Fire Department Community Services

Training Arlington Citizens

Our CPaRlington program began in 2005 when Dr. Robert Cluck met with representatives of the American Heart Association (AHA) , Arlington Fire Department and the UT-Arlington School of Nursing to discuss an initiative designed to improve cardiac arrest survival. While normal certification requires a six to eight hour commitment, one can learn to administer emergency CPR in only 22 minutes, all in the comfort of their own home. The original goal of CPaRlington was to train 10% of our 377,000 residents the life saving skills of CPR within five years. Since the program inception, we have surpassed our goal with almost 40,000 Arlington residents learning how to save a life.

• For more information and registration contact the Arlington Administrator.

CPR Has Changed!

With our original goal met, we are shifting the focus of CPaRlington to informing our residents that CPR has changed and is now much easier. For persons untrained in CPR and CPR trained lay people (non medical professionals) who might be reluctant to perform mouth to mouth rescue breathing on a stranger, Hands-Only CPR with chest compressions and no rescue breathing can save a life. Multiple studies have confirmed that chest compressions only on adult patients suffering a cardiac arrest vastly improve the chances of survival . When a sudden cardiac arrest occurs, it is imperative that someone calls 911 and immediately begins life saving chest compressions. The lack of CPR training and/or the reluctance to perform mouth to mouth ventilations on a stranger often leads to no by stander actions initiated to save a life. Studies now prove that hands/compression only CPR can save a life. There are no longer any excuses for not performing these life saving actions.

It is important that appropriate users are identified and trained in CPR and AED use.

There are many providers for CPR and AED training.

Many AED manufactures include training as an option when purchasing an AED.

If you only need a CPR or AED class, please follow the links below.

• Arlington American Medical Response
• American Heart Association
• American Red Cross Chisholm Trail Chapter
• National CPR Association

Fire Station Tours

The Arlington Fire Department welcomes tours of the fire stations. Station tours last approximately 30 minutes and include viewing the fire engine, firefighting equipment, fire gear, and meeting with the station’s personnel.

• Tours may be scheduled between the hours of 10:00 A.M and 6:00 P.M., Sunday through Saturday.
• Groups should be no larger than 20 persons including children and adults.
• Station tours are not recommended for children under 5 years of age.
• Carpooling groups to the fire stations is encouraged due to a very limited number of parking spaces. Street parking is not available at many of our fire stations.
• Please understand your tour may be interrupted. Fire personnel must remain “in-service” during tours and the firefighters may need to respond to emergencies. If this occurs, it will be necessary for the tour to end and your group will need to exit the station. If your tour is interrupted by an emergency call, you will be given the opportunity to reschedule your visit.
• If firefighters are not at the station when your group arrives, they are out on an emergency call. If they do not return within 15 minutes, it will be necessary to reschedule your tour.
• You are welcome to tour a fire station but may not hold party festivities at the facility. Please do not bring food or drinks into the fire station during tours.

All public education programs (tours and visits) must be scheduled at least three weeks in advance. Fill out the public education form below with three of your preferred dates.

When you fill out the form, please provide details about the purpose of the visit. This helps the fire crew arrive prepared to offer the best visit possible.

After completing the information, please click the “send form” button at the bottom of the page. Once your request is scheduled you will receive a phone call confirming your request as the scheduled event date gets closer.

Fire Administration
817-459-5500

Fire Safety Programs

A visit from your local fire station will include viewing the fire engine, firefighting equipment and a short presentation concerning fire safety.

• Fire engine visits last approximately one hour and may be scheduled between the hours of 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM, Sunday through Saturday.
• Engine Visits/Safety Programs are not recommended for children under 5 years of age.
• Please understand your engine visit/safety program may be interrupted. Engine companies must remain “in-service” and the firefighters may need to respond to emergencies. If this occurs, it will be necessary for engine to leave.
• Firefighters enjoy getting out in the community, but will be unable to attend birthday party festivities.

An engine visit/fire safety program may be scheduled for the following:

• Schools
• Community Events
• Special events such as block parties, safety fairs, health fairs, etc.

All public education programs (tours and visits) must be scheduled at least three weeks in advance. Fill out the public education form below with three of your preferred dates.

When you fill out the form, please provide details about the purpose of the fire safety program. This helps the fire crew arrive prepared to offer the best program possible.

After completing the information, please click the “send form” button at the bottom of the page. Once your request is scheduled you will receive a phone call confirming your request as the scheduled event date gets closer.

Fire Administration
817-459-5500

Request Public Education

This is an official government preparedness site to educate the public on important topics. The content on this site is of a serious nature, but is presented in a more friendly format for understanding how everyone can be a part of helping create a safer community. Start your emergency plan now.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest

Every year over 350,000 people die from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in the United States. In Texas, SCA kills more than 26,000 annually, 70 each day! While the numbers seem grim, SCA is a treatable condition. With strong public access defibrillation programs, we can dramatically change the outcome of this deadly event.

Many victims of Sudden Cardiac Arrest can be saved by rapid defibrillation, or shocking of the heart. If defibrillation is available in the first 60 seconds of an arrest, the chance of survival approaches 90%. For every minute that passes without defibrillation, a victim’s chance of survival decreases by ten percent. After as little as ten minutes, very few resuscitation attempts are successful. While cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) “buys time”, CPR alone is generally not enough.

