Question:
Whenever I see a fire engine, there is always a group of firefighters on it, even for what appears to be small jobs. Is there a reason why just one firefighter can't be sent to help someone instead of the whole fire engine and crew?

Answer:
Good question. By today's job description, "firefighter" is a term that does not accurately describe the people and tasks making up the fire department. Through fire prevention efforts, better construction codes, and fire sprinkler and early warning systems, "firefighting" makes up about six percent of the response load of the modern fire department.

The traditional name of "firefighter" has now come to represent emergency medical services, environment protection, fire prevention, public education, first aid/CPR instruction, emergency preparedness, swift water rescue, confined space rescue, and various other emergency and non-emergency responses that we provide to the general public.

The fire engine represents a mobile office or workplace for the firefighters, by providing a platform from which to do 100% of their assigned duties, 24-hours each day. The fire engine contains the traditional firefighting equipment such as hose, ladders, breathing apparatus, and a water pump. The engine requires a minimum of three people, doing specific duties to operate in a firefighting operation. The driver becomes the pump operator to supply water to the crew. The firefighter connects hose to a hydrant to supply water to the fire pump, then hurries to join the Officer on a firefighting hose to put out the fire.

The fire Officer, as the third person, also has the responsibility for directing fire operations of additional responding equipment and for assuring the effective rescue of any victims.

For medical emergencies, such as cardiac arrest, the same complement of three people has specific jobs as well. The victim's airway is addressed by one firefighter while a second firefighter must do chest compressions. The third firefighter uses the defibrillator and if the third person is also an Intermediate or paramedic, additional drugs can be given to the victim to assist the heart in restart and minimize damage.

To summarize, the crew of three firefighters must remain together and close to the fire engine. The fire engine contains all of the necessary tools to provide the public with immediate emergency response, from any place, at any time that 9-1-1 is called. The crew trains together to provide a seamless operation on a multitude of different jobs that cannot be done by less than three people. When there is a job that requires only one firefighter to help you, the crew will be nearby and ready for that next unplanned emergency call. Staying together as a crew prevents a fire engine from ever being unavailable for emergency response. This is why an entire engine company will be helping you on your next non-emergency request for service.