Village of Pleasant Prairie | Services | Fire and Rescue


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Do I have to be trained as a firefighter and EMT before I apply to be a Paid-on-Call (POC) member? I thought I was becoming a volunteer firefighter, why am I being paid? Outdoor Fires What can I burn in my yard? How do I get a permit and how much does it cost? I have a valid permit, why do I have to call before I light my fire? I have a valid permit, why do I have to put out my fire? What if I burn prohibited materials or I burn without a permit? OUR COMMUNITY-WIDE EMERGENCY NUMBER 9-1-1 Where does my 9-1-1 call get answered? All 9-1-1 calls within Kenosha County are first answered at the Kenosha City and County Joint Services Dispatch Center located in the City of Kenosha. Why does the 9-1-1 call have to go to the Joint Service Dispatch Center in Kenosha first? The answer is both practical and economical. 9-1-1 calls are funneled first into a single receiving point to avoid duplication of both computer and telephone equipment throughout Kenosha County. The 9-1-1 calls go into a central computer database that identifies, on the dispatcher's computer screen, the caller's telephone number and the address from where the call is being made. The computer then recommends which emergency services are to be dispatched. Why do the 9-1-1 calls get transferred back to Pleasant Prairie? After a 9-1-1 call is received within the Kenosha City and County Joint Services Dispatch Center, dispatchers determine from which community the 9-1-1 call is coming. When it is determined that the need is within the Village of Pleasant Prairie, the call is then transferred to the Pleasant Prairie Dispatch Center. Pleasant Prairie dispatchers then alert the most appropriate equipment and personnel for the specific emergency. Why does the dispatcher keep me on the telephone for so long when I have an emergency? During an emergency, while you are speaking with the dispatcher and requesting an emergency response, fractions of seconds may seem like hours. The dispatcher is charged with assuring they have the correct location and address where the help is needed before the dispatcher is able to send an emergency response. Secondly, in the event of a medical emergency, the dispatcher follows a procedure called Emergency Medical Dispatching that assists the dispatcher in determining what the extent of medical emergency is and how many emergency units need to be dispatched, and then alerts the Emergency Medical Responders as to the type of medical problem they are responding to. In addition, the dispatcher is then able to offer critical emergency medical intervention via the telephone that may allow the caller to begin life saving measures before the arrival of professional responders. I called for an ambulance, why did a fire engine get sent to my house? Pleasant Prairie Fire & Rescue provides emergency medical care and service using personnel on both ambulances and fire engines. The ambulance is the most common vehicle dispatched to a medical emergency because it is staffed and equipped to treat many types of medical emergencies, as well as transport one or more patients to a Hospital Emergency Department when necessary. When the closest ambulance is not available, a fire engine is dispatched. Pleasant Prairie ambulances and fire engines are equipped with heart defibrillators and other basic life support equipment. In the event the fire engine arrives first, personnel can begin life saving techniques prior to the arrival of an ambulance. EMPLOYMENT How do I become a member of the Fire & Rescue Department? The first step is to determine that the candidate for membership lives within the residency boundaries, as established by the Village Board. The boundaries are established in respect of response times, in that after a member's pager is activated, the member can respond to the emergency in a timely fashion. What are the Fire & Rescue residency boundaries? - WESTERN BOUNDARY: CTH U, 136th Avenue, both sides. - SOUTHERN BOUNDARY: State Line Road, 128th Street, north side, must be a resident of Pleasant Prairie. - EASTERN BOUNDARY: Lake Michigan. - NORTHERN BOUNDARY: CTH K, 60th Street, both sides, from Lake Michigan to the 13600 block. The second step is to obtain an application at the Pleasant Prairie Village Hall, 9915 39th Avenue, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. In the event you are unable to visit the Village Hall during those hours, contact the Fire Chief, at 262-694-8027. After the application is returned, the candidate will be scheduled to participate in the Firefighter/EMT Entry Level Examination. Successful candidates participate in a Physical Ability Demonstration, an interview with the Police & Fire Commission, a pre-employment psychological assessment, and ultimately a medical assessment. Do I have to be trained as a firefighter and EMT before I apply to be a Paid-on-Call (POC) member? The vast majority of our people receive basic training after becoming a member of the department. The Fire & Rescue Department provides the necessary tuition, textbooks, and protective clothing required for basic fire training and EMT training. The Recruit POC is only required to provide their time during the training period. I thought I was becoming a volunteer firefighter, why am I being paid? Pleasant Prairie Paid-on-Call personnel volunteer their time to become trained as firefighters, EMTs and paramedics. Once trained, POCs receive payment for the calls they respond to, hence the term: Paid-on-Call. The amount per call ranges from $8.36 to $12.00 depending on the level of training achieved. The greater the amount of training, the more value they bring to the department. In addition to being paid per call, POCs enjoy the benefit of Workers' Compensation, a Salary Maintenance benefit in the event time is lost from their full-time employment, Malpractice and Liability Insurance, enrollment within the Wisconsin Retirement System (a reward for length of service to the community), and a free family membership to the Pleasant Prairie RecPlex. OUTDOOR FIRES What can I burn in my yard? Open Burning is conditionally allowed within the Village of Pleasant Prairie. Dried leaves may be burned without a permit. The burning of all other dried yard waste is allowed, after obtaining a permit from the Fire & Rescue Department. The burning of any construction waste, any solid waste, any garbage, any rubbish, any field or grassland or prairie, any green or soft yard waste including grass clippings, or any commercial waste is strictly prohibited. How do I get a permit and how much does it cost? Initial or original Open Burning Permits will be issued by the Fire & Rescue Department upon completion of a successful fire prevention inspection of the site where the burning is intended to take place; the fee is $25.00. Call the Fire & Rescue Administrative Office at 262-694-8027 to schedule an appointment Open Burning Permits can be re-issued in the following calendar year, when there was a burning permit on record for the previous year and the location of the burning site has not changed; the fee is $10. You can renew your permit by visiting either Fire & Rescue Station, any day of the week, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. I have a valid permit, why do I have to call before I light my fire? Weather conditions play a large part in the decision to allow burning. High winds and extreme dry, as well as extreme wet, conditions affect fire behavior. Dry conditions can cause a fire to rapidly spread beyond your control. Wet conditions can cause an extremely smoky condition. In any case, it is our goal to allow you to burn without causing a disruption to your neighbors or an emergency response by the Fire & Rescue Department. I have a valid permit, why do I have to put out my fire? Even after you have exercised all the conditions of your permit, you may be directed to extinguish your fire. What if I burn prohibited materials or I burn without a permit? A municipal citation is issued which can result in cash forfeiture. In addition, you will receive a bill for the personnel and fire equipment dispatched as a result of your fire.