The organizational structure of a fire department varies based on the size of the department and the community it serves. The three most common types of organizational structures are functional, divisional, and matrix.
Functional organizations are the most common type of organization for small fire departments. In this type of organization, all members are part of a single, general firefighting unit. This unit is responsible for all fire suppression activities. Divisional organizations are more common in larger fire departments. In this type of organization, members are divided into smaller units, each of which is responsible for a specific function. For example, one unit may be responsible for fire suppression, while another unit is responsible for rescue activities. Matrix organizations are a hybrid of the functional and divisional organizational structures. In this type of organization, members are divided into units based on their skills and training. For example, one unit may be responsible for fire suppression, while another unit is responsible for rescue activities.
The organizational structure of a fire department is important because it determines how the department will respond to a fire. The type of organization will also determine the level of training and equipment that members of the department will need.