Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Department

Loudoun County Fire & Rescue
Operational area
Country  United States
State  Virginia
County Loudoun
Agency overview
Staffing Career & Volunteer
Fire chief Keith Brower Jr.
IAFF 3756
Facilities and equipment
Battalions 3
Stations 23
Website
Official website
IAFF website

The Loudoun County Department of Fire, Rescue, & Emergency Management, is made up of the Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Department (LCFR) or the Department of Emergency Management and 16 volunteer companies. LCFR has the responsibility of protecting the citizens and property of the towns, villages, and suburbs of Loudoun County, Virginia, United States, from fires and fire hazards, providing emergency medical services, and technical rescue, including Hazardous Materials, Mass Casualty Incidents, environmental dangers and more. The department's headquarters and training facilities are in Leesburg, off Sycolin Road.[1]

LCFR, one of the largest fire departments in Virginia, has approximately 1,500 volunteers and 500 career staff that make up its firefighters, emergency medical technicians (EMT), paramedics and other emergency responders.[2] LCFR uses a combined system to help respond to a diverse population spread throughout a suburban and rural county. Units can respond to building types that range from wood-frame single family homes to high-rise structures, bridges and tunnels, large parks and wooded areas that can give rise to major brush fires, as well as large stretches of forest and mountains, such as the Blue Ridge Mountains, in addition to metro and bus lines. LCFR provides care for a very large and diverse area, responding from stations scattered strategically throughout the county.

Loudoun County

Located 25 miles (40 km) from Washington, D.C., Loudoun County is 517 square miles (1,300 km2) in area and contains seven incorporated Towns: Hamilton, Hillsboro, Leesburg, Lovettsville, Middleburg, Purcellville, and Round Hill. Loudoun County is a member of both the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) and the National Capital Region.

Loudoun is widely known for its beautiful scenery, rich history, and strong sense of community. As the home of Washington Dulles International Airport and America Online, the County has established a reputation as an international center for technology, communications, and transportation. The County also enjoys a reputation for high-quality services, particularly its educational system.

Since 2000, Loudoun’s population has increased by over 60 percent to 279,082,1 making Loudoun the fifth-fastest growing county in the nation.2 The County’s population growth has been accompanied by prosperity. In 2007, Loudoun had the nation’s highest median household income at $107,207.3

The County is governed by a nine-member Board of Supervisors. The Chairman of the Board of Supervisors is elected by the voters at large; the other eight supervisors are elected by district. All nine members serve concurrent terms of four years. The Board of Supervisors appoints the County Administrator, who directs and supervises the day-to-day operations of all County departments and agencies.

Organization

LCFR uses a combination system, with career employees and volunteer members, to provide fire, rescue, and emergency medical services (EMS) to its citizens.

Throughout the 1980s and much of the 1990s, Loudoun’s fire/rescue services were provided by volunteers supplemented by career Firefighter/Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). Over time, increased demand for service coupled with fewer volunteers available during daytime hours necessitated hiring additional career personnel.

Between Fiscal Year (FY) 93 and FY09, the number of career personnel has grown from 56.95 Full-Time Equivalent Employees (FTEs) to 504.01 FTEs.4 The volunteer component of the System comprises an estimated 1,476 total volunteers, approximately 770 of whom are active either operationally and/or administratively. Both of these groups see continuous, steady growth in terms of numbers and operational members.

LCFR is currently in the process of evaluating and potentially restructuring the department's upper management, the Fire-Rescue Commission, a board that oversees the entirety of the department, reports to the Chief and the county Board of Supervisors. The new structure will eliminate the Commission, and will replace it with an Executive committee, made up of several sub-committees (Presidents, Rescue Chiefs, and Fire Chiefs committees, amongst others), that will report to the Chief. The Chief will in turn then report to a non-fire/rescue County Administrator, who will report to the BOS. Additionally, LCFR is looking into instating a fee-for-service model for EMS operations - meaning that patients would be charged for the use of an ambulance or medic. However these heavily complicated issues are still being discussed and open to feedback at all levels of the fire rescue system, from volunteer companies to the BOS.

LCFR

At the head of the Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Department is Chief W. Keith Brower,Jr. who came to the position after Chief Joseph E. Pozzo left to head Volusia County Fire Services, in Volusia County, Florida in 2010. Under Chief Brower are five Deputy Chiefs, each in charge of a department, Volunteer Program Manager Karen McQuaid, and then the departments of Professional Standards and the Office of Emergency Management.

On Friday 11/12/2010, it was announced that Interim Chief Brower had been selected to permanently replace former Chief Pozzo as Chief of LCFR. Chief Brower was an in-house selection, chosen over approximately forty other applicants that had applied to the nation-wide search to replace Chief Pozzo.[3]

Within LCFR, there are five Deputy Chiefs (DCs), who are each in charge of multiple departments, sections, programs, or endeavors. These seven Deputy Chiefs are responsible for, respectively:

Each Deputy Chief of each department has officers or Battalion Chiefs under them tasked with running multiple programs or sections.

Volunteer Companies

While each volunteer company falls under the Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Department, each is largely responsible for its own administration and operation, on a day-to-day basis. LCFR provides support for volunteer companies in terms of financial support, training, protocols, and legal support. While many companies often have the term "Department" in their name, such Ashburn Volunteer Fire-Rescue Department, the correct term for these organizations would be "Company", to distinguish them from the overall LCFR Department. Volunteer and career staff provide the same services and generally share the same standards in training and performance of services. In speech, the physical building a company runs out of will often be referred to as a station, and the organizational entity is often referred to as a company. This is to help distinguish between companies that have multiple buildings/stations (such as Ashburn Fire and Rescue - 606 and 622, Leesburg Fire - 601 and 620, Sterling Fire - 611, 618 and 624 and Sterling Rescue - 615, 625 and 635), or almost entirely career staffed buildings (such as Lucketts 610 and Philomont 608 which have some volunteer assistance, or Moorefield 623, Neersville 616 (now Loudoun Heights 626), and South Riding/Dulles South 619, which are 100% career), from all other organizations with only a single building, which can be as easily referenced as company or station.

