Belton Fire Department

Number of Apparatus: 4 Pumpers, 2 Pickup/Rescue Trucks, 1 Command SUV, 2 Special Ops Trailers

Do you provide EMS? EMR Level What type: BLS, ALS, FR

Specialty Operations: Our department works with the Anderson Technical Rescue Team to provide rescue services for the entire county of Anderson. Many of our personnel are trained as Divers and Swiftwater Rescue Technicians. We also have personnel trained in Confined Space, Rope Rescue, Land Search and Building Collapse. Our two special operations trailers contain a large amount of rope rescue and hazardous materials equipment which is available to any agency if needed.

Annual Budget: $609,850

Area Covered Square miles: 5 square miles. City Limits/Cover an additional five square mile in Auto Aid area.

Population: 4,600 (City)

Total Runs: 1161 Total Runs in 2018 Fire: 380 EMS: 781

Chief: William B. Maness (Brad)

Chief Officers: Asst. Chief Brad Stevens

Other Officers: 2 Captains,1 Lieutenant, 1 Sergeant

Number of Members: We have 32 members currently: 5 Career, 4 Part Time, 23 Volunteers

Address: 306 Anderson St., Belton , SC 29627

Website: www.beltonfire.net (unofficial) www.cityofbeltonsc.com (official city page)

Phone: 864-338-7048

Community Outreach: This is why we exist. Our love for the Belton community runs deep. I truly believe we are the foundation of this town and we should do whatever we can to serve. Part of our mission statement describes putting others before ourselves and we try to do that in all areas of service.

We are active in all city events, we deliver dynamic risk reduction programs to all of our city schools by working with the Career and Technology Center firefighting students. We provide “Burn to Learn” demonstrations to elementary aged school children where they can see what happens during a fire.

Over the last four years, we have helped to organize a “Year End Studies” program for the local elementary school where they spend three days with our staff learning about our profession. We help to welcome students to school on the first days by assisting in the drop off line and escorting kids to their class. Our members have also assisted the Recreation Department with Easter Egg Hunts and parades.

We are active in smoke alarm blitzes and installations and routinely conduct welfare checks to many of our citizens. On several occasions, our personnel have purchased groceries and household items with their own money to make sure a need was met. We truly have some of the best people around and they make me proud each and every day.

Top Two concerns in your community:

1. Maintaining a high level of service with fewer firefighters. Recruitment is becoming more and more difficult and the call volume isn’t going down. We still need people of all ages to volunteer and assist our paid staff with fire, medical and administrative duties.
2. Much of our city has legacy type homes and older commercial structures. We are now seeing some growth and the new construction that comes along with it. I want us to be more educated in fire and life safety codes so we can ensure the new growth will be safe for years to come. We need to educate our citizens and potential builders on safer means of construction and residential sprinklers. If we really want to build a safer community we have to be willing to have those conversations.

What are you doing for fundraising? This year we are working to raise money for the Cancer Association of Anderson by selling Breast Cancer Awareness shirts. We also would like to work on raising funds to assist school-aged students that may have difficulty paying their school lunch fees and other debts.

We typically don’t take part in fundraising for our department since our citizens already pay for that service through their taxes. At times, we have held small fundraisers to purchase items for our Explorer Post.

What upgrades will you make in your department this year? We are constantly working to improve our fire attack delivery by upgrading hoses, nozzles and equipment. If we are fortunate enough to receive grant funding, we will be replacing all SCBAs to ensure our firefighters have the best equipment possible to save lives and property.

Inside the station we will be working to refinish our truck room floors and working on some cosmetic issues in and around the station. We have had great support from our city leaders over the last three years and we’ve made much needed improvements to our building.

What special hazards or unique businesses in your community? Just outside the city limits, but in our automatic aid area, there is a bulk petroleum tank farm and pipeline that is a major target hazard. We dedicate many hours of training each year to ensuring our personnel is ready to respond should there be a fire, leak or technical rescue incident.

What’s great about your department?

I am truly humbled to work with our fantastic firefighters. They always go above and beyond in everything they do. Service and training is at the forefront for our department and in a day when everyone has less time, our folks willingly give up the time they have left for someone else.