Operations
A firefighter will be called to many different types of incidents during their career. Center Point Fire District has over 100 men and women trained to perform at the top of their field. From EMS to Fire and everything in between, this group of dedicated employees has hundreds of years of experience and training. Center Point Fire District has responded to numerous technical rescues, hazardous material incidents, and large structure fires. CPFD is also a part of a cutting-edge emergency medicine program that gives our citizens the best possible prehospital emergency care. No matter what incident occurs within the district, our team will be ready to respond and stabilize the issue.
Fire Suppression
To Save Lives and Protect Property.
Firefighting is a calling. It takes a special person to enter a dark, hot, and toxic environment to save others’ lives and property. Center Point Fire District is blessed to have the best of these people willing to sacrifice a lot to save a lot. These men and women face fires with ice on the ground or sweltering heat. They go into conditions that, God willing, you never have to face. Center Point Fire District is proud to have the ISO Class 1 designation denoting our department with top-tier fire protection. This designation is mainly in part to the brave men and women who serve and protect our community.
EMS
Improving Outcomes and Saving Lives
January 15th, 1972, EMERGENCY! became a midseason replacement that aired on NBC. The show focused on Los Angeles County Paramedics, Johnny Cage and Roy DeSoto and their trials and tribulations in the new field of fire-based EMS. The impact of EMERGENCY! on the Fire Service cannot be overstated. It inspired fire departments around the country to expand EMS programs. Center Point Fire District began one of the first fire-based EMS systems in Alabama.
One of the people who was inspired by EMERGENCY! was Bob VanHooser. At 18 years old and already a paid firefighter, he began his journey to become a Paramedic for the Center Point Fire District. In December of 1976, he became a fully certified paramedic. He has dedicated his career to making the Fire Service better. In 2003, Bob VanHooser was promoted to the position of Chief of Training and EMS. He was the first full-time EMS officer for the district. Battalion Chief Bob VanHooser focused on providing the best service available to the residents and staying on the cutting edge of prehospital emergency medicine.
Today, Battalion Chief Wes Ward has continued and expanded on these principles. Under Chief Ward’s tutelage, Center Point Fire District has one of America’s best cardiac arrest resuscitation rates. In conjunction with our medical director, William Ferguson MD, our paramedics provide the best service available. With an evidence-based approach to paramedicine, Center Point Fire District will continue to make an impact that will not only be felt in Alabama but throughout the nation.
Technical Rescue
High Risk Low Frequency
Technical Rescue encompasses many different disciplines that require significant training. While technical rescue is a very small portion of our job, the danger and risk involved make these incidents an integral part of our department. Center Point Fire District employs a rapid response vehicle for technical rescue. Technical 23 is specially designed to rapidly deploy resources for water rescue, high and steep angle rescue, extrication, fire response, structural collapse, and trench rescue. Our people have thousands of hours training for these High Risk Low Frequency events.