Fire Police
What do the Fire Police do?
Fire police are volunteer fire brigade/company members who, based upon their jurisdictional authority, receive sworn police powers, special training, and support firefighting efforts at emergency incidents. In addition to securing firefighting equipment, incident and fire scenes, and the station itself, fire police perform traffic and crowd control.
On occasion, fire police also assist regular police: they perform road closures, traffic control, crowd control at public events, missing person searches, parade details, salvage, security, and other miscellaneous tasks as requested.
What States Authorize Fire Police?
Fire police exist in about fourteen states of the United States, primarily in the eastern states. States that use fire police are Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Maine, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
Fire Police Response Procedures & Protocol
Depending upon local fire department protocols and procedures, members of the fire police may report first to the firehouse to pick up traffic control equipment or may go directly to the scene.
If they go directly to the scene, the equipment that they need must be with them and able to fit in their personal vehicle.
When they arrive at the scene, they will establish a temporary traffic control zone to protect the public from harm as well protecting the first responders.
Situational Awareness
When the Fire Police arrive on the scene, they assess the situation and formulate their temporary traffic control plan. They must possess a heightened sense of situational awareness since their actions could impact the safety of the public, the first responders, and themselves.
Equipment used by the Fire Police
Some of the items that they require include high visibility clothing and equipment for temporary traffic control – LED traffic batons, traffic cones, and a Flex-Safe barricade to perform temporary traffic control.
When compared to traffic cones and cone bars, the Flex-Safe barricades create a more visible safety barrier that is up to seven feet wide and can be carried in many personal vehicles and trucks. The ability to attach traffic control signs to the barricades is a feature that many other traffic control products do not have.
When they are released from traffic control, the equipment must be easily stored in the car or truck they took to the scene
