The Tokyo Fire Department has an extensive official website with a large amount of information in English. There is also a large unofficial website.
(There are 4 photos at the bottom of this file.)
The Tokyo Fire Department provides fire, rescue, and emergency ambulance service to the 11 million residents who live within the 676 square miles / 1,750 square kilometers of the City of Tokyo.
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
9 districts - 77 stations - 210 branches (the stations and branches house fire vehicles and firefighting crews). 485 frontline pumpers are staffed by crews of : 1 lieutenant, 1 driver, and 3 firefighters. There are 150 reserve / spare pumpers. The 82 ladder trucks are staffed by crews of : 1 lieutenant, 1 driver, and 1 or 2 firefighters. There are no reserve aerial ladder trucks. All aerial ladder rigs have 30 meter or 40 meter aerial ladders. Frontline apparatus is usually replaced after 8 to 10 years of service.
Dispatch Operations - District 1 thru 7 are dispatched from the Command Center at Tokyo FD Headquarters. Districts 8 and 9 are dispatched by the Tama Area Command Center. Each district has a "A" channel and a "B" radio channel. A citywide mutual aid radio frequency and a nationwide mutual aid radio frequency are also available. All captains (Battalion Chiefs), Lieutenants, and Drivers have 4 channel portable radios. Mobile radios have 9 channels. UHF and VHF radio frequencies are used.
RESPONSE LEVELS -
Building Fires - 5 engines + 2 ladders
Automobile Accidents - 1 ambulance + 1 engine + 1 rescue
Odor of Gas / Electrical problem - 1 engine + 1 command van
Heart Attack - 1 ambulance
High Hazard Buildings - 10 to 15 pumpers + 3 to 5 ladders + 2 command vans + 1 helicopter + special units
Additional alarms can be ordered by the Command Center or by the Captains who rspond in the Command Vans from the 77 Stations.
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES
All public ambulances in Japan are operated by the 920 public fire departments. Private ambulances are used for inter-hospital transfers or for returning hospital patients to their homes. The 184 ambulances which are operated by the Tokyo Fire Department are always staffed with a minimum of 1 EMT plus 1 paramedic. Paramedics are allowed to do defibrillations and to administer Ringers Lactate solution under telephone medical control from physicians at Base Hospitals. There are 408 registered emergency hospitals plus 17 trauma and critical care centers in Tokyo.
FIRE FIGHTING OPERATIONS
Pumpers carry hoselines of three sizes : 65 millimeter, 50mm, and 40mm (2.5", 2", 1.5"). All hydrants are located above ground and have one or two 65mm outlets. Two types of Self Contained breathing Apparatus are used - both types provide approximately 20 minutes of air.
NEW TOKYO AMBULANCE WITH MISTER TOSHIHIRO KANAEDA - 1998
�NEWEST STYLE TOKYO PUMPER - June 1998 - With Tokyo FD Helo In Background