Fire Department

WHITING FIRE DEPARTMENT

1916 Schrage Avenue
Whiting, Indiana 46394
Phone: (219) 659-1069
Fax: (219) 473-7572

MISSION STATEMENT

The Whiting Fire Department is committed to meeting the needs of our community and delivering the highest level of life and property protection. We will achieve this by providing uncompromised customer service in an atmosphere that encourages innovation and professional development.

VISION STATEMENT

The Whiting Fire Department is committed to providing superior levels of quality service that exceed the public’s expectations for timely and effective delivery of fire prevention, fire control, emergency medical treatment, and public education.

Quality will be evaluated on how well we maintain excellence in customer satisfaction, meet the need of our people, achieve organization goals, and create a service climate that would continuously reinforce and promote excellence in all line and support functions.

Being a professional on the Whiting Fire Department means doing the “whole job.” Doing the “whole job” includes focusing on the extra interpersonal dimensions and sensitivities of empathy, concern, care and compassion.

Whiting Fire Deptartment Staff

Don Harbin
Fire Chief
Dharbin@whitingindiana.com

PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION POLICY (HIPAA PRIVACY POLICY)

The chief administrator and the person responsible for the day to day operations of our fire department and ambulance service is Don Harbin, Fire Chief; Whiting Fire Department; 1916 Schrage Avenue; Whiting, IN. 46394, phone 219 659 1069.

The department is regulated by the Whiting Fire Department Merit commission that meets the 3rd Wednesday of the month. Meetings are held at the Whiting Fire Department. The merit commission is expressly established for the purpose of promulgating rules and regulations for hiring, promoting and disciplining members of the fire department. The members that presently serve on the board are Karl Kompier, Debra Gazda and Gary Bajzatt.

The department consists of 17 members: 1 Chief, 3 Captains, 2 Lieutenants, 5 Engineers, and 6 Pipemen.. It is staffed by 3 shifts with each shift working 24 hours on duty and 48 hours off duty. The department also utilizes On Call personnel during periods of short staffing. Most of the members of the department have been certified by the state in one or more of the following:

Fire Investigator
Master Firefighter
Firefighter 1 & 2
Fire Officer Strategy and Tactics
Vehicle Extrication
Training Instructor
Fire Officer 1
Inspector 1 & 2
Hazmat Awareness/Operations
NIMS Level 100, 200, 300, and 400
Pumper/Mobile Supply Operator

The Fire Apparatus

2017 F-150XL Emergency Operations Vehicle
2003 Pierce Aerial Platform
1988 FMC Pumper
2017 Wheeled Coach Type III Ford E-450 Econoline Ambulance
2010 Chevy Ambulance
1989 Chevy Support Vehicle

The Fire Chief’s vehicle is a 2017 F-150XL, 4 X 4 Supercrew Cab Styleside with a 6.5 foot box, 157 inch wheelbase, and 385 horsepower V-8 engine.

St. Catherine Hospital is our supervising Hospital and has been certified as a Supervising Hospital by the State of Indiana Emergency Medical Services Commission. Initial training is received at The Methodist Hospital, a state certified training institution.

EMS ambulances and response vehicles are certified by the State of Indiana EMS commission. Our newest ambulance, numbered 8462, is a 2017 Wheeled Coach Type III Ford E-450 Econoline Ambulance. Our 2010 Chevy 4500 Duramax, by Excellance Inc. Type III, carries all the required medical supplies and equipment and has been assigned the numbers of 8467 by the Indiana EMS Commission. A FMC Fire engine pumper manufactured in 1988 and a 2017 F-150XL Emergency Operations vehicle are certified non-transport EMS vehicle and carries basic supplies including an automatic defibrillator.

The area normally covered by our ambulance and fire service is approximately 3.7 square miles. The city of Whiting is bounded by the city of Hammond on the west side, Lake Michigan on the north side, and the city of East Chicago on the south and east side. The City of Whiting has a mutual aid agreement with 23 cities in Lake County, Indiana. These mutual aid ambulance services can be called to assist our ambulance and fire service should the need arise.

Staffing pattern

The Whiting Fire Department is staffed by three shifts. All Firefighters are EMT’s and are dedicated to be available 24 hours a day, every day of the year. While on duty at the station, Firefighters are continuing their education in all areas of EMS and Firematic Incidents. All Firefighters are trained in CPR and Automatic External Defibrillator (AED).

Quality control

All ambulance reports are reviewed using our audit and review procedures. The reviews are performed by EMT’s working on the following shift who were not involved in the initial call. All EMTs on duty are required to participate in the audit and review process. These EMT’s check the report with the aid of a check list to ensure that the report writer followed all proper EMS protocols and fully completed all sections required in the report. Any discovered inconsistencies or omissions are directly reviewed by our EMS training officer who then discusses these errors with the EMT who wrote the report. Any issues identified as general in nature are cause for that issue to be a subject of the next scheduled EMT in-service training.

Fire and ambulance report data is sent to the State of Indiana EMS Commission and the State Fire Marshal office on a monthly basis.

EMS continuing education procedures

The schedule of EMT in-service is posted at the Whiting Fire Department. The schedule is posted at the beginning of the year for the entire year and lists dates, topics and the nature of the class. Firefighter, EMTs work once every three days, consequently the same class is presented three days in succession to enable all to attend while on duty. Other EMTs in the area are encouraged to attend these sessions.

Vehicle checks and maintenance procedures

The City of Whiting Fire Department personnel perform daily function checks of first response vehicles. The assigned driver uses a check sheet to safety check the vehicle and the assigned patient attendant checks and inventories the medical equipment at the beginning of each shift and after each use. Assigned duties include simple preventative maintenance and small repairs such as light bulb replacement. Additional maintenance and repair is performed by the City Mechanic. Specialized repair and maintenance is contracted out to one of two fire equipment repair shops which employ IAE and ESV certified mechanics.

• Events •

SAFETY DAY

Every year in mid-June the Whiting Fire Department and Whiting Police Department host Safety Day. This event is open to the Public and is a great way to educate adults and children on safety with demonstrations of different aspects of the Fire and Police Departments.

FIRE PREVENTION WEEK

Every year in early October the Whiting Fire Department and Nathan Hale School organize tours of the fire station for children in Pre-k thru First Grade. Every year the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) focuses on a specific campaign so children can learn different aspects of fire safety.

For more information on these events, please contact the Whiting Fire Department at 219-659-1069.

Click ‘WFD FAQ’ below for the Whiting Fire Dept. FAQ

WFD FAQ