By: Vivienne C.
Cover photo by: Daiyu Tang
In the heart of Hathian, lies an unsung place of heroes that stands as a beacon of safety and resilience. This monument to bravery is the Hathian Fire Department. Beyond its crimson façade and gleaming fire trucks, the department serves as an unwavering guardian against the unpredictable forces that threaten the community. As flames dance in the night and emergencies unfold, the men and women of the Hathian Fire Department spring into action, embodying the essence of courage.
This article invites you to learn and understand what makes FDH a vital thread woven into the fabric of the city. To accomplish this, I visited the fire station and was welcomed graciously by its Chief, Dale Warrhol who made the time from his (incredibly) busy schedule to answer my questions. This time with the FDH continues an annual tradition of getting a bit of a deep dive with staff, see our work with Rog back in 2022 for example.
FDH Operation
As many of you might have noticed, the Fire Department does more than just put out fires and respond to emergencies. This is due to widespread deficiencies in public services and the high crime rate that made FDH widen its scope and utilise their resources efficiently.
“We currently have 12 employees working in different capacities but we are always recruiting and looking for able-bodied women and men to join our team. In our main station, we have a pumper fire truck called Velma, a ladder truck called Big Bird and two ambulances A-1 and A-2. In our auxiliary station, we had a pumper aerial fire truck called Taz, a tanker truck called Fat Chick that helps us bring water to locations where there is none and an off-road ambulance called A-3. We can access specialist vehicles for other tasks but we don’t own them.”
Dale Warrhol, Chief of FDH
The Hathian Fire Department has the following main priorities:
1. Emergency Response: The heartbeat of the Hathian Fire Department lies in its ability to respond swiftly to emergencies. Whether it’s a blazing fire, a hazardous material spill, or a rescue operation, the department’s highly trained personnel are ready to spring into action.
2. Fire Prevention and Education: While firefighting is a crucial aspect of their mission, the Hathian Fire Department is equally dedicated to preventing fires and educating the community on fire safety. To that extent the FDH will be focusing hard on their inspections starting with the businesses in Hathian and then the surrounding areas within the parish.
We have launched an FDH Twitter @CD_FDH (Follow them!) that we have been using for public service announcements and general safety advice, we will be launching a voluntary scheme to inspect home smoke alarms soon.
3. Community Engagement: Beyond emergency response, the Hathian Fire Department actively engages with the community it serves. Public events foster a strong bond between the firefighters and residents. This engagement not only promotes a sense of community but also encourages citizens to be proactive in their own safety measures.
Leadership of FDH
At the helm of the Hathian Fire Department stands a cadre of dedicated leaders, motivated by a profound sense of responsibility. The Chief of FDH shared with me, what got him into this line of work and what continues to make him want to lead the Fire Department.
“I’m not from here, I’m from Massachusetts and so I had never seen anything like Hathian before. When I arrived in the city I just wanted to make things better and I felt that the best way to do that was through good work. I met a friend who was in the fire department and it seemed like a natural direction. I still believe that I can do a lot of good here.
I believe in our department and in the men and women that we have working here and I like being a part of that. It is a challenging but rewarding career. I would also like to thank the members of the public for their goodwill and who support our efforts and who call upon us to come and save the lives of others.”
Dale Warrhol, Chief of FDH
From FDH to the Public
As the Hathian Fire Department would like to push their efforts for prevention, FDH leadership would like to encourage you, Hathians, to follow their Twitter and to participate in their programmes and events. In case of a fire, evacuate the building and call 911. If you think this work and organisation are something you would like to learn from and/or be part of, then do consider applying to be a trainee and gain life saving experience.
In essence, the operation of the Hathian Fire Department is a testament to the dedication and courage of its members. By seamlessly blending emergency response, prevention efforts, training, and community engagement, the department stands as an essenitial force.
Let us support them through engagement and cooperation, and most importantly let us celebrate them often for their service.
