General Info

We are a 125 member all-volunteer fire department. We do not pay any firemen or EMT's. All members are extremely dedicated to providing our community with professional (and speedy) fire protection and emergency medical treatment.

Calls

Each member gets a fire pager and has the option to have call information sent to their phone. This pager beeps when there is either fire or ambulance call. Anyone who is available when the pagers go off or they receive the text on their phone they proceed to the fire house where their gear is waiting. For ambulance calls, max four members can go (Driver, EMT, and two attendants). For fire calls, as many people go as the call needs. Everyone who shows up gets one (1) point (explained below). While responding members are to call a provided phone number to "I Am Responding (internet based program)" which will display the members riding position (Interior FF, EMT, Driver, Etc...), station they are responding to, their ETA and who it is on to screens that are placed throughout the two stations.

Fire Calls

Typically we get a fire call approximately every 2-3 days. Sometimes more, sometimes less. Each type of call (PIAA, structure fire, pump out, etc.) has its own protocols as to which trucks responds first. When you arrive at the station, you suit up and hop on the truck that is due out first (unless you are on probation). You can expect a fire call to last anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours. Of course if it's a structure fire it may take longer.

Ambulance Calls

We get about an ambulance call a day. These calls will take approximately 1 1/2 hours from the time the call comes out. We get anything from broken toes to heart attacks, to car accidents, to sports related injuries. For each ambulance call three members need to respond (four can respond). This works on a first-come first-serve basis (except during duty crew hours). When your pager goes off, you are asked to call I Am Responding, hit the prompt for your riding assignment which will let the dispatcher at Putnam 911 know that you will be responding. There needs to be 1 driver, 1 EMT, and 1 or 2 attendants. The Paramedics will be called to the scene for life threatening calls.

Mutual Aid Calls

On rare occasions when we can't get enough people to respond to a call, we then make it a "mutual aid" call. This is when neighboring towns, (primarily Carmel, Kent, and Patterson) will respond to the calls for us. This works both ways. If Carmel, for instance, could not get enough people to cover a call, then the dispatcher would dispatch Lake Carmel to cover their call. This is just another way that we make sure that everyone gets the best, and quickest, treatment possible. The majority of mutual aid calls are ambulance related, however, there are some occasions when the fire department gets called for mutual aid. Another major reason for the mutual aid is when another company needs extra man-power. For example: at a structure fire, or at a multi car accident.

Sunday Drills

Each Sunday beginning at 9:30am (except holidays) the majority of the members come down to the fire house (Station I and Station II) to help prepare the trucks for the next week. This includes washing the trucks, checking air pressure in the tires, as well as checking all of the equipment on each truck. Sundays are also a time for learning. After we check all the equipment we train. You may learn how to drive a truck, pump a truck, or how to cut a hole in a roof of a house (fake roofs, of course). Most Sunday Drills run until 12pm.

Point System

Every time a member responds to a fire or ambulance call, attends a drill or attends a meeting he/she gets 1 point.(There are several other ways to get points, i.e. stand-by for another fire company) In order to remain active in the department, you must obtain 25 points a year and in order to vote for offices you must obtain 50 points a year. Now even though this may sound like a lot, it really isn't. Many volunteers can earn hundreds of points over the course of one year.

Not all work...

Being a member of the Lake Carmel Fire Department isn't all work and no play. We march in about 5-7 parades every summer. All members (if they want to), receive a full marching uniform. What many people don't realize is that all of the fire departments marching in the parade are getting judge. We are all competing for trophies that are handed out at the end of the parade. We also hold an annual family picnic and do various functions with other fire departments. e.i. fishing trips, paint ball games, bowling...