CITY OF WILKES-BARRE, PA

BUREAU OF FIRE

2017 ANNUAL REPORT

MAYOR
Anthony George

CITY ADMINISTRATOR
Theodore Wampole

FIRE CHIEF
James Jay Delaney

DEPUTY CHIEF
Alan Klapat
 Wilkes-Barre City Fire Department
MISSION STATEMENT

It is the responsibility of each member to support the mission by subscribing to the

following values:

FOR THE COMMUNITY:

• We recognize that the community is the reason for our presence.

• We value the faith and trust of the community and continually work to
deserve the confidence through our attitude, conduct and accomplishments.
• Lives are more valuable than property.
• The safety of the public is of paramount importance, followed closely by the
safety of our members.
• All members of the public are entitled to our best efforts.

FOR THE DEPARTMENT:

• We strive for excellence in everything we do.

• Honesty, fairness, and integrity will not be compromised.
• We continually seek effectiveness, efficiency, and economy.
• Unity and teamwork are stressed as being to our mutual advantage as
individuals and employees.
• The free exchange of ideas is encouraged.
• We will provide professional and courteous service at all times.
• We are sensitive to changing community needs.

Jay Delaney, Fire Chief

Wilkes-Barre City Fire Department

 Call Trends 2013-2017

2017 7,822
4,319

2016 7,733
3,922
Year

2015 7,581
3,830 EMS
Fire
2014 6,570
3,606

2013 6,521
3,634
0 5,000 10,000
Number of Calls

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

FIRE 3636 3606 3830 3922 4319
EMS 6521 6570 7581 7733 7822
TOTAL 10,164 10,176 11,411 11,655 12,141
 2017 Responses by Incident Type
Fires
3%
0% Overpressure rupture, explosion,
1%
overheat - no fire
14% 2% Rescue & Emergency Medical
Service
8%
Hazardous Condition (No Fire)

12% 55% Service Call

5%
Good Intent Call

False Alarm & False Call

Severe Weather & Natural

Disaster
Special Incident Type

Type of Call 2016 2017

Fires 143 132
Overpressure, Rupture, Explosion 29 31
Rescue & Emergency Medical Service 2089 2375
Hazardous Condition (No Fire) 221 238
Service Call 528 513
Good Intent Call 283 352
False Alarm & False Call 563 597
Severe Weather & Natural Disaster 9 15
Special Incident Type 58 66
TOTAL 3923 4319
 Responder Number of Responses
Engine 1 2189
Engine 2 1314
Engine 3 352
Engine 4 24
Engine 5 10
Truck 6 486
F-6 Assistant Chief 795
Special Operations 1 417
Water Rescue 1 5
The Bureau operates two Advanced Life Support ambulance units, Medic 3 and Medic 5,
staffed by a Firefighter/EMT and a Paramedic.

Unit Run Totals

Medic 3 4,238
Medic 5 3,584
Total 7,822

Location Faculty Count

Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center 2,378
Wilkes-Barre General Hospital 3,673
VA Medical Center 122

RESPONSES BY TIME OF DAY

500
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0

Submitted by Chief Paramedic Michael Stadulis

 Naloxone Program

The Wilkes-Barre City Fire Department is committed to saving lives.

In 2017 Firefighter/EMT’s and Paramedics administered more than
400 doses of Naloxone, the opioid reversal drug commonly called
Narcan.

Naloxone administration by year:

2015 – 158 doses administered March-December
2016 – 190 doses administered
2017 – 410 doses administered
 FIRE SAFETY EDUCATION

In 2017 the Wilkes-Barre City Fire Department presented fire safety education
programs at over fifty different venues reaching approximately 3000 people.
Presenters discussed topics such as the importance of smoke detectors, cooking
safety, candle safety, electrical safety, fire extinguisher operation and fire escape
plans. We also celebrate Fire Prevention Week, which has turned into Fire
Prevention Month with a variety of activities designed to educate parents and kids
about ways to prevent fires. Safety demonstrations and tours of the fire station get
everyone involved and help explain the importance of fire safety. The Fire Safety
House is an essential and effective interactive tool used at schools and other public
events to teach fire safety and evacuation procedures to school aged children and
adults. The Fire Safety House was at 18 locations throughout the year. Some of the
groups receiving fire safety education throughout the year were:
Kirby Park Boy Scouts Winterfest Wilkes-Barre Area School District
NAACP Diversity Picnic Wilkes-Barre Farmers Market
Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre Home Depot Safety Day
YMCA Kid’s Day Children’s Service Center
RIVERFEST Kiddie Space
FACES (Heights Elementary) Head Start Wilkes-Barre Academy, JCC

