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1. Why do you need to Display your house number?

When the Fire Department responds to a given location, they may be delayed in arriving if the address is not clearly seen from the street. Although it's fairly easy to spot a column of smoke from a house fire, it's difficult for firefighters to see someone having a medical emergency, which may waste critical time having to knock on several doors to try and find the correct address. Make sure your address is clearly visible from the street. The numbers should be four(4) inches in height and being reflective always assists at night.

2. What to do when you see or hear an emergency respond vehicle.

When an emergency vehicle is heard and/or seen, drivers should carefully pull their vehicle to the right of the road and stop. If they are at an intersection, or stopped in traffic when they see lights or hear a siren, drivers should remain stopped and wait until the emergency vehicles have passed. Do not make quick or erratic maneuvers. The law is very specific; drivers must yield the right-of-way to an emergency vehicle. Drivers also should stay 500 feet behind emergency vehicles.

3. Why do firefighters break out windows and cut holes in the roof during a fire?

Firefighters ventilate smoke and superheated gases for safety and visibility. This lets firefighters to get inside the building to find and extinguish the fire, thereby reducing property damage. This also reduces the chance of a backdraft explosion.

4. How often should I change the batteries in my smoke detectors?

We recommend you change the batteries in your smoke detectors every 6 months, an easy way to remember is to change batteries when you reset your clock for daylight savings time.

5. Why do we see fire department crews at the store?

All crews must remain in service to respond to calls at all times and because the crews work a 24-hour shift, they must eat their lunch and dinner at the station. At times firefighters all eat the same meal, as a group. The crews pay for their food out of their own pockets. So, after the equipment is checked and the housework completed, one of the fire trucks will then make a quick trip to the grocery store to purchase food for the shift.

6. Why do you send a fire truck along with an ambulance to a medical emergency?

Fire trucks have first responder personnel and can get help to you more quickly. The ambulance or rescue unit will provide medical care and transportation to an emergency room, depending on the nature of the call. All members of the Saratoga Springs Fire Department are Certified Emergency Medical Technicians or Certified Paramedics. Patient Critical Care