What We DO Well For Silver City

The Silver City Fire Department is a top notch Fire Department staffed by professional dedicated personal. The Fire Departments primary objectives and mission is to provide Silver City and the surrounding area with the necessary services to minimize the loss of life and property. The Fire Department is especially proud of its response times to emergencies, which range from 2 to 4 minutes in the City and 2 to 6 minutes in areas in the extra territorial zone (ETZ).

The Silver City Fire Department is in charge of the Town's Safety Program. The program has been successful in reducing employee accidents, injuries reported, and lost time accidents. As a result, Workman's comp. Insurance premiums have decreased, saving the Town of Silver City $60,000.00 annually.

The Fire Department is very focused in promoting customer service by providing the following services; The department's Fire Prevention Program is instrumental in reaching most of the school age children, students in the community and many parents in promoting safety and fire prevention through talks and classes. Informational pamphlets and literature is available and handed out to the public.

The department's CPR & First Aid classes that are offered to the public provide citizens and organizations with the needed training, certifications and skills that they need for their occupation and safety in general.

The Fire Department provides standbys and supports many functions in Silver City. Some examples are; football games, sporting events, public events at the park, The Tour of the Gila bicycle race, free blood pressure and blood glucose checks for the public. The department also sponsors youth organizations like the Boy Scouts, a Pee Wee league team and other youth programs. Raising large donations of money for worthy causes like Muscular Dystrophy through its Fill the Boot Program are also included.

SCFD will do whatever it takes to assist the customer or at least assist them in the right direction. Examples include helping an elderly person to get to the doctor, providing rooms at a local motel for out of town people who had an accident, etc..

In 1997 the Department was awarded the Best Region II EMS Service Provider of the Year Award. The award was based on several factors such as training, (medical) response, level of training, Joint Powers Agreement with Gila Regional, and the department's EMT-I and Paramedic level of service. The department's CE program (continuing education) has been deemed as the leading program in the State as per State Training Coordinator (ILS/ALS Mrs. Joyce Bradley.

Projects that the Silver City Fire Department will be undertaking in the future will be:

• Continued implementation of an effective Fire Code Enforcement and Inspection program.
  
  
• Preparations to deal with the potential threat of wild land / urban interface fires which occurred in 1999 throughout the state. New quick attack brush trucks, equipment and training will be implemented and utilized.
  
  
• Continued training for firefighters to maintain certifications in Fire Suppression, Emergency Medical Services, Haz-Mat, etc.
  
  
• Recently the Silver City Fire Department has accepted the responsibility for the Silver City/Grant County Office of Emergency Management (OME). Robert Lopez is responsible for this program. The Office of Emergency Management has high expectations which include revising the current Emergency Operations Center and improving the training for all emergency agencies in preparation for any emergency or disaster that could occur.