• Mission Statement

    Our Core Values
    These core values express the fundamental principles of the Tacoma Fire Buff Battalion. They serve as the common denominator for who we are as a team and what we are about. They give us a sense of purpose and direction in how we conduct our daily business and leave a positive impact on our community.

    Professionalism: We take great pride in the way we serve the Tacoma Fire Department. We are cognizant that we represent the Tacoma Fire Department. We reflect this honor by exemplifying the highest levels of professionalism in our appearance, conduct and service.

    Dedication: We provide our service with enthusiasm, passion, and zeal.

    Safety: Our commitment to safety starts with our training and adherence to sound operating policies and principles. In driving and fire scene operations, safety is our paramount consideration. We shall monitor each other and follow all Tacoma Fire Department instructions.

    Dependability: Our service provides a valuable contribution to the health, safety, and effective operations of the Tacoma Fire Department. We will make every effort to provide rehab operations when and where needed. We make this commitment even when it is personally inconvenient or requires sacrifice.



    Our Mission

    The Mission of the Tacoma Fire Buff Battalion is to support, value, appreciate, and celebrate the brave men and women of the Tacoma Fire Department. To this end, we dedicate ourselves, our efforts, and our resources, in priority order, to these ends:
    1. Enhancing the health, welfare, and safety of members of the Tacoma Fire Department by providing Emergency Incident Rehabilitation Services in accordance with NFPA 1584.

    2. Improving the general understanding of firefighting by serving as a forum for the discussion and preservation of the history of firefighting, the application of firefighting strategies and tactics, and the utilization and functions of various fire apparatus and equipment, all with an emphasis on the Tacoma Fire Department.

    Our Vision
    To serve as the exemplary national model for providing Emergency Incident Rehabilitation Services, best practice operations, and world class personal service, while maintaining an unparalleled safety record.

    Our Standards

    • We will have a support unit on the scene within 45 Minutes of TFD notification, 90% of the time, for all multiple alarm fires.

    • We will have a support unit on the scene within 45 Minutes of TFD notification, 80% of the time, for all single alarm fires with a duration of one hour or greater before being declared under control.

    • We will have a support unit on the scene within 45 Minutes of TFD notification, 80% of the time, for all technical rescue operations with a duration of one hour or greater before rescue is complete.

    • We will have a support unit on the scene within 45 Minutes of TFD notification, 80% of the time, for all major brush fires with a duration of one hour or greater before declared under control and to which a battalion chief has been dispatched and the ambient air temperature is 70 degrees F or greater.

    • We will have a support unit on the scene of all TFD training events, 80% of the time, when requested by TFD with three days or greater notice.

    • We will respond, operate, and return from all operations, 100% of the time, without accident or injury.

  • The Tacoma Fire Buff Battalion was founded in 1986 to take on-scene care of Tacoma firefighters. We are a 501(c)3 (EIN 94-3209672) Washington State non-profit organization (UBI 601 525 763). We are a civilian all-volunteer charitable service organization that provides valuable on-scene support services to Tacoma firefighters.

    Firefighters risk overexertion, heat exhaustion and dehydration. We operate under the guidelines of NFPA 1584, Emergency Operations & Training Exercises Rehabilitation Services. This health and safety service helps reduce accidents and cardiac events among firefighters.

    We are not part of the Tacoma Fire Department but work cooperatively with the Department and Local 31 of the International Associate of Firefighters. We are a member of the International Fire Buffs Associates.

     

    Firefighters risk overexertion, heat exhaustion and dehydration. We operate under the guidelines of NFPA 1584, Emergency Operations & Training Exercises Rehabilitation Services. This health and safety service helps reduce accidents and cardiac events among firefighters.

     

    We are not part of the Tacoma Fire Department but work cooperatively with the Department and Local 31 of the International Associate of Firefighters. We are a member of the International Fire Buffs Associates.



    Ralph Decker held the first official meeting of The Tacoma Fire Buff Battalion at his home on the evening of November 23, 1986. Dick Mackey and Eric Langlow attended, rounding out the six charter members. These charter members worked out of the trunks of their cars. They gave water, Gatorade, coffee, and snacks to Tacoma firefighters. They did this day or night, in pleasant weather and bad.

    In 1994 the Fire Buffs got a retired Tacoma Fire medic rig.




    The Fire Department garage converted it to bring supplies to the fire scene. This was a big step forward. Later that year the Tacoma Fire Buff Battalion became a Washington State non-profit corporation. Shortly thereafter, the IRS granted it 501(c)3 status.

    In 2014 the Fire Buffs replaced this first rig with a Chevy service van.





    In 2021 the Fire Buffs replaced the van with a 2011 GMC NorthStar medic rig. They converted it to the current response unit. This unit has the call sign, Support 1.














    There are sixty fire buff organizations in the United States and Canada. They are members of the International Fire Buff Associates (IFBA). In July of 1999, the Tacoma Fire Buff Battalion hosted the IFBA international convention. One hundred and thirty members came to Tacoma. The following year, founding member Ralph Decker received the IFBA’s most prestigious award: Fire Buff of the Year.

    There are now 19 Tacoma Fire Buff members. Several members supplement Support 1 with their own vehicles. This gives the buffs the ability to respond more quickly and to staff simultaneous events.

