This Division has two primary tasks, fire suppression and first responder emergency calls. The department responds to more than 26,000 emergency calls each year. These include more than 2,000 fires, 18,000 medical emergencies which include drownings, explosions, and other rescues. Wichita's aggressive fire suppression activities are recognized as being some of the best in the country. The constant training of motivated, tenacious crews maintains a low loss of life and property. In fact, 92 percent of all structure fires are confined to the room of origin.

The basic life support medical service provided by the Wichita Fire Department is the backbone to the emergency medical system. The Fire Department's role in providing basic life support services is critical to the sequence of events which make up the emergency medical system. More than 300 firefighter EMTs provide basic life savings measures until the arrival or more advanced life support services. Advance life support alone is ineffective. The combination of basic and advanced life support services is the best proven method of providing the highest level of service for the least possible cost.

The WFD was one of the first departments in the nation to implement the incident command system. This management system is used to coordinate many concurrent activities on the fire ground where decisions must be quick and reliable. Firefighters are constantly confronted with a wide variety of complex emergency situations, including more than 90 high-rise buildings which pose unique problems to firefighting companies. Effective management of personnel and equipment used to battle fires in these buildings is essential to a successful outcome.

The Department's pre-fire planning efforts have provided firefighters with vital information necessary to deal with fires at selected target hazards. Hundreds of plans are now readily available which include maps and recommended initial actions.

This department was one of the first in the nation to provide a trained and organized hazardous material response team. This is a specially formulated multi-agency unit. It's designed to confront and mitigate emergencies involving hazardous materials. Armed with chemical suits, specialized breathing equipment and other sophisticated monitoring instruments and devices, this well-trained group of specialists is renowned for its ability to control hazardous materials incidents. Hundreds of emergency agencies have patterned their response teams after this program.

Through continued dedication to duty, firefighters sought and received the necessary training to develop a specialized rescue team. This team provides expertise for a wide range of rescue environments, such as underwater, trench, vehicle and high-angle rescue situations. This team has shown itself to be vital at freeing trapped, injured or disabled citizens from many precarious and difficult situations. Using proven techniques, this group of firefighters greatly increases a victim's chance for survival. A major incident disaster management plan was developed to assist the incident disaster commander and other local government officials in dealing with all types of disastrous incidents. The Fire Department has taken a lead role in instituting the national interagency incident management system within the state. Organizations throughout Kansas are trained in this management technique to ensure uniform and effective response. Mutual aid agreements with the Sedgwick County Fire Department, Boeing-Wichita and others have been developed to ensure an effective emergency response. An automatic first responder agreement assures that the closest emergency unit will be dispatched regardless of jurisdiction for all emergency responses.

For more than 10 years the Fire Department has supported a physical fitness program. This program is responsible for marked increases in both cardiovascular condition and overall strength. As a result the fire ground endurance of firefighters has increased which provides a higher service level without increasing staff. Maintaining good physical health is a necessity for both firefighter safety and performance.

Operations personnel take pride in the department's efforts in public fire safety education. Though it's practiced year round, Fire Prevention Week activities draw hundreds of area residents to neighborhood stations.

Operation firefighters also assist the Fire Prevention Division by performing thousands of inspections each year. A speakers bureau augments the Fire Prevention Division community awareness and fire safety education efforts by speaking to community groups. This voluntary effort serves hundreds of citizens annually.

In cooperation with other agencies, new sub-divisions are planned to ensure adequate street access and water supply. Firefighters produce detailed, up-to-date street maps. These maps are unavailable from any other source. They are used in conjunction with the computer aided dispatch system to quickly locate emergency incidents. Through further use of improved technology and dedicated employees, a valuable community service is provided.

One recent survey of 40 metro fire departments ranked the Wichita Fire Department with the lowest cost per capita, while providing above average service through a multitude of programs.

Operation Division Chiefs - In 1981 the position of Operations Division Chief was created. Three Division Chief positions were added to the fire department roster. One chief in charge of one 24-hour shift or division.

As the administrative head of a 24-hour shift Fire Operations Division , his duties include, but are not limited to, being responsible for the proper operation of all fire units at any particular fire scene, either as the I.C. or as a scene coordinator responsible for subordinates handling the fire scene. He is the assistant to the Operations Deputy Chief keeping him informed as to the status of his shift, as well as keeping his shift aware of the upper administration's policies and suggestions. He is the main link in the chain of command between the actual fire crews and the Administration.

Operations
Mike Rudd Deputy Chief of Operations

Personnel
Gary Curmode A-Shift Division Chief	C.D. Stovall B-Shift Division Chief	Bruce Roberts C-Shift Division Chief