PREPAREDNESS

CE-Bar VFD works under a cooperative agreement with the Texas Forest Service.  CE-Bar VFD is a member of the Travis County Firefighter’s Association and the Capital Area Fire Chief’s Association.  The department is also a partner in a mutual aid agreement with all other fire departments in Travis County as well as Austin Fire Department (AFD).  This means the department can draw on resources outside the district in extreme emergencies and will provide personnel and limited apparatus support to other districts in the mutual aid partnership including AFD.

In preparation for emergency needs CE-Bar VFD has performed a walk through and planning for emergency response in most of the commercial structures in TCESD #10.  Building layout plans for commercial and large residential structures are on file with the department

Emergency medical "first responder" service is provided by CE-Bar VFD in conjunction with Austin/Travis County Emergency Medical Services (EMS).  The majority of department personnel are trained Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT's) certified by the Texas Department of Health, several of which are Paramedic and Intermediate level providers.  CE-Bar EMT's are generally the first trained medical emergency personnel on scene and provide emergency care and patient packaging until Austin/Travis County EMS arrives for transport.  Besides classroom and lab work, EMT training includes ambulance ride-outs with Austin EMS and emergency room duties at area hospitals including the area’s main trauma center, Brackenridge Hospital.

Fire training for department personnel is conducted according to State Fireman’s and Fire Marshall’s Association of Texas and Texas A&M Extensions Service guidelines.  Many members are certified as Basic, Intermediate and Advanced firefighters with some members working as instructors at fire school training.  All paid firefighters with CE-Bar VFD attend Taylor Fire Academy unless previously academy completion results are provided.

CE-Bar VFD provides all protective personal equipment and issues only National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) approved safety equipment.  EMT personnel are issued first responder medical equipment as well since they are neighbors and often respond directly to the emergency scene in their privately operated vehicle while other personnel bring apparatus.

In addition to fire suppression and emergency medical services, CE-Bar apparatus are equipped to support high angle rescue, swift water rescue, vehicle stabilization and extrication, carbon monoxide detection and hazardous materials mitigation in our community.  Fire safety instruction and emergency preparedness are key elements in prevention and CE-Bar VFD regularly performs sessions with students at Barton Creek Elementary School and West Ridge Middle School