Fire Stations and EMS Stations

A fire station (also called a fire hall, firehouse, or firemen’s hall) is a building that houses firefighting apparatuses, and may also contain living and working spaces for firefighters. Some also have a library of reference materials, and a case or “trophy wall” to display memorabilia and awards. Fire stations are the headquarters of fire departments, and are the primary firefighting resource for an area. They are sometimes used as community meeting places.

During the 19th century, cities began to organize their own municipal fire departments as a civil service to the public. Private fire companies merged into the new department, which was often organized by geographic areas of the city, and became known as the “fire department” or “fire brigade”.

The Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) is one of the largest in the world. FDNY has 218 firehouses and 37 EMS stations, covering the city’s 302 square miles. The Department’s fire academy is located on Manhattan’s Randall’s Island, and its EMS Academy is at Fort Totten in Queens.

Firefighters are dispatched through a telephone alarm system. When a civilian observes an emergency, they can either call 9-1-1 which will be answered by NYPD dispatchers, or dial a special seven-digit number that will be routed to the corresponding borough fire alarm central office. Dispatchers will then assign a crew and equipment to the incident.

Once the crew has been assigned to a call, the dispatcher will notify firefighters and other personnel by means of pagers or sirens. The firehouse will then be prepared for the arrival of the firefighters and their apparatuses. The firefighters will be gathered in the engine or ladder company’s quarters, where they will wait for the pager or siren to go off.

The firefighters will then respond to the call, which can be a fire, medical emergency, or other crisis. Once they arrive at the scene, they will evaluate the situation and determine the appropriate response. If the emergency involves a life-threatening situation, they will notify EMS services and proceed to rescue and extinguish any fires or other hazardous situations.

After the emergency, the firefighter will return to their firehouse to clean up and secure their apparatus. If they are not called out for a further call, they will take a break and return to their quarters. Most firefighters work a 24-hour shift followed by three days off.

Besides being responsible for their own districts, most firehouses support one another to ensure they are operationally ready at all times. This is accomplished through a system of “shift swapping” in which the crews switch their night and day tours. During these periods, firefighters may visit other firehouses in their district or in other parts of the city. Firefighters also receive training at their home stations, at the Fire Academy and EMS Academy, and through other resources. These include a library of reference materials, training videos and simulators. They also participate in a regular regimen of physical fitness and drills to maintain their skills and stamina.