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"These professional firefighters were our salvation on November 11, 2011. After everything was over they stood side by side with us looking at the damage and consoling us. We love them!" - Fairfax County Resident
Our membership consists of nearly 2,000 active and retired firefighters and paramedics. Additionally, the membership is made up of mechanics from the Fire and Rescue Department Apparatus Shops and the 9-1-1 call takers and dispatchers working at the Department of Public Safety Communications Center. Our fire fighters and paramedics respond from 38 fire stations inside 7 district 'battalions' while providing emergency services to over 1 million citizens residing within 404 square miles of Fairfax County property.
Our members respond to approximately 90,000 suppression, emergency medical, and public service incidents annually.
In Fairfax County, volunteer fire companies were incorporated in the area beginning in the late 1930’s. Through the 1960’s, volunteers were responsible for virtually all fire and ambulance service. In the 1970’s though, several factors emerged that made reliance upon a volunteer system impractical in Fairfax. They were:
- Increased demand for emergency service
- Increased training requirements for fire fighters and EMTs
- Decreasing availability of volunteers
These resulted in Fairfax County, as well as most metropolitan jurisdictions throughout the country, establishing a career Fire and Rescue Department. Today, virtually all 911 calls in Fairfax are answered by career firefighters and paramedics employed by the Fairfax County government.
"My family and I want to thank you and your crew who rescued me during my heart attack on 6 March 2012. It was your quick response and everyone's professional expertise that helped save my life. I cannot express my gratitude enough except to say thank you, thank you from the 'bottom of my heart'." - Fairfax County Resident