FAQs • Henderson, KY • CivicEngage

Do I need to put a smoke detector in every room? How many do I need?: Smoke detectors should be placed outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement. On floors without bedrooms, detectors should be installed in or near living areas such as dens, living rooms, or family rooms. Remember to test the detectors regularly!

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Fire

1. Am I allowed to burn brush in my back yard in the City of Henderson?: A burn permit must be filled out and a visit from our fire inspector must be done before a burn permit is issued. Please call (270) 831-1270 to schedule an appointment.

2. Can someone come to my school or event and teach fire safety?: Call the Henderson Fire Department at (270) 831-1270 for more information or to request a visit.

3. Do I need to put a smoke detector in every room? How many do I need?: Smoke detectors should be placed outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement. On floors without bedrooms, detectors should be installed in or near living areas such as dens, living rooms, or family rooms. Remember to test the detectors regularly!

4. How do I become a firefighter?: Applications may be found on the City of Henderson’s
website at or may be obtained from Human Resources, third floor, Municipal Center.

5. How do I get a copy of a fire report?: The fire report is a public document and can be obtained by anyone. Reports are available at the Henderson Fire Department. You will need to know the date and time of the fire and the correct address where the incident occurred.

6. I called for an ambulance and a fire truck showed up first. Why?: All members of the Henderson Fire Department are trained to the EMT level. The dispatched fire crew will assess and stabilize the patient so that the patient can quickly be transported once EMS arrives.

7. If my smoke detector goes off in the middle of the night, what should I do?: You should roll out of bed and crawl to the nearest exit and leave the building. Call 9-1-1 and notify the dispatcher your address and that you need the fire department. Once you are out of the house stay out! Today, a home can burn down in less than four minutes; you may be unable to escape a burning home in less than one minute. Don't take chances. Get out as quickly as you can and call 9-1-1 from a neighbor's home.

8. What kind of fire extinguisher should I buy for my home?: Homeowners should buy an extinguisher that can handle Class A-B-C fires. This type of extinguisher is designed to extinguish fires that usually occur in homes including wood, paper, flammable liquids, and electrical fires.

9. When I am driving and I am approached by an emergency vehicle, what should I do?: When you become aware of an approaching emergency vehicle, pull to the right and stop. If you are approaching an intersection and see an emergency vehicle that is approaching the intersection from behind you or another direction, come to a stop preferably one or two car lengths back from the intersection. These simple maneuvers can result in seconds saved by the emergency vehicle and can translate into a huge difference for someone who is having a medical emergency or is experiencing a fire.

10. Why did a fire truck pass me with its lights and sirens on and then shut them off and drive normally?: In all likelihood, the company you saw had just gotten cancelled from a response. Multiple units frequently are dispatched and the first arriving unit may have determined that additional units were not needed.

11. Why do I hear a siren on Fridays at noon?: We test our emergency sirens every Friday at noon (weather permitting) to ensure that they are working properly in case of severe weather.

12. Will the fire department fill my swimming pool from a fire hydrant?: No, you may contact Henderson Water & Sewer at (270) 826-2824, and they will inform you of your options or you may refer to their website.