Each volunteer company draws its members primarily from the local community. While most volunteers join the company in their area, it is common for some members to run at different companies, depending on that individuals schedule, interests, or personality as well as the membership options offered by the individual company.

The membership of volunteer companies in the LCFR system are usually headed by a Board of Directors. Sitting on the board will be members of the community as well as senior officers from the company. Under the BOD, are the two branches of a volunteer company, the Administrative side and the Operations side. At the head of each wing are the President and Fire/Rescue Chief, respectively. The President's Administrative side will see to the day-to-day functioning of the company, finances, support, and paperwork. Under the President are usually a Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Committee Directors, and a Trial Board. The Operations wing staff apparatus, respond to emergencies, train, and are largely the public face of a company. Under the Fire or Rescue Chief, depending on the nature and size of the company, there will be an Assistant Chief, Deputy Chiefs, Captains, Lieutenants, Sergeants, Engineers, Crew Chiefs (also called Officers/Attendants-in-charge), and then the Firefighters and EMTs. The number, and type, of officers in a company depends largely on its size, with a small company having as few as five operational officers (not counting Crew Chiefs) and four administrative officers, or as many as fifteen officers in a larger company (not including Crew Chiefs). For example, Purcellville Volunteer Fire Company has one chief, one assistant chief, two captains and two lieutenants, but neither deputy chiefs nor sergeants. However, Leesburg Volunteer Fire Company has three captains and six lieutenants, in addition to other positions.

Currently, with the exception of Purcellville Rescue (CO. 14) and the stations that maintain 24/7 career staff (irrelevant of partial volunteer support, such as 8 and 10), every company in LCFR is split in some way between career staff during the day (0600-1800) and volunteer staff during the night (1800-0600), with weekend coverage varying depending on company. For instance, Lovettsville Fire & Rescue (CO. 12) maintains 24/7 coverage during the weekend, while Purcellville Fire (CO. 2) continues the career/volunteer split shift throughout the entire week, including the weekend. Sterling Rescue maintains career coverage only at Station 35.

While many stations may have career staffing during the day and volunteer at night, this does not preclude volunteers from staffing apparatus and providing services to the community along with the career staff. It is also not uncommon for volunteers to come from home or work to staff units if a major incident is dispatched that requires additional apparatus, even if it is not the volunteers specific shift. This is done to prevent drainage of other resources from other parts of the county. While a unit may not be initially in service or dispatched, volunteers can come from home, after the first-out unit has been dispatched, to 'put-up' or 'put in service' a second or third-out unit.

Area served

The Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Department helps protects an area as far east as Fairfax County, west to the Blue Ridge Mountains, north to the Potomac River and Frederick County, MD, and south past Route 50 to Route 620 - Braddock Road.

Mutual-Aid

As a result of the mutual-aid agreements in place in by Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments in the Washington Metropolitan Area, a standard numbering system was put into place for area fire and rescue departments. All units have a 3-4 digit designator, with the first digit denoting what agency the unit is from.

Loudoun County uses the 600 series designators. To reference companies and stations, the number of the organization follow a 6 - Station 606 for Ashburn, Company 612 for Lovettsville, and so on. To reference specific apparatus, the unit is referenced first by type (truck, ambulance, engine, etc.), then by station, using the prior 606 or 616 format, and then a specific alphanumberic identifier, if multiples of the same type run from that company. For example, the sole engine from Company 4 would always be referred to as Engine 604, the only tanker from Company 12 is Tanker 612, and the lone ambulance at station 616 is Ambulance 616. However, since Company 614 has three ambulances, they are permanently referred to respectively as Ambulance 614, 614B, and 614C.

Previously, Loudoun differed from other COG jurisdictions in that units used a numerical form to differentiate between units of the same type, as listed above. In other jurisdictions, apparatus of the same type have an alphabetical marking for identical units. Ambulances from the same company would be listed as Ambulance 404A and 404B, instead of Ambulance 606-1, as in Loudoun County. However, in May 2013, Loudoun switched to COG standards for fire vehicles,but not rescue vehicles. Wagon and Reserve Engine identifiers were retired and replaced with COG-compliant identifiers. For example, Reserve Engine 606 became E606B and Wagon 606 became E606C. The identifier for Rescue Engines was changed from ER to the COG-compliant RE. Jeeps were also redesignated as Brush units. All reserve units (Reserve Tankers (RK), Reserve Trucks (RT), etc.) were also redesignated as COG-compliant. (LCFR IB 2013-015). In November 2013 EMS vehicles began to follow the COG format.

In October 2013, it was announced that Loudoun had decided to fully adopt the COG pattern of apparatus designation, and that ambulances would be transitioning to the new monikers November 4. Following the recent implementation of COG designations for fire apparatus, ambulances and other EMS vehicles will now use the -alpha, -bravo, -charlie, etc. designations. These new titles are tied to individual units, and do not rotate based on which unit is first or second unit, so A606B will always be A606-Bravo, A613E is always A613-Echo, etc.

During an emergency that would require a response from multiple agencies, dispatchers are quickly able to identify what county or city a particular piece of apparatus came from, as well as request additional units from neighboring counties and jurisdictions if their own resources have been exhausted.

