Services - Emergency Response

Fire Suppression

The primary responsibility of the fire department is to extinguish fires. Firefighting is full of risk. We will take the most risk when we know there is a person to save. In an effort to lessen the risk we equip ourselves with the tools needed to get the job done. Our Fire Engines hold the equipment we need and are able to pump water to our fire attack lines in sufficient quantity to put the fire out and to keep our crews relatively safe while doing it.

Emergency Medical Response

Unfortunately, our citizens and those visiting our city occasionally need Emergency Medical Services. The Bismarck Fire Department responds with Metro Area Ambulance Service (MAAS) to help those in need of those services. We are all certified as Emergency Medical Technicians. The physical locations of our fire stations allow us to get to many locations in Bismarck prior to MAAS.

Hazardous Materials Response

Our lives are positively affected by many man-made materials. Unfortunately, in the wrong quantities and concentrations, these materials can also pose a hazard to our health and environment. The Bismarck Fire Department spends many hours training on how to mitigate those hazards. We have equipment that helps us react to these situations. While we can never be fully safe when respond to these incidents, we have training, equipment and clothing that allows us to approach the affected areas in as safe a manner as we can.

High Angle Rescue and Confined Space Rescue

While these two areas involve different locations they both include the use of the same types of equipment and skill sets. Ropes, Harnesses, Pulleys, Carabineer clips and other specialized equipment. Fear of heights does not go well with High Angle Rescue and claustrophobia does not go well with confined space rescue.

Structural Collapse

There are several reasons that a structure might collapse. In the Bismarck area the most common reason is being hit by a vehicle. When a building is hit by a vehicle we need to assess the stability of the structure and put in supports that temporarily hold it in place

Vehicle Accident Extrication

When a person is in a vehicle accident, quite often the “normal” method of getting out of the vehicle is compromised. As a result of that we need specialized equipment to create a way to get you out. Hydraulically powered spreaders, cutters, rams and crushing devices are invaluable in creating these egress points. Because these tools are so powerful we need to always be aware of the action and reaction of everything we do. They are also very heavy so we need to be physically fit.