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Frequently asked Questions about the Branford Fire Department

What does the Branford Fire Department protect?

Branford was first settled in mid-1644 as part of the New Haven Colony; the Town has had an organized Fire Department since 1899. Branford is approximately 22 square miles. Branford's population is 28,176 (U.S. Census Bureau 2021 Est.) with a population density of 1,280 per square mile. We are a typical New England community with many closely spaced neighborhoods of single- and multi-family homes constructed entirely of wood with open porches.

In the past, Branford earned the moniker “Condo Capital” of New England, as we are charged with protecting over 60 condominium complexes, many three stories in height and built of wood frame construction. All of these complexes are composed of multiple buildings, some with hundreds of units. The distance between these complexes and our firefighting apparatus often necessitates longer hose stretches, requiring additional personnel to efficiently set up a single fire attack hose line. Over the past five years, several new apartment complexes have added hundreds of new housing units.

Our community boasts a diverse business sector that encompasses bioscience, manufacturing, healthcare, service industries, and retail. Additionally, Branford benefits from having over 20 miles of coastline, featuring two large harbors and more than a dozen marinas. Notably, the Branford Fire Department is responsible for safeguarding a cluster of small islands known as the Thimble Islands. These islands, which are inhabited seasonally, encompass a total of 81 residential houses.

Geographically, Branford is intersected by the "Northeast Corridor" transportation network. This crucial infrastructure comprises Interstate 95, U.S. Route 1, and Amtrak's Washington-to-Boston rail line. The rail line also accommodates CT DOT commuter trains and freight traffic. Furthermore, the Branford Fire Department is entrusted with the protection of significant state and federal military assets, including the Connecticut National Guard's Branford Armory and the Army Reserve Training Center. Our town is home to numerous businesses that play a vital role in manufacturing essential products or providing services crucial for post-disaster recovery efforts, whether natural or manmade. We take great pride in our preparedness, knowing that it is pivotal in safeguarding both the private and public assets of our town. Moreover, our preparedness efforts directly impact our economy and contribute to our community's resilience.

How is the Branford Fire Department currently organized and deployed?

The Branford Fire Department is a combination department operating from five stations. A combination department is one that is made up of both career and volunteer firefighters. The department comprises 44 career personnel, 27 active volunteer firefighters, and 33 part-time EMS-only employees.

All career firefighters currently deploy from Fire Headquarters at 45 North Main Street. Forty firefighters are assigned to one (1) of four (4) divisions, each consisting of one (1) Deputy Chief, one (1) Captain, and eight (8) Firefighter/Paramedics. Each of the four 10-member Divisions work a 42 hour per week rotating schedule to provide 24-hour coverage, seven days per week. Career members are assigned as follows:

  • Car 6 – one (1) Deputy Chief of Operations (Shift Commander)

  • Engine Company 1 – 1 Captain, 2 Firefighters

  • Rescue 2 - two (2) Firefighters (light rescue carrying tools and equipment to handle most rescue incidents)

  • Medic 1 – two (2) Firefighters (advanced life support ambulance)

  • Medic 2 – two (2) Firefighters (advanced life support ambulance)

As a result of understaffing, career members “cross-staff”, or will leave their assigned unit to staff a different apparatus depending on the type of call they are dispatched to. Truck 1, Engine 7, Marine 2, our ATV, and two additional ambulances are often cross-staffed by career personnel.

All career firefighters are cross-trained, dual-role firefighters/ EMTs and are capable of providing paramedic-level advanced emergency medical care along with fire suppression, rescue, and hazardous materials response.

Photo Credit: Doc Johnson

Our 33 part-time EMS-only employees staff Medic 3 from 8 AM through midnight each day. Medic 3 is always first up for medical emergencies in an effort to keep firefighters available in town. While this helps immensely, our frequent multiple calls for service quickly draw down our remaining resources.

Finally, our 27 active volunteer firefighters are distributed unevenly between the four volunteer companies as follows:

Engine Company 2 - Located at 341 Main Street in the Fourth Ward district - one pumper, 8 firefighters

Engine Company 4 - Located at 64 Shore Drive in Short Beach - one pumper, 4 firefighters

Engine Company 5 – Located at 41 School Street in Stony Creek - one pumper, one light rescue, one all-terrain vehicle (ATV), one marine unit, 9 firefighters

Engine Company 9 – Located at 6 Linden Ave in Indian Neck - one pumper, one brush unit, six firefighters

The companies are strategically located within densely populated areas where people live and sleep; they are supposed to be the first responders in their districts. They also provide the additional engine companies needed for various call types that require a multiple-company response.

Station Locations

Does the Branford Fire Department just put out fires?

No. The Branford Fire Department has evolved into an “all-hazards” emergency services provider. We are responsible for providing fire suppression, technical rescue, hazardous materials response, emergency medical care, ambulance transport, code enforcement, and fire prevention services to our community among others. The services we provide are driven by the needs of our community and are based upon the vulnerabilities identified in our Local Emergency Operations Plan. These are also in line with the United States Fire Administration’s Strategic Plan to, “ready the nation’s fire service for all hazards”.

