Hillsboro Fire and Rescue has a rich tradition of excellence in fighting fires and mitigating other emergencies.  Our firefighters are trained to national standards and take every opportunity to ensure our citizens are safe in their homes, their businesses and in their community.  Each of our four fire stations is equipped with modern apparatus and equipment.  Firefighters train regularly so that their skills are second nature when a serious incident occurs. 

Fast Response is Critical!

The need for a speedy response to a house fire is obvious.  If firefighters can contain the fire to the room of origin, the chances for saving more of the home's contents and preserving the structure are increased.   If any person is still inside and unable to escape, their chances of survival decrease rapidly with time. 

The Department's goal is to arrive at your emergency within five minutes of dispatch.  Firefighter must don their protective gear, board the apparatus and begin traveling to the incident within 60 seconds.  That leaves only four minutes for travel time.  Motorists can help firefighters get to the incident more quickly by pulling to the right when meeting or being overtaken by any emergency apparatus responding with lights and siren.

In those early moments of a fire, a large number of tasks must be performed simultaneously to ensure a speedy knock down of the flames. To the untrained eye, the scene may appear chaotic.  However, each firefighter knows the task to be performed and executes the task as efficiently as possible. 

A typical residential fire will bring up to five fire engines, a ladder truck, a rescue, two chief officers, and an ambulance.  The first arriving engine company pulls hose lines and prepares to attack the fire.  The second engine company will provide a water supply from the nearest hydrant and connect to the first engine.  The remaining engine companies are assigned to provide for additional personnel.

The ladder truck crew may perform a search of the structure to ensure all occupants are out safely or ventilate the structure allowing hot gases and smoke to escape enabling a faster and safer fire attack.  Additionally, the truck crew will secure electrical and gas service to the home to help protect the firefighters.

Subsequent engine companies will perform salvage of the home's contents and overhauling the burned areas to ensure all flames are out.   One company, called the Rapid Intervention Team or RIT, will remain outside ready to perform rescue of any firefighters that may become trapped or disabled inside the structure. The ambulance is assigned in case there is a victim of the fire and as a precaution in case a firefighter is injured.

For larger fires, the incident commander will request additional alarms.  This brings more engine companies and firefighters.  Usually, the need will be for the firefighters only.  But, occasionally, such as on an apartment fire or a large commercial structure, additional ladder trucks are necessary to provide an elevated application of water and additional engines will be required to supply the water to those trucks..

Hillsboro Fire and Rescue has mutual aid and automatic aid agreements with all surrounding fire agencies so that the response to any emergency is seamless and provides the closest available resources to the incident.  Neighborhing agency resources may be moved up to fill Hillsboro fire stations when Hillsboro firefighters are busy on a major incident.  Those neighboring engine companies are positioned to respond to the existing incident in case additional resources are needed or to respond to other medical or fire emergencies within the City.