Response Information

Truck Response

Question: Why are vehicles sent from both stations on every run?
Answer: To get the needed help and equipment to the scene with an officer in charge.

Examples of Truck Response:

  • In-Town Structure Fire: 3 Vehicles from each station.
  • Rural Structure Fire: 3 Vehicles from the West Side, 2 Vehicles from Downtown.
  • Vehicle Fire / Rescue: 1 Vehicle from the West Side, 2 Vehicles from Downtown.
  • Grass / Brush Fire: 3 Vehicles from the West Side, 2 Vehicles from Downtown.
  • Heart Attack or Full Arrest: 2 Vehicles from each station.
  • Lift Assist: 1 Vehicle from each station and a second vehicle from either station depending on the location of the incident.
  • Medical First Responder (No Ambulance Available): 1 or 2 Vehicles from each station depending on the type of call.
  • Burning Complaints & Other Calls: 1 Vehicle from the West Side (Officer on Duty)


*The officer in charge uses the light board to determine which vehicles should respond depending on the type of call. (See CFD Policy #225).

Light Board Guidelines

Background: The Charlotte Fire Department has a fiber-optic cable link
between the Downtown station and the Westside station. This link allows us to have communications between both stations. The fiber-optic cable also allows us to have lightboards at each station that interact with one another.
Purpose: To establish proper light board activation process which is to be used for
every alarm received.
Lighting: After an alarm is received, it is the responsibility of the Officer on Duty
to activate the lights in accordance with the type of alarm received. The light board control panel is comprised of 10 red buttons. Each button is labeled (Vehicle 1, Vehicle2 etc.) and will illuminate when activated. Each vehicle number on the control panel corresponds with one of our fire apparatus.
Response Type: It is the responsibility of the Officer on Duty to determine what
fire apparatus will respond, based on the dispatch information. As a general guideline, the following should be lit based upon incident type.

  • In Town Structure Fire (Including Fire Alarms): 311, 312, 313, 314, 315, 317
  • Rural Structure Fire: 311, 312, 313, 314, 315
  • Rural Grass Fire: 311,312,314,318
  • Rescue: 311, 312, 313
  • Medical: 311, 312, 316,
  • Vehicle Fire: 311, 312, 313

* There may be circumstances which require the Officer on Duty to light different apparatus in place of the apparatus listed above for a specific run. These circumstancesmay include; fire apparatus out of service, dirty, specialty calls etc.