Emergency Operations

Emergency Operations, like Support Services, is one of the largest divisions of the Santa Ana Fire Department. The Division operates under the direction of Deputy Fire Chief Steve Critchfield, three Battalion Chiefs, and a staff Fire Captain, with 205 suppression personnel operating out of ten strategically located fire stations throughout the City.

The Emergency Operations Division handles all fire, medical aid, and hazardous material (haz-mat) incidents. The Division is deployed through ten fire engine companies, three truck companies, a cross-staffed Haz-Mat uni with Engine 9t, six ALS Paramedic Ambulances, and a Battalion Chief. Within the Emergency Operations Division are fire personnel with specialized training to deploy an urban swift water rescue team, an operational heavy urban search and rescue (US&R) team, firefighter/paramedics assigned to the police department's SWAT unit, and a firefighter reserve program.

Furthermore, the Emergency Operations Division assists the Investigation Section of the Fire Department with one full-time Fire Captain and three shift investigators. The Emergency Operations Division responds to over 18,000 calls for service a year, with a 90% arrival time within five minutes.

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Swift Water Rescue Urban Search & Rescue Hazardous Material Team

The Santa Ana Fire Department fields a 24-member Water Rescue Team, with eight members per watch. The Water Rescue Team is compliant with the requirements set forth by the State Office of Emergency Services and has specialized training and equipment to affect a water rescue in the most challenging of emergencies.

 Santa Ana is proud to be a member of California Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 5 (CATF5). Our members have been deployed on US&R Missions during the Oklahoma City Bombing and the Northridge Earthquake and Louisiana. 70 Santa Ana Firefighters are fully trained in the Urban Search and Rescue disciplines. The Santa Ana Fire Department maintains a constantly staffed Hazardous Materials Response Team (Haz-Mat Team) at Fire Station #9. The Haz-Mat Team provides emergency response to any and all incidents, whether accidental or intentional, involving hazardous materials within the City. Through a contractual agreement, they also respond as a mutual-aid resource throughout Orange County.