Florence Fire Department
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WHAT TO DO IF, DESPITE ALL YOUR PRECAUTIONS,
A FIRE DOES OCCUR

House fire Should you find yourself and your home confronted with a fire, there are certain steps that should be taken to insure safety. These tactics vary according to the size and type of the fire: Use a fire extinguisher to put out small fires. If the fire is not electrical or chemical in nature, water can also be used to extinguish it. Do not try to put out a fire that is getting out of control. Even if you're sure you can control it, get everyone out of the house and call the Florence County Communications Center at 911 from a neighbor's house. 

Smother oil and grease fires in the kitchen by putting a lid over the flame if it is burning in a pan. If your clothes catch on fire, stop, drop, and roll until the fire is extinguished. Running only makes the fire burn faster. Sleep with your door closed. If you wake up to the sound of a smoke detector, feel the bottom of the door with the back of your hand before you open it. If the door is cool, leave immediately. Be prepared to crawl - smoke and heat rise, so the air is clearer and cooler near the floor. If the door is hot, escape through a window. If you cannot escape, hang a white or light-colored sheet outside the window, alerting firefighters to your presence. Have your family meet at a predesignated area outside and in front of the house. That way, if any members of the family are missing, firefighters can be alerted and initiate immediate efforts to locate and rescue them. The Florence Fire Department utilizes new technology, called Thermal Imaging Devices, that detect human body heat in a fire situation to help firefighters quickly locate and rescue occupants of residential and commercial buildings.

FIRE DEPARTMENT - EMERGENCIES

In the event you need the emergency services of the City of Florence Fire Department, immediately dial 911. 

When you dial 911 for emergency assistance, the dispatcher will answer the phone and ask you questions about the emergency. They are:

  • your name
  • the address of the emergency
  • the telephone number you are calling from
  •  a brief description of the emergency such as "My kitchen is on fire," or "There is an accident at the intersection of West Palmetto and South Edisto."

Emergency dispatchers agree that remaining calm is the most important thing you can do to help them help you. Dispatchers ask standard questions to help them make evaluations, decisions, and forward the necessary information to those responding to your call. Officers will use this and other information to assign personnel and equipment. In fire emergencies, a computer tells the dispatcher which fire companies are to be dispatched, where fire hydrant and water supplies are located, the name of the subdivision in which the address is located, and the closest intersection to the address. The dispatcher then sends the assigned fire companies.

All Fire Department firefighters in the City of Florence are trained as emergency medical services First Responders. They work from one of 4 fire stations strategically located throughout the City of Florence to provide quick EMS assistance to area residents. For more information about fire and rescue emergency procedures, stop by the department main offices, located at 144 East Palmetto Street, Florence, between 8:30 am and 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday, or call them at 843-665-3231.

For more information on what to do during a fire, stop by the City of Florence Fire Department main offices, located at 144 East Palmetto Street, Florence between 8:30 am and 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday, or call them at 843-665-3231.
 
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