What other responsibilities do firefighters have other than fighting fires?

In addition to fighting fires, firefighters also respond to a wide variety of other emergencies. Emergency medical calls actually make up around 80% of the incidents that fire departments respond to. Other types of emergencies include hazardous materials releases, technical rescues, fire alarms, and other calls for public assistance. Besides emergency responses, firefighters spend a large amount of time, cleaning and maintaining their equipment, doing routine inspections, and training for all the different types of incidents they respond to.

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1. Why do fire engines respond to medical emergencies?
2. When there is only a small fire, why do so many fire engines respond?
3. How do I create an escape plan for my home or business?
4. How should I plan for a disabled family member during a fire?
5. What kind of fire extinguisher should I buy for my home?
6. Do I need to put a smoke detector in every room? How many do I need?
7. Why am I not supposed to drive over a firehose?
8. What if I smell gas in my home?
9. What other responsibilities do firefighters have other than fighting fires?
10. What should I do when I see or hear an emergency vehicle coming towards me while I am driving?
11. How often should I change the batteries in my smoke detectors?
12. How much does it cost to have a fire truck respond to my home for an emergency?
13. Will I be billed for emergency medical services?
14. Where can I report suspicious arson activity?