By Elizabeth Tierney
For Coastal Senior

Thomas J. Turney photo
Hilton Head Fire Chief Tom Fieldstead at the Fire and Rescue Station No. 3 on Hilton Head.

Tom Fieldstead plays some role in our safety every hour of the day.

Hilton Head Island

Fire Chief Tom Fieldstead admittedly doesn't sleep much. He speaks calmly and confidently but he apparently worries about our safety.

Fieldstead is chief of the Town of Hilton Head Island, Fire and Rescue Department, where he not only looks after our safety, but also the 143 people who work in his department, including 105 line fireman.

And, ironically, his goal is "not to be busy."

But he is.

Born in Alaska, the Fieldstead was a firefighter in Yacoma, Wash., then deputy fire chief. He retired after 22 years. Then he went to Kirkland, Wash., where he was fire chief again - and retired again.

In 1997 he saw an ad in a trade journal for the Hilton Head post. As he said, he wanted a smaller community and to learn about the heritage of the East coast.

The heritage may be different, but the needs, and challenges are remarkably similar.

Fieldstead says the problems he faces here are much the same as those in the Pacific Northwest: 14 miles of coastline, the ability to rescue, handle marine boat fires, near shore water rescue and sadly, body recovery.

What he calls wild and urban interface is here too. The 600 acres of the forest preserve, as well as undeveloped property represent a challenge for fire and rescue.

He is responsible for the establishing policies and insuring the procedures are followed. With 9/11, deployment and response time are increasingly more important - as are issues of homeland security, such as bio-terrorism and the implication of hazardous materials.

While Hilton Head is not a prime target, Fieldstead indicated that world figures do visit and military bases are nearby. He also recognizes that the fire service is now seen in a different light.

Currently there are 8 ambulances that respond to close to 6,000 calls a year. Half are medical emergencies such as coronaries or accidents. With a rate of increase averaging six percent a year, Fieldstead expects that by 2004 the ambulance call rate will climb to more than 7,000 a year.

The typical call to 911 is the tourist without a local doctor or to extinguish a fire in an empty, isolated house.

A big concern for him is the community understanding the importance of insurance - both business and residential - particularly for interruption of service.

Hurricane season is another big worry. He is one of the five who will be recalled should a hurricane be imminent. Ridgeland is the relocation center. He recognizes that probably 10 percent of the current 33,000 people will not leave the island, and those folks will impact the fire service.

He worries too about educating the young and the very old - and the more accessible middle-agers - which Fire and Rescue Department does through courses in CPR, first aid, fire extinguishing. A speaker's bureau helps too, along with being readily available to answer questions about fire prevention.

To find out more, call the department, (843) 682-5100.