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Fire Department Overview

The City of Somersworth Fire Department is a highly skilled, dedicated, and proactive organization that strives to provide the highest level of protection to life, property, and the environment for our 12,000 residents living within 10 square miles.  The City includes an array of urban, suburban, and rural areas with the character, charm, and history that dates back to the original settlers organizing as a Parish in 1729.

The mission of our 16 Career Firefighters is to provide competent, compassionate, and timely:

  • Fire rescue and suppression
  • Emergency medical services (EMS) (non-transport)
  • Specialized rescue and all hazards response
  • Fire prevention, code enforcement, and public education.

All Career Firefighters are Pro Board and State of New Hampshire FF II certified and many have advanced certifications in technical rescue, HazMat, fire inspector, and fire officer.  Twelve (12) Career Firefighters are EMTs, two (2) are A-EMTs, and two (2) are first responders.       

The Department is organized into four Shifts – designated A, B, C, and D – with one (1) lieutenant and three (3) firefighters assigned to each shift.  The Shifts work a standard “east coast” eight-day rotating schedule of 24 hours on-duty, 48 hours off-duty, 24 hours on-duty, followed by 96 hours off-duty which averages to a 42-hour work week.  Overtime is used to ensure a minimum of one lieutenant and three firefighters are on-duty 24/7/365. 

We operate out of a single, centrally located Fire Station that has seven apparatus bays, eight emergency response vehicles, and one boat. On-duty personnel and recalled off-duty personnel cross staff this equipment as necessary and these resources are available 24 hours a day for those in need. 
Emergency response vehicles include:

  • Three pumpers (primary, reserve, and spare)
  • One 105’ aerial ladder (quint)
  • Forestry/Brush unit
  • Utility pick-up truck
  • Command/Fire Chief SUV

The Department is an active participant in the 50-member, three-state, Seacoast Chief Fire Officers Mutual Aid District (SCFOMAD).  Pre-established alarm cards bring additional resources into the City from other jurisdictions when necessary while we respond an engine, ladder, or RIT (rapid intervention team) company with four personnel to surrounding communities for working fires and multiple alarms.  Somersworth also has a small contingent of Call Firefighters that staff a mutual-aid Air and REHAB unit that responds within the 10-member, two-State Community Mutual Aid Association.   

All 9-1-1 calls are received by one of two State 9-1-1 call centers and calls for the City of Somersworth are passed to the City’s dispatch center which is operated by the Somersworth Police Department.   The State of New Hampshire uses a medical priority dispatch system that codes EMS calls as “Alpha” (minor) through “Echo” (immediately life threatening).  The City of Somersworth Fire Department responds an engine company with four personnel to all “Charlie”, “Delta”, and “Echo” level EMS calls. 

Stewart’s Ambulance company operates two paramedic level ambulances during the day and one paramedic ambulance at night from their ambulance base within the City.  Under a contract with the City that is managed by the Fire Chief, Stewarts responds independently to the less serious “Alpha” and “Bravo” level calls.  Stewart’s provides paramedic level treatment and transport assisted by the Fire Department on the more serious “Charlie”, “Delta”, and “Echo” level responses.