Office of Public Affairs
The mission of the Office of Public Affairs is to coordinate and implement all Community Engagement and Fire Safety Education initiatives.
This office is an integral part of the New Orleans Fire Department, acting as liaison between the community, city, government, and private industry.
The Office of Public Affairs is comprised of three components: Public Information, Public/Fire Education and Public and Inter-Departmental Affairs.
Public Information Office
The Public Information Officer (PIO) is the media liasion and department spokesperson. PIO shall serve as the point of contact for all outside agencies and individuals seeking an official response from the New Orleans Fire Department on all matters.
Responsibilities include public speaking, preparation of press releases and correspondence, and the dissemination of information to the news media and the public.
The Public Information Officer on duty responds 7 days a week, 24 hours a day to:
- Second Alarm fires or greater
- All fires with fatalities or injuries (civilian or fire personnel)
- Fires in the French Quarters
- Level II or Level III Hazardous Materials Incidents
- Evacuations (hotels, neighborhoods, high-rises, hospitals, schools, etc.)
- Explosions (Gas, Electrical Transformers, etc.)
- Incidents deemed necessary by the Incident Commander
Public/Fire Education Office
The Public/Fire Education Officers are responsible for scheduling, coordinating, and conducting all Community Engagement and educational programs. This also includes the acquisition of smoke alarms and batteries to be used in the implementation of these programs as well as installation verification, processing of completed installation forms, and the tracking of all installation statistics.
The Public/Fire Education Office provides the community with fire safety information through our many Community Outreach Programs and Fire Safety Presentations. Additionally, this office also handles Professional Firefighter Recruitment and special projects.
Public Affairs
Public Affairs plays a pivotal role in organizing National and International Fire Service conventions, as well as intra-departmental events. In conjunction with the Fire Prevention Division, Public Affairs also runs the Juvenile Fire Settlers Program.
Public Affairs also processes and responds to community feedback.
Office of the Deputy Superintendent of Planning
The Office of the Deputy Superintendent of Planning is led by Chief Robert Eiserloh.
Compliance Division
The Compliance Division responds to all technology-related concerns, issues, upgrades, and enhancement needs in order to provide the New Orleans Fire Department the most robust technological assistance possible.
Communications Division
The Fire Communications Divisions handles fire emergency call-taking and dispatching services for the New Orleans area. When the community calls 9-1-1, highly-trained dispatchers from the Communications Division manage and allocate fire and rescue resources, insuring dispatch of proper equipment in a quick, efficient, and professional manner.
Dispatchers are trained in using the latest technology to process calls including the Power 9-1-1 phone system, Premiere CAD Computer Aided Dispatch System, Tactical Mapping, and LA Regional Radio System for interoperability.
In addition, Fire Communications provide support to suppression personnel, other agencies, and the general public in carrying out many routine, business and non-emergency tasks. The Fire Communications Division is located at the Warren E. McDaniels Communications Center along with, EMS and NOPD.
In the case of any fire emergency, dial 9-1-1
Training Divisions
The Training Division is responsible for ensuring all new members of the New Orleans Fire Department receive complete training, and for assisting with the training of practiced officers moving up or transferring divisions within NOFD.
To view available NOFD job postings, visit the Civil Service Job Opportunity page.
Planning Division
Office of the Deputy Superintendent of Operations
The Office of the Deputy Superintendent of Operations is led by Chief Armand Bourdais.
Special Operations Division
The Special Operations Division is headed by the District Chief of Special Operations, and encompasses the Hazmat Unit, the Urban Search and Rescue Squad, the Water Rescue Squad and the Flying Squad. All members of the Special Operations Division are cross-trained to ensure a complete range of skills to respond to any and all events.
Special Operations Team members have obtained numerous hazardous materials and WMD certifications and are constantly upgrading their qualifications.
Special Event Response Teams
Special Event Response Teams are small, lightly-equipped teams of 2-4 people utilized during events such as Super Bowl, Jazz Fest, Essence Festival, Mardi Gras and any other event requiring rapid deployment teams for COBRA/Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) response.
Hazardous Materials Unit
The NOFD Hazardous Materials Unit, or Hazmat Unit, brings under control and mitigates any incidents inside of New Orleans involving release of potentially toxic substances. Hazmat work hand-in-hand with many outside agencies, including Louisiana State Police Hazmat Unit, Department of Environmental Quality, and United States Secret Service.
Hazmat Response Team Composition
The Unit has three personnel assigned to it per platoon, One Captain, One Operator and One Firefighter. Should a Hazmat incident occur and more personnel be needed, the Rescue and/or Flying Squads may back up the Hazmat team.
Hazmat Response Team Deployment
The Hazmat Unit responds to multiple kinds of hazards, including
- Release of toxic substances into the air or on the ground, including, but not limited to odors, carbon monoxide, gas leaks, fuel spills, household chemical spills, train derailments, explosions, suspected bombs, tear gas releases, red dye packs from bank money, suspicious packages, letters and white substances, plane crashes, and chemical releases on barges and ships, in aircraft and airports, or in canals, drains and waterways.
- All three-alarm or greater fires
- Confined space rescues where the atmosphere must be monitored with meters by trained personnel
- City fumigations
- Special events and visits, including Presidential visits
Hazmat History
The New Orleans Fire Department established a Hazardous Materials officer in the mid 1970s for training and coordination of response personnel. As more emphasis was placed on hazardous materials incidents, the New Orleans Fire Department established a dedicated Hazardous Materials Team and custom-designed an apparatus in 1989. Since the inception of the team the focus has been on specialized training and equipment to maintain an effective response to varies types of hazardous materials incidents.