Smoke Detectors
In 2017 the Wilkes-Barre Fire Department continued its partnership with the
American Red Cross to install smoke detectors and educate residents on home fire
safety. Throughout the year more than 1,000 smoke detectors were installed in
residential housing units throughout the city. This campaign aims to reduce the
number of fire deaths and injuries.
 FIRE/EMS TRAINING

The City of Wilkes-Barre Fire Department Training Division is coordinated by Captain Robert Suchoski.
The Training Division is committed to providing classroom and hands on training to the members of the
Wilkes-Barre Fire Department. The training is designed to aid the fire fighters and paramedics in meeting
the ever growing demands and challenges associated with providing the best emergency services to the
Wilkes-Barre community. Nearly 3000 staff hours were dedicated to fire/EMS training. A sample of the
training curriculum covered in 2017 is listed below.

Flashover Simulator
RIT Concepts/Mayday
High Rise Operations
Ladder Climb Drills
Fire Dynamics
SCBA Donning Drills
Carbon Monoxide Monitoring
Advanced Rope Rescue Rigging
Flood Gate Training
OFFICE OF PREVENTION AND INSPECTION

The Office of Prevention and Inspection works closely with the city Building Code
Official in enforcing Pennsylvania’s statewide building code, known as the UCC and the
adopted I-Codes. Fire prevention codes exist to minimize hazards to life and property from
fire and panic. The City of Wilkes-Barre fire code enforcement system offers reduced risk
of hazards, minimizes fire death and injury, controls inherent hazards that cannot be
eliminated and maintains the community’s economic structure.
Fire Prevention and Inspection also maintains a database of over 480 pre-fire plans of local
facilities. These preplans contain important information such as utility locations,
emergency contacts, known hazards, floor plans, and water flow requirements. Visiting
these sites not only assists in updating the database and providing a visual aspect, the
preplans become an invaluable tool for risk assessment leading to effective, efficient and
SAFE firefighting operations.
Fire Inspectors are also members of the Neighborhood Impact Team. This team is
comprised of several city departments that strive to keep our neighborhoods a safe, clean
and welcome place to live and work.
The Office of Prevention and Inspection conducted 110 fire inspections and 37 fire drills
in 2017. There were also over 100 pre-fire plans developed and updated throughout the
year.
The City of Wilkes-Barre Fire Department is taking steps to bolster the defense-
against-fire activity by conducting “Fire Watch” activity within our community.
During this past year fire equipment has been driving through residential
neighborhoods, parks, and business districts several times a day creating a high
visibility presence in the community. Our focus will be placed on vacant and
abandoned properties and pre-determined high risk areas. Using this information
fire fighters can determine if a fire pre-plan is warranted.
Across the United States there are an estimated average of over 300,000 intentionally
set fires each year according to the National Fire Incident Reporting System and the
National Fire Protection Association. These fires cause significant property loss,
injuries, and even death.
The increased fire department presence is meant to deter intentionally set fires,
mitigate observed hazards, and increase community awareness about the risk of fire
in their community, encouraging them to report suspicious activity.
1,744 Community Fire Watches have been completed during this past year offering
a significant presence by the fire department within every section in the City of
Wilkes-Barre.
 2017 FIRE/EMS CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENTS AND EQUIPMENT
Improvements and Equipment Cost
Fire Miscellaneous Rescue (Equipment) $9,739.75
“Jaws of Life” – Engine 1 $28,759.64
Fire Rescue- Portable radios $24,120.00
Assistant Fire Chief Response Vehicle $38,188.96
Fire Headquarters – new roof $156,000.00
Fire Radio System – Assistant Chiefs Vehicle $1,811.04
Fire Turnout Gear (16) Coats, Pants, and Boots $44,855.00
Mobile Data Terminals (6) $21,174.00
2017 Fire Mini-Pumper $213,980.00
 FFO
OUURR G
GRRO
OUUPP RRO
OSSTTEERR
GROUP 1 GROUP 2 GROUP 3 GROUP 4
17(16) Firefighters 18 (14 ) Firefighters 1615) Firefighters 16 (15) Firefighters
2 Paramedics 2 Paramedics 2 Paramedics 2 Paramedics

