BELLEVUE, WI (WTAQ) — It’s a historic day at the Bellevue Fire Department: the first day that the fire station will be manned for 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
“We’re witnessing a lot of growth here in Bellevue,” Bellevue Fire Chief Jack Mlnarik told WTAQ. “In order for us to provide the best service we think it’s important to have people on staff 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”
Before today, the Bellevue Fire Station was staffed during the day, with only a Battalion Chief staying on through the night.
“They were here by themselves, so when we’d get a call, they’d respond to the call,” Mlnarik told WTAQ. “But unfortunately, when they got there, they had to wait for the fire engine and personnel to get there, so their hands were kind of tied.”
This meant response times went up, as firefighters would be dispatched from their homes.
“Our response times when we’re staffed were anywhere between five and six minutes,” said Mlnarik “When we weren’t staffed it could be upwards of 12 to 14 minutes.”
Those few minutes could make all the difference. Mlnarik says fire can double in size every 30 seconds.
“It’s huge,” said Mlnarik. “Now, hopefully we can get there and mitigate the situation quickly, get water on it, and hopefull prevent property loss”
The department’s Battalion Chiefs have been reassigned to captain positions and will staff a three-person engine all day, year-round.
The Bellevue Fire Department has long discussed moving to round-the-clock coverage, coming to an agreement with the Firefighters Union earlier this year.
