Chapter 8
Fire Department Support Functions
Introduction
• Fire department operations can be divided into
several areas, which can be further divided into
those that are incident focused and those that are
not
• Not all personnel who work for the fire department
respond to incidents
• Without support functions, personnel in the fire
stations would not have the equipment, training,
and facilities they need to perform
• Support personnel do not engage in firefighting
Learning Objectives 1 through 3
Support Functions
The Need, Duties, and Responsibilities
DISPATCH
• Receives requests for emergency services
• Alerts the station crew
• Police may dispatch fire personnel in small
department
• Volunteers are issued pagers
• Dispatcher may be firefighter or civilian
Learning Objectives 1 through 3
Support Functions
The Need, Duties, and Responsibilities
EXPANDED DISPATCH
• Beyond immediate capabilities of dispatch center
• Large or complex incidents
• Some departments have mobile command post
• Allows regular dispatcher to be undisturbed
• Radio traffic switched to a designated channel
Learning Objectives 1 through 3
Support Functions
The Need, Duties, and Responsibilities
GEOGRAPHIC AREA COORDINATION CENTER
(GACC)
• Expanded dispatch center
• Used by federal wildland firefighting agencies
• Numerous resources respond quickly and efficiently
• Closest available resource can be dispatched in region
• Necessary to track availability
Learning Objectives 1 through 3
Support Functions
The Need, Duties, and Responsibilities
ALARM BOXES
• Before 9-1-1, fire alarm box was common
EMS TWO-WAY COMMUNICATIONS
• Dispatcher can ask about
exact problems
• May train in emergency medical dispatch
Learning Objectives 1 through 3
Support Functions
The Need, Duties, and Responsibilities
LANGUAGE-BARRIER ISSUES
• Many people in the community do not speak English
• May not be able to translate for them
PRIVATE ALARM COMPANIES
• Alarm is received then fire department is contacted
• Departments may charge after several false alarms
Learning Objectives 1 through 3
Support Functions
The Need, Duties, and Responsibilities
LOOKOUTS
• Used to report fires in forest areas
• Early lookout towers: 75 feet high on metal legs
• Employee stayed in tower morning to dusk
• Modern lookouts include living quarters
• Two or three lookouts can give an accurate location
Learning Objectives 1 through 3
Support Functions
The Need, Duties, and Responsibilities
MAPS
• Departments need updated maps on a regular basis

New streets added

Property ownership

Vacant lots

Determine acreage burned
Learning Objectives 1 through 3
Support Functions
The Need, Duties, and Responsibilities
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM (GIS)
• Maps entered into a computer
• Tied to databases with required information
GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS)
• Can map a fire quickly and easily
• Helps determine share of jurisdiction’s suppression
costs
Learning Objectives 1 through 3
Support Functions
The Need, Duties, and Responsibilities
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS CONTROL UNIT
• Ensures compliance with legal and code
requirements
• Maintains business plans and material inventories
• Can send information to the field
• Right to Know laws

Require filing business plan and inventories
Learning Objectives 1 through 3
Support Functions
The Need, Duties, and Responsibilities
INVESTIGATION UNIT
• Arson
• Arson bureau

Under fire prevention chief
or its own unit
• Arson investigators
• Cost recovery
Learning Objectives 1 through 3
Support Functions
The Need, Duties, and Responsibilities
PERSONNEL
• Personnel clerk
• Jurisdiction-wide personnel department
• Personnel analyst may write job descriptions
• Involved with active recruiting of prospective
firefighters
Learning Objectives 1 through 3
Support Functions
The Need, Duties, and Responsibilities
INFORMATION SYSTEMS
• Department manages many types of information
• Information systems bureau developed
• Data management personnel
• Systems analyst maintains the computer operating
system for the department
Learning Objective 4
Managerial and Technical Support Functions
BUSINESS MANAGER
• Usually a civilian position with financial expertise
• Prepares final budget
• Tracks all expenditures
• Versed in laws that govern the fire department
• Day-to-day accounting activities
Learning Objective 4
Managerial and Technical Support Functions
FIRE BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
• Contracts signed for use of privately owned equipment
• Contracts for vendors at an incident

Helicopters, air tankers, water tenders
• Equipment time recorders
• Check-in personnel
Learning Objective 4
Managerial and Technical Support Functions
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
• Legal services
• Investigative technical support
• National Weather Service
• Hazardous materials
• Emergency medical services
Learning Objective 4
Managerial and Technical Support Functions
WAREHOUSE/CENTRAL STORES
• Items needed on regular basis
• Central receiving facility
• May make repairs
• SCBA repair technician
Learning Objective 4
Managerial and Technical Support Functions
U.S. FOREST SERVICE
• Warehouse at each ranger district headquarters

Supplies needs of all personnel

Cache of fire tools must be maintained
• After fire season, staff maintains equipment
• Plants trees and works on other projects
Learning Objective 4
Managerial and Technical Support Functions
REPAIR GARAGE
• Civilian employees
• Specialized knowledge of fire pumps
RADIO SHOP
• Radio technicians install and maintain all radio
equipment
Learning Objective 4
Managerial and Technical Support Functions
ADJUTANT/AIDE
• Assigned to assist chief officer
• Performs requests made by the fire chief
• Opportunity to learn more about the department
• Can help prepare for a promotion
Summary
• Must be able to receive calls for service and dispatch
• To control hazardous materials in the jurisdiction, the
hazardous materials control unit is set up
• Responsibility of fire department to investigate all fires
• Fire department needs to hire, retain, and provide
benefits to its personnel
• Provision of supplies and repair of vehicles is a
necessity
• Fire department requires specialized technical support