Fire Protection

Fire companies serve from fourteen fire stations across the city of Madison. Each company consists of one lieutenant (company officer), one apparatus engineer (driver), and two firefighters.

Life safety (search and rescue) is each company’s top priority, followed by incident stabilization, and property conservation.

Emergency Medical Service

Approximately 70% of the MFD’s emergency calls are medical in nature. All MFD firefighters are trained and licensed Wisconsin Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) – Basics.

In addition, there are eight Advanced Life Support ambulances across the city staffed by two paramedics each. All paramedics are certified firefighters and may occasionally serve on an engine or ladder. Engine 14 is staffed daily with one paramedic and three EMT-Basics.

Fire Prevention

The Madison Fire Department proudly employs a team of civilian fire prevention officers under the Fire Prevention Division. Our Code Enforcement Officers and commissioned fire companies inspect all public buildings twice a year to ensure local occupancies are in compliance with fire code and city ordinances.

Other duties of the Fire Prevention Division include testing new sprinkler and alarm systems and reviewing floor plans for new buildings to ensure they are constructed in compliance with fire code.

Fire companies provide ongoing support to our fire prevention efforts by participating in school visits, fire drills, and educational initiatives such as Safety Town and Safety Saturday.

A Day In the Life Of A Firefighter

In this job, no two days are alike, but each 24-hour shift typically consists of the following:

• 7:00 am start time, 7:00 am end time
• A thorough check of every apparatus for fully-stocked equipment and functionality
• Firehouse cleaning and maintenance
• Training drills and community events
• Around-the-clock emergency response: Calls are always #1!