LCFR also has mutual-aid agreements in place with non-COG counties, such as Jefferson County, West Virginia and Clark County, Virginia. Likewise, for emergencies that require helicopter pick up for critical patients, LCFR has agreements with PHI Air Medical, a national company that has rescue helicopters stationed throughout the D.C. Metro Area, as well as the rest of the United States, with the closest one, Air Care 3, stationed at Leesburg Airport.[4]

According to a briefing presented by the Communications Division, units from certain divisions fall under specific numbering:

Per the Virginia Safe Haven Law and emphasized during a significant event in spring of 2013, an open informational bulletin was released by LCFR to remind both the department and the public that all staffed fire and rescue station were mandated to accept any child less than 14 days that was safely handed over by a parent (as opposed to being left at the door), providing a defense against abuse or neglect charges.

Fire and Rescue Station-Apparatus

Station Location Fire Units EMS Units Other
Engine Truck Tanker Rescue Ambulance
Station 601 Leesburg E T K CC,CU,HS,U,B
Station 602 Purcellville E, RE TL K BC, B(2), SV, CC, U, N
Station 603 Middleburg E(2) K A (2) BU, U, MC
Station 604 Round Hill E, RE K A(2) B, CV, U
Station 605 Hamilton E, RE K B, CC, U
Station 606 Ashburn E (2) TL, T A (3) CC(3), SO, SV, N, U
Station 607 Aldie E K R A B, SV, U
Station 608 Philomont E (2) K (2) B, AL, SV, CC, LA, WL
Station 609 Arcola/Brambleton E (2) A (3) B(2), CV, CC, SV, SU, U, G
Station 610 Lucketts E K A B(2), Z(2), SWT, CV, U
Station 611 Sterling Park E (2) TL CU, B, U, N, SV
Station 612 Lovettsville E(2) K A (2) CV, B, U, AL
Station 613 Leesburg R A (5) Y, AL, CC, G, SV, SWT, U, Z, CU
Station 614 Purcellville A (3) CV, AL, MC, N (2)
Station 615 Sterling Park R A (3) AL, U, Y, CC, Z, G, SWT
Station 617 Hamilton R A (3) CV (3), AL601, U, Z, Y
Station 618 Cascades E K Q, CC, SV, SO, ST(2)
Station 619 Dulles South Riding E TL A (1) BC, H, HS, DE
Station 620 Leesburg E (2) TI K CC, HS, B
Station 621 Mount Weather E T A (2) B, HS, SU (3),CC (2)
Station 622 Lansdowne E (2) A (2) SO600
Station 623 Moorefield E K A (2) AU, AB
Station 624 Kincora E Q, BC
Station 625 Cascades TR A (3) AL, SV(2), Z(2), Y, ST (3) SWT, N
Station 626 Loudoun Heights E K A
Station 635 Kincora A(2) U, ST, Y, MC615
Station 690/699 LCFR Headquarters & Training Center E(4) T K R A(4) BC(2),BU699,EM,CC(4),SO(2),CD,OP,ST(8),V(4),U680,R680
Red Rum Warehouse Red Rum Drive, Ashburn E A (2) LU
Office of Emergency Management (OEM) LCFR Headquarters CP680, OE(6), MC, G(2), U
Fire Marshal's Office (FMO) Station 9 FM (14), BD (2), FMT
Inova Loudoun Hospital (Lansdowne) Ashburn DE600, MD600
Unit Types:

This key attempts to duplicate the terminology used for dispatch, however there are some exceptions. Not every key below is included in the unit list above, as there can be overlap (such as when a Chief is running a Command unit).

(#)=Number of units

A=Ambulance, AB=Mobile Ambulance Bus, AL=ALS Chase, AU=Mobile Air Unit

B=Brush/Jeep, BC=Battalion Chief, BD=Bomb Disposal (FMO), BU=Bus, BS=Boat Support

C=Chief, CC=Command Chase, CD=Chief of Department, CU=Canteen Unit, CN=Captain, CP=Command Post, CV=Chase Vehicle (BLS/ALS)

DC=Deputy Chief, DE=Decon Trailer, DO=Duty Officer

E=Engine, EM=EMS Supervisor

FM=Fire Marshal

G=Gator

H=HazMat Unit, HS=HazMat Support

JS=Jet Ski

K=Tanker

LA=Light/Air Unit, LU=Logistics Unit

MCI=Mass Casualty Incident Trailer, MC=Mass Casualty Support Unit, MD=Medical Director (individual, not vehicle)

N=Chaplain (Individuals, not vehicles), NC=Chaplain Chase vehicle

OE=Office of Emergency Management (individuals), OP=Deputy Chief of Operations 600

PIO=Public Information Officer

Q=Quint

R=Heavy Rescue, RE=Rescue Engine

SV=SERV, SO=Safety Officer, ST=Support Trailer (trailer with specific equipment, such as HM or MCI), SU=Support Unit, SWT=Swift Water Team

T=Truck, TI=Tiller, TL=Tower Ladder, TR=Technical Rescue

U=Utility

V=Van

WL=Wild Land unit

Y=Bike Team

Z=Zodiac Water Unit (boat,etc.)

Note after May 13, 2013: Wagon and Reserve Engine identifiers were retired and replaced with COG-compliant identifiers. For example, RE606 became E606B and W606 became E606C. The identifier for Rescue Engines was changed from ER to the COG-complaint RE. Jeeps were also re-designated as Brush units. All reserve units (Reserve Tankers (RK), Reserve Trucks (RT), etc.) were also re-designated as COG-compliant. (LCFR IB 2013-015)

On November 4, 2013 all county EMS units began using the COG-compliant identifiers. The 4th number in the old identifier is replaced with the corresponding letter of the alphabet (except for 1, which has no letter). A613-1 is now A613, A613-2 is A613B, A613-3 is A613C, etc.