HHEEAADDQQUUAARRTTEERRSS SSTTAATTIIOONN

ASSISTANT CHIEF 055 J. Ostrum 113 D. Lendacky 083 W. Murtha 060 E. Snarski

CAPTAIN (HQ) 079 R. Smith 084 C. Buchanan 089 M. Bilski 078 R. Fannon
ENGINE 1 149 G. Lehman 119 F. Meehan 103 S. Fox 128 T. Heffers
HOSEMAN E-1 118 D. Hall 143 R. Rae 120 J. Baldoni 132 M. Lear
TRUCK 6 091 W. Dayton 106 R. Sudnick 109 S. Shinko 126 G. Leibman
TRUCK 6 ASSISTANT 132 M. Crawford 127 R. Steininger 104 J. Polacheck 122 T. Snyder
HOSEMAN 182 D. Zalenski 176 W. Court 174 J. Zaremba
HOSEMAN 184 C. Habrack 177 T. Murphy 188 M. Delaney 175 C. Smith
HOSEMAN 186 E. Serafin 183 J. Kirn 192 T. Temarantz
HOSEMAN 199 T. Hart 187 W. Letanski 156 J. Salsavage
HOSEMAN
HOSEMAN

SSOOUUTTHH SSTTAATTIIOONN

CAPTAIN 061 T. Makar 146 R. Stehle 150 E. Anderson 133 D. Roberts

ENGINE 3 172 G. Schatzel 088 D. Emplit 189 R. Livingston 129 M. Ulichney
HOSEMAN E-3 181 J. Cook 180 D. Sosik 145 A. Walker 147 B. Drevitch
M-3/EMT 193 I Walkowiak 148 E. Smith OPEN 072 H. McCarthy
PARAMEDIC 152 J. Newcomb 141 A. Patla 153 P. Burke 125 T. Hammond

HHOOLLLLEENNBBAACCKK SSTTAATTIIOONN

CAPTAIN 090 C. Williams 116 F. Evanko 107 P. Meehan 076 F. McHenry

ENGINE 2 115 T. Cross 105 T. Klapat 134 K. Kovach 067 T. Siskovich
HOSEMAN E-2 130 K. Voelker 086 J. Ulichney 114 S. Williams 121 R. Graham
M-5/EMT OPEN 179 J. Shuey 196 D. Gutowski 195 R. Gallagher
PARAMEDIC 117 J. Alu 093 J. Spellman 112 M. Stadulis** 142 E. Johns

PER-DIEM PARAMEDIC 202 R. Smith 159 C. DeNaples 171 G. Metric 190 M. Gillott
PER-DIEM PARAMEDIC 154 J. Salsavage 161 J. Starosta 167 J. Mooney 178 J. Gildea
PERDIEM PARAMEDIC 194 C. Roman 168 C. Scavone 169 P. Evans 195 J. Shaw
201 J. Chiumento

HIGHLIGHTED ARE FIRE FIGHTERS WHO ARE EMT'S OR PARAMEDICS

UNDERLINED PERSONNEL ARE PARAMEDICS ALSO ** CHIEF PARAMEDIC

Temporarily Assigned
Sick / Injured / Family Leave
Military
Probies/ Not Bid

FIRE CHIEF James Delaney 087

DEPUTY CHIEF A. Klapat 081
FIRE INSPECTOR /FTO R. Suchoski 108
OFFICE MANAGER D. Owens 000

4GRP# UPDATED: Wednesday, 21 February 2018