The Salem Fire Department provides a wide range of emergency services to the City of Salem and the Salem Suburban Fire District. Based in eleven locations, the department currently runs eleven advanced life support fire engines and two aerial ladder trucks 24-hours per day. The Salem Fire Department also maintains two back-up ambulances that provide patient transport in times of high call volume.

Due to the staffing employed by Salem Fire Department, firefighters are able to initiate and maintain continuity of advanced life support care from initial contact through patient arrival at the hospital. Salem Fire has a public/private partnership with Falck Ambulance to provide emergency medical transport.

In support of those functions, the Salem Fire Department staffs an emergency operations division, a fire and life safety division, EMS and training divisions, and an emergency management office. Salem Fire is continually reassessing deployment, operational strategies, and support functions to ensure we have the optimal ability to provide the best customer service possible.

Divisions of the Fire Department

Emergency Operations

This division, also called EOD, is responsible for all of the people and equipment that respond to 911 calls. There are over 20,000 calls each year which need Fire Department response. Most of these calls are for someone needing medical help. Yet, our crews also respond to fires, auto accidents, downed power lines, fire alarms, and other types of public service calls.

Emergency Operations also provides the following specialized services:

• Swift water rescue
• Trench, rope and high angle rescue
• Hazardous materials response
• Salem Police SWAT medics

Fire and Life Safety Services

The Fire and Life Safety Services Division, often called Prevention, is responsible for the following primary areas:

• Inspecting commercial and apartment buildings to make sure they comply with fire safety rules
• Investigating fire incidents to determine origin and cause of the fire
• Emergency management and disaster preparedness for the City
• Reviewing new construction plans to make sure all new buildings comply with fire building safety rules
• Educating the public in fire safety and emergency preparedness

Training and Emergency Medical Services

This division oversees the department's training programs to ensure that the department is prepared for any emergency. It is also responsible for managing the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) provided by the Fire Department.

The Training and EMS division has responsibility for the following:

• Firefighter recruitment, hiring, and promotional testing
• New recruit training academy
• Ongoing training and certification of firefighters and paramedics
• Medical supplies ordering and tracking
• Marion and Polk county Ambulance Service Area (ASA) management
• Private ambulance contract management