(F)=Future/Planned Station (UC)=Under Construction (*)=Future Unit

Note: Under LCFR procedures, some trucks/towers and rescue engines can operate as medium rescues, or "squad's," as needed, assuming certain staffing and equipment requirements are met. This is to help offset the limited number of heavy rescue apparatus. Examples of apparatus capable of this would be Trucks 601, 606, and 620, and Rescue Engines 602 and 609.

Company/Station Histories

Leesburg Volunteer Fire Company occupies two locations in Leesburg. Station 1 is located at 215 W. Loudoun Street, and houses support units and retired apparatus for LVFC. Station 20 is the active arm of LVFC and runs out of the station located on Plaza Street next to the Leesburg Police station. However, unit numbering is not totally indicative of station—for instance, the tiller stationed at 20 was long called Truck 601, however, due to the new backup truck that was purchased now using that designation, it is now called Truck 620. While some Leesburg units are numbered from Station 1, many are still located at Station 20. LVFC has announced plans to the Fire & Rescue Commission to remodel the old Station 1, and to return it to active service (instead of using it as a holding facility), instead of building a brand new Station 1. Currently, minimal operations occur out of Station 1, and it is primarily used for storage. It is unclear how the proposed opening of a South Leesburg station will affect LVFC and operations out of Station 1 - whether LVFC will continue to run minimal operations out of the space, it will be closed, or expanded use will be found. Company 1/20 is complemented by LCFR career staffing during day shift, 0600-1800. Leesburg's tanker is unique, in that it has the capacity to run as an engine - all the other tankers in LCFR, except Engine 624 (formerly Tanker 618), are limited to their tanker role. Tankers are easy to distinguish in Loudoun, but Co. 1-20's tanker has the appearance of an engine.

The Purcellville Volunteer Fire Company, nicknamed "The Deuce," was formed in the early 20th century. At the time, two hand-drawn chemical wagons were placed in service. In 1923, PVFD received its charter and the era of motorized fire apparatus began. PVFC recently moved into a new station on the north end of Purcellville with PVRS Co. 14. Company 2 has two alternating shifts of LCFR career staff, A and B shift, during the day from 0600 to 1800 hrs, and six volunteer crews at night from 1800-0600. Station 2 also houses Battalion Chief 602 - BC 602 is set to receive a new buggy within the coming months. While the unit will reflect the new color scheme for county vehicles, the unit will be a departure from all other chase vehicles, in that instead of a Tahoe style body, a small pickup with a covered bed will be used - potentially to reflect the more rural nature of the 2nd Battalion. PVFC is currently in the process of planning and ordering a brand new Tower, to replace the current TL602.

When the Middleburg Volunteer Fire Department was incorporated in 1936, it had one fire truck and covered the Route 50 corridor from the top of Paris Mountain to Chantilly. In the early 1950s Co. 3 was given an ambulance and initiated emergency medical care, becoming fire and rescue. Relations between career & volunteers become strained in 2010, but career staff have recently returned to CO. 3, staffing the station 24/7. Station 3 is currently going through remodeling, after the bay roof collapsed in the winter storms of 2010-11.

The Round Hill Fire Department was started in the early 20th century. Its equipment consisted of a hand-pulled cart carrying several lengths of hose. The first fire alarm was sounded by clanging a big iron bell. In 1938, the Round Hill Volunteer Fire Dept. was formally organized. The first piece of equipment purchased was a used truck that had a water tank and pump mounted on it. Next, a siren and fire extinguishers were added. In 1949, the first ambulance was purchased. Round Hill relies largely on 24/7 career staff now, with some volunteers at nights, weekends, & for events.

The Hamilton Volunteer Fire Department held its first organized meeting in July 1944, and a year later purchased its first fire truck. In January 1946, it moved into its firehouse which, with remodeling and additions, is still in use. HVFD has an attack pumper, a pumper/tanker, a brush truck and a light and air unit. It has a BLS non-transport license to provide EMS assistance and over a dozen of its average of 30 active members are qualified 1st Responders or EMTs. In 2000, HVFD and the Hamilton Volunteer Rescue Squad together purchased 10 acres (40,000 m2) of land to build the Hamilton Public Safety Center where both companies are housed. Many Company 5 personnel run with HVRS or help staff Rescue 617. ALS 601, a career unit, is also housed at station 5/17, in addition to career staffing during weekdays from 0600−1800 hrs. In October 2013, HVFC requested immediate 7−12 career support, meaning that county staff would run 7 nights week, instead of the prior 5, with 24/7 support requested as soon as possible. Additionally in October, ALS 601 that had been running out of Station 17 along with a career ambulance during the day, instituted a new policy where the ALS providers for ALS 601 will cross-staff a medic unit. This means that if an ALS call goes out in Hamilton's first due, Medic 617 will take the call, but if it is outside of Hamilton's first due, ALS 601 will take the call, placing M617 out of service. In May 2014, HVFC requested immediate emergency staffing due to an inadequate number of volunteers, which LCFR fulfilled. This means that HVFC is now staffed 24/7 by LCFR personnel with some assistance from HVFC.

Logo of the Ashburn Volunteer Fire-Rescue Department.

