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1. Where is the Engineering Department located?

The Engineering Department is located on the top floor of City Hall, at 23 2nd Street NE.

2. Can the city come and survey my property?

The city does not provide surveying services for private individuals. The following firms may provide surveying services for you:
Aason Engineering 882-2371
Clark Engineering 880-3122
Darwin Brinkman 881-7259
Helms & Associates 753-0750
Infrastructure Design Group 878-2120
Mack Surveying 880-3108
Scott Engineering 886-5725

3. Is my property in the floodplain?

Please click on the link to view Watertown's flood maps. click here

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1. Where should smoke detectors be placed in my home?

Residential smoke detectors are early warning devices to wake a sleeping person or persons. Smoke detectors should be placed in each bedroom (sleeping area) and in the hallway leading to the bedrooms.

2. What is the best fire extinguisher to purchase for home use?

There are several different types of fire extinguishers. We suggest that you go to your local hardware store and see extinguishers for home use. As a general rule, extinguishers labeled Class ABC are best for home use. There are several different sizes, please find the extinguisher appropriate for the size of the room it is intended for.

3. Am I allowed to drive over a fire hose?

No, it is illegal to drive over any deployed fire hoses, whether they are full of water or not. The weight of a vehicle can cause fire hoses to burst, which can endanger the lives of our firefighters as well as bystanders. It can also impede our efforts to extinguish the fire. Vehicles are frequently cited by Watertown Police for driving over fire hoses.

4. Who do I call if a fire hydrant needs repair (leaking, broken or missing caps, etc)?

Call Watertown Municipal Utilities at 882-6233. WFR has no involvement in the maintenance or repair of fire hydrants.

5. When you are not out fighting fires or on ambulance calls, what do you do?

Firefighters work a 24-hour shift. We eat, sleep and work out of our fire station. We purchase and cook all of our own meals. All daily maintenance on fire department vehicles is performed at the fire stations. We are involved in educational programs in the schools and to the public. We perform fire inspections at businesses throughout the City of Watertown. We also attend daily training to help maintain and continuously improve our skills, much of which is federally and state mandated.

6. When I called 911 and asked for an ambulance, why does a fire truck also respond with the ambulance?

Frequently medical calls require the assistance of more than just the two personnel that arrive on the ambulance. Since all of our staff are medically trained, we frequently utilize the extra manpower of an engine or rescue crew for calls where the patient is experiencing chest pain, difficulty breathing, or perhaps has been involved in a traffic accident. This is in line with federal standards, and allows us to provide the best possible care for the patient.

7. When I called 911 and asked for a fire truck, why does an ambulance also respond?

All of our Paramedic's are also cross-trained as firefighters (they even keep their firefighting gear on the ambulance). Federal standards require that we have a minimum number of personnel on scene before we enter a burning structure or other hazardous incident. If you report a fire incident, it’s common for an ambulance to respond with the fire truck to provide this assistance. This provides safety in numbers and allows us to extinguish your fire more quickly.

8. Why does the emergency equipment sometimes run with lights and siren, then just turn them off?

On occasion, the fire engine and ambulance will be driving with lights and sirens and then suddenly turn them off--perhaps only to turn into a parking lot or side street. Be assured that when this happens it means we have received information through our 911 dispatchers that the caller or incident is no longer a dire emergency. It is what we call "being cancelled". Any or all of the apparatus may continue to drive to the call or perhaps some will return to the Fire Station.

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1. How do I contact a city/county department?

Visit the Staff Directory to find all department and staff contact information.

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1. What is Reportit?

Reportit helps Watertown citizens safely and securely store important information that is useful in recovering property in the event of a loss or theft. Reportit is a free, secure, online service allowing citizens to record an unlimited number of serial numbers, item descriptions, pictures, and scans of receipts for their valuables such as jewelry, electronics, computers, and other items with invaluable personal worth.

The Watertown Police Department encourages all residents to use this free online system and believes that having the information will go a long way in accurately and quickly identifying your property in the event of a loss or theft. This list may also be useful when filing claims with insurance providers in the event of loss or theft.

2. How does Reportit work?

The Reportit service is a part of LeadsOnline, the online system that works with police across the country to track and recover stolen property. The Watertown Police Department has used LeadsOnline since 2009, and has reported many successes using the online investigations system.

The system allows detectives to search for items using a variety of parameters, including item descriptions and serial numbers. Using LeadsOnline, the Watertown Police Department has recovered thousands of dollars in recovered stolen property for Watertown and surrounding residents, tracked down thieves, developed leads, and made arrests.

3. What is LeadsOnline?

LeadsOnline is the nation’s largest online investigative system used by more than 4,000 law enforcement agencies to recover stolen property and solve crimes.

Each year, LeadsOnline is credited with recovering millions of dollars in stolen goods and solving thousands of crimes that are often associated with bigger crimes, such as homicide, identity theft, and arson.

Based in Dallas and led by President and CEO Dave Finley, LeadsOnline works with thousands of agencies throughout the country, including the New York City Police Department, the Dallas Police Department, and the San Francisco Police Department.

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1. What is the water level in Lake Kampeska right now?

the water level in Lake Kampeska is..... Water level

2. It's flooding in Fargo. How long before it gets here?

It will never get here. Watertown is in the upper Big Sioux River watershed that only reaches from Watertown to Summit, and about as wide as Waverly to Florence.

3. Can I get cost share for any project?

Any project has to be focused around clean water to be considered for cost share funding.