Hays Fire Department

At 2:12 p.m., Wednesday, July 13, 2016, City of Hays 911 Dispatchers received a report of an automatic fire alarm at the HaysMed Center for Sleep Disorders, 2500 Canterbury Drive. The City of Hays Fire Department, supported by the City of Hays Police Department, was immediately alerted to respond.

While firefighters were responding, HaysMed staff telephoned 911 reporting a fire in the building. With this information, the HFD shift commander called for all available off-duty firefighters to respond, as well as the dispatch of an Ellis County EMS ambulance to reinforce the on-duty force.

On arrival, firefighters found that a motor in the building heating, ventilating and air conditioning system had burned out causing smoke in the building to activate the automatic fire alarm. HaysMed staff had evacuated the building and cut electric power to the motor to eliminate the hazard. Fire crews assisted by using ventilation fans to remove the smoke from the building. Normal building operations resumed shortly thereafter.

Twenty firefighters staffing four fire trucks responded. The last fire crew left the scene at 2:46 p.m.

HaysMed has well-maintained, state-of-the-art fire safety systems in its various facilities. HaysMed staff continuously trains in the proper response to fire emergencies. City of Hays firefighters train regularly for a fire emergency on the HaysMed campus. In this situation, HaysMed systems and staff responded and coordinated with the HFD to effectively bring this incident to a quick end.