Lexington Fire Department
The Lexington Fire Department provides fire prevention, firefighting, emergency medical services, technical rescue, hazardous materials, aircraft firefighting, and dive rescue operations to the 325,000+ people who live in the 284 square miles of Fayette County, Kentucky. All of LFD's firefighters are at least EMTs, and more than 220 of them are Paramedics.
| Operational area | |
|---|---|
| Country |  |
| State |  |
| County |  |
| City | |
| Agency overview | |
| Established | 1775 |
| Annual calls | 47,000 (2015)[1] |
| Employees | 600+ |
| Staffing | Career |
| Fire chief | Kristin Chilton |
| EMS level | ALS and BLS |
| IAFF | 526 |
| Facilities and equipment | |
| Battalions | 5 |
| Stations | 24 |
| Engines | 23 |
| Trucks | 5 |
| Platforms | 2 |
| Rescues | 1 |
| Ambulances | 12 ALS |
| Tenders | 1 |
| HAZMAT | 1 |
| Wildland | 2 |
| Light and air | 1 |
| Website | |
| https://www.lexingtonky.gov/departments/fire-emergency-services | |
| http://www.iaff526.org/ | |
History
The Lexington Fire Department was formed in 1775 to protect the city of Lexington, Kentucky. In 1864, the Lexington career Fire Department was formed. In 1973, the Fayette County and Lexington governments merged, combining the county and city fire departments. Today, the Lexington Fire Department provides fire and EMS services to nearly 286 square miles and 325,000+ people. The Lexington Fire Department is also the largest single fire department in Kentucky.[2]
Organization and operations
Organization
The Lexington Fire Department is organized into 5 battalions, or "districts", each commanded by a District Major. Each shift has a Shift Commander, who is in charge of all 5 District Majors and the units underneath them. Above the shift commander, there are various commands staff personnel, including Fire Chief Kristin Chilton. Most of the department's offices are at its headquarters station, Firehouse 1. Every engine in the fleet has Advanced Life Support Medical capabilities. Some engine Companies and ladder companies are also Hazmat or RIT companies that are part of SOC(special operations command).
Stations and apparatus
| Firehouse | Paramedic/Paramedic/ Hazmat/Dive/Rapid Intervention Team Engine Company | Ladder Company,Hazmat Ladder Company or Tower Ladder Company | Emergency Care Unit | Special Unit/Other Units | Command Unit (District Commander,Shift Commander, Special Operations Chief or Hazmat Commander) | District |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firehouse 1 "The Big House" (Headquarters) | Paramedic Engine Company 1 | Ladder Company 1 | Emergency Care 1 | Mobile Air Cascade 1*, Mobile Command Center* | 5th District Commander 205, Shift Commander 200 | 5 |
| Firehouse 2
“The Rock” |
Paramedic/Hazmat Engine Company 2 | Hazmat Ladder Company 5 | Emergency Care 8 | 1st District Commander 201 | 1 | |
| Firehouse 3 "Home of the Rescue" | Emergency Care 10 | Rescue Company 1, Rescue Company 2 (Collapse Unit)* | Special Operations Chief 230 | 5 | ||
| Firehouse 4 "The Phantom" | Paramedic Engine Company 4 | 5 | ||||
| Firehouse 5 "FireCats" | Paramedic Engine Company 5 | Tower-Ladder Company 2 | 5 | |||
| Firehouse 6 | Paramedic/Hazmat Engine Company 6 | Emergency Care 7 | 5 | |||
| Firehouse 7 | Paramedic Engine Company 7 | Emergency Care 4 | 2 | |||
| Firehouse 8 "Legendary Pride" | Paramedic/Rapid Intervention Team Engine Company 8 | Emergency Care 3 | 1 | |||
| Firehouse 9 | Paramedic/Rapid Intervention Team/Dive Engine Company 9 | Emergency Care 2 | 2 | |||
| Firehouse 10 | Paramedic/Hazmat Engine Company 10 | Hazmat Ladder Company 3 | Emergency Care 6 | 3 | ||
| Firehouse 11 "The Jesters" | Paramedic Engine Company 11 | Emergency Care 12 | 4th District Commander 204 | 4 | ||