The Ashburn Volunteer Fire Department was started in 1947 after the tragic deaths of three children in a house fire. It was officially established in 1948, and its first piece of equipment was a 1927 American LaFrance pumper. The station was built in 1950, with expansions in 1963 and 1993. In 1991, Ashburn Volunteer Fire Department expanded its services and added its first ambulance. In 1996, it officially became the Ashburn Volunteer Fire-Rescue Department. In 2010 Station 22, Landsdowne, was opened. AVF&R is supplemented by career staffing 7 days a week from 0600-1800. Station 22 also houses Safety Officer 600, since BC 601 moved to Station 24/35 in January 2014, and Station 6 houses a 24/7 career medic unit. AVFRD currently has plans and blueprints to renovate the original station 6 building. The plan currently calls for the existing station to be torn down, leaving the banquet hall "Founder's Hall" standing, and creating a new building on the old ground. Additionally, the company has plans to completely upgrade its fleet with a potential new color scheme. The process of upgrading the fleet began in early 2014, with the order of two brand new Ferrara fire engines, which will potentially highlight the possible new company color-scheme of black and yellow. Additionally, plans are in place for the order of two new ambulances, and the replacement of T606 with a Tiller truck. In late January 2014 it was announced that Engine 606C, the old Wagon, would be decommissioned and was removed from service in the beginning of February. On March 3, 2014 it was announced that the Chaplain chase vehicle had been sold to a member of the company, would have its emergency equipment removed and the unit would be taken out of service. In early 2014, Safety 600, which had recently been replaced by a new SUV of apparatus similar to the BC vehicles, was replaced with a pick-up truck with a covered bed, though still using the new color scheme. In May 2014, construction of temporary facilities on Station 6 property began, with expected demolition of the current facility and then groundbreaking for the new building to happen in June.

The Aldie Volunteer Fire Department was established in 1955 and its first piece of fire apparatus, a used 1948 GMP fire engine, was purchased for $5,500. In 1956, Co. 7 purchased its first station, which was formerly a garage and service station, and bought a 1939 Ford fire engine. In 1971, Co 7. built a new station on the same property as the old fire station. In 2010, CO. 7 began operation of a county-owned heavy rescue vehicle. Formerly Rescue 603, Rescue 607 was repainted & re-equipped to be sent to Aldie. In 2012, Aldie received a brand new heavy rescue vehicle from Pierce Manufacturing. When that unit arrived, now designated Rescue 607 and in-service, the old Rescue 607 was returned to the county for refurbishing, and is now stationed as the first county reserve rescue, Rescue 680, at the Training Center. AVF&R is in the process of trying to find ground on which to build a new Station 7. Aldie has career staff supplementation 24/7. Company 7 is earmarked to receive a new engine in 2013. Aldie received a new ambulance in January of 2014.

The Philomont Volunteer Fire Department was organized in 1955 and was equipped with a used pumper and tanker provided by other fire stations. In 1956, PVFC got its first new pumper, and in 1968 it bought a 1,500 gallon tanker. In 1975 and 1994, two expansions were added to the station, adding a meeting hall and providing a total of seven bays to house the apparatus. Philomont relies largely on career staff now, with some volunteers. Unlike many modern stations, Station 8 is a two-story building, with bays and offices on the ground floor, and kitchens, bunking and community rooms on the second. Such a layout is shared with Station 4, Station 10, and to some degree by Station 11/18. PVFC is run primarily by LCFR staffing 24/7, with few volunteers. PVFC is the only station in LCFR to operate two tankers. Additionally, PVFC is the only fire company that owns and operates a volunteer chase medic - ALS 608. In September 2012, CO. 8 received a brand new brush unit.

The Arcola Volunteer Fire Department was formed in 1957, formerly, and alternatively, known as Arcola-Pleasant Valley Volunteer Fire-Rescue Department. A station was built and its first piece of fire equipment, a 1,250 gal. Tanker truck, was purchased through the Civil Defense for $75.00. In the 1960s, the first ambulance was put in service and the Ladies Auxiliary was formed. During Hurricane Agnes in the 1970s, 200 people were sheltered and fed at Station 9. The 1980s and 1990s saw an addition built onto the station, and a recruitment program was started to help prepare for future growth. On 9/29/11, ground was broken for the new Brambleton Public Safety Center, which will house career/volunteer staffing from CO. 9 as well as the headquarters for the Loudoun County Fire Marshal's Office. In November 2013, the FMO moved all of its apparatus and operational staff to the new Station 9 building. AVFD is staffed 6am-6pm, 7 days a week by LCFR career staff. AVFD expects fire-rescue operations to commence from the new station 9 in April, 2014. On April 3rd, 2014, AVFD received a brand new Tanker, which has a unique cab compared to the rest of county tankers.

The Lucketts Volunteer Fire Department was established in 1960 with one fire truck and a two-bay firehouse. A few members of the community recognized the need to start a local fire company, and prior to the company’s establishment, a fire truck was purchased and kept at a local farm. Dispatch called the Chief’s home and his wife called local members by phone to tell them of an emergency. The fire truck was brought to the scene while members were en route. Today, Lucketts' original firehouse provides seven bays to house its apparatus. Lucketts is career staffed 24/7. Station 10 is home of the LCFR Swiftwater team, as there is easy access to the Potomac River, and White's Ferry. Station 10 is primarily LCFR career staffed, with little volunteer assistance. Station 10 will be going through remodeling, or will have a brand new station built, in the near future and the county is currently looking at land parcels. Lucketts received a new engine in 2014.

Logo of the Sterling Volunteer Fire Company.