    None of this would be possible without the Fire Buff’s partnerships with the Tacoma Professional Fire Firefighters Local 31 and the Tacoma Fire Department. Local 31 supports the Fire Buffs through contributions made via voluntary payroll deductions by Tacoma firefighters. The Tacoma Fire Department has a service contract with the Fire Buffs. The Fire Buffs work closely with the Union leadership and headquarters staff of the Fire Department. The Fire Buffs have modernized with the help and support of its many partners.

    The backbone of the Tacoma Fire Buff Battalion always has been the sacrifice of its volunteer members. These members selflessly give of their time at all hours of the day and night and in all kinds of weather. History is often made by ordinary people who do extraordinary things.



    After the Tacoma Firefighters take care of you, we take care of them. Come join us.


  • It all began with a group of friends who met every week for pizza and beer. The year was 1984. Ralph Decker, Michelle Decker (nee Wiese), Bob Wendt, and Paul Petrinovich met at Tacoma’s famed Cloverleaf Pizza. Ralph would tell stories of his visiting firehouses in other cities, attending fires, and observing organized citizen groups providing water and food to the firefighters. These groups were called fire buffs. These four friends discussed doing the same for Tacoma firefighters.

    Ralph Decker held the first official meeting of The Tacoma Fire Buff Battalion at his home on the evening of November 23, 1986. Dick Mackey and Eric Langlow attended, rounding out the six charter members. These charter members worked out of the trunks of their cars. They gave water, Gatorade, coffee, and snacks to Tacoma firefighters. They did this day or night, in pleasant weather and bad.

    In 1994 the Fire Buffs got a retired Tacoma Fire medic rig.

    The Fire Department garage converted it to bring supplies to the fire scene. This was a big step forward. Later that year the Tacoma Fire Buff Battalion became a Washington State non-profit corporation. Shortly thereafter, the IRS granted it 501(c)3 status.

    In 2014 the Fire Buffs replaced this first rig with a Chevy service van.

    In 2021 the Fire Buffs replaced the van with a 2011 GMC NorthStar medic rig. They converted it to the current response unit. This unit has the call sign, Support 1.

    There are sixty fire buff organizations in the United States and Canada. They are members of the International Fire Buff Associates (IFBA). In July of 1999, the Tacoma Fire Buff Battalion hosted the IFBA international convention. One hundred and thirty members came to Tacoma. The following year, founding member Ralph Decker received the IFBA’s most prestigious award: Fire Buff of the Year.

    There are now 19 Tacoma Fire Buff members. Several members supplement Support 1 with their own vehicles. This gives the buffs the ability to respond more quickly and to staff simultaneous events.

    None of this would be possible without the Fire Buff’s partnerships with the Tacoma Professional Fire Firefighters Local 31 and the Tacoma Fire Department. Local 31 supports the Fire Buffs through contributions made via voluntary payroll deductions by Tacoma firefighters. The Tacoma Fire Department has a service contract with the Fire Buffs. The Fire Buffs work closely with the Union leadership and headquarters staff of the Fire Department. The Fire Buffs have modernized with the help and support of its many partners.

    The backbone of the Tacoma Fire Buff Battalion always has been the sacrifice of its volunteer members. These members selflessly give of their time at all hours of the day and night and in all kinds of weather. History is often made by ordinary people who do extraordinary things.

    After the Tacoma Firefighters take care of you, we take care of them. Come join us.

  • The History of Fire Buffing
    (Compiled from a variety of sources, often verbatim)

    Human beings love to watch other human beings do interesting work. This is truer if the work involves danger and machinery. In this case, people come from all directions and miles away to watch, marvel, and appreciate.


    If this were not true, there would be no sports fans, NASCAR fans, spectators at air shows, or fire buffs.
    Fire buffing is an old and honorable tradition in the United States. Two of America’s founding fathers were avid fire buffs. George Washington and Benjamin Franklin observed and helped at fire scenes. George Washington donated a hand-drawn hose cart to the volunteer fire company in Mount Vernon, New York. Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, New York City Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, and Arthur Fiedler, Conductor of the “Boston Pops” Orchestra were fire buffs.


    It is likely that the name “buff” comes from either the buffalo robes or the buff-colored deerskin jackets worn in the winter by volunteer fire fighters in New York City in the 1700s. The term applied to the regular spectators at fires in the early 1800s. The term buff is now synonymous with enthusiast and describes any ardent admirer, devotee, or fan. Think movie buff.
    There are many parts to fire buffing. Some folks love the old fire apparatus. Others marvel at the latest innovations in fire fighting rigs and equipment. Many enjoy listening to fire operations on radios and over the internet. Many buffs collect fire department patches, shirts, and memorabilia. Some buffs respond in person to fire scenes. There might be as many as 50,000 people who are connected to some part of the hobby.


    Within the hobby there is an elite group of buffs who respond to fires to provide rehab services to firefighters These buffs provide rehydration, refreshment, and protection from heat and cold for the firefighters as they come off the line. This health and safety service helps reduce accidents and cardiac events among firefighters. Firefighters risk overexertion, heat exhaustion and dehydration.
    These buffs belong to recognized clubs and organizations of trained volunteers who protect firefighters from some of the hazards of their work. There are 60 of these organizations in the United States and Canada. They belong to the International Fire Buff Association. This service is provided free of charge, on a volunteer basis, around the clock and often regardless of weather conditions.


    The Tacoma Fire Buff Battalion is proud to be one of these elite organizations. After the firefighters take care of you, we take care of them. Come join us.