ORGANIZATIONAL STATEMENT
Kent Volunteer Fire Department Inc.

Kent, Connecticut

The Kent Fire Association of Kent, CT, incorporated under the laws of the State of Connecticut, and having
the power accorded it in its charter to form a Fire Company, voted at an organizational meeting held on December
Monday evening, December 14, 1914 that the Kent Fire Association recommend and authorize the formation of the
Kent Volunteer Fire Department Inc. (The Department). The Department was established as a municipal corporation
for the purpose of extinguishing fires pursuant to the statutory provisions of that time. The Department boundaries
were established and Department officers were elected at this meeting. In the years since its creation, The Department
has evolved into a multi-discipline emergency service organization. The Department, in addition to suppression
services, also provides fire prevention, emergency medical services, basic rescue techniques, and hazardous materials
containment, mitigation planning, and decontamination.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Department is the preservation and the protection of life, limb and property from
fire and other hazards worthy of the Department’s attention.
The focus of the Mission Statement and a strategic planning effort shall be used to determine what services
and the level of delivery that the Department shall reasonably provide as a minimum to the residents and guests
visiting the community. The potential services cover a wide range of hazards and delivery parameters. They include
the following services:

Fire Suppression

Fire suppression operations are organized to effectively combat the types of fires that are likely to occur in
the Department response area. The priority goals of suppression activities are as follows:
a.) Save lives
b.) Limit the spread of fire
c.) Extinguish the fire
d.) Minimize the property damage from fire-related hazards
Firefighters are trained and equipped to perform an interior assault on structure fires in order to accomplish
the goals. Fires in structures present the highest probable risk to life and property in our Department. This includes
fires involving occupancies such as single and multiple family dwellings, educational facilities, hotels, stores, office
buildings, warehouses and various industries. There are various construction types common within the protection area
ranging from wood frame detached buildings to sprawling strip malls constructed of concrete and steel trusses.
The Department experiences a large risk of fire in non-structural locations and facilities. Outside fires
involving brush, woods, propane, and electrical equipment are not uncommon. The community also contains major
highways. These transportation networks present the additional risk of fire in the respective vehicles and cargo.

Emergency Medical Services

Kent Volunteer Fire Department Inc. provides basic life support (BLS) ambulance to the community’s
Emergency Medical Service plan. KVFD is dispatched to all life threatening incidents and situations where
ambulance service may be required. Numerous Department members are trained as Emergency Medical Technicians
(EMT) or Emergency Medical Responders (EMR) to staff the Department ambulance and provide BLS patient care.
Examples of the functions performed include patient assessment; airway management; oxygen therapy; stabilization
of spinal, musculo-skeletal, soft tissue and shock injuries; stabilization of bleeding; stabilization and intervention for
sudden illness, poisoning, heat/cold injuries, childbirth; and CPR and defibrillator capability. Numerous volunteer
firefighters trained as EMTs or MRTs respond from home to incidents in their neighborhoods providing a rapid
intervention for persons in need of medical care.

Rescue

Multi-Discipline rescue services are provided to cover a number of technical situations. These types of rescues
include but are not limited to: vehicle extrication, structure fire rescue as well as search and rescue in the wild land,
swift water and ice water environments.

Hazardous Materials

Personnel operate at the Operational or Awareness level in accordance with the Town of Kent Emergency
Plan. A defensive strategy is stressed for dealing with hazardous material incidents. The mitigation of such incidents
involves an eight-step process: site management, product identification, risk assessment, personal protective
equipment, information/resource coordination, product control, decontamination, and termination. Technician level
mitigation is provided by other agencies. The Department, when requested to assist in a large-scale Hazmat operation
requiring decontamination, also provides decontamination services. Prevention of hazardous material emergencies is
attempted through code enforcement and application of standard safety practices.

Fire Prevention

Fire Prevention activities provided by the Department are coordinated by the Fire Marshal’s Office. The
Department provides support to the Fire Marshal’s office for fire prevention in the form of apparatus driven to the
educational facilities in town for student familiarization.
Plan Review- The Department reviews plans, as requested by the Fire Marshal’s office, primarily for
building access for emergency apparatus that may have to respond to an emergency or for access for fire suppression
activities.
Public Education - Fire safety awareness programs focus on early childhood education and
self-preservation training methods. This program entails the delivery of fire safety education to all day care, Pre-K
and Kindergarten classes in schools located within the Department. Age appropriate programs are delivered to the
middle school and high school students on a regular basis. Community wide fire safety issues are incorporated into
the Department’s participation in neighborhood associations. Programs aimed toward senior citizen groups in an
effort to address their particular needs are provided as well. The public education activities are coordinated by the
Fire Marshal’s office.