The Sterling Park Volunteer Fire Department started in 1966 with two old, used pumpers and a tanker in a barn on Holly Ave. By 1998 they had become the Sterling Volunteer Fire Company and expanded to two stations. The station in Sterling Park, Station 11, is shared with the Sterling Volunteer Rescue Squad (as Station 15) and houses an engine, ladder tower, quint, and a canteen unit. A second station, Station 18, was built in Sugarland Run and housed a single engine, and also served as Station 25 for SVRS. Construction of a new Station 18 (and 25) in Cascades was completed in 1997. The Cascades station houses an engine, quint, and tanker. The old station 18 is used by the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office and sometimes houses reserve apparatus. Plans are underway to open a third station, station number 24 (Station 35 for SVRS) along the Route 28 corridor. Ground was broken on the new Kincora Route 28/7 station on 3/1/12; the station will house both SVFC and Sterling Volunteer Rescue Squad units, and will be the third station to be staffed under the two companies umbrella.[10] LCFR recently purchased a brand new tanker to be designated as 618, that will be operated by both LCFR and SVFC personnel. The old Tanker 618 has the capacity to be both an engine and a tanker, like Tanker 601, but will be assigned to the new Kincora station and re-designated as Engine 624. Stations 11, 18, and 24 are career staffed 6am-6pm Monday through Friday. On Saturday 11/9/2013, station 24/35 officially opened, housing SVFC, SVRS, and LCFR. The station houses an engine, quint, and career battalion chief 601, which moved from Station 22. [11]

The Lovettsville Rescue Squad received it charter in 1966. In 1967, a fire company was begun and combined with the rescue squad to form one company in 1968. The current building was erected in 1974 and has had two subsequent additions built. It has split operations between career & volunteers - with career staffing during weekdays from 0600-1800. LVFR recently received a brand new Wagon, to replace their older model Wagon 612. LVF&R hopes to begin construction of a new station within the next few years.

On September 12, 1952, 12 men throughout the county started the first rescue squad in Loudoun County, the Loudoun County Volunteer Rescue Squad. Until funds could be raised to purchase their own vehicle, Albert Laycock donated his Ford Ranch Wagon for their first response unit. The first official squad vehicle purchased was a '51 Chevrolet truck with a utility bed made to carry patients. Over the years, units were housed in Purcellville, Hamilton and Leesburg until other squads could be formed. The squad building on Catoctin Circle was constructed in 1975. One paramedic unit from Company 13 receives career supplementation during the day from 0600-1800, and one paramedic unit is staffed 24/7 by career personnel.

Ambulance 614-2 responding to a call during the first blizzard of 2010.

The Purcellville Volunteer Rescue Squad has been in existence since 1969. PVRS currently boasts three ambulances, a Basic Life Support chase vehicle (similar in function to a SERV), an Advanced Life Support chase vehicle, and a second ALS chase vehicle on loan from the county (ALS 680). CO. 14 is also the home of the Mass Casualty Support Unit, on loan from LCFR & the only vehicle of its type in the county (note: the text on the vehicle's side reads "Medical Care Support Unit", though it is still referenced & dispatched as the Mass Casualty Support Unit). Having moved into a brand new facility in the summer of 2009, shared with PVFC CO. 2, PVRS maintains an all-volunteer rescue squad and is the only fire or rescue company in LCFR to maintain 24/7 volunteer staffing. In 2012, ALS 690 was stationed at PVRS for company ALS use, but was then shortly replaced by ALS 680, which reflected the new county paint scheme for smaller vehicles and following the new county policy of using the '680' series of designators for county reserve units. PVRS received ALS 680 on Friday 3/1/2013, a larger ALS chase than ALS 690, which exemplified the new county color scheme for chase vehicles, of base red with tan and white striping, and yellow/red chevrons on the back of the vehicle. This piece is used by the ALS volunteers of PVRS and as a replacement, when needed, for ALS 601 by career staff. As of October 2014 ,ALS 680 is no longer stationed at company 14. On April 2nd, 2014, PVRS received a brand new ambulance to replace A614, the oldest unit with that company. This ambulance is similar to A614-B, and is the first Purcellville-owned unit (as opposed to MSCU 614), to reflect the recent county FRG that all new apparatus must have chevrons. PVRS is in the process of developing a new ALS chase unit to replace ALS 614 - this will most likely relegate the current ALS 614 to BLS 614, and the current BLS 614 will become a non-operational unit for company business and training.

Brand new Ambulance 614-2 at the Purcellville Public Safety Center

Founded in 1964, the Sterling Volunteer Rescue Squad was created as a "Jaycees" project in a newly developed planned community in Eastern Loudoun County. Following a tragic pedestrian accident; in which bystanders had to wait for an ambulance from Loudoun Rescue which was then headquartered in Hamilton, VA. The first station was co-located with the Library in the 200 block of N. Sterling Blvd, in 1968 a Crash Truck was purchased under a highway safety grant, that unit (Sterling 1) was housed at the Shell gas station in Sterling Park. A year earlier the membership of Sterling Rescue would be active in forming the Sterling Vol. Fire Company. In the early 1970s, both Sterling Rescue and the Sterling Fire Company would work together to build its first station to house both organizations in Sterling Park. Both organizations continue to be independent corporations, co-located in the same stations. Later, that same decade, Sterling Rescue would be instrumental in implementing Advance Life Support care within the Loudoun County system.

Recognizing response delays and an increasing call volume in the communities north of Route 7,now known as Potomac Falls, members living in that area would respond to emergencies in an old ambulance parked in their driveway. Later a substation was built to provided an area to garage the ambulance in the Sugarland community. December,1997 the substation was replaced with a larger station which was built in the Cascades community. The Sugarland facility still remains but is used for the storage of equipment and supplies, houses the department's Special Events Team and is used by the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office for their community policing activities.