Survivors of cardiac arrest usually have four things in common:

• Someone witnessed the event, recognized the emergency and called 911.
• Someone started chest compressions (CPR) immediately.
• Someone arrived quickly with an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to shock the heart back to a healthier rhythm.
• Emergency medical personnel provided advanced care and subsequently transported the victim to an appropriate hospital.

AED List

In the link found below, you will find a complete list of facilities with the actual AED locations that have joined the City of Arlington’s effort to provide public access to defibrillation. With their help and continued participation, we are making Arlington a city where everyone gets the highest quality of emergency care. Click on the link below to open the pdf document.

• List of AED Locations(PDF, 277KB)
• AED Registration

Laud Dei is an Epidemiologist at the Fire Department Public Health Unit in the City of Arlington. He has over 15 years working in varies capacities as a public health professional with international non-profit organizations, contributing to improving global health.

His areas of specialization are health services research, health promotion, epidemiology, and urban health. He has extensive experience in program design and implementation, capacity building, program monitoring and evaluation, disease surveillance, data collection, analysis and interpretation. Most projects he has worked on are grant funded from agencies such as Department for International Development, United States Agency for International Development and United Nations Foundation through Global Alliance for Clean Cooking.

Laud earned a Master of Public Health from University Texas in Arlington, a Master of Health Promotion and Public Health from Brunel University and a Post Graduate Diploma in Health Services Research and Public Health from University of Aberdeen in Scotland, both in United Kingdom.

He is a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society and the Honour Society of Phi Kappa Phi. He is also a member of the Society of Public Health Education (SOPHE) and Texas Society of Public Health Education (TSOPHE). He has two published articles on HIV education and global tobacco control and several unpublished articles on sexually transmitted disease prevention.

He enjoys spending quality time with his family, watching movies at home or at the cinema, riding motorcycles, and playing tennis.

As a believer in evidence-based research, he is committed to identifying health needs and contributing towards improving health outcomes within the City of Arlington.

Goal

The Public Health/Community Engagement Team aims to improve the health of the Arlington community, reduce health inequities, and minimize the negative effects of social determinants of health. This is achieved by providing evidence-based education to prevent diseases and reduce health risks at the population level. The Team adopts a population-based practice approach, which focuses on the system, community, and individual/family, and provides quality support through education about risk for disease, prevention measures, and ongoing client support and advocacy.

Our mission is to identify individual needs, provide the appropriate support, and develop strategies to prevent infectious and chronic diseases among citizens, especially our senior citizens and other vulnerable individuals.

Public Health and Community Engagement

• Substance Use Education and Awareness
• Chronic Disease Prevention and Management
• Communicable Disease Prevention
• Sexually Transmitted Infection Education and Awareness including HIV
• Respiratory Diseases Awareness and Education
• Mosquito-Borne Diseases and Prevention
• Needs Assessment

If you're interested in learning more, please fill out the Community Health Education form and select an area of interest and a team member will contact you.

The Save a Life initiative is a collaboration between the Arlington Fire Department, Medical City Arlington and Texas Health Arlington Memorial hospitals.

In the City of Arlington, emergency medical first responders are always just a phone call away. The Arlington Fire Department prides itself on quick response times and our exceptional levels of emergency medical services delivery.

Despite the exemplary levels of service Arlington Citizens can expect from the AFD, we know the crucial role many citizens play just before medical first responders arrive. Performing CPR, applying an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) or providing point of wound care before the Fire Department arrives can save lives.

Knowing how crucial early intervention is in the pre-hospital setting, our goal is to teach these life saving techniques to as many Citizens of Arlington as possible. We have partnered with our local area hospitals to provide this training at no cost and aim to make it as convenient as possible for those wanting to learn.

Our Save a Life program is a hybrid class and can be tailored to your needs. The training covers the following topics:

• Hands only CPR
• AED use
• Stop the Bleed
• Narcan administration

For large groups, businesses or organizations, our classes are customized to fit your need and can cover all or a selection of the topics. We can conduct the class on-site at your facility, or at the Arlington Fire Training Center.

For individuals wishing to participate in the training, classes are routinely held at the Arlington Fire Training Center or at Medical City Hospital in Arlington. Please inquire for the next available class.

Inquire or Schedule a Class

The Vial of Life puts vital medical information into the hands of the Emergency Responders and Physicians when it is needed most – during the first minutes of critical illness or accident in your home when a patient is not able to speak or remember this information.

Instructions

• Place adhesive Arlington Fire Department/Arlington Professional Firefighters Association logo decal on your entry door or window in a visible position.
• Place Vial of Life magnet on the outside of your refrigerator. Emergency Medical Personnel in the community have been notified to look for your special Vial of Life Magnet.
• Complete the medical record form with the assistance of your doctor (for complex medical histories) or a family member.
• Ask your pharmacist to add any new prescription to your medical record form.
• Roll up completed form, include your Living Will or Advance Medical Directive, and place them in the Vial of Life.

Vials are available at all Arlington Fire Stations and Fire Administration.

Call 817-459-5500 for more information. Vial of Life is a joint effort The Arlington Fire Department and The Arlington Professional Firefighters Association.