City of Harrisburg, Bureau of Fire 2008
Stephen R. Reed - Mayor
Harrisburg has been the capital of Pennsylvania since 1820. The City covers approximately 11 square miles with 50,000 living/150,000-200,000 working population. Principle industry: Gov't & affiliated services/light industry. Major transportation crossroads including I-78,81,83,76, U.S.22,322,11,15, Amtrak and Norfolk-Southern. Metropolitan area: from Carlisle to Hershey about 600,000 pop. Only municipal paid fire department in area. Remainder of fire service handled by volunteer fire departments.
The primary responsibility of the Fire Bureau is the protection of life and property from fire, man made and natural disasters. The suppression of fire involves arriving at the scene as quickly as possible so as to attack the fire at the point of origin and prevent its spread. Fire apparatus respond from four fire stations.
Fire safety education is a responsibility of the Fire Bureau. Through well-planned, year-round fire programs, the Fire Bureau educates the public about fire and burn hazards, how to prevent fire and burn injuries due to individual carelessness, how to survive a fire once it starts, and how to treat a burn injury properly. The fire prevention program covers the home, the school, the workplace and the community.
The Fire Bureau has a comprehensive training apprenticeship program designed to incrementally qualify firefighters through certification so they may advance to the next rank. This program includes practical hands-on training and classroom instruction leading to appropriate testing for certification. Harrisburg is the first municipality in Pennsylvania to establish such a comprehensive program.
The Fire Bureau has begun the self assessment process involved with a Fire Service Accreditation through the Commission of Fire Accreditation International. Harrisburg is the only professional fire department in Pennsylvania seeking to attain this goal.
By Mayoral designation, the Fire Bureau also operates as the Emergency Management Agency for the City of Harrisburg, and the Fire Chief has been designated by the Mayor as Emergency Management Coordinator. This agency maintains the Emergency Operations Plan (EOP), which set forth a procedure to alert the public and provide information and appropriate protective action instructions, as needed.
The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency has cited the Harrisburg plan as a model for municipalities in the State. This plan also provides for the coordination and use of available municipal resources during a natural or human-caused emergency or disaster. It defines the roles and responsibilities of municipal officials and the Emergency Management Coordinator. The plan also assures coordination and cooperation with county efforts in accordance with the Dauphin County EOP.
Annually, representatives from the Federal and Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agencies evaluate a drill of the city’s EOP.
Fire Chief's Office personnel duty area:
Vance McCormick Public Safety Building Fire Chief's Office
123 Walnut Street, Suite 220
Harrisburg, Pa. 17101
717-255-6464 FAX-255-6448
FIRE SAFETY
Fire Safety is a lifetime effort and education is key in developing the knowledge that could save a life or prevent an injury. The Bureau of Fire is developing and providing timely fire safety information for the citizens of Harrisburg. Seasonal concerns from spring barbecuing to winter river safety are just some of the regular topics to be found here and taught in regular fire safety events year round.
The Bureau of Fire is also implementing helpful reminders of important home safety tips via the website, such as checking batteries in smoke detectors and planning for vacations.
Fire Safety education is also provided in schools and churches as well as at other designated annual events.
The Fire Inspection Unit, created in 1989, acts to reduce fire loss through inspections and code enforcement, using a city fire code that is considered a national model in fire safety. To achieve this goal, the Fire Inspection Unit reviews, approves and verifies the following for private and public structures:
building plans
fire alarm plans
smoke detector plans
standpipe system plans
fire pump system plans
sprinkler system plans
New construction sites are also reviewed to assure that life safety components are installed properly. This unit performs all fire code inspections of properties including, but not limited to, electrical, structural, smoke detectors, and general housekeeping to determine housing code violations. In commercial units, inspections are performed to verify the safety of fire extinguishers, sprinkler systems and smoke detectors. Re-inspections are performed to assure that fire safety regulations are being upheld once a violation of the Fire Prevention Code is reported or to follow up after an actual fire incident. This unit also participates in numerous seminars and demonstrations related to fire safety techniques such as the installation of sprinkler systems and smoke detectors.
ASSIGNED COMPANIES/MANPOWER (paper)
1 Battalion Chief Wagon 3 4 Firefighters Wagon 4 4 Firefighters Squad 8 2 Firefighters and 1 Lieutenant Tower 1 3 Firefighters Tower 2 3 Firefighters and 1 Captain Tower 3 2 Firefighters and 1 Lieutenant Engine 1 2 Firefighters Engine 2 2 Firefighters
ASSIGNED COMPANIES/MANPOWER (actual-by contract)
Wagon 3 3 Firefighters Wagon 4 3 Firefighters Squad 8 2 Firefighters and 1 Lieutenant Tower 1 2 Firefighters Tower 2 2 Firefighters and 1 Captain (Capt not backfilled if off) Tower 3 2 Firefighters and 1 Lieutenant (3rd Firefighter assigned if Lieu is off)
ALARM RESPONSE:
District Task Force Apparatus and Area encompassed
Box 1-1: Tower 3*, Squad 8*, Wagon 4 and Tower 1 - Downtown
Box 1-2: Tower 1*, Wagon 4*, Squad 8 and Tower 2 - Hill (Market St to North City Line, Market St to East City Line)
Box 1-3: Tower 2*, Wagon 3*, Squad 8* and Tower 1 - Uptown (Herr St to North City Line, Cameron St to West City Line)
Box 1-4: Tower 1*, Squad 8*, Wagon 4 and Tower 3 - (Market St to Paxton St, Cameron St to East City Line)
Box 1-5: Tower 3*, Squad 8*, Wagon 4 and Tower 1 - Hill (Paxton St to South City Line, Cameron St to East City Line)
*Denotes Local alarm, 1 Truck and 1 Engine.
Full Box (First Alarm) is remaining equipment not dispatched on initial Task Force Box.
Recall of 5 FF's/1 Officer when Second Alarm is struck. Additional Recall on each greater alarm.
Mutual aid covers Second Alarm and greater assignments.
When any Tower is placed out of service and a reserve is not available an Engine with the stations' corresponding number is placed in service. Engine 1, Engine 2 or Engine 6.
WORK SCHEDULE:
4 Platoons (ABCD) on Philadelphia schedule-2 day tours (0730-1600) followed by 2 night tours (1600-0730) followed by 4 days off. 42 hour work week.
Office staff work Monday-Thursday 0730 to 1630 and Friday 0730-1600.
FIREFIGHTERS UNION:
Capital City Paid Firefighter's Association IAFF Local 428 
(AFL-CIO,CLC,PPFFA)
2048 Derry St., Harrisburg Pa. 17104. Phone 221-8700 FAX-221-8800
SPECIAL TEAM AFFILIATIONS:
Pennsylvania Task Force One - Pennsylvania based Urban Search & Rescue Team. Battalion Chief Dan Hartman OIC. Incorporates Rescue 1 SHARP Team and members of Philadelphia FD, Baltimore County, many other agencies and volunteers.
Rescue 1 - The Harrisburg Bureau of Fire rescue team was formed in 1991. Rescue 1 responds to high angle rescues, trench rescues, confined space rescues, building collapses, and water rescues and other technical rescues. Rescue 1 is also known as SHARP Team (Special Hazards Advanced Rescue Personnel) .
Dauphin County Hazardous Materials Response Team - Haz-Mat 1 is comprised of County EMA staff, County EMA Volunteers and Firefighters from the Harrisburg Bureau of Fire. Haz-Mat 1 Covers all of Dauphin County for Hazardous Materials related incidents and is Dispatched as a team by the Duty Officer from the Dauphin County EMA.