Sterling Rescue provides both Emergency Medical care and transport (ALS/BLS), and Rescue operations throughout Eastern Loudoun County and the region. Sterling Rescue is home of one of Virginia's Office of EMS's, Disaster Task Force (NOVA TF-8) which has been deployed on several events throughout the Commonwealth. Sterling Rescue has received recognition for its contributions by the Loudoun County government, Northern Virginia EMS Council, Virginia Office of EMS, recipient of the "1999 Governor's Award for Agency of the Year", and EMS Magazine's "2006 Best Volunteer EMS Agency".

In 2012, Sterling Rescue had over 7100 responses and its 200 volunteer members, staffing both stations, provided over a 121,000hours of time to the community. To meet an ever increasing demand on services, plans are underway for the construction of a third station along Rt. 28 in the area of Dulles Towncenter Mall and is expected to be open in 2013. Ground was broken for the new station, in Kincora on Route 28/7, on 3/1/12.[10]

On May 29, 2013, SVRS unveiled its new Medical Care Support Unit, a medical supply truck in the vein of the MCSU operated by PVRS. The MSU is a 2005 E450 box truck which was a delivery truck before being purchased by SVRS and re-outfitted. The unit is labeled as MSU-615 in the field.

On Saturday 11/9/13, Station 24/35 officially opened, housing two ambulances, a utility truck, the MSU, and a bike team. The opening of the station marks a new era in the history of SVRS, as LCFR career personnel will begin operating SVRS vehicles for the first time, only at station 35, on a 7-12 basis, 6am-6pm. This means that SVRS will no longer be 100% volunteer operated, even though the majority of their operations for the time being remain volunteer, and all vehicles company owned, leaving only Purcellville Rescue as the only 100% volunteer company in the county.

Neersville Volunteer Fire and Rescue began in 1976 as a sub-station of Round Hill. It housed a borrowed ambulance in a neighbor's driveway until the community members built its community building to house the ambulance. Two years later it became the Neersville Volunteer Rescue Squad, and in July 1979 it became Neersville Volunteer Fire and Rescue Company. Neersville relies primarily on 24/7 career staff now, with very few volunteers. Neersville has recently had difficulty maintaining volunteer support, to the extent that the company lost its license to carry patients as a volunteer company. However, with an incremental increase in membership, the company is petitioning to rejoin the county system and rebuild itself. Neersville remains in need of volunteers. Construction of a new Western Loudoun station, to replace Station 16, which is in significant need of repair, has begun - there are concerns that the construction of this new building will force out Neersville Fire & Rescue, the smallest volunteer fire and rescue organization within LCFR, leading to their cessation as an organization. On February 6, 2013 the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors voted to revoke Neersville Volunteer Fire & Rescue's charter, following a long history of contention between the two organizations and a recommendation to dissolve the company by a Government Reform Commission. This has been reported to be a controversial decision, as proponents state that adequate research was done, while company and area volunteers state they were never consulted for a fair decision. The effects of this vote will reportedly take awhile to finalize, as several of the vehicles and property are still held by NVFR, though it is believed that not only will the company's charter be revoked, but the company number will not be used in the future. In 2013 the company's charter was revoked, disbanding Company 16; leaving matters of company owned apparatus, and privately held finances to be finalized. Operations will be continued by LCFR. As LCFR is constructing a new station, the area of Neersville will be covered by the Western Loudoun station, provided by 24/7 career staffing only. Neersville will be receiving a new tanker and a new brush truck sometime in 2013, with the engine up for replacement as well. The county received the new tanker that will replace Tanker 616, however it is being held until the new station at Loudoun Heights is operational, at which time Neersville 16 will be retired, and operations will be conducted under Loudoun Heights 26, which the tanker reflects. Loudoun Heights is receiving a new brush, ambulance, and tanker in 2014.

Establishing its roots in 1952 as Loudoun County’s first rescue squad, the members of the Hamilton community were volunteering their time and skills long before Station 17 was renamed in 1979. The Hamilton Volunteer Rescue Squad serves the town of Hamilton and its surrounding areas, including Paeonian Springs and Waterford, and are the "second due" units in Purcellville and Leesburg. In addition to BLS & ALS operations, Company 17 also utilizes a boat unit, a heavy rescue unit (Rescue 617), and a bike team. These specialty units are staffed primarily by the HVRS Special Operations Division. Company 17 is supplemented by career staffing during the day, who also operate the county chase unit ALS601 - career personnel put in service a medic unit which operates within the first due, or as the ALS chase for non-first due calls. Hamilton received a new ambulance in October 2013, A617C, which being county owned, deviates from the green color scheme of HVRS, and is red, following county colors. A617C is the primary response unit when LCFR Career Staff are on duty. A617 and A617B are owned and primarily operated by the volunteers of Hamilton Rescue. HVRS also received a Utility unit in late December 2013, also to be operated by the HVRS Special Operations.

Constructed by the county, it houses both Fire-Rescue and a Sheriff’s substation. It began operation on May 7, 2007, with a grand opening in June 2007. The station is staffed 24/7 by LCFR staff with no volunteer participation. However, some of the apparatus is owned by the Arcola VFD. HazMat 619, the only HazMat response unit in Loudoun, not including HazMat support trailers, is stationed here. Station 19 received a new engine in the spring of 2013.

Maintained by all-career staff, this company watches over the Mt. Weather area in the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center. Company 21 is a LCFR company simply for operational sake, as the staffing is maintained by FEMA, and to respond to mutual aide calls, the units must be released by FEMA prior to response. Used primarily by LCFR for station fills in the western end of the county, such as Purcellville or Round Hill. Likewise, some LCFR units can be used to staff Mt. Weather - however, visiting units are primarily confined to the fire station and are chaperoned at all times. Mt. Weather received a brand new engine in June 2014.

