Portage, Indiana-May 2008
Portage is a city located near Chicago in the northwestern part of Indiana. With a population of over 35,000, it is the largest city in Porter County and third largest in Northwest Indiana. It is a family friendly city that is both affordable and enjoyable to live, work, and play.

Sitting on Lake Michigan, Portage boasts the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor as the busiest port on the Great Lakes. The Port provides ship and barge connections to the world through the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway. It offers year-round access to the Inland Waterway System, connecting the Midwest to the Gulf of Mexico. The port currently has the capability to simultaneously berth ten ships.

Another landmark that runs through Portage is the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. It was established in 1966 and encompasses more than 15,000 acres of federal parkland.

Serving the Community
The Portage Fire Department is committed to serving its community. Its Honor Guard leads parades and participates in other city functions. Like many fire departments, Portage has a smoke detector program, teaches fire prevention programs in the grade schools, and participates in annual safety fairs. Through its annual National Emergency Medical Services Week, the department features a bike rodeo to teach bicycle safety to children and distribute free helmets. Additionally, the department provides Basic Life Support training to most of Porter County through its more than 40 trained instructors and handles all emergency management for the city.

Training is Key Goal
Fire Chief Bill Lundy has been in office for 2 ½ years. His biggest goal for the department is to ensure the safety and quality of training of his personnel. He has 30 certified fire instructors, nearly half of his 61 total personnel. He strives to stay up with the latest technology, innovations, and equipment.

Training for any fire department is an important part of the job. Portage fire fighters routinely train Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of each week while on duty with occasional night and weekend trainings as well. The Fireblast Live Fire Trainer, purchased in 2002, with the support of a federal Fire Act Grant, provides unique training opportunities that simulate several different structural fire fighting evolutions under as real as conditions as possible.

Due to the significant amount of steel industry in the northwest part of the state, the fire department is specially trained in industrial fire fighting. The busy Port of Indiana provides other opportunities for special training in shipboard fire fighting for ocean-borne ships.

In a unique partnership between the Fire and Police Departments, 6 Fire Department Paramedics have been assigned to the Police Department SWAT team as tactical medics to assist with hazardous situations. Along with 12 police officers, the team is 18-members strong.

The department also reaches out to its peers through an annual 8-week, in-house fire academy and provides fire training to departments in the northwestern part of the state.

Safety Begins with the Fire Fighter
Chief Lundy is most proud of the fact that his personnel strive to achieve an understanding of fire fighter safety tactics and then put them into work. “Our guys have really bought into maximizing safety to ensure that everyone goes home,” he states.

An aspect of safety includes taking care of yourself. In 2004, the department began providing annual medical and fitness evaluations to its personnel. He has seen the culture transform within the department by observing busier exercise rooms and fire fighters jogging outdoors. He believes it has changed the way they view their work and their commitment to good health. “We know that fire fighters are dying from heart attacks,” notes the Chief. “The more education we can provide, the more dividends we will experience. The value of any fire fighter’s life is way beyond the cost to ensure they are healthy.”

Click here for the Portage Fire Department newsletter article.

For more information on the Portage Fire Department, visit online by clicking here.

© 2008 Public Safety Medical Services