| Firehouse 12
"The Dirty Dozen" |
Paramedic/Rapid Intervention Team Engine Company 12 | Collapse Truck Company 1* | 4 | |||
| Firehouse 13 "The Original Rescue" | Paramedic/Rapid Intervention Team Engine Company 13 | 3rd District Commander 203 | 3 | |||
| Firehouse 14 "The Bomberos" | Paramedic Engine Company 14 | Emergency Care 5 | Brush Truck Company 1* | 4 | ||
| Firehouse 15 "Mall Rats" | Paramedic Engine Company 15 | Emergency Care 9 | 4 | |||
| Firehouse 16 "The Cave" | Paramedic Engine Company 16 | Mass Casualty Ambulance Bus* | 2nd District Commander 202 | 2 | ||
| Firehouse 17 | Paramedic Engine Company 17 | 1 | ||||
| Firehouse 18 | Paramedic Engine Company 18 | 1 | ||||
| Firehouse 19 | Paramedic Engine Company 19 | 3 | ||||
| Firehouse 20 | Paramedic/Hazmat Engine Company 20 | Hazmat Ladder Company 4 | Hazmat Co. 1* | Hazmat Commander 220 | 4 | |
| Firehouse 21 “Pride of The Burg” | Paramedic Engine Company 21 | Ladder Company 6 | Emergency Care 11 | Brush Truck Company 2* | 1 | |
| Firehouse 22 | Paramedic Engine Company 22 | Tower-Ladder Company 7 | 2 | |||
| Firehouse 23 | Paramedic Engine Company 23 | 1 | ||||
| Firehouse 24 “Masters of The Station” | Paramedic Engine Company 24 | Tanker Company 1 | 3 |
Note that vehicles with a * are cross-staffed by the companies/personnel at its station.
Operations
The Lexington Fire Department provides fire & ems services, in addition to hazardous materials, technical rescue, aircraft firefighting, dive rescue, and fire prevention services.
Special operations companies
Many of LFD's companies are special operations companies, and are trained in some type of special operations. Some of the Engine Companies and Ladder Companies are Hazardous Materials Companies or Technical Rescue Companies. Paramedic Engine 23 is a Aircraft Rescue Firefighting Company. Many of these companies are strategically located throughout the county. All Ladder Companies provide auto-extrication rescue services.
- Engine 2 - Hazardous Materials Company[3]
- Engine 6 - Hazardous Materials Company[4]
- Engine 8 - Technical Rescue Company[5]
- Engine 9 - Technical Rescue Company[6]
- Engine 10 - Hazardous Materials Company[7]
- Engine 12 - Technical Rescue Company[8]
- Paramedic Engine 13 - Technical Rescue Company[9]
- Paramedic Engine 20 - Hazardous Materials Company (Cross-staff Hazmat 1)[10]
- Paramedic Engine 23 - Aircraft Rescue Firefighting Company[11]
- Ladder 3 - Hazardous Materials Company
- Ladder 4 - Hazardous Materials Company (Cross-staff Hazmat 1)[12]
- Ladder 5 - Hazardous Materials Company[13]
References
- "Mayor appoints first female fire chief in Lexington". kentucky.
- "Lexington". Retrieved 2016-10-12.
- "Engine Co. 2 - KentuckyFireTrucks". www.kentuckyfiretrucks.com. Retrieved 2019-04-26.
- "Engine Co. 6 - KentuckyFireTrucks". www.kentuckyfiretrucks.com. Retrieved 2019-04-26.
- "Engine Co. 8 - KentuckyFireTrucks". www.kentuckyfiretrucks.com. Retrieved 2019-04-24.
- "Engine Co. 9 - KentuckyFireTrucks". www.kentuckyfiretrucks.com. Retrieved 2019-04-24.
- "Engine Co. 10 - KentuckyFireTrucks". www.kentuckyfiretrucks.com. Retrieved 2019-04-24.
- "Engine Co. 12 - KentuckyFireTrucks". www.kentuckyfiretrucks.com. Retrieved 2019-04-24.
- "Engine Co. 13 - KentuckyFireTrucks". www.kentuckyfiretrucks.com. Retrieved 2019-04-24.
- "Engine Co. 20 - KentuckyFireTrucks". www.kentuckyfiretrucks.com. Retrieved 2019-04-24.
- "Engine Co. 23 - KentuckyFireTrucks". www.kentuckyfiretrucks.com. Retrieved 2019-04-24.
- "Ladder Co. 4 - KentuckyFireTrucks". www.kentuckyfiretrucks.com. Retrieved 2019-04-24.
- "Ladder Co. 5 - KentuckyFireTrucks". www.kentuckyfiretrucks.com. Retrieved 2019-04-24.