DIAL 911 FOR ALL EMERGENCY CALLS WITHIN THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD

GENERAL
The Springfield Fire Department provides fire suppression, emergency medical first response, rescue, hazardous material response, fire prevention, fire safety inspection and public education services within the city limits, as well as mutual aid assistance to other fire departments throughout Robertson County. The department consists of twenty-nine (29) full-time firefighters and twelve (12) volunteer firefighters who continuously man fire stations in three shifts twenty-four (24) hours a day/seven (7) days a week. Firefighters respond from two (2) stations that include the Main Fire Station in the central sector of the city and the David N. Greer Fire Station in the southeast sector of the city.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE VEHICLES
The department is equipped to respond with three (3) front-line pumper trucks, one (1) reserve pumper truck, one (1) 85-foot aerial ladder truck and one (1) brush fire truck.

ISO RATING
The Springfield Fire Department has an Insurance Service Office (ISO) rating of Class 4. This rating helps to determine insurance premiums paid by homeowners and businesses. The highest rating is a Class 1 and the lowest rating is a Class 10. Only about 14% of fire departments nationwide have a Class 4 ISO rating or better.

FIRE CODES
The National Fire Codes, 1999 edition, as promulgated and adopted by the National Fire Protection Association Codes, as adopted by the State of Tennessee, including all appendices, addenda and supplements thereto have been adopted as the City of Springfield fire code.

The International Fire Code, 2003 edition, as prepared and adopted by the International Code Council, including all appendices, addenda, and supplements thereto has been adopted as the City of Springfield fire prevention code.

MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the Springfield Fire Department is to promote a safe community free of fires and hazards and to better serve our citizens and visitors with professional, efficient, emergency and non-emergency services.

TRAINING
Training is critical to the department's success and the training committee strives to utilize the latest in technology for developing and presenting classroom instruction. Seventy-three percent (73%) of the department's personnel are certified fire professionals by the State of Tennessee Commission on Firefighting. Every employee receives training in CPR, vehicle extrication, defensive driving, hazardous materials, and medical first response.

Personnel strive to train for a minimum of 240 hours each year including a 40 hour in-service training course scheduled annually. The volunteer firefighters train on the fourth Tuesday of every month and also participate in portions of the 40 hour in-service training program. In addition, many of the firefighters train on their own in preparation for state certifications.

INSPECTION PROGRAM
The Springfield Fire Department strives to inspect each commercial and industrial building twice a year, including nursing homes and the local hospital. The properties are inspected for fire hazards and safety issues. These inspections are conducted according to the National Fire Code, 1999 edition and the International Fire Code, 2003 edition. If you have any questions about the safety of your building please contact the department at 615-384-4381.

BURN PERMITS
A permit is required for any type of open burning within the city limits of Springfield. Burn permits may be obtained during normal business hours at the Main Fire Station located at 203 Central Avenue. Burning is permitted during daylight hours only. There is no charge for the permit. If you have any questions please call the fire station at 615-384-4381.

Any person or persons caught burning without a permit will be issued a citation. If found guilty the possible penalties may be, but shall not be limited to, fine, community service or incarceration.

PUBLIC EDUCATION AND STATION TOURS
The personnel of the Springfield Fire Department would be pleased to present a program at your next civic club meeting, church or school. The department is very active at city schools during Fire Prevention Week.

In 2004 the Springfield Fire Department received a grant to purchase a fire safety house. The house is used for fire prevention training and educational programs. If you are interested in having a public education program presented at a location of your choice, please contact Firefighter James Elmore at 615-384-4381.

National Fire Prevention Week is always the second week in October of each year. If you have a group interested in visiting one of the fire stations, please give us a call at 615-384-4381 to schedule a station tour.

OPTICOM TRAFFIC SIGNALING SYSTEM
During the fall of 1996 the City of Springfield initiated the installation of a state of the art emergency preemption signaling system for traffic lights. The system, marketed under the name Opticom, is designed by the 3M Corporation. The City of Springfield was one of the first cities in the middle Tennessee region to install this technology.

The system allows public safety vehicles, while responding to emergency calls for service, to have the flow of traffic. Each fire apparatus is equipped with a signaling device that triggers the approaching traffic light to turn green, allowing the fire apparatus the right of way.

Please remember to always move to the right and stop when emergency vehicles are approaching with flashing lights and sirens!

FIRE HYDRANT PROGRAM
The City of Springfield has 870 fire hydrants within the city limits. Every April each hydrant is flow tested, serviced and painted. The cap color indicates available water flow from the hydrant. The bonnet (top) of each hydrant is painted white for increased visibility at night.

 

Each color represents the following water flows:     Class AA Safety Blue - Water flow capacity of greater than 1500 gpm with a residual pressure of at least 20psi.   Class A Safety Green - Water flow capacity of greater than 1000 gpm with a residual pressure of at least 20psi.     Class B Safety Orange - Water flow capacity between 500 gpm and 999 gpm with a residual pressure of at least 20psi.     Class C Safety Red -Water flow capacity less than 500 gpm with a residual pressure of at least 20psi.

Note: gpm = Gallons per Minute psi = Pound per Square Inch

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

Siren Warning System
The City of Springfield has installed an outdoor warning system using an Omni-directional high powered voice and siren system. The system is used to notify the public in the event of tornado warnings and other types of potential natural and man-made disasters.

The system consists of fifteen (15) pole mounted units located within the city limits of Springfield. The system is tested regularly on the first Saturday of each month at noon. The units are sited at the following locations:

• Highway 41 South and Gregory Road
• Highway 41 South and Stacy Springs
• Springfield Public Works Department
• The Legacy Club House
• Legacy Drive and Gallop Drive
• Hillside Drive and Lakeside Drive
• Perry Drive and Poplar Avenue
• Locust Street behind the Senior Citizens Center
• Highway 431 South and Watson Road
• Highway 161 North and Charles Ralph Drive
• Highway 41 North and Legion Field
• Travis Price Park
• Highway 41 South and Kirby Street
• Westside Circle
• Lawerence Lane

Samples of the warning tones may be heard at www.whelen.com

Region Wide Radio System
The City of Springfield public safety departments have recently brought into service the new trunked radio system that is being installed throughout all of Tennessee Homeland Security District 7, which includes Robertson, Montgomery, Cheatham, Dickson, Houston, Humphreys and Stewart counties. The new radio system allows public safety departments within a county, within neighboring counties, or throughout the homeland security district to communicate with one another individually or collectively in the event of a natural or man-made emergency or disaster.

Reverse 911
In the event of an emergency or potential emergency the City of Springfield has the capability to deliver telephone messages to residences within the city limits through the use of a "Reverse 911" call system.

Cable Television
In the event of an emergency or potential emergency the City of Springfield has the capability of notifying all cable television customers of the nature of the emergency by running a streaming video announcement on all cable television channels.

CONTACT

Main Fire Station
203 Central Avenue
Springfield, Tennessee 37172
Main Business Office: 615-384-4381
Facsimile: 615-382-2238

David N. Greer Fire Station
1005 Bradley Drive
Springfield, Tennessee 37172
Office: 615-384-2242
Facsimile: 615-382-2238

Maynor Schott, Fire Chief
Jimmy Hamill, Assistant Fire Chief