Bemus Point Volunteer Fire Department
Volunteers Are Always Needed & Welcomed!
The Bemus Point Volunteer Fire Department is celebrating 102 years of service in 2022!
The department is equipped for firefighting, water and ice rescue, and emergency medical services. To learn more visit www.BemusPointFire.com
Free Training for Members Includes:
- EMT Training
- Exterior Firefighter
- Lifeguard
- Interior Firefighter
- Fast Water Rescue
- Cold Water Rescue
A LETTER FROM BPVFD – STATION 44
The Bemus Point Volunteer Fire Department (BPVFD) is a volunteer fire department located in the village of Bemus Point, NY, a lakeside community of rural homes, seasonal cottages, a small resort village with restaurants, and a Victorian era wooden hotel. Other modern structures include commercial sized lakeside establishments such as a dual structure, four-story condo complex housing facility, an elementary school, a two-story senior and handicapped individual housing facility, and multiple lakeside dual story restaurants. BPVFD is located in Chautauqua County, amongst 41 other fire departments that are split into four battalions. Established in 1920, the fire department was founded as a resolution by the Bemus Point Village Trustees, serving the community for just over 100 years. A popular tourist location, the village attracts thousands of people during the warmer third of the year.
The Bemus Point Fire Department serves one of the most famous destinations in America for sport boating, fishing and tourism. Lake Chautauqua in western New York (42 09′ 22 N, 79 23′ 44 W) is a 17-mile-long body of fresh water with a unique, centrally located constricted area. Traversing this relatively narrow portion of the lake is the Veterans Memorial Bridge, completed in October of 1982, which facilitates the passage of a heavy volume of personal and commercial traffic along Interstate 86. The fire district includes the only highway interchange in Chautauqua County. The rural community surrounding the village is home to dairy farms, corn and grass fields, and woodlots. Homes receive water via private wells, and there is no municipal water or hydrant system. All water for firefighting is obtained from dry hydrants at the lake, or brought in via tanker shuttle from mutual aid departments. There is also an FAA medic helicopter pad within a mile of our district area.
Although the department is equipped for firefighting and water and ice rescue, our EMS call volume remains high and continues to increase. BPVFD annually answers over 225 alarms. At a time when many U.S. volunteer fire departments are suffering from dwindling interest and membership, a recent influx of young recruits has swelled BPVFD’s membership to 39 active members with 21 interior firefighters, 10 EMTs, and 4 ALS care providers. The department is on the verge of training several more interior firefighters and EMT’s in the coming months.
Uniquely equipped, BPVFD has a Boston Whaler fire boat for unusual, rapid-response summer lake emergencies, and an air-propeller boat for winter over-ice rescues. Boat fires, boat accidents, drownings, searches, cold-water rescues, hazmat incidents, etc. are handled by our marine units. Weekly in-house fire/rescue training classes are taught and are well attended. Numerous multi-department trainings are scheduled annually.
Within the last year, the BPVFD has completed numerous purchases and a multitude of training sessions aimed at consolidating rescue equipment on one unit to increase tactical effectiveness and efficiency. These upgrades have included a full set of vehicle extrication cutting and spreading tools powered by Holmatro, a full set of cribbing, vehicle stabilization equipment, and modern lighting. These purchases complement the equipment already on the apparatus, which includes a magnitude of high-pressure airbag capabilities and small air-powered cutting tools (Whizzer saw / air-chisel, etc.).
We have better prepared ourselves for fire-related emergencies by purchasing a full fleet of new self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA’s) from Churchville Fire Equipment with thermal imaging on every airpack, multiple higher powered smoke ejector fans, firefighter assist and search team (FAST) packs, better hand tools, and new personal protective equipment. BPVFD members train every Monday night with the exception of the monthly meeting which transpires one Tuesday per month. Members train to remain proficient in the most basic and most advanced parts of our job!
WE THANK YOU….
Your generosity has allowed our department to make numerous purchases in recent years to better protect you and your families. Through the contributions of the public, we have been able to purchase new MSA Airpacks for all our apparatus, new Holmatro cutting and spreading equipment for vehicle extrication, new roof-ventilation saws for house fires, and so much more…
We would not be able to stay on the cutting edge of firefighting and rescue technology without the assistance of taxpayers, and those who donate funds to the department directly.
Contact us with any questions at BemusPointFire@gmail.com
Please consider contributing to our cause! You never know how many people your donation may affect.
With our sincere thanks,
– BPVFD Staff
13 Alburtus Ave.
Bemus Point, New York 14712
Phone: 7163866011