Fire

Department Overview

The Williamsburg Fire Department is a combination career and volunteer department. The career staff consists of roughly 36 members divided among administrative staff and suppression personnel.

Suppression personnel are assigned to 3 shifts of ten members per shift. Each shift is comprised of a Battalion Chief, a Lieutenant, a Fire Inspector, and several Paramedic/Firefighters, with the remainder made up of Firefighter / Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs).

Additionally, Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm there is an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Supervisor Captain and a Fire Protection Specialist Captain on duty.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Williamsburg Fire Department is to ensure a prompt, safe, and timely response to emergencies of an all hazardous nature. To diligently enforce all life safety measures to ensure a safe and livable community for citizens and visitors.

In order to accomplish such a broad mission, members of the Williamsburg Fire Department are trained to respond to a variety of situations including fires, hazardous materials releases, medical emergencies, structural and confined space rescues, and other situations that may arise. Additionally, members are trained and certified in fire code compliance and plan review.

Emergency Management

The Fire Chief, the Deputy Fire Chief, the EMS Supervisor Captain, and the Fire Protection Specialist Captain play an integral role in Emergency Management. Each member performs specific tasks on the Emergency Management Team where they are tasked with the responsibility for preparation, maintenance, and execution of the city's Emergency Operation Plan.

Operations

Services provided by the Williamsburg Fire Department include:

• Advanced life support (ALS)-EMS delivery
• City-wide safety
• Emergency management
• Fire prevention
• Fire suppression
• Hazardous materials response
• Technical rescue

Volunteer Department

The department also maintains a volunteer organization consisting of roughly twenty-five members that serve the city, and add financial support and fire ground support. The Williamsburg Volunteer Fire Department has an officer structure that reports to the career Fire Chief.

Response Area

The dedicated men and women of the Williamsburg Fire Department provide twenty-four-hour emergency services to approximately ten square miles. Included within the city boundaries are Colonial Williamsburg, a 1.5 square mile outdoor museum of 18th-century structures; and the College of William and Mary.

Each of these areas presents unique hazard potential within the city limits. The department also maintains an extensive and comprehensive automatic mutual aid program with James City County and York County Fire Departments.