Why do we see fire department crews at the store?

Fire personnel with Columbia Fire & Rescue work a 24-hour shift with no scheduled breaks and meals are not provided by the City. They must eat their lunch and dinner at the station. At times firefighters all eat the same meal, as a group. The crews pay for their food out of their own pockets. So, after the equipment is checked and the housework completed, one of the fire trucks will then make a quick trip to the grocery store to purchase food for the shift. All crews remain in service to respond to calls during this time.

Fire personnel do not have to be sitting in the fire station to be dispatched to a call. All units maintain constant radio contact with Fire Communications and the crew must always be together with their apparatus. Firefighters are always ready to respond to an emergency, regardless of their current location.

Show All Answers

1. Can I get my blood pressure checked at the Fire Department?
2. Can I burn leaves in my yard?
3. How do I obtain a burn permit for inside the City limits of Columbia?
4. How do I obtain a burn permit if I live outside the City limits of Columbia?
5. How do I get a fire truck at my event?
6. How do I obtain a copy of a fire report and is there a cost?
7. How often should I change the batteries in my smoke detectors?
8. Is there a charge for a burn permit?
9. Who do I contact to arrange a fire safety presentation?
10. Who do I contact to arrange a visit to one of your fire stations?
11. What happens if I burn without a permit inside the City limits?
12. What is an ISO rating?
13. How do I obtain a patch or T-shirt from Columbia Fire & Rescue?
14. What other responsibilities do firefighters have other than fighting fires?
15. Why do we see fire department crews at the store?
16. Why do you block traffic lanes at auto accidents, sometimes more lanes than necessary?
17. Why do you send a fire truck to a medical emergency?