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20-648: Additional vehicles are occasionally added as a temporary measure as demand increases. Hamilton EMS operates from 18 joint EMS/ fire stations , and two EMS exclusive operation centres. Hamilton Paramedic Service transports patients to Hamilton General Hospital , Juravinski Hospital (formerly Henderson Hospital), St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton or McMaster Children's Hospital / McMaster University Medical Centre . Patient's transported by ambulance are not accepted at Urgent Care Centres in Hamilton Hamilton Paramedic Service operates under

40-412: A hose tower is used for hanging hoses to dry to prevent rot. Historically, towers were lookouts for spotting fires. Activities at a fire station include regular inspection and cleaning of the apparatus and equipment, and training drills in which the firefighters practice their skills. Some fire companies also host public activities at the fire station during events such as a "fire prevention week", and

60-410: A Georgia pine beam by shaving and sanding it into a 3-inch (7.6 cm) diameter pole which they gave several coats of varnish and a coat of paraffin . Despite being the butt of many jokes, others soon realized Company 21 was usually the first company to arrive when called, especially at night, and the chief of the department ordered the poles to be installed in all Chicago fire stations. In 1880

80-531: A hole in the floor, or it may be accessed from a balcony. To use a pole, a firefighter grasps it with their hands, then clamps their legs around it, and then replaces their tight hand grip with a looser hand or arm grip to allow themselves to descend, using their legs to control the speed. This is somewhat similar to the technique used for fast-roping . Spiral staircases or sliding chutes were once common, but not particularly fast. Fire houses were also equipped with spiral staircases so horses would not try to climb

100-415: A pole through the floor of the loft sleeping space to create what became the standard set-up. The firefighter's pole is found in multi-level fire stations, if the firefighters ' living quarters are located upstairs. When they are dispatched to an emergency, the firefighters descend to the ground floor, put on their firefighting gear, and board the fire engine as quickly as possible. The pole may run through

120-432: A safety hazard. Modern fire stations are often built with the living quarters on the same level as the garage. Some fire stations are not regularly occupied, with the firefighting carried out by volunteer or retained firefighters . In this case, the firefighters are summoned to the fire station by siren , radio or pagers , where they will then deploy the fire engine. These fire stations may still have office space for

140-405: A wagon using a wooden binding pole, which was stored in the hayloft when not in use. Firefighter George Reid slid down the pole to respond to a call for help once, which inspired Kenyon to create a permanent pole. In 1878 Kenyon convinced his chief to make the necessary hole in the building and install the pole, after agreeing to pay for any necessary maintenance . The company crafted a pole out of

160-472: The fire engine faster than by using a standard staircase. In the 1870s, answering an alarm, Chicago fireman George Reid decided to use the long-pole the company employed to lift horse's hay from the upper-loft to slide to the ground floor, arriving well ahead of the rest of the company. Company Captain David Kenyon of Engine Company 21 then successfully petitioned the department be allowed to install

180-436: The firefighters and support staff. In large U.S. cities, fire stations are often named for the primary fire companies and apparatus housed there, such as "Ladder 49". Other fire stations are named based on the settlement, neighborhood or street where they are located, or given a number. A fire station will at a minimum have a garage for housing at least one fire engine . There will also be storage space for equipment, though

200-480: The United Kingdom, more modern fire stations are built with one storey negating the need for a pole and they are sometimes removed from old stations that no longer require the upper floors for operational purposes. However, due to the strong tradition, time advantages and new safety features, poles are common worldwide even in newly built stations. Slide poles can be made safer. Cushions can be placed around

220-712: The direction of Hamilton Central Ambulance Communications Center or CACC "Kaack"). CACC is operated by the Ministry of Health Emergency Health Services Branch and is not operated/owned/controlled by the City of Hamilton. Emergency calls to 9-1-1 are first answered by the local PSAP or Public Safety Answering Point. If an ambulance is required you are then connected/transferred via 9-1-1 to the Hamilton Central Ambulance Communications Center if you are calling locally. CACC prioritizes

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240-687: The dispatcher to determine and assign the closest available and most appropriate ambulance to each emergency. Paramedicine in Canada Emergency Services in Hamilton, Ontario Fire station A fire station (also called a fire house , fire hall , firemen's hall , or engine house ) is a structure or other area for storing firefighting apparatuses such as fire engines and related vehicles, personal protective equipment , fire hoses and other specialized equipment. Fire stations frequently contain working and living space for

260-536: The emergency is. In some small fire departments, the only alarm may be a telephone for receiving calls. Many fire stations were built with the living quarters above the garage. This arrangement is common for fire stations built in a crowded city. The fireman's pole was invented to allow firefighters to quickly descend to the garage. In modern times, agencies such as the National Fire Protection Association have argued that these pose

280-503: The facility may also be used for fund-raising by the "firemen's association", " fire buffs ", or "fire auxiliary". If the station is occupied full-time by career firefighters , it will contain living quarters and work areas, where they wait until a callout comes through. Career firefighters are usually able to sleep during a night shift, so these stations will also have dormitories. There will be an alarm system to alert them of an emergency call , and to give some indication of where and what

300-426: The firefighters, a library of reference and other materials, and a "trophy wall" or case where the firefighters display memorabilia. Fireman%27s pole A fireman's pole (also called a firefighter's pole , sliding pole or a fire pole ) is a pole that firefighters slide down to quickly reach the ground floor of a fire station . This allows them to respond to an emergency call faster, as they arrive at

320-511: The first brass pole was installed in the Worcester Fire Department . Losing one's grip on the pole can result in falling from a great height; the firefighter may hit an object such as a door extending from a truck; poor speed control can result in injured or even broken legs upon impact with the floor; and burns can occur due to friction if the skin rubs against the pole. If the pole runs through an unprotected hole in

340-634: The floor, there is a risk of a person falling through it, as well as exhaust fumes rising into the living quarters. For these reasons, fire stations built since the 1970s are often built with the living quarters downstairs, and some older fire stations have had their poles removed. In the United States, the National Fire Protection Association has called for the removal of all poles from US fire stations due to safety hazards. The fire service in New Zealand has already removed most of them. In

360-404: The most important equipment is stored in the vehicle itself. The approaches to a fire station are often posted with warning signs, and there may be a traffic signal to stop or warn traffic when apparatus are leaving or returning to the station. Fire stations have often been built with a tower, for purposes that have changed with time. A drill tower is used for practicing high-rise rescue, while

380-454: The stairs into the living quarters. Captain David B. Kenyon of Chicago's all-black Engine Company No. 21 worked in a three-story fire station. The ground floor contained the firefighting equipment , the floor above was for recreation and sleeping, and the top floor was the hayloft to store the winter supply of hay for the fire engines ' horses. During transport, the hay was secured to

400-471: The urgency of requests, determine the appropriate destination hospital to meet patient needs and provide callers with pre-arrival first aid instructions. The centres deploy, coordinate and direct the movement of all ambulances and emergency response vehicles within geographic catchment areas to ensure an integrated healthcare system. Computer-aided wide-area central dispatching and technology, such as automatic vehicle location using global positioning systems, help

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