| Reading Fire Department | |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Type2: | City |
| Subdivision Name2: | Reading |
| Reference1: | [1] [2] [3] |
| Annual Calls: | 30,660 |
| Annual Budget: | $19,600,000 |
| Employees: | 137 |
| Staffing: | Career |
| Chief: | James Stoudt Jr. |
| Iaff: | 1803 |
| Battalions: | 1 |
| Stations: | 7 |
| Engines: | 5 |
| Tillers: | 2 |
| Platforms: | 1 |
| Rescues: | 1 |
| Ambulances: | 4 |
| Wildland: | 1 |
| Rescue Boats: | 1 |
The Reading Fire Department provides fire protection and emergency medical services to the city of Reading, Pennsylvania.[4] The department is responsible for approximately 10sqmi with a population of just under 100,000 .[5]
The Reading Fire Department was formed on March 17, 1773, as a volunteer fire department known as the Rainbow Volunteer Fire Company.[6] By 1914 the department had grown to include 14 separate volunteer companies. Today, the department operates out of 7 fire stations, including 1 EMS Station.
Beginning in April 2011 Engines 13 and 14 were disbanded due to budget cuts.[7] Starting June 30, 2015 the city will also be disbanding its non-emergency transport division which had been available to assist in transporting those confined to a wheeled chair.[8]
As of January 1, 2016, the department is now a fully career department.
As of February 12, 2020 the volunteer SCUBA team has been disbanded.
, below is a complete list of the stations and apparatus. Staffing is only two (2) firefighters per apparatus.[9]
| Engine Company | Ladder Company | Special Unit | Spare/ Reserve Unit | Chief Unit | Neighborhood | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine 1 | Engine 6 | Center City | ||||
| Engine 3 | Ladder 1(Tiller) | Brush 1 | Engine 4 | 1st Deputy Chief | Central West | |
| Engine 5 | Engine 8, Ladder 2(Tiller) | 18th Ward | ||||
| Engine 9 | Ladder 3(Tiller) | Northeast | ||||
| Engine 7 | Foam Trailer, MCI (Mass Casualty Incident) Trailer, Rescue Boat(Zodiac) | Engine 10 | Northwest | |||
| Tower Ladder 1 | Rescue 1 | Engine 2 | 2nd Deputy Chief | South Central | ||
| Medic 1, Medic 2, Medic 3, Medic 4 | Medic 5, Medic 6, Medic 7, Medic 8 | Center City |