Several acts of terrorism occurred in the United States during the 1990s; these events highlighted the need for domestic preparedness by first responders. The Hazardous Materials Team began a transformation in the 1990s from one of chemical response to a more diverse role. The incidents now include Chemical, Ordinance, Biological and Radiological (COBRA) and Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD).
Urban Search and Rescue Unit
The NOFD Urban Search and Rescue Unit trains members in search and rescue to respond to all hazards and all levels of emergencies.
The Urban Search and Rescue Unit participates in Louisiana Task Force-1 (LA TF-1), an organization encompassing Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines and St. Bernard Parishes. LA TF-1 responds to all hazards, including WMD, terrorist, structural collapse, water rescue, confined space, rope, trench, and vehicle rescue incidents of major proportions.
The Urban Search and Rescue has responded to numerous large-scale events, including Hurricane Katrina August 2005 through June 2006, and tornadoes in February 2007.
Water Rescue Unit
The NOFD has 27 boats 8 purchased by the Office of Homeland Security and 19 donated by the Leary Foundation. Since Katrina many members have been trained in various forms of water rescue and will use these boats to enact rescues in any flooding or swift water situation.
Operations Division
The Operations Division comprises the largest departmental division of NOFD.
Operations Responsibilities
- Responding to fires, performing suppression functions and assuring complete extinguishment.
- Managing Hazardous Materials emergency responses
- Implement the medical first responder program, which assures rapid response to any person with medical need within the city
Suppression companies are the first on scenes of fires. Once on-site, they secure the scene, attempt to identify the hazard, and inform Haz Mat Unit of what the incident entails while they are still in route.
Fire Suppression Priorities
The priorities of Fire Suppression are life safety, incident stabilization and property preservation. Fire Suppression members regularly participate in daily inspections, fire safety educational programs and numerous other fire-related duties.
Medical Unit
The Medical Unit is responsible for all medically related training and operations.
Medical Unit Responsibilities
- Medical response fire department companies are usually the first on scene. They are charged with identification of life threatening illnesses or injuries by patient assessment and then to stabilize that patient while EMS units are en route.
- Response to larger fires we provide rehabilitation to fire suppression personnel.
- Tasked with the daily Operations of the NOFD First Responder and EMT programs, providing the residents and visitors of New Orleans with immediate first on scene life-saving care or BLS (Basic Life Support).
Medical Unit Priorities
The priorities of Medical Unit are patient care, medical training and certification, Infectious Disease Control if personnel are exposed and constant quality control for the best possible patient care service for the citizens of New Orleans.
Office of the Deputy Superintendent of Administration
The Office of the Deputy Superintendent of Administration is led by Chief Elbert Thomas.
Administrative Division
The Administrative Division coordinates all non-emergency response activities within the Fire Department. These functions include
- Personnel
- Budget (Operating & Capital)
- Payroll
- Data processing and supply
- Requests for purchase and repair of all safety equipment, NOFD vehicles, office equipment, firefighter clothing, firefighting supplies and equipment is another responsibility of this division.
- Coordination of personnel activities
- Liaison for department in legal matters
Prevention Division
The Prevention Division regularly inspects buildings to assure adherence to fire codes.
Logistics Division
The New Orleans Fire Department Logistics Division provides multiple services in support of the department. A dedicated staff of both civilian and sworn personnel provides supervision and direct action to keep Fire-Rescue operational. A Deputy Chief serves as the Logistics’ Supervisor complemented by a Fire Educational Officer who performs as the assistant. These areas include:
Facilities
The Facilities Division is responsible for overseeing the repair maintenance of more than 35 facilities, including 30 fire stations, a training facility, a communications center, Supply Shop and Annex, warehouses and Fire Headquarters. In addition, the Division administers the long-term planning of new department facilities and infrastructures through capital improvements, which includes:
- Overseeing of the programming, design, construction, remodel, demolition, maintenance, repairs, and the associated contracts of fire facilities;
- Responding to all facilities maintenance and repair requests 24 hours, 7 days a week;
- Presenting to community groups and other stakeholders regarding department facility projects;
- Responding to and providing support for large logistical emergencies under the National Incident Management System (NIMS);
Fleet
Specification development, procurement and upfitting of all new vehicles are performed by Logistics personnel.
In a partnership with the city's Equipment Management Division (EMD), heavy fire apparatus maintenance and repair are provided for more than 75 diesel-powered emergency apparatus and support vehicles.
A civilian serves as the Fleet Liaison Manager to interact with EMD on the fire department's behalf. This includes the additional 60 light Fire-Rescue vehicles serviced throughout the city.
Equipment/Supply Center
The Supply Shop inventories equipment required for firefighters to perform their duties. The storeroom is managed by an Equipment Manager.
The Fire Logistics Supply Center is responsible for:
- Inventory, distribution, and tracking of all fire apparatus equipment;
- Inventory, distribution and tracking of all personal protective equipment worn by firefighters while performing their duties;
- Developing specifications and evaluations for fire equipment and personal protective equipment;
- Annual testing and/or calibration of various equipment and personal protection equipment (ie. firefighting garments, fire hose, self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA);
- Distributing station supplies, inter-office mail and the transfer of equipment and materials between stations and City departments.
- Providing 24/7 emergency logistical support for fire emergency incidents.
Safety Division