Fire Investigation Units

The back of an Investigations unit at PF&R station 1

Fire investigation units are small cars that are deployed after a fire to investigate the cause of it. The firefighters who operate it are trained in law enforcement an can arrest people that are suspects of intentionally starting a fire.

Trench Rescue Rigs

Trench Rescue 1 at PF&R Station 1

Technical Rescue firefighter Teams respond to any type of rescue mission including High angle, and confined space. This truck which is called a Trench Rescue carries wood used to shore up collapsed tunnels underground.

Shelves of wood inside Trench Rescue 1

Mobile Command Units

DCFD Command Unit in Washington DC

MobileCommand Trucks (MC units) are used on major incidents and disasters as a mobile base for chiefs and other officers. These trucks carry a large room behind the cab that carries an office with communication equipment and in some cases, temporary living quarters for night shift firefighters.

Heavy Squads

Heavy squads, also known as mass casualty units are special Trucks That act as a mobile hospital during large disasters involving lots of injured people. There are six of these in service in the region where I live,  TVF&R Squad 52, ( formerly Known as Squad 66) PF&R Squads 18 and 24, Clackamas Fire District #1 Squad 5, Gresham Fire Department Squad 72, and Portland Airport Fire Department Squad 881. ( See airport fire departments)

Heavy Squad 66 at TVF&R Station 66 in Beaverton

These rigs carry medical equipment as basic as bandages and as complex as life support systems. They can even set up a table and tent for surgery.

medical equipment on Heavy squad 66

Incident command units

High ranking fire fighters like marshals and executive chiefs respond to major calls and disasters in b personal  command cars.

C103 at PF&R station 1

These cars are equipped with on board computers and communication equipment and carry the chiefs air tanks and protective gear. The car above belongs to the portland Deputy chief and acts as a second response command unit to major disasters.

The Portland battalion chiefs equipment in battalion 1

Urban Search and Rescue

Some fire districts like Portland Fire and Rescue are part of state Urban Search and Rescue teams. These districts are equipped with US&R trucks. These Trucks are built like a semi truck and carry a large tractor drawn trailer which carries the same equipment as the Heavy rescue and much more. US&R trucks also carry several chainsaws and special drills with cameras inside them. Urban search and rescue teams respond to building collapses and other natural disasters. They also are equipped with a command center in the back. They are the biggest trucks used in firefighting.

some equipment on USAR 1

Urban Search and Rescue 1 at Portland fire and rescue station 1

Thank You!

I would like to take a moment to thank all of the fire fighters who have helped pull out trucks, gave tours, and educated me on every thing I know about fire trucks. These include Newberg Fire and Rescue engineer Brent for pulling out his trucks for me, TVF&R fire fighters Kevin, Don, and Johnson for giving me a ride on Truck 51, and a special thanks to Portland Airport Fire and Rescue lieutenant Tracie for spending over an hour showing me her station, teaching me, and especially for taking me on a ride on their biggest truck and teaching me how to operate the hose.

Airport Fire departments

Airport fire departments operate very differently from regular fire departments. They are usually stationed at the edge of the airport grounds and respond not only at the airport but in the surrounding area as well. Airport fire stations are very large because they carry some of the biggest fire trucks you will ever see. They carry many different types of fire trucks depending on their location. on this post I will talk about the types of trucks at the station that I went to, Portland airport fire and rescue.

Engine 80

PAF&R carries a paramedic engine just like most other fire stations. However in airport fire fighting they are referred to as structual pumpers. They work just like a regular fire engine and respond to the same types of calls.

Rescue 880

Rescues ( Medic units )  Respond to Medical calls and can  transport patients from the airport to the hospital when Requested by the ambulance service. They respond to every medical call and are staffed by two paramedics.

ARFF truck 85

ARFF truck 86

ARFF truck 87

The control board inside ARFF truck 87

Aircraft rescue firefighting trucks (ARFF) are stationed at every airport fire station around the world. They come in various sizes and respond to plane crashes and airport fires. ARFF trucks carry three types of liquid for putting out plane fires: water, foam, and halon. ARFF trucks can carry up to four people but takes only one person to operate it. inside the trucks are cameras for sensing heat, and communication equipment so the crew can receive calls, communicate with air traffic control, and talk to one another.

Heavy Squad 881

Command center inside squad 881

Squads are used at airports for advanced medical calls and disaster rescue incidents. They also have a command center behind the cab for controlling large scale calls and disasters. See my post on heavy squads for more information.

Utility 806

PAF&R also responds to water rescue calls because they are stationed very close to the Columbia River. Their boat is kept at the docks so the fire fighters respond in a special truck called a Utility vehicle.

PAF&R also have several reserve units.

Water Tenders

Fire engines have to attach special hoses to fire hydrants to get water so they can put out fires, but in some places like on farms or in forests, there are no fire hydrants to hook up to! In these cases, firefighters will bring special, two person engines called water tenders.

Water Tender 34B at TVF&R Station 34

These engines carry over 3,000 gallons of water and serve as mobile fire hydrants on brush fires, and other calls where fire hydrants are scarce.

HAZMAT Trucks

HAZMAT 34 at TVF&R Station 34

Hazardous materials response team units or HAZMAT trucks are special trucks that respond to and contain hazardous materials including oil, mercury, and anything else that is spilled, leaked, or dangerous. The trucks carry air tanks, protective gear for firefighters to wear, and special tools for identifying and containing chemicals.

HAZMAT 34

Me inside HAZMAT 34

Command center and laboratory inside HAZMAT 34

This larger HAZMAT unit carries most of the gear used in chemical fighting. They also have a walk in laboratory containing computers, extra seating a TV and a table with chemical identification equipment.

HAZMAT 53 at TVF&R Station 53
This smaller HAZMAT unit has a small command center behind the cab and a small laboratory as well as a bathroom and extra seating

Me inside the command center in HAZMAT 53

Special chemical proof suits inside HAZMAT 53

The command center inside HAZMAT 53