Originally the second Ashburn station, Loudoun County took over when Ashburn Fire & Rescue moved into the new Landsdowne station 22. Originally stationed at the Red Rum Drive warehouse facility, LCFR opened a brand new station 23 in Moorefield in August, 2011. It is the second all career station in the county. This station houses several specialty apparatus, including the Mobile Air Unit, used for SCBA cylinder refilling on significant incidents, and the ambulance bus. Moorefield received a second Ambulance in 2014.

LCFR Training Center 690

Headquarters and Training Center for LCFR—nicknamed "The Rock". The main LCFR building is here, which includes ECC (dispatch), training rooms, Battalion Chief bunkrooms, and offices. Also on the grounds are the annex building (more training rooms), the High Bay (houses the Rock's gym, and several apparatus, and encompasses a four-story building for training), and the Burn and Extrication Pads for training. Stationed at LCFR HQ are many of the training & reserve apparatus, such as Engines 690,91,98,99, Truck 690, and multiple ambulances. Additionally, several career vehicles are stationed here, such as EMS 601 (EMS Battalion Chief), the Department Chief's chase, Safety Officer (Safety 600), Bus 690 for training events, and more. Additionally, new units often come through the Rock for outfitting before being transferred to their home station. Reserve Rescue 680 alternates being stationed between here and the Warehouse. Additionally, there are plans to potentially purchase a second heavy rescue vehicle, which will either become a second reserve rescue, or will be placed at a new station, most likely the new 28/7 Sterling station. There are many reserve and field units that are station at either headquarters or Red Rum, and as the units are rotated in and out of the field, it can be very difficult to keep track of the complete roster of units.

LCFR also maintains additional apparatus and equipment storage at the Red Rum Drive Warehouse in Ashburn, VA. The warehouse is now the home for many reserve, specialty, and FMO apparatus as well as fleet maintenance operations.

LCFR Training Center is across the road from the Leesburg Airport, between the National Guard Armory and the Adult Detention Center of the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office. After a recent move, there are additional Department offices just north of the Airport, which will become the home of many LCFR management, including the ECC - ostensibly leaving the entirety of the current training center for only training, as opposed to combined headquarters and training.

Dispatch

The Loudoun County Emergency Communications Center serves as the county's public safety answering point for fire, rescue and police incidents, using the county's Enhanced-911 (E-911) system. The center operates 24 hours a day. Emergency and non-emergency fire and rescue calls are processed and police-related calls are transferred to the appropriate law enforcement agency. Each shift includes workers who are certified in various aspects of emergency medical dispatch and who meet the standards set by the national Association of Public Communications Officers.[15]

When a member of the public dials "911" they speak with an LCFR 911 operator who assigns the call to where it needs to go based on the information provided.

Box numbers

Each address in the city is assigned a box number, based on the closest street, special building or highway box. This gives the companies en route cross streets for the alarm. If there is also a street address given to the dispatchers, the responding apparatus will get this information in the firehouse, over the air, and via their mobile data terminals (computer aided dispatch – CAD) in the apparatus. At present there are several thousand physical street boxes in Loudoun County, with many additional special building boxes and highway boxes, as well as "dummy boxes" used for special response assignments. In addition there are airport crash boxes for Washington Dulles International Airport and other airports. When either box is sounded it brings an automatic second alarm (2-2) response of equipment, along with various special units.

Critical Information Dispatch System

Critical Information Dispatch System (CIDS, pronounced "sids") information is transmitted to units in the firehouse and en route is information that is collected on a building during inspections and by public input, which would have an impact on fire-fighting operations. Such things as:

This information is relayed via dispatcher and MDT while units are en route, allowing incoming units to develop operations plans prior to arriving on scene.

Gallery

Affiliations

IAFF Local 3756

LCFR career personnel are represented by International Association of Fire Fighters Local 3756. The chapter was chartered in 1997, and now has 319 members, with representation across all shifts, divisions, battalions, and many ranks.[16]

Virginia Task Force 1

Several members of the LCFR system are also members of Urban Search and Rescue Virginia Task Force 1,[17] a part of the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department.[18]

References

  1. ↑ "- LCFR Headquarters." LCFR Website. Retrieved on March 2, 2010.
  2. ↑ - LCFR Staffing Retrieved on March 3, 2010
  3. ↑ "- Leesburg Today." Leesburg Today Website. Retrieved on November 12, 2010.
  4. ↑ - PHI Locations Retrieved on July 14, 2012
  5. ↑ - Leesburg fire History Retrieved on March 3, 2010
  6. ↑ - Hamilton fire History Retrieved on March 3, 2010
  7. ↑ - Ashburn History Retrieved on March 3, 2010
  8. ↑ - Aldie History Retrieved on March 3, 2010
  9. ↑ - Arcola History Retrieved on March 3, 2010
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1
  11. ↑ - Tanker 618 Arrives Retrieved on July 15, 2012
  12. ↑ - Lovettsville History Retrieved on March 3, 2010
  13. ↑ - LCVRS History Retrieved on March 3, 2010
  14. ↑ - Hamilton Rescue History Retrieved on March 3, 2010
  15. ↑ " - LCFR ECC."
  16. ↑ - IAFF Local 3756 Retrieved November 16, 2010
  17. ↑ - L2Day Retrieved March 3, 2010
  18. ↑ - VATF1 Retrieved March 3, 2010

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Department.
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Official websites
Company websites
Other

Coordinates: 39°05′N 77°38′W / 39.09°N 77.64°W