Organizational Structure

The Kent Volunteer Fire Department Inc. is a volunteer organization. The organization is comprised of
numerous line and executive officers elected by the body and serving for various lengths of service, as identified in
the Department’s Constitution and Bylaws. A brief description of the key positions is listed below. For a detailed
description of all of the positions, see the latest Department Bylaws.
Fire Chief - The Fire Chief is elected by the members of the Department according to the Department
Bylaws. The Fire Chief is the administrative and technical head of the Department, and is charged by law with the
protection of life and property against “hazardous situations” that may occur due to fire, flood, wind, explosions, etc.
The Fire Chief is responsible for all managerial functions and command of the fire suppression forces,
including, but not limited to, financial management, personnel management, planning, maintenance, training,
community relations, communications, and safety and health. The Fire Chief assigns various administrative and
command functions to other officers or personnel in order to maintain efficiency and ensure execution of the duties.
Examples of duties include submitting an annual operating grant and capital expense request to the Town of
Kent Finance Committee for equipment, maintenance and overall operation of the Department; the procurement of
apparatus and equipment as provided by the budget; maintaining a complete record and inventory of apparatus and
equipment procured, including parts, maintenance and operating expenses; organizing and maintaining accurate
records of all business transacted by the Department; establishes and enforces regulations for career and volunteer
personnel; establishment of standard operating procedures and firefighting techniques; exercises ultimate authority at
all emergencies attended; motivates employees and volunteer members to work productively to achieve the goals of
the organization; submits monthly and annual reports to the Town of Kent describing Department activities,
accomplishments, and long range recommendations. The Fire Chief is responsible for ensuring a positive relationship
with other resource groups in the community such as law enforcement, public works, water department, and other fire
departments to facilitate useful cooperation, particularly during emergencies.
Additional information on officers and their qualification requirements can be found in the Department Constitution
& Bylaws.
Line Personnel - KVFD provides emergency services through the use of paid subcontracted and volunteer

personnel. This arrangement utilizes paid subcontracted personnel to cover shifts when volunteer members are
unavailable to respond to emergencies. Mutual aid from neighboring fire departments is routinely requested to assist
with the mitigation of incidents, which are anticipated to exceed the resources or capabilities of this department.
Paid Subcontracted Staff - The paid subcontracted personnel are EMTs who report to the Ambulance
Chief as well as their own supervisors at the staffing company they work for. These individuals cover ambulance
shifts that Department volunteers are not able to cover. Paid EMTs work up to six shifts of six hours per week and are
qualified to operate both Department ambulances and medical equipment therein.
Volunteer Staff – Department Emergency Member volunteers respond to the emergencies whenever
available and are trained on the apparatus and equipment in their station. All adult KVFD volunteer applicants
undergo a criminal background check. All volunteer applicants for emergency membership also undergo a
Department authorized physical followed by training on the equipment and procedures.

Training

Training takes place on a regular basis for both career and volunteer personnel. The staffing company
controls training for paid personnel. Every member is strongly encouraged to attend additional training and
educational programs offered by outside agencies and institutions. Programs typically attended by Department
members including those sponsored by the Connecticut Fire Academy. At the Fire Chief’s discretion, Fire Academy
instructors are utilized for specialized in-house training. A number of response safety, workplace safety and incident
command courses are required of all Emergency Members and career personnel. Some trainings are required annually
in order for an Emergency Member to be permitted to respond to calls.
Line Personnel: Fire/rescue training and/or equipment inspections take place on Thursday evenings and cover topics
related to job functions and requirements. The Fire Chief or Training Officer chooses subjects and officers deliver the
training. All apparatus drivers are required to maintain a valid Connecticut Class A or B Commercial Driver’s
License (CDL) or Connecticut driver’s license with a “Q” restriction (for the pumpers, tower and rescue) or valid
state driver’s license for all other apparatus without any serious motor vehicle violations (as determined by the
Executive Committee). All interior firefighters must obtain CT Firefighter I certification.
New volunteers who choose not to specialize in EMS response, will choose which topics of fire/rescue they do wish
to specialize in; fire, rescue, traffic control, driving, swift water etc. This program includes instruction on safety,
personal protective equipment, hose, ladders and Department rules and regulations. Participation in this program
allows the firefighter to participate in exterior firefighting operations. Successful completion of the Firefighter I
program is required to participate in interior structural suppression. The Chief and volunteer officers/instructors
deliver the in-house firefighter training. Outside paid instructors are also occasionally used. They shall choose from
the following list of quarterly training topics:
Water Supply Fire Behavior
SCBA Fire Hose and Appliances (feed/advance)
Live Hose, Stream Ropes and Knots
Forcible Entry Portable Extinguishers
Ventilation Accountability
Ground Ladders Pike Pole
Aerial Ladders Vehicle Extrication
Salvage/Overhaul Building Construction
Search and Rescue Tag Lines
Standpipe Operation Observation and Memory
Bloodborne Pathogens
HAZMAT
Cold Water Rescue
Car Fires
Additional training will include:
EMS training

Scene Size up
SCBA Written Program
Pump Operation
Power Distribution
ICS
Foam Fire Streams

Fire officers shall receive more comprehensive training and education in:
Strategy and tactics
Fire suppression
Prevention techniques

Leadership principles
Pre-fire planning
Safety practices

Standing Orders

KVFD responds to a number of incidents varying by type of call and level of service. All responses are
directed by Administrative Orders concerning response assignments and Standard Operating Procedures, which offer
direction to operating forces. SOP’s are generated and reviewed on a regular basis to guide personnel as circumstances
are foreseen and evaluated. These documents are maintained on the Department website and available for review by
personnel at all times. New procedures and orders are posted and reviewed before application. These procedures and
orders will address personnel assignments and the safe deployment of those people.