MCRD/ERR PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. -- The Parris Island Fire Department has been working to put out fires, rescue those in need and educate recruits, Marines, sailors and civilians aboard the Depot since 1915.
Surprising to some, the PIFD offers a myriad of services to all who serve, work and reside aboard the Depot.
"The primary role of the Parris Island Fire Department is to provide fire protection, prevention and emergency medical services for Parris Island," said Kelvin Canaday, chief, PIFD.
Of those services, Canaday says the emergency medical services are the meat and potatoes, which encompass about 80 percent of all of the services the PIFD provides to the Depot.
"People may not realize that we do not charge for any of the services we provide," said Canaday, pointing out some people are under the misconception they would have to pay for an ambulance ride, if a situation deemed it necessary.
"It is not only a fire department anymore," he added. "In addition to EMS, we provide advanced life support with paramedics."
Canaday pointed out that out of a staff of 53 firefighters, 15 are also paramedics. The department also has two ambulances ready to roll, with a third in reserve everyday.
The PIFD also provides some services that may surprise some people aboard the Depot. For example, they have a water rescue team with certified scuba divers, who can search for and rescue distressed or lost boats and personnel.
"We can also do confined space rescues, such as in manholes, sewers or tanks," said Canaday.
"We have a very good hazardous materials team, too," added Canaday, who has been the PIFD chief since 1993.
The PIFD is also equipped to respond to a variety of situations involving weapons of mass destruction or chemical weapons.
"We are equipped to readily decontaminate and clothe 500 people at any time," said Canaday, adding that the department's WMD and HAZMAT gear is mobile and ready for action at a moments notice.
The department also checks the installation of child safety seats and holds fire prevention extinguisher classes, educating people on the proper methods for using a fire extinguisher, said Canaday.
In addition, the department also conducts a fire safety program in which members of the PIFD put on a puppet show educating children on the ins and outs of fire safety.
The department is constantly trying to improve their skill set by training everyday in preparation for any situation that may arise aboard the Depot. Since they don't have a designated training area aboard the Depot, they either go to MCAS Beaufort and use their burn building or take advantage of the occasional circumstances that arise at Parris Island.
In 2004, when the old Wake Village housing was slated to be torn down, the fire department jumped at a chance to get some hands on training and used their smoke machine to simulate a burning house in one of empty domiciles.
"Because we don't have a designated training area on the Depot, we try to take advantage of any situation like that," said Canaday. "We have a standard daily in-service training program that our training officer has put together. Our EMS staff has a separate training program that they have put together in order to be in compliance with the state licensing board."
Cooperation with outside agencies can be a key element in mission completion for the fire department and can even apply to the work they do on the Depot.
"Some of our firefighters work with Beaufort County EMS, and we even have one that is a medic on the Beaufort County SWAT team," said Canaday. "It builds a good rapport with outside agencies and helps when [we] have to work together."
Emergency 911 calls used to be a logistics problem, according to Canaday. The call would go to the Marines at the Provost Marshall's Office, who would call the fire department to get them to respond, causing a delay in response time. Now, the two work in the same building and have a consolidated dispatch center. The result of that meant having a synchronized response time, as well as a better working relationship.
Even though they may depend on outside sources for support here and there, the Parris Island Fire Department has always stood alone and truly, "Protects those who protect America."
"We are what I call a full service fire department," exclaimed Canaday. "No [other facility] in Beaufort County can say that they provides EMS or water rescue...no one else can say that."