Miami-Dade Fire Rescue extinguished a fire at my residence. How can I get a copy of the report for my insurance company?
Records of every incident to which a Miami-Dade Fire Rescue unit responds are sent to our Central Records Bureau. Copies of these records can be obtained 2 - 3 weeks after the incident has occurred by visiting the Central Records Bureau at 9300 NW 41st Street, Miami, Monday thru Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. For more information, visit the Incident Reports page, or call 786-331-4900.
How can I find out if a fire truck can come to the school where I teach for a demonstration, or if I can arrange for my class to visit the fire station?
Fire truck demonstrations and station tours can be arranged through our Public Education Office. For more information about demonstrations and tours, visit the Public Education Services page, or call 786-331-4920 to schedule.
My insurance company needs to know the distance between my home and the nearest fire station and fire hydrant. Where can I get this information?
You can use our Find Your Nearest Fire Station application to input your address and find the nearest fire rescue station, or if you know where your closest station is (check our Stations & Units page), you can visit the station (have your blood pressure checked while you're there) and note the mileage on your way back home. In most neighborhoods, fire hydrants are located every 300 – 500 feet apart, so if there isn't one in front of your home, just look down the street or around the corner. A blue reflector in the street will help you locate the hydrant.
The fire hydrant in front of my house has started to leak. How can I report this?
Any leaking or broken fire hydrants should be reported to the Water and Sewer Department, Hydrant Repair at 305-274-9272. Miami-Dade firefighters check hydrants in their territory and paint them on a regular basis, so they should spot any potential problems before you do. Please do not paint any hydrants yourself, as they are painted and maintained in a specific manner that will ensure they are easy for firefighters to open in an emergency.
I received a bill in the mail from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue for a medical transport to the hospital by your rescue. Who can I call for more information?
Any billing questions should be directed to our billing vendor at 305-229-4370. For more information, visit the Incident Reports & Billing page.
Why are Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units a lime green color instead of the traditional red?
Miami-Dade chose the lime green color so that units would stand out better in traffic. When a unit is responding to an emergency, it is important to arrive as soon as possible, and as we all know, maneuvering through the streets of Miami-Dade County can be hard enough. It is important that residents yield the right-of-way to emergency vehicles so that they may pass. Remember, not to stop in the middle of the road, but to pull off to the side. For more information about moving aside for emergency vehicles, read our tips on Moving Aside for Emergency Vehicles.
How can I become a firefighter with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue?
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue accepts applications for the position of firefighter on an as-needed basis, with a new list of eligible applicants compiled after each application intake period. This list of eligible applicants remains in effect until the next application intake period, or until it is exhausted. For more information on how to become a firefighter and what is required, visit our Employment Information page. For other carreers at Miami-Dade Fire Rescue visit the Miami-Dade County Employment Website.
My son and daughter are interested in becoming Explorers with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. How can we get more information about the Explorers program?
MDFR offers a Junior Cadet program for young adults to explore the fire rescue profession. For more information, visit the MDFR Junior Cadet page.
How can I schedule a fire inspection for my business?
I am considering purchasing a commercial building. How can I find out if the building has any fire or life safety code violations?
Having a business structure inspected for fire and safety code violations before purchasing is an excellent idea. You can find out more about inspection requests on our Fire Permits & Inspections page, or you can call the Fire Prevention Division at 786-331-4800.
I called 911 for an injury and a fire engine came to my home. Why wasn't a rescue vehicle sent instead?
A fire truck will sometimes arrive at an incident first because it is the closest emergency unit to the scene and we are committed to getting help to your location as fast as possible. The majority of MDFR fire trucks are classified as Advanced Life Support (ALS) units, which means that they carry virtually all the same medical equipment used by our rescue trucks, and they are staffed by State Certified Paramedics. ALS fire crews have all the medical training and equipment necessary to begin treatment for any life-threatening emergency and they are equally qualified to make important decisions about patient care and transport. If a patient’s injury or illness requires transport to the hospital, the fire truck officer can ensure that the appropriate transport unit is in route to the scene while the fire crew is already treating and preparing the patient for transport.
Even our Basic Life Support (BLS) units are able to initiate lifesaving medical treatment for any emergency while waiting for the ALS unit to arrive. Teamwork is an essential part of emergency operations, and all of the personnel on the emergency scene are trained to function as a lifesaving team.
Does Miami-Dade Fire Rescue participate in telephone solicitations?
No organization affiliated with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue participates in phone solicitations.
I saw a Miami-Dade fire truck at a local supermarket, and some of the firefighters were inside shopping for food. Why do firefighters use fire trucks for non-emergency purposes while they are on duty?
To ensure the most effective service at the time of an emergency, our crews must remain in their designated response territory with their fire trucks during their entire shift. Our crews work 24-hour shifts with no scheduled breaks, and meals are not provided by the County. Personnel on each shift must purchase their own food and prepare their own meals, so they usually make a daily trip to the supermarket within their territories to buy whatever they need to prepare their meals for the entire shift.
Fire and rescue crews don’t have to be sitting in the fire station to be dispatched to a call. Since all MDFR units maintain constant radio contact with the Miami-Dade Communications Dispatch Center and the entire crew must always be together with their truck, they are always ready to respond to any emergency, regardless of their current location or non-emergency assignment. Very often, our firefighters and paramedics spend long periods of their day running calls, without returning to the station or stopping to eat, and they frequently have to return to the supermarket several times to finish purchasing food that they might not get a chance to cook during the shift!
