About PGFD

The Prince George's County Fire Department is a combination Career/Volunteer Fire Department with the Career Staff supplementing the Volunteer force. There are approximately 600 career personnel and 1600 volunteers staffing 47 stations protecting a population of about 800,000 people. The PGFD responds to around 120,000 calls a year, with about 70% of the calls being EMS related. Of all of the 47 stations, only 2 are 100% Career and 2 100% Volunteer, with a majority having paid personnel during the weekdays 0700-1500 and Volunteers staffing the other times, as well as holidays.

The command structure is a integrated one, with a Paid Chief in charge of the Fire Department, both Volunteer and Career Majors, Division Chiefs, and Battalion Chiefs. Each Volunteer Corporation within the PGFD has their own chief officers of each station. The Station Chief is equivalent in rank to a Career Battalion Chief. Certain Volunteer Chiefs are "promoted" to Battalion Chief, Division Chief or Volunteer Major.

Within the stations, there are Volunteer Station Officers that are trained according to the same regulations as the paid personnel and have equivalent rank and fireground authority.

All Supression personnel on the Volunteer side must have as a minimum Firefighter One, EMT-B, Volunteer Recruit School and Hazardous Material Awareness. This is around a 300 Hour training commitment.

The PGFD is the busiest true combination volunteer/career fire department in the United States.