our communications center know where and for how long you may be burning small brush and leaves. If you are land clearing you will also need to have a burn permit on file. Burn permits can be obtained by calling the Fauquier County Fire and Rescue Administration Office. 540-422-8800 during normal business hours.

It means NO outside burning is allowed until after 4 PM and must burn down after 12 AM. You are still required to follow the burning guidance established by Fauquier County. This is state law. You could be fined by the state forest official. The WVFC is only required to extinguish the fire and report the occurrence. Reminder - Open burning is not permitted within Town of Warrenton limits ever.

February 15th through April 30th; each year.

Currently we do not sell a publicly available T-Shirt. Those worn by staff are a duty uniform style shirt. We continue to look into options for those interested in supporting our agency.

In very rare circumstances do we trade our official uniform patch. For cases that we do it is with another fire or rescue agency. Sorry we are not a mail order patch service. We will not mail out our patch to those of the public requesting it. They are official uniform insignia and their production is expensive costing tax payers dollars.

If you are interested in renting our hall please contact our hall coordinator. Please refrain from calling the main phone number for information. Instead please email hallrental@warrentonfire.org this will ensure that your request is received and forwarded to the proper staff for processing. - Viewing of hall is by appointment only - Hall restricted to private events - Fee related events are prohibited.

Unless the WVFC is hosting a publicly held class or outreach program. Our training/meeting room is only available to public safety, local, state, and federal government agency's. Please contact training@warrentonfire.org for more information.