What we do

Often times, calls indicating a need for fire suppression are mitigated before the arrival of responding units. However, as firefighters do not know whether the alarm is a true emergency or a false alarm, they respond as though every activation is a true fire, returning only once a trained professional on scene makes that determination. We ask that if an alarm is sounding in your home or place of work you immediately move to vacate the building and contact 911 from a neighbor's house or using your cell phone. Fires can double in the amount of time it took to read this paragraph and because of that we treat every activation of an alarm as a true emergency.

Motor vehicle accidents can be an extremely hazardous scene for first responders, so remember to slow down when approaching such scenes to avoid injuring firefighters in the roadway. The road may often be blocked and a detour established to ensure the safety of those on scene. Patients may require extrication, or specialized rescue/removal, from their vehicle. Other times they may have just bruised their knee. Responders work to clear the roadway of fuel or other fluids leaking form vehicles as well as debris created from the impact. These fluids and debris can cause a road to become very slippery or even puncture tires, which can lead to another accident, so their cleanup is essential. The responders work as quickly as the situation allows for but safety is always going to be the top priority. A commuter being late for work is not as important as ensuring responders are able to come back from work.

The Alplaus and East Glenville Fire Departments have entered into an operational consolidation, which is a pre-established agreement to send both departments to each others calls involving structural fire suppression and motor vehicle accidents. This is to maintain an appropriate number of responders in case the situation requires it. This saves critical time in waiting to dispatch resources once the situation warrants such a response. By sending both departments, those resources are already on the way or at the scene.

EMS calls make up the bulk of our responses. The fire department responds to requests for medical emergencies in the district and responds alongside the ambulance services to provide immediate life saving interventions as needed. We respond in order to ensure that no matter the situation there are more than enough properly trained and adequately equipped personnel on scene to make your emergency all that more manageable. We provide care to patients before the arrival of an ambulance (Mohawk Ambulance Service is the primary transporting agency for the town of Glenville) in order to provide the fastest care possible for your family members. Consider becoming certified in CPR to be the hero your family may need should the unfortunate event of a medical emergency occur in your home. There are several firefighters certified by the state of New York as Certified First Responders as well as a few Emergency Medical Technicians. This training is over 100 hours long and allows your Alplaus EMS providers to treat your family with the same treatment options available at a Basic Life Support certified ambulance.

Though very infrequent, there are responses to the Indian Kill Nature Preserve, which range from finding them a way out after getting lost to a rope rescue of a critically injured patient who has suffered a fall. Most of the time, assistance is given from the East Glenville and Stratton Air National Guard Fire Departments, as the preserve is quite large and the problems faced by those needing help in it are complex.

Along with the other members of the Schenectady County Mohawk River Water Rescue Task Force, we respond to various emergencies on the Mohawk River with our airboat, WR-224. Some of the other agencies with watercraft in Schenectady County include Beukendaal, Niskayuna District 2, Schonowe, and Scotia. Police assistance is provided by the Sheriff's Department which staffs a marine unit throughout the summer during peak traffic times on the river.

Another situation which may require the activation of the water rescue task force include evacuation of low lying areas during times of flooding.