Fire Rescue Operations Division

The Fire Rescue Division is the biggest part of the Arlington Fire Department. It includes the normal, everyday emergency services and trucks that people usually think of when they picture a fire department.

Here is how the team is organized:

The Stations and Shifts: Arlington has 17 fire stations. The firefighters are split into three different groups called A, B, and C shifts. They work a rotating schedule. They stay at the station for 24 hours straight, and then they get 48 hours off.

The Battalions: The City of Arlington is split into three main areas called Battalions. Each area is run by a Battalion Chief or a Division Chief. These chiefs manage daily activities, rush to major emergencies, and help guide the department's leaders.

The Crews: The department always keeps a minimum number of people on duty. Fire engines and ladder trucks usually have three or four firefighters on board. The two smaller Light Rescue vehicles, also called squads, have a crew of two firefighters.

Medical Care and Staffing

Every single member of the Fire Rescue team is certified as an Advanced EMT. About half of the team members have even higher training as EMT-Paramedics.

The department provides advanced life-support medical care. They work closely with American Medical Response (AMR), which provides the ambulances in the city.

Special Training and Skills

Arlington firefighters hold many different certifications. These include basic structure firefighting, driving the trucks, and operating the giant aerial ladders. Many are also certified to teach as fire instructors or lead as advanced fire officers.

The division also trains members for dangerous Special Operations. These specialty teams include:

  • Hazmat: Handling dangerous chemicals and spills.
  • Technical Rescue: Saving people from tight spots (confined spaces), deep trenches, or high cliffs (high angle rescue).
  • Water Rescue: Diving and swiftwater rescue.
  • ARFF: Fighting fires on airplanes at the airport.
  • TIFMAS: Joining a statewide network to help other Texas towns during major disasters.

Working with Others

The Fire Rescue Division works with other emergency networks across the region every day. They use automatic aid agreements, which means the closest fire truck responds to a call, even if it has to cross town borders.

The division manages all emergencies using the National Incident Management System (a standard playbook used across the country so different departments can work together smoothly). The team takes great pride in being ready for any type of hazard in any kind of environment.

 

Battalions

The Division Chiefs run the three shifts, which are named A, B, and C. These chiefs are responsible for managing everyday activities and making sure routine chores and tasks get done smoothly.

They also rush to major emergencies to lead the crews and coordinate the response. Since many things happen at the exact same time, the chiefs work hard to keep everything organized. Their main goal is to support the department's top leaders and make sure everything runs without a hitch from one shift to the next.

Medical Operations

Quick and Expert Medical Care

The Arlington Emergency Medical Services system is built to give patients the best possible care. This care starts the moment you call 9-1-1 and lasts until you arrive at the hospital. The system blends the resources of the Arlington Fire Department with a private ambulance company called American Medical Response (AMR).

On most medical calls, the city sends both a fire truck and an ambulance. Because fire stations are spread out across the city, firefighters are usually the very first emergency responders to arrive at a scene.

High-Level Training

Every single Arlington firefighter is a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). They are trained as either EMT-Intermediates or Paramedics. This advanced training allows them to perform major lifesaving skills before the ambulance even gets there.

These skills include:

  • Starting IVs to give patients fluids and medicine.
  • Inserting breathing tubes to help patients breathe.
  • Giving specific medications for different medical emergencies.

Because they arrive so fast, these highly trained professionals can stabilize patients and start critical, lifesaving treatments right away.

Ambulance Services in Arlington

American Medical Response (AMR) is the only ambulance company allowed to pick up and transport patients in Arlington. They won this role through a competitive bidding process back in 2008.

The city does not use tax money to pay for AMR. Instead, it is funded by fees from the people who use the ambulances. To help with costs, citizens can join a subscription program called Ready Care. This program helps limit what you have to pay out of your own pocket if you need an emergency ambulance ride.

AMR decides where to park its advanced ambulances based on a constant data analysis of where 9-1-1 calls happen most. Each ambulance is staffed by a team of two: one Paramedic and one EMT.

Need a Patient Care Report?

You can request records by writing to:
American Medical Response, Custodian of Records
20101 Hamilton Ave., Suite 300, Torrance, CA 90502
Or call: (866) 670-7076

Medical Leadership

All firefighters and ambulance crews get their official permission to provide medical care from the Arlington EMS System Medical Director. This director is a licensed doctor who sets the medical rules. The doctor oversees everything—from how 9-1-1 dispatchers answer calls to how paramedics treat patients in the field.

What Happens When You Call 9-1-1

Arlington's dispatch center handles tens of thousands of medical emergency calls every year. To get the right help to you quickly, the 9-1-1 call-takers are certified emergency dispatchers.

When you call 9-1-1, the dispatcher will ask you a short list of standard questions. Fire trucks and ambulances are sent out immediately based on your answers.

Lifesaving CPR and AEDs

The Arlington EMS system is working hard to put more automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in public places. They also want to train more citizens in CPR.

Medical studies show that when a person's heart suddenly stops, their chances of survival go up drastically if a bystander steps in to do two things right away:

  1. Start quick, effective CPR.
  2. Use an AED to shock the heart.

By putting an AED in a business or school and training people how to use it, you can save a life during a deadly emergency.

Many major organizations have joined Arlington’s public safety effort by installing these lifesaving devices. A few of the local participants include:

  • Arlington Independent School District
  • The University of Texas at Arlington
  • The Parks at Arlington Mall
  • The YMCA
  • Six Flags Over Texas and Hurricane Harbor
  • General Motors Corporation

Because of this community teamwork, there are hundreds of registered public AEDs located all over the city.

Health and Safety Officer

This position reports directly to the Division Chief of Medical Operations. The person in this role is the top expert on all health and safety topics for the department. They research safety issues and help write the official rules to keep everyone safe.

Main Responsibilities

This person is in charge of organizing everything related to employee health and safety. This includes managing:

  • Medical Checkups: Setting up yearly fitness tests and health exams for employees.
  • Health Protection: Handling vaccinations and keeping germs from spreading (infection control).
  • On-the-Job Issues: Tracking and reporting any employee injuries, accidents, or exposure to dangerous materials.
  • Injury Claims: Handling Workers' Compensation paperwork when an employee gets hurt at work.
  • Accident Investigations: Figuring out what happened when department vehicles crash or equipment gets damaged.
  • Testing: Organizing required drug and alcohol testing.

Leadership Roles

  • Safety Committee: They serve as the leader (chairperson) of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Committee.
  • Chief Assistant: They help the Assistant Chief of Fire/Rescue handle everyday operational issues.

 

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