Photo by Leland Lehman/ladailypost.com
Photo by Leland Lehman/ladailypost.com
Staff Report
A major remodel in underway at Los Alamos Fire Department Station 6 at 457 East Road near the airport.
County Project Manager Wayne Kohlrust explained that one bay is being expanded to accommodate LAFD’s “Crash Truck” that services the airport. The current bay was just 4 inches wider than the crash truck. A second bay is under construction to accommodate a “Wildfire Truck.” The firefighters’ weight room is being expanded and additional storage space added to the station.
The project is expected to be completed by mid July with final inspection sometime in August, Kohlrust said.
LAFD is the second largest career fire department in the state of New Mexico. The department provides a multi-disciplined, multi-dimensional mission of fire, rescue, emergency medical, public education and life safety services to the citizens and visitors of Los Alamos. Included in the services LAFD provides are the protection of the Los Alamos National Laboratory; protection of the communities of Los Alamos and White Rock; and assistance in the provision of emergency response for an extensive urban wildland interface.
LAFD was organized under the Manhattan Project in April 1943. At that time it consisted of seven civilian firefighters and 25 volunteer firefighters. In September 1943, the firefighter functions were taken over by the military.
The Fire Department was governed by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission and the US Department of Energy until the Incorporated County of Los Alamos took it over in September 1989.
Today, LAFD operates six fire stations with 150 budgeted positions, 130 shift firefighters including three shift battalion chiefs, nine chief and staff officers assigned to days and 11 civilian support staff.
Construction underway earlier in the process. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com
The steel frame for the remodel at Station 6 begins to take shape. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.comLAFD DIVISIONS
Fire Administration
The Administration Division provides overall management of the Department
Emergency Medical Services Division
The EMS mission is primarily emergency response, although non-emergency, and inter-facility transfers to outlying hospitals, and other medical facilities occur routinely
Fire and Life Safety Management Division
The Fire and Life Safety Management Division provides programmatic oversight for incident reporting, new and existing building inspections, fire investigations, wildland/urban mitigation, hydrant testing, pre-fire planning and public education.
Operations
The Operations Division provides and maintains, through a force of trained and qualified personnel, a state of readiness necessary to cope with real and potential emergency incidents affecting the citizens and visitors of Los Alamos County.
Safety Division
The Safety Division, under the direction of the Battalion Chief/Safety Officer provides policy for environmental, safety and health issues for the prevention of accidents, injuries, illness and fatalities.
Training Division
The LAFD Training Division provides for and maintains the department’s preparedness for incident management, fire suppression and investigations, wildland and urban interface fire fighting, emergency medical services, hazardous materials response, high angle and confined space rescue, incident reporting and computer training, and other emergency and non-emergency services that occur in our service delivery area.
