Fire Operations

Fire Suppression and Operations

The Poway Fire Department provides the community with fire protection and emergency medical services 24/7 every day of the year. Services are provided by a highly trained and dedicated workforce of 51 first responders divided into three rotational shifts. Each 24-hour shift consists of 17 personnel ready to respond and provide emergency and non-emergency services any time of day. 

When not responding to an emergency, firefighters spend their time training, maintaining their equipment and fire station, performing life safety inspections at local businesses, and providing fire safety education at schools.   

The Deputy Fire Chief oversees the day-to-day functions of the Fire Department and the three Fire Battalion Chiefs. In addition to providing direct supervision to on-duty firefighters, each Fire Battalion Chief each manages a program within the Fire Department. During a significant emergency response, the Fire Battalion Chief serves as the Incident Commander with the support of the Deputy Fire Chief and Fire Chief.


  1. BC Chuy Ramirez

    Chuy Ramirez

    Deputy Chief
    Email

Emergency Medical Services

The Poway Fire Department has proudly provided Advanced Life Support Emergency Medical Services (EMS) since 1976. Firefighters provide pre-hospital care and transport for patients with illnesses or injuries believed to be an emergency by the patient. All firefighters in the Poway Fire Department are licensed paramedics, capable of providing advanced level medical and trauma care to the community. This deployment ensures that that immediate, advanced life support measures can be delivered as quickly as possible.

Individuals who have received care from the Poway Fire Department may request an EMS record from Fire Administration. Ambulance billing is provided by Wittman Enterprises and payments are not made directly to the City of Poway.

The Battalion Chief of Emergency Medical Services provides administrative supervision of paramedic policies and protocols, controlled substance inventory and tracking, patient care reporting, and response data collection.

  1. Battalion Chief Ray Fried

    Raymond Fried

    Fire Battalion Chief - EMS
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Firefighter Training and Professional Development

The Training and Professional Development Program was established to develop and maintain quality training and proficiency in all job requirements for fire department personnel. This is accomplished through an annual training plan that identifies the goals and objectives each year. Firefighters train daily to ensure they are capable of responding to emergency incidents of all types and hazards.

The Poway Fire Department has a state of the art, five-story Fire Training Tower located in the Poway Business Park. The Fire Training Tower provides firefighters with the capability to create hands on training scenarios. Firefighters use the facility to train with live fire in a specialized burn room, to practice rooftop operations, and to perform technical rope rescue training.

Practical training for at-home emergencies is made available to the community through the Poway Fire Department Public Education Program. 

The Battalion Chief of Training provides administrative supervision of all firefighter training including the development of the annual training plan and probationary training requirements.

  1. Steve LaCorte

    Steve LaCorte

    Fire Battalion Chief - Training
    Email

Firefighter Safety and Wellness

The Poway Fire Department recognizes that firefighters, by virtue of their profession, face both physically extreme and emotionally traumatic events that may affect their physiological and psychological wellbeing. The Firefighter Safety and Wellness program ensures firefighters are operating with the highest possible levels of safety to reduce accidents and injuries. 

To address the physical and mental effects, the Firefighter Safety and Wellness program strives to strengthen the resiliency of firefighters, so they are more capable of withstanding the stressors associated with their profession. The Poway Fire Department provides a comprehensive nutrition and physical fitness program, a cancer awareness and prevention program, a peer support program, a fire chaplain program, and psychological support services. 

The Battalion Chief of Safety provides administrative supervision of all firefighter safety and wellness initiatives including ensuring compliance with all federal, state, and local laws. 

  1. BC Ortiz

    Rodney Ortiz

    Fire Battalion Chief - Safety
    Email