How many full-time firefighter / paramedics are there and how many paid on call firefighters are there?

By national standards, the Red Wing Fire Department is classified as a combination fire department. Its membership consists of 28 full time firefighter/paramedics and up to 30 paid-on-call firefighter/first responders.      

Most of the department officials work a varying 40-hour work week schedules, Monday through Friday, officials such as the:

  • Fire Chief
  • Assistant Fire Chief
  • Fire Marshal
  • Fire Inspector

The remaining personnel are assigned to one of three revolving 48-hour shifts, each consisting of a fire captain and seven firefighter/paramedics. Red Wing Fire Department personnel are available 24-hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, to provide an immediate response to the fire protection and emergency medical needs of the community.  


Paid-on-call firefighters are paged on an “on-call” basis simultaneously with full time personnel to reported structure fires or a variety of other large scale or specialized incidents that require mobilization of a large workforce. They respond from work or home as needed to address the emergency response needs of the department. Paid-on-call firefighters also attend regularly scheduled monthly training and scheduled public education events.

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1. How many full-time firefighter / paramedics are there and how many paid on call firefighters are there?
2. Many other communities, sizable to Red Wing, have a volunteer Fire Department. Why does Red Wing have a full-time one?
3. What is the difference between a firefighter and a paramedic?
4. What does it take to be a Red Wing fire fighter / paramedic?
5. How many people are on each shift and why are there that many?
6. How many calls does Red Wing respond to annually?
7. What do firefighters do when not responding to a call?
8. Why do the ambulance and fire truck respond to the same call?
9. Why does the ambulance stay on the scene of an accident or incident?
10. What does the Red Wing Fire Department do for fundraising?
11. Can I burn in Red Wing?