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Local Heroes Protecting Ponca City: A Day in the Life of Firefighters Dedicated to Community Safety

from Ponca City Monthly June 2023

from Ponca City Monthly June 2023, page 49

Kaw City Museum

Story by Chelsea McConnell/Staff Writer

When choosing a career path, there are a million different ways one can go. Many believe the most rewarding job is one that allows you to help people. Lieutenant Darren Pressnall and Rookie Joshua Evans with the Ponca City Fire Department share this belief. Both chose careers as firefighters and are currently working in Ponca City, helping to ensure the safety of our community.

Some might be convinced that a typical day in the life of a firefighter is a little work, mostly play and a solid night’s sleep. That could not be farther from the truth for our local firefighters. In truth, there is no typical day when it comes to being a firefighter. Any number of calls can come in, usually ranging from seven on an average day to 20 or more on a busy day. Chief Butch Herring shares that many of the calls our crews get are actually ambulance calls. Luckily for our community, they typically only see around two structure fires per month. Crews in Ponca City work 24-hour shifts beginning at 8 a.m., working one day on, then two days off. This averages out to about nine shifts per month, depending on overtime and vacation. Many have second jobs.

Lieutenant Pressnall walks us through what a typical shift might look like for him. “We get here at eight o’clock. We have truck checks. We go through all the trucks, fire ‘em up, check the lights, sirens, pump ‘em, go through all the equipment, circulate the water, make sure the water’s in and make sure the pumps are working well. We have to have everything ready to go for our 24-hour shift. We go through ice chests and stock them with water.

We check every apparatus. We set up the tower, make sure the ladder’s not acting up or anything. Some nights we get a late-night fire, so sometimes we get back and still have a few hoses that we have to change out or do something else to.” Each person has different beginning of shift duties depending on their rank and job. Evans explains that ambulance crews will have to do similar tasks with the

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When not out on calls, crews are often in some type of training either related to EMS or Fire Training, as they have specialists in both on staff. Additionally, the Ponca City Fire Department encourages all employees to seek upward mobility. This means firefighters and ambulances, so all personnel hired on in Ponca City have to pass all the fire training requirements, as well as have their EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) certification. This is a fortunate thing for residents in Ponca City. Our crews can respond to fires and also medical emergencies. Chief Butch Herring explains further why this matters. “You might be assigned to a truck at the beginning of the shift, but the calls come in and you wind up needing to get on an ambulance and do an ambulance call. We have two ambulances that are staffed 24/7 with EMS personnel. But if you need a third ambulance or a fourth ambulance, depending on what the call volume is for that particular point in

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These crews also handle the fire inspections for all commercial properties in Ponca City, visiting each property twice annually. This is done to ensure public safety. If a fire was to break out, something as seemingly simple as a blocked exit could lead to a fatality. Our fire crews are dedicated to avoiding those situations. So diligent are they in these inspections, that Ponca City was recently raised from a Class 3 to a Class 2 Fire Insurance Rating. The ratings are given by the ISO (Insurance Services Office), and the system is on a 1-10 scale with 1 being the best and 10 being the worst. Our department’s goal is to prove to the ISO that we are familiar enough with our commercial buildings and the hazards associated with said buildings that we have the ability to put enough water on any fire to put it out. Class 2 is a very prestigious ranking.

On top of normal duties, local crews are also active within the community. They host Fire Prevention Week every October which takes them into local elementary schools where they teach over 3,000 students about the importance of fire safety. They often host station tours as well. They take part in community events like parades, Touch-ATruck and Goblins on Grand. Last year, crews chose 16 angels from local Angel Trees and made Christmas wishes come true all over our community.

When asked why they love the job, Pressnall and Evans both rank the team dynamic right up there with the other aspects. Lieutenant Pressnall shares, Rookie Evans adds, “When I first started, I didn’t realize how good a group of guys we have here. It’s definitely pretty eye-opening when you first start. They welcomed me right on in. And I really do like being in the back of the ambulance and dealing with different patients. It’s very enjoyable. Whatever position I need to be in, I don’t mind one bit.”

Our citizens are fortunate to have Lieutenant Pressnall, Rookie Evans and all the other firefighters on staff who work each day to ensure the safety of our community.