A fire department or fire brigade, also known as a fire company, fire authority, fire district, fire and rescue, or fire service in some areas, is an organization that provides fire prevention and fire suppression services as well as other rescue services.
A volunteer fire department (VFD) is a fire department of volunteers who perform fire suppression and other related emergency services for a local jurisdiction. Volunteer and retained (on-call) firefighters are expected to be on call to respond to emergency calls for long periods of time, and are summoned to the fire station when their services are needed. They are also expected to attend other non-emergency duties as well.
The Arlington County Fire Department (ACFD) provides fire, emergency medical, and allied public safety services for Arlington County and the City of Falls Church in Virginia, USA. It is highly regarded within the profession as an innovator and leader in enhancing the industry. Among its many firsts are the hiring of the first female career firefighter in the world in 1974 and partnering with the United States Public Health Service to develop America's first Metropolitan Medical Strike Team to respond to the consequences of a chemical, biological or radiological terrorist attack.
As firefighting has a rich history throughout the world, traditions in this profession vary widely from country to country.
The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department (SDFD) is an all-risk, all-hazards fire department, providing fire protection and emergency medical services to the city of San Diego, California, United States. The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department is the second-largest municipal fire department in the state of California, after Los Angeles. The department responds to nearly 162,000 calls per year. The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department covers 343 square miles of service area including 17 miles of coastline, with responsibility extending three miles offshore.
Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency Services provides fire protection, rescue and first responder assistance throughout Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Wayne Township is one of nine townships in Hamilton County, Indiana, United States and serves as one of two townships within Noblesville, Indiana's jurisdiction. As of the 2010 census, its population was 7,886 and it contained 3,252 housing units, an increase from 2415 in 2000, as Noblesville continues to expand eastward and Fishers reaches its northern limits. In 2007, Noblesville officially opened one of the largest mixed use developments in the state, called the Noblesville Corporate Campus. A portion of the development is located within the township. When completed, it will include a large industrial/commercial park, several housing developments, hotels, greenspace and a large outdoor shopping center called Hamilton Town Center, being built by the Simon Property Group, headquartered in nearby Indianapolis.
Vernon Township is one of nine townships in Hancock County, Indiana, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 15,615 and it contained 4,322 housing units.
The Indianapolis Fire Department (IFD) provides fire and rescue protection and emergency medical services to the city of Indianapolis, Indiana. In total the department serves 278 square miles (720 km2).
Firefighting in the United States dates back to the earliest European colonies in the Americas. Early firefighters were simply community members who would respond to neighborhood fires with buckets. The first dedicated volunteer fire brigade was established in 1736 in Philadelphia. These volunteer companies were often paid by insurance companies in return for protecting their clients.
The New Haven Fire Department (NHFD) provides fire protection and emergency medical services to the city of New Haven, Connecticut. The New Haven Fire Department currently serves a population of over 130,000 people living in 19 square miles of land and is one of the largest fire departments in the state.
The Bennett Valley Fire District (BVFPD) was a Fire Protection District that provided fire protection, emergency medical services and hazard mitigation to the unincorporated area of southeast Santa Rosa outside of the city limits in Bennett Valley, California. The district encompassed approximately 25 square miles (65 km2) and 1200 homes. Additionally, The BVFD responded to Trione-Annadel State Park for fire and medical emergencies. Bennett Valley Fire had a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Gold Ridge Fire Protection District which allowed for sharing of overhead and staff. Bennett Valley Fire Protection District worked in close coordination with its surrounding fire districts/departments and provided mutual aid for multiple alarm incidents, cover assignments, and various emergencies.
The Bridgeport Fire Department provides fire protection and emergency medical services to the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Savannah Fire & Emergency Services (SFES) provides fire protection to the city of Savannah, Georgia, United States. The professional fire department is active 24/7 and 365 days a year, and has about 325 paid employees. They received an ISO Class 1 rating in November 2014, and CFAI accreditation in 2016.
Hillsboro Fire & Rescue is the municipal fire department for the city of Hillsboro in the U.S. state of Oregon. Founded in 1880, the department operates five stations with six companies. The department has 123 members and is led by Chief David Downey.
The Briarcliff Manor Fire Department (BMFD) provides fire protection and emergency medical services to the village of Briarcliff Manor, New York and its hamlet Scarborough. The volunteer fire department also serves unincorporated areas of Ossining and Mount Pleasant. The fire department has three fire companies, two stations, and four fire engines; it also maintains other vehicles, including a heavy rescue vehicle. The Briarcliff Manor Fire Department Ambulance Corps provides emergency medical transport with two ambulances. The fire department is headquartered at the Briarcliff Manor Village Hall, with its other station in Scarborough, on Scarborough Road.
Vaughan Fire and Rescue Services (VFRS) provides fire protection, technical rescue services, hazardous materials response, and first responder emergency medical assistance to the city of Vaughan, Ontario. It operates 10 fire stations and coordinates with other fire departments in York Region and the Greater Toronto Area. VFRS received a 100 per cent satisfaction rating in the City of Vaughan’s 2018 Citizen Survey.
The Teaneck Fire Department (TFD) was established in 1915 and provides fire protection, rescue and first responder emergency medical services to the Township of Teaneck, New Jersey. The TFD has 93 employees: 91 uniformed firefighters and 2 civilian employees. The department is directly responsible for over 41,000 residents living within the 6.23 square miles of Teaneck. Furthermore, The TFD routinely provides mutual aid to 6 surrounding communities in Bergen County, further assisting an additional 139,000 people over an additional 18.52 square miles.
The Idyllwild Fire Protection District (IFPD) provides firefighting, rescue, emergency medical services, and ambulance transport services for the unincorporated communities of Idyllwild and Fern Valley, in Southern California.
The Scranton Fire Department provides fire protection, rescue services, hazardous materials mitigation, to the City of Scranton, Pennsylvania. The department used volunteer fire companies throughout its history and was established as a career fire department on May 4, 1901. The city maintained a combination of paid and volunteer firefighters from 1901 to 1907 when a full time department was established. The Scranton Fire Department remains a full-time all career department today, with a total of about 142 professional firefighters and fire officers protecting the City of Scranton.
