How Do I Become a Firefighter?

Appointments to the position of Firefighter are based off of a candidate's score on the New York State Civil Service Firefighter Exam administered by Westchester County. Candidates scoring high enough to be eligible for appointment must then undergo a rigorous Candidate Physical Agility Test (CPAT), as well as pass drug and background screenings.

What do my firefighters do when they aren't responding to alarms?

When Greenburgh Firefighters aren’t responding to alarms we can be found performing many different fire prevention activities, maintaining our equipment, and most importantly training. Many of our skills are perishable and must be reviewed often to ensure we are at the top of our game and ready to respond to help you and your family. Every shift, we spend hours training. Training can involve anything from a critique of a call we respond to, studying books and maps, performing hands on drills, inspecting and walking around buildings in our response area to ensure we know every detail about them and much much more.

What type of training do my firefighters have?

Greenburgh Firefighters have thousands of hours of training across a variety of topics including Fire Suppression, Emergency Medical Service, Hazardous Materials Response (Decontamination, Metering & Detection, Mitigation) Accident Victim Extrication, Confined Space Rescue, Trench Rescue, Building Collapse Rescue, Rope Rescue, Ventilation and Overhaul, Aerial Ladder Operations, Forcible Entry, Active Shooter Response, Ice/Water Rescue, Incident Command, Code Enforcement and More.

Why does the Fire Department show up when I call for an Ambulance?

Due to the varying call volume and the large geographic area of the Town of Greenburgh the closest fire engine is often able to arrive on location quicker than an ambulance. This allows firefighters to begin rendering life saving care in situations when seconds matter. All Greenburgh Firefighters are trained in Emergency Medical Response. We have members that range in certification from New York State Emergency Medical Responders up to Advanced Life Support Paramedics. At any given moment our members are ready to respond from centrally located fire stations throughout our response area. Ambulances in Greenburgh are Operated by the Greenburgh Police Department. Based on call volume there could be between 0 and 4 ambulances available to respond to cover EMS calls in our response areas. When all ambulances are assigned to calls additional resources are requested from neighboring districts.

Why do I see firefighters in my apartment building periodically when there isn't a fire?

There are several reasons why you may see us. We could be responding to a local smoke / CO detector activation or EMS call. We also may be conducting a building inspection to ensure resident's safety. 

Who do I call if I need a car seat installed?

Car seat installation is provided by the Fairview Fire District for more information please contact 914-949-2828

My smoke detector is sounding but there is no fire, what should I do?

Whenever any type of Fire or Carbon Monoxide alarm sounds you should call 9-1-1 immediately and evacuate. 

Will I be billed if I call the fire department?

No, Fire Services are funded through property taxes, there is no charge for any type of fire department response.

Why do the fire trucks still show up when I tell my alarm company that my fire alarm was activated by accident?

When an alarm is received it must be investigated and verified. There are cases when a resident will state they simply burned food or there is no reason for activation. Upon arrival and investigation we have found fires in walls, oven fires, fires under and behind appliances and much more. Sometimes the resident has no idea there was any danger. Our knowledge and training is complimented by special thermal imaging cameras and gas meters that allow us to ensure there is no danger.

I have an old fire extinguisher and I'm not sure if it works, what should I do?

Fire extinguishers should be inspected & maintained annually by certified personnel. Greenburgh Firefighters do not provide this service, but there are many commercial services in the area that do. If you would like to dispose of a fire extinguisher please drop it off at any of your local Greenburgh Fire Stations.

I'm not sure if the smoke detectors in my home work, what should I do?

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors have a finite life determined by the manufacturer, we recommend that batteries are changed at least every 6 months. If you are unsure or unable to check your smoke detectors please call your local firehouse and request someone to respond to check them out.

Are you practicing when you are driving through town with your lights and sirens?

Anytime you hear our sirens activated we are responding to a reported emergency. At some fire stations we pull out of the apparatus bays and onto the roadway with the aid of our warning lights for safety due to the positioning of fire stations on major roadways with limited visibility. When we are driving down the roadway with our lights and sirens activated we are responding to an emergency. Please follow all appropriate New York State Vehicle and Traffics Laws regarding yielding to emergency vehicles. 

Why do I see the fire engine and/or the ladder truck driving around my neighborhood?

We are out and about in our community every day, we do much more than just respond to emergencies. Our members have intimate knowledge of our streets, buildings, fire hydrant locations etc. The best way to learn and maintain that knowledge is by driving around and observing our district. We perform building inspections in our commercial and large residential properties and often turn them into drills to ensure we are ready to respond anywhere anytime.

Why do the fire trucks respond with lights and sirens and then sometimes suddenly shut them off?

If we receive a report from a reputable source that the reported emergency that we were dispatched to is under control, responding units may downgrade their response to continue into the scene for investigation with normal traffic. 

Does the district pay for firefighters' meals while on duty?

No, all firefighters pay for their own meals. You may see us out shopping in the grocery store. It is an excellent opportunity to interact with our residents and we have met so many great people. We love when people come say hello. Firefighters do not get defined breaks. While we are on duty, we are always ready to respond. That often means lunch or dinner sits on the table while we respond, but it tastes all that much better when we get back knowing we were able to help a resident in need. 

Why are big fires rare to see in Greenburgh?

The 24/7 guaranteed response by on duty Professional Firefighters ensures units arrive on location of a reported fire in an extremely timely manner. An early reported fire by a local passerby or an automatic alarm system paired with our quick response time allows us to attack the fire while it is in its early stages before it has a chance to grow into a major incident. 

We frequently respond to small fires and mitigate the situation before it causes major damage or loss of life. Appliance fires, cooking fires, electrical fires, garbage can fires etc. often start small, but if the firetrucks are not staffed, those fires often grow into major incidents and look great for the news cameras. 

There are times when fires burn for long periods of time before they are noticed, especially at night. In such situations we cannot turn back the clock. We arrive on location as quickly as possible, assess the situation and when it is safe to do so, our highly trained members perform aggressive interior attacks to locate confine and extinguish fires. There are sometimes factors out of our control that delay us from attacking fires including hazardous materials, unstable materials on fire (propane tanks, chemicals, ammunition etc) and deteriorated structural conditions with an imminent collapse possible.