By: Emergent Team
When most people think of the fire department, they imagine fire trucks speeding toward burning buildings. But structure fires make up just a fraction of the calls departments respond to each day. In reality, modern fire departments handle a wide variety of emergencies, from medical incidents and vehicle crashes to hazardous conditions and alarm activations. Understanding the most common fire department call types helps highlight the vital role firefighters play in community safety—and how the right software tools can support them in doing so.
The Most Common Fire Department Call Types
Data from the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS): medical-related calls account for the majority of fire department responses, with various other incident types making up the rest. Here’s a breakdown of the most common types of fire department calls across the country.
1. Medical Emergencies
Medical emergencies, including heart attacks, strokes, injuries, and respiratory distress, represent the largest share of fire department calls—often over 60% of all responses in many jurisdictions. Firefighters are frequently cross-trained as EMTs or paramedics and provide critical pre-hospital care, sometimes arriving before ambulances.
2. Motor Vehicle Accidents (MVAs)
Vehicle crashes, including multi-car pileups and rollovers, are among the most frequent types of non-medical calls. These often require a combination of medical care, traffic control, and extrication tools to remove trapped occupants. MVAs may also involve fire risk, fuel leaks, or hazardous materials.
3. Structure Fires
Though less frequent, structure fires remain one of the most dangerous call types. Whether residential, commercial, or industrial, structure fires demand rapid coordination, use of SCBA gear, and full tactical response. These incidents often involve smoke searches, ventilation, suppression, and salvage operations.
4. False Alarms & System Malfunctions
Automatic alarms from smoke detectors, sprinkler systems, and commercial fire panels can trigger responses that turn out to be false or non-threatening. While frustrating, these calls are taken seriously and require thorough investigation. Departments log these as part of public safety accountability.
5. Hazardous Conditions (No Fire)
Incidents involving gas leaks, chemical spills, electrical hazards, or downed power lines fall under this category. Firefighters assess risks, secure scenes, and coordinate with utility providers or hazmat teams to ensure safety.
6. Outdoor & Brush Fires
Wildland and grass fires are common in many regions, particularly during dry seasons. These events vary widely in scale—from a backyard fire pit gone wrong to fast-moving wildfires threatening homes. Response depends on terrain, wind, and proximity to structures.
7. Cooking Fires
Cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the U.S., and fire departments respond to countless incidents involving unattended stoves or grease flare-ups. Many are small and quickly contained, but they still pose danger due to smoke inhalation and potential spread.
8. Smoke Reports
Calls reporting smoke—with no visible fire—often prompt investigation. Firefighters assess conditions, look for electrical issues, burning materials, or illegal burns. These calls can lead to early fire detection or be resolved as false alarms.
9. Unauthorized Burning
Open burning, whether from backyard bonfires, trash incineration, or construction debris, often violates local codes. Fire departments respond to these calls to investigate and extinguish any unsafe fires, especially during fire bans or dry conditions.
10. Service Calls & Public Assistance
From elevator rescues to helping someone stuck in a flooded basement, fire departments respond to a wide range of non-emergency service calls. These represent the human side of fire service work and strengthen community relationships.
How Emergent Can Help Improve Efficiency
Fire departments face the ongoing challenge of responding efficiently across a broad spectrum of emergencies. That’s where modern, intuitive tools like Emergent’s suite of fire RMS and CAD-integrated software make a difference.
Our platform is built with input from firefighters and chiefs to streamline how departments manage call data, track units, and document incident details. Whether it’s a medical emergency or a hazardous condition call, Emergent helps fire departments:
- Log incident reports quickly from the field
- Improve dispatch accuracy through real-time data integration
- Identify call volume trends to allocate resources strategically
- Reduce cognitive load with simplified interfaces and checklists
- Standardize NFIRS/NERIS reporting for compliance and insights
By connecting the dots between incident type, personnel actions, and outcomes, Emergent helps departments operate smarter—not just faster. Reach out today to schedule a demo.
