How do I report an emergency where I need the fire department, an ambulance or the sheriff’s department?
Always dial 9-1-1 to report any emergency. All 9-1-1 calls in Pinellas County are answered by the Pinellas County Emergency Communications Center. If the fire department or an ambulance is needed the communications center dispatches the closest units to the incident. If the call is for law enforcement the caller is transferred to the appropriate law enforcement dispatch center. In Oldsmar that agency is the Pinellas County Sheriff’s department. If you need to speak with a sheriff’s officer but no emergency exists you may call the Pinellas County Sheriff's Department at 727-582-6200 and request an Oldsmar deputy.
There have been some instances when a resident has called the fire station’s non-emergency business telephone number to request assistance or driven to the fire station for treatment of a medical emergency. We want to discourage people from doing this as often times the firefighters are away from the station performing inspections, testing fire hydrants or training.
When a call is made to 9-1-1, how long before emergency help arrives?
The average response time of the City of Oldsmar Fire Rescue to all types of emergenciesis 4:30 with the city’s geography, the time of day, weather and roadway configurations all effecting response times. Those residents or businesses located farther from the fire station will see a longer response time in most cases. In communities that have traffic calming devices such as speed humps the fire department’s response times are slowed approximately 15 seconds for each speed hump encountered.
If Oldsmar Fire Rescue units are on a call and another 9-1-1 call is received who responds?
Thanks to a long standing automatic aid agreement between all of the fire departments within Pinellas County and the centralized dispatching center all 9-1-1 calls for service are responded to promptly by the next closest fire/EMS crew. For Oldsmar residents that would mean units from Safety Harbor, East Lake Palm Harbor or Clearwater would be responding when Oldsmar Fire Rescue units are on other calls or out of service for training.
Why do an Oldsmar fire truck and a Sunstar ambulance respond to medical calls?
The City of Oldsmar Fire Rescue staffs its emergency apparatus with cross trained firefighter paramedics who serve as the Advanced Life Support first responders to 9-1-1 calls for medical assistance, rescues and vehicle crashes. The Pinellas County ambulance service, Sunstar is also dispatched to provide patient transport to the hospital if necessary. The ambulance is staffed with a paramedic as well and is capable of taking over patient care from the fire department. In serious cases, the fire rescue paramedic may ride in the ambulance to the hospital as well to lend assistance. This system provides the fastest response to those in need and allows the fire rescue unit to be available to respond to the next emergency call.
When I was transported to the hospital why wasn't I taken to the hospital of my choice?
Emergency personnel try to accommodate the patient's or the patient’s family request of hospital destination, but many times this is not an option due to the patient's condition.Pinellas County EMS system protocols may dictate that the patient be transported to the closest hospital facility or a facility capable of providing specialized treatment. In some cases, paramedics in the field will be directed by Pinellas County EMS medical control staff to transport to a different hospital due to emergency department closures caused by patient overloading. In all instances where the hospital transport destination is not what the patient or family desired the paramedics will discuss these issues with the patient and family.
How do the firefighters know when they have an emergency call?
Every firefighter on-duty is assigned a pager which is activated by the Pinellas County Emergency Communications Center when there is an emergency call. Inside the fire station, an alerting device is activated as well as computer aided dispatch printouts are generated. The firefighters hear the verbal information from the dispatcher and take the printed call information with them as they respond. There are also mobile data computers in the emergency apparatus that also have received the emergency call information and display the incident location on a map for the crew to reference.
How many people work for the City of Oldsmar Fire Rescue?
The department is staffed with 20 personnel filling various roles and responsibilities. They include an administrative staff of the fire chief and an administrative assistant, two fire inspectors and a paramedic EMS coordinator. The administrative staff works a standard Monday through Friday 40-hour work week.
The rest of the staff is comprised of firefighter paramedics, firefighter EMT’s and officers. The firefighters work a 56-hour work week shift schedule of one 24-hour work period followed by two days off. There are a total of six personnel assigned to each shift.
What type of education or certification is needed to become an Oldsmar firefighter?
Employment candidates must be a State of Florida certified firefighter and also hold a state EMT certification.Please view the employment tab on the web site for a full description of the certifications required, the job descriptionsand testing procedures. For those just starting out and in need of educational opportunities both St. Petersburg College and Hillsborough Community College offer firefighter and EMT course offerings.
Does the fire department have any volunteer firefighting opportunities?
The City of Oldsmar does not have a volunteer firefighter program.
Is it possible to get a tour of the fire station and see the fire trucks?
We are pleased when we get visitors to the fire station and we are very proud to provide a tour of our fire station and the fire apparatus. We encourage families, scouting troops and day care groups to schedule a tour in advance to ensure that staff will be available to guide the tour and answer any questions that you may have. Just call 813-749-1200 to schedule your tour.
Will you inspect my fire extinguisher?
If you are a resident and would like us to take a look at your home fire extinguisher to see if it needs replacing just give us a call at 813-749-1200 and we will schedule a time to meet with you at your home or at the fire station. If you are a business, Florida law requires that your fire extinguishers be inspected annually by a licensed fire extinguisher company. During routine fire inspections Oldsmar fire inspectors will check the fire extinguishers tag for compliance.
Does the fire department offer any public education courses such as CPR?
Yes, the City of Oldsmar Fire Rescue offers several educational opportunities to help residents and businesses better able to cope with emergency situations. They include CPR, First Aid, fire extinguisher use and babysitting safety. Please check out the web page for a complete listing and how you can register for an upcoming class. If you do not see a convenient class offered visit our calendar often as new courses may be posted. If you have a group and would like to schedule a course please call or e-mail and we will coordinate with your group on a training date.
Do you inspect the installation of baby car safety seats?
Yes, on Tuesday and Thursday, 8:00 - 9:00 AM and from 3:00 - 4:00 PM, one of our technicians trained in safety seat installation will assist you. Since these same firefighters may be called away to an emergency we request that you please call ahead at 813-749-1200 to check their availability. We do not make appointments so you must call shortly before the designated times. There is no fee for this service but we do ask that you consider donating some canned goods for the Oldsmar Cares Food Pantry.
Does the fire department do home fire safety or swimming pool safety inspections?
Absolutely! Call the fire station at 813-749-1200 or e-mail us to schedule an appointment for one of these free courtesy inspections.
What is the city's ISO Public Protection Classification?
The City of Oldsmar has received a Class 3 Public Protection Classification from the Insurance Services Office, Inc. (ISO). This puts the city's fire suppression capabilities in the top three percent of all fire service agencies nationally. The ISO utilizes its Fire Suppression Grading Schedule to examine three major features of a community's ability to provide fire suppression services. They are, Fire Alarm and Communications capabilities; Fire Department staffing and equipment; and the Water Supply System including water storage, pumps, mains and hydrants.
| 
