Fire Department Organization

Module I

Organizational Structure of EVFD

Fire Chief

Asst. Fire Chief

Division Chief

Battalion Chief

Captain

Lieutenant

Sergeant

Apparatus Operator

Firefigjter

Probationary Firefighter

Probationary Trainee

Chartered

• The Edgecliff Village Fire Department was chartered with the state of Texas in March 1979.

SERPA

• We are a founding and participating member of the Southern Emergency Preparedness Association

SERPA Members

• Comprised of Edgecliff Village, Everman, Crowley, Forest Hill, Kennedale, Benbrook, Burleson, Rendon, Mansfield, Pantego, Dalworthington Gardens, and the Tarrant County Fire Marshalls Office.

Mutual Aid Departments

• Crowley, Forest Hill, Everman, River Oaks

• Burleson, Kennedale, Benbrook, Rendon

• Dalworthington Gardens, Pantego, Mansfield

• In a pinch: White Settlement, Sansom Park, Saginaw, Blue Mound

EVFD Apparatus

• Engine 35

• Engine 235

• Brush 35

• Squad 35

• Command 35

Edgecliff Village

• 1.5 sq miles• Approx. 3,776 citizens• Mostly single family residential homes

(almost 2,000)• Businesses: Star-Telegram, Kwik Kar,

Goodwill, Leni Em’s Dry Cleaners, Farmers Insurance, He & She Salon, Car Wash, At&t station, Fair Park Baptist Church, School

Fire Department Organizational Principles

• Unity of command — Report to only one supervisor

• Span of control — Number of individuals or groups that can be supervised

• Division of labor — Dividing large jobs into small jobs

(Continued)

Fire Department Organizational Principles

• Discipline — Providing direction and following directions– Setting limits or boundaries for expected

performance– Enforcing limits or boundaries

(Continued)

Fire Department Organizational Principles

• Purposes of discipline in a fire department– Educate and train– Correct inappropriate behavior– Positive motivation– Ensure compliance– Provide direction

Functions of Fire Companies

• Engine company — Deploys hoselines for fire attack and exposure protection

(Continued)

Functions of Fire Companies

• Truck company — Performs forcible entry, search and rescue, ventilation, salvage and overhaul, provides access to upper levels (Continued)Courtesy of District

Chief Chris E. Mickal. NOFD Photo Unit.

Functions of Fire Companies

• Rescue/squad company — Removal of victims from areas of danger or entrapment

(Continued)

Courtesy of District Chief Chris E. Mickal. NOFD Photo Unit.

Functions of Fire Companies

• Brush company — Extinguishes wildland fires and protects structures in wildland/urban interface

(Continued)

Functions of Fire Companies

• Hazardous materials company — Responds to and mitigates hazardous materials incidents

(Continued)

Functions of Fire Companies

• Emergency medical/ambulance company — Provides emergency medical care to patients

• Special rescue company — Responds to and performs technical rescue

Courtesy of Darrel Levine.

Fire Department Personnel

• Fire apparatus driver/operator– Drives assigned fire

apparatus– Operates pumps– Operates aerial devices

or other mechanical equipment (Continued)

Fire Department Personnel

• Fire department officer– Fire chief– Fire department

officers– Other roles

(Continued)

Courtesy of San Ramon Valley Fire District.

Fire Department Personnel

• Fire department health and safety officer

• Fire department incident safety officer– Oversees occupational

safety and health program

– Monitors the operational safety of emergency incidents

Courtesy of Rick Montemorra.

Other Personnel

• Communications personnel (telecommunicators)

• Fire alarm maintenance personnel

(Continued)

Courtesy of Paul Ramirez, Phoenix FD, AZ.

Communications/telecommunications personnel

– Takes emergency and nonemergency phone calls

– Processes information– Dispatches units– Maintains and provides communication link to

companies in service– Completes incident reports

Fire alarm maintenance personnel

• Maintain municipal fire alarm systems

Other Personnel

• Apparatus and equipment maintenance personnel

• Maintain all fire department apparatus and portable equipment

(Continued)

Other Personnel

• Fire police personnel– Assist regular police officers with

traffic control, crowd control, and scene security

• Information systems personnel

• Manage data collection, entry, storage, retrieval, and dissemination of electronic databases

Special Operations Personnel

• Airport firefighter– Protects life and property– Controls fire hazards– General duties related to

airport operations and aircraft safety

• Hazardous materials technician– Handles hazards materials– Handles nuclear,

biological, and chemical emergencies

(Continued)

Special Operations Personnel

• Technical rescuer

• Handles special rescue situations

• Wildland firefighter

Fire Prevention Personnel

• Fire prevention officer/inspector

• Conducts technical and supervisory work in the fire prevention program

• Fire and arson investigator– Conducts investigation of fire

area– Makes analytical judgments– Determines origin and cause

of fire(Continued)

Fire Prevention Personnel

• Public fire and life safety educator

• Fire protection engineer/specialist

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Personnel

• First responder

• Emergency medical technician

• Paramedic

Training Personnel

• Training officer/chief of training/drillmaster

• Instructor

Fire Department Regulations

• Policy — A guide to decision making within an organization

• Procedure — Describes in writing the steps to be followed– Order– Directive

(Continued)

Fire Department Regulations

• Order — Based upon a policy or procedure; compliance is mandatory

• Directive — Not based upon a policy or procedure; a request or suggestion

(Continued)

Fire Department Regulations: Standard Operating Procedures

• Provide a standard set of actions; basis for every incident action plan

• Means to start the emergency operation

• Should follow fireground priorities– Life safety– Incident stabilization– Property conservation

(Continued)

Fire Department Regulations: Standard Operating Procedures

• Reduces confusion and chaos on the scene

• Prevent duplication of effort

• Safety is highest priority when writing SOPs

(Continued)

Fire Department Regulations: Standard Operating Procedures

• Should be applied to all situations

• May be used for administrative and personnel functions

Question??