By: Emergent Team
As we recognize National EMS Week from May 19–25, it’s a great time to highlight the essential role EMS professionals play—whether they’re firefighters cross-trained as medics or dedicated EMS providers working alongside fire crews. This week honors their commitment to saving lives, delivering care under pressure, and adapting to a rapidly evolving emergency landscape.
Fire departments and emergency medical services (EMS) play critical roles in public safety, but their call volumes, responsibilities, and response models differ significantly. While fire departments are traditionally known for fire suppression, modern fire agencies respond to a wide range of emergencies, including medical incidents, hazardous material spills, and technical rescues. EMS, on the other hand, is primarily focused on medical emergencies, patient transport, and life-saving pre-hospital care.
Understanding the key differences between fire and EMS calls, why fire trucks often respond to medical emergencies, and how fire-based EMS models are evolving provides insight into how emergency response works today.
What is the Difference Between a Fire and EMS Call?
Fire calls and EMS calls are distinct but often overlap in emergency response.
Fire Calls
A fire call generally involves active fire suppression, rescue operations, and fire prevention efforts. These incidents include:
- Structure fires (residential, commercial, and industrial)
- Wildland and brush fires
- Vehicle fires
- Hazardous material incidents
- Technical rescues (confined space, trench, water rescues)
Fire calls often require multiple apparatus and specialized firefighting equipment to mitigate dangers quickly and safely.
EMS Calls
EMS calls involve medical emergencies and patient care, often requiring advanced life support (ALS) or basic life support (BLS) depending on the severity of the incident. Common EMS calls include:
- Cardiac arrests and strokes
- Trauma from accidents falls, or violence
- Respiratory emergencies (asthma, COPD, allergic reactions)
- Drug overdoses
- Mental health crises and psychiatric emergencies
While fire departments are trained to provide emergency medical care, many EMS calls are handled by ambulance-based EMS agencies focused solely on patient transport and medical intervention.
Why Do Fire Trucks Respond to EMS Calls?
Many people wonder why a fire truck arrives when they call 911 for a medical emergency. This happens for several reasons:
- Firefighters are cross-trained as EMTs or paramedics – Many fire departments require personnel to hold EMS certifications, making them fully capable of providing emergency medical care.
- Fire trucks are strategically located – Fire stations are often positioned for rapid response, allowing them to reach medical emergencies faster than ambulances in some cases.
- Severe medical calls require additional personnel – Certain critical situations, like cardiac arrests or trauma cases, require multiple responders to provide CPR, administer medications, and assist in transport.
- Not all EMS agencies have transport capability – In many areas, fire-based EMS systems handle both fire suppression and patient care, reducing the need for separate ambulance services.
Fire departments responding to EMS calls help bridge gaps in emergency medical care, ensuring that patients receive timely intervention before transport arrives.
What is Fire-Based EMS?
Fire-based EMS refers to fire departments that integrate emergency medical services into their operations. Instead of operating separately, these agencies combine fire suppression and EMS response, making them highly adaptable in diverse emergencies.
Key Features of Fire-Based EMS:
- Firefighters serve as EMTs or paramedics, reducing response times for medical calls.
- Fire engines are equipped with medical supplies, allowing crews to provide immediate care before transport arrives.
- Some fire departments operate their ambulances, offering both patient care and transportation.
- Fire-based EMS models improve efficiency, ensuring seamless coordination between fire suppression and medical response.
Many large metropolitan fire departments, such as FDNY and Los Angeles Fire Department, run fully integrated fire-based EMS models, responding to both fire and medical emergencies under one agency.
Who Responds to More Calls?
Nationally, EMS calls far outnumber fire-related incidents. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and other data sources:
- EMS calls make up approximately 65–80% of total 911 responses for many fire departments.
- Fire incidents account for only 4–5% of total emergency calls, while the remaining calls involve hazardous materials, rescues, and false alarms.
This shift has led many fire departments to expand their EMS training and capabilities, ensuring they can meet the growing demand for medical response.
Emergent’s Fire and EMS data solutions help agencies track response times, optimize resources, and improve patient care documentation, ensuring that fire departments and EMS agencies can work together seamlessly.
Want to improve your fire department’s EMS data management? Contact Emergent today to learn how our technology solutions can help optimize your emergency response operations.
