Fire

Edwin L. Allen, Jr., Chief

601 Caroline Street, Suite 700, Fredericksburg, VA  22401

Phone:  (540) 372-1059

Fax:      (540) 372-1050

Hours:   M-F, 8:15 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

E-mail Chief Allen 

Mission Statement

To protect and serve those who live, work, or visit the City of Fredericksburg by providing highly trained, courteous professional personnel for rapid response to their needs.

Vision Statement

As members of the Fredericksburg Fire Department, we share a vision of providing a safe community and work place through progressive, innovative, well equipped, well trained and dedicated professionals.

The Fredericksburg Fire Department serves an area approximately 11 square miles with a population of approximately 25,691 people.

We currently staff two fire stations 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with two engine companies and one ladder/tower company.  Fredericksburg Fire Department operates two Advanced Life Support ambulances Monday through Friday, 5:30 am to 6:00 pm. All fire suppression personnel are certified at the EMT level or higher.

The Fire Department is responsible for fire suppression, prevention, planning, and inspection programs within the City. It is home to the Regional Hazardous Materials Team, a Dive/Water Rescue Team, TEMS providers that work with the Police Department, Emergency Management for the City and a Training Division.

Active mutual aid agreements are in place with Stafford and Spotsylvania counties.

Fredericksburg Fire Productions - Safety & Instructional Videos

Fire Safety Alert From the Fredericksburg Fire Department

While homeowners are always highly encouraged to have their chimney and flue checked each year prior to use, it is even more important to have this maintenance done this year due to the earthquake that we experienced in August.

Damage to your chimney may not be noticeable from the exterior. The chimney flue may have ruptures that could cause a potential fire hazard, or it could allow Carbon Monoxide to escape into your home through small cracks that can’t be seen without a thorough inspection. The Fredericksburg Fire Department is recommending that all homeowners have their chimney serviced by a qualified professional before the first fire is lit this fall.

As daylight savings time approaches and we change our clocks, please remember to change your batteries in your smoke and Carbon monoxide detectors. If you have detectors that are hard-wired in your home, they have back up batteries that still need to be changed twice a year.

River Safety

In an effort to promote river safety, the Fredericksburg Fire Department has produced and distributed flyers to Old Mill Park visitors.  The flyer is available in English and Spanish. 

River Safety Bulletin

En un esfuerzo para promover seguridad del río, el cuerpo de bomberos de Fredericksburg ha producido y los aviadores distribuidos al molino viejo parquean a visitantes. El aviador está disponible en inglés y español.

Boletin de la seguridad del Rio

HOLIDAY SAFETY:
Each year, over 8000 people are treated in Hospital emergency rooms for injuries related to holiday decorations and trees. In addition, holiday trees are involved in more than 400 fires annually, resulting in approximately 30 deaths, 90 injuries, and an average of more than $17 million in property loss and damage.

Cooking Safety:

• Be careful when cooking.  Always turn off cooking appliances when you leave home.
• Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food.
• Wear clothing with sleeves that are short, close fitting, or tightly rolled up.
• If you use a turkey fryer, follow the manufactures guidelines, cook in a safe area, and have an extinguisher suitable for flammable liquids on hand.
• Stay alert. Don’t cook if you are sleepy, have been consuming alcohol, or have taken medications that make you drowsy.

 

Fireplace Safety:

• Have flue cleaned regularly.
• Do not burn wrapping papers in a fireplace.
• Keep flammables away from fireplaces and woodstoves.
• Have a “Spark Arrester” and a flame resistant mat in front of the firebox on your fireplace.
• Do not leave a fire in a fireplace unattended.

 

Decorations:

• Use care when using candles. Make sure they are in stable holders where they cannot be easily knocked over and place them away from other flammables.
• Extinguish candles when leaving home or going to bed.
• Use no more than three standard-size strands of lights per extension cord.
• Turn off all decoration lights when not at home or going to bed.
• Check all strands of lights for damage.
• Do not overload electrical circuits and use a ground fault circuit interrupter for added shock protection.

 

Trees:

• When purchasing an artificial tree look for the label “Fire Resistant”. This label does not indicate it will not catch fire but it does indicate that it will resist burning and should extinguish quickly.
• Place the tree away from fireplaces, radiators, and other heat sources.
• When selecting a live tree, check for freshness, where the needles do not pull out easily or break. The trunk should be sticky to the touch.
• Keep stand filled with water at all times. Do not leave the tree up for longer than two weeks.

 

PLEASE KEEP FRESH BATTERIES IN YOUR SMOKE AND CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS.