Manitowoc’s Fire Chief says not every fire department can be fully prepared for a fire, hence the reason for a special alarm.
A listener asked Chief Todd Blaser during By My Guest why fire departments like Branch show up to help with fires.
Blaser explained that it goes back to the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System, or MABAS because most fire departments might only be prepared for a fire in one room with some contents.
Blaser explained, “Once it gets past that room of origin, you’re going to need more hands there to make sure that you extinguish that fire safely and make sure that you’re taking care of your own staff with it.”
But the city has gone one step further to Automatic Response Aid.
Blaser says when an actual structure fire with flames shows, Branch Firefighters automatically send a fire truck while Two Rivers sends an ambulance.
“Just because we have one incident happening in Manitowoc with all our resources tied up there, the thought is if another incident comes in, we have the ability to send Branch to that for fire protection,” he described. “And we have Two Rivers basically take care of the city for EMS.”
Blaser says there will likely be an EMS call, so having Two Rivers helps.
If a fire call goes the other way around, Manitowoc would automatically send an engine to Two Rivers or Branch for help.
He finishes by saying that if you see multiple fire departments from different areas fighting a massive fire or local services are busy enough, they need extra help in the city.