  • Cyber Incident

  • Tropical cyclone

  • Widespread Infectious Disease

  • Flood Related Hazards

  • Significant Criminal Acts

  • Energy/ Fuel Shortages

  • Winter Related Hazards

  • Transportation Accidents (Air/Rail/Roads)

  • Food and Agricultural Disaster/Incident

  • Sea Level Rise

  • Port Incidents

  • Industrial Incidents

  • Temperature Extremes

While our primary focus at the Department revolves around fire prevention, fire suppression, and emergency medical services, we are equally dedicated to offering rescue and technical rescue capabilities to our community. Although some of these services entail high-risk situations, they occur infrequently, resulting in substantial costs associated with acquiring and maintaining specialized equipment and keeping our firefighters' certifications current. To address these challenges, we collaborate with regional or state teams to provide such services, effectively distributing the financial burden and optimizing cost-saving measures.

  • Power Failure

  • Dam Failure

  • Hazardous Materials Incidents/Accident (in transit)

  • Water Contamination

  • Drought Related Hazards

  • Earthquake

  • Major fire

  • Tornado

  • Civil Disturbance

  • Thunderstorm Related Hazards

  • Special Events

Who provides emergency medical services in Branford?

Branford Fire Department is the designated emergency medical services and ambulance provider within the Town of Branford. We hold a certificate of operation, CO14P1, in the First Responder/Basic Ambulance and Mobile Intensive Care - Paramedic categories. Branford Fire Department is part of CT EMS Council - Region 2 and receives medical oversight and direction from Yale New Haven Hospital Center for Emergency Medical Services. Emergency medical services are provided by dual-role career firefighter/paramedics and part-time EMTs or paramedics. Our service is based upon a multi-tiered response consisting of pre-arrival instructions, first responder, and ambulance service at both the basic life support (BLS) and advanced life support (ALS) levels. The Branford Communications Center (PSAP) receives 911 calls originating within the town. The center triages the call and provides pre-arrival instructions to the caller while simultaneously dispatching the appropriate resources. The ambulance and first responders are dispatched via radio, tone-activated paging, alphanumeric paging, station alerting, and mobile data terminals (MDTs). Branford participates in a mutual aid system implemented automatically to help assure EMS response during times of system overload. Branford Fire Department operates five ambulances, all of which currently respond from Branford Fire Headquarters, 45 North Main Street. Two full-time ambulances are staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with cross-trained dual-role Firefighter/ Paramedics who provide advanced life support (paramedic) level service. Our other ambulances are staffed part-time, one 16 hours per day, seven days per week, and the other are staffed “as needed” by call-in crews. When call-in ambulances are needed, the radio alert and paging system is activated and another crew is called in. The early interventions and pre-hospital care provided by our EMTs and paramedics significantly contribute to positive outcomes for our patients.

Branford Fire Department’s emergency medical services rank amongst the best in the State. Our service and personnel have been recognized by the Yale New Haven Center for EMS with many awards and citations for exceptional patient care.

We provide a tiered system of emergency medical response consisting of:

  • Community education and prevention; Branford is recognized by the State Office of Emergency Medical Services as a HEARTSaf e Community. HEARTSafe Communities is a program designed to promote survival from sudden out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. It is a general concept focused on strengthening the “chain of survival” as described by the American Heart Association; it recognizes and stimulates efforts by individual communities to improve their system for preventing sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) from becoming irreversible death.

  • 911/ emergency medical dispatcher providing pre-arrival instructions

  • First responder/basic life support.

  • Advanced emergency care by paramedics.

  • Ambulance transport to the appropriate hospital.

  • Review and education for continuous quality improvement.

The resources assigned to an EMS incident depend upon the nature of the medical

emergency as determined by the emergency medical dispatch protocol.

  • Lower acuity incidents are assigned an ambulance with a crew of two consisting of at minimum one emergency medical technician/driver and one paramedic.

  • Higher acuity incidents such as heart attack, stroke, breathing problems and significant trauma are assigned an ambulance with a crew of two consisting at a minimum of one emergency medical technician /driver and one paramedic, and a rescue unit consisting of, at minimum, one emergency medical technician/driver and one paramedic. Higher acuity incidents require additional personnel to stabilize and treat the patient up until rapid transport.

  • Cardiac arrest incidents are assigned additional resources due to the complex team approach needed to manage this type of event successfully

Why does a fire truck come when I call for an ambulance?

Ambulances are a limited resource that transport patients out of Town to the appropriate hospital. On any given day, all Branford ambulances may be committed to another emergency. Time is of the essence during an emergency; we send a fire truck to ensure you receive care as quickly as possible while simultaneously requesting mutual aid from a neighboring community. All of our career firefighters and some of our volunteers are trained emergency medical care providers. Also, some incidents require additional help. Because our fire crews are trained and a ready resource, we send them to provide that assistance. When a patient's condition is critical, there's no such thing as having "too much help" in order to ensure that a life is saved.

Does the Fire Department earn any revenue to offset costs?

Yes. Our ambulance service provides a significant revenue stream from ambulance transport billing. This money offsets the cost of providing our services by almost 30% of our approved $7.1 million dollar operating budget. In FY 2023, ending June 30, 2023, our yearly revenue will exceed $2.1 million dollars.