From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tokyo Fire Department
Formation	1948, March 7
Type	Fire Department
Legal status	Municipal Fire Service
Headquarters	1-3-5 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku
Location	Tokyo, Japan
Fire Chief	Yuji Arai
Budget	¥255,028,000,000 Yen
Staff	17,969
Volunteers	16,000
Website	http://www.tfd.metro.tokyo.jp

The Tokyo Fire Department (東京消防庁) was form in March 7, 1948 and is responsible for protecting the Tokyo Metropolis Area [2,187.08 (621.81) km²]. The Fire Department is one of the largest urban fire services in the world. Providing services to the 23 Wards of Tokyo and parts of Western Tokyo from fires, biological, chemical, earthquake, flooding and radioactive hazards. First response for medical services and all types of rescues. The department handles varied challenges from urban settings to mountain forests.

Duties & Services

Fire Prevention

• Inspection of Buildings
• Hazardous Materials Safety Measures
• Fire Prevention Inspection
• Fire Protection Management Guidance
• Fire Investigation

Emergency Medical Services

• First-Aid Education and Training
• Emergency Telephone Consultation

Disaster Operations

• Firefighting Service
• Aviation Fire Service
• Port Fire Service
• Rescue Service
• Hazardous Materials Service
• Flood and Landslide Control

Earthquake Preparedness

• Fire Rescue Task Forces
• Volunteer Fire Corps

Fire Districts & Fire Stations

Overall of Stations in Tokyo Metropolis Area.

• Fire Station Divisions: 3
• Fire Stations: 80
• Fire Station Branches: 206

Fire Districts & Fire Stations

• 1st Fire District: Marunouchi, Nihonbashi, Akasaka, Kōjimachi, Rinko, Takanawa, Kanda, Shiba, Kyobashi, Azabu
• 2nd Fire District: Shinagawa, Denenchofu, Oi, Kamata, Ebara, Yaguchi, Omari
• 3rd Fire District: Maguro, Shibuya, Setagaya, Tamagawa, Seijo
• 4th Fire District: Yotsuya, Nogata, Ushigome, Suginami, Shinjuku, Ogikubo, Nakano
• 5th Fire District: Koishikawa, Oji, Hongo, Akabane, Toshima, Takinogawa, Ikabukuro
• 6th Fire District: Ueno, Ogu, Asakusa, Senju, Nihonzutsumi, Adachi, Arakawa, Nishiarai
• 7th Fire District: Honjo, Honden, Koiwa, Mukojima, Kanamachi, Fukagawa, Edogawa, Joto, Kasai
• 8th Fire District: Tachikawa, Akishima, Higashimurayama, Kiyose, Musashino, Chōfu, Kokubunji, Nishitōkyō, Mitaka, Koganei, Komae, Fuchū, Kodaira, Kitatamaseibu
• 9th Fire District: Hachiōji, Fussa, Ome, Tama, Machida, Akigawa, Hino, Okutama
• 10th Fire District: Itabashi, Shakujii, Shimura, Nerima, Hikarigaoka

Mobile Units

Pumpers = 486 7 Classes Small-sized Pumper Normal-sized Pumper Tank Pumper 2 Ton Tank 5 Ton Tank 15 Meters Ladder and 950 Liter Tank Pumper 13.7 Meters Tower and 950 Liter Tank Pumper Long-range Mass Water Supply Pumper Obstacle Removal and Pumper	Rescue Trucks = 25 6 Classes Rescue Truck (Type II) Rescue Truck (Type III) Rescue Truck (Type IV) Mountain Rescue Truck Tracked Rescue Water Rescue Truck	Ambulances = 229 2 Classes Ambulance Super Ambulance (Bus)
Chemical Trucks = 48 4 Classes	Aerial ladder = 85 3 Classes Ladder Truck 30 Meters Ladder Truck 40 Meters Ladder Truck 23 Meters Water Tower Truck Aerial Basket Truck	Fire boats = 9
Command Units = 92	Helicopters = 6	Motorcycles = 20

[As of 2008 Review]

Demonstration & Preparedness Training

A few times in a year. The department has demonstrations and preparedness training. These are small and others might be large scale events.

Demonstration

The demonstrations are mostly public awareness for the people who live in Tokyo Area. This also shows the tax payers where the funding of the department and the state of preparedness. This is also used as a recruiting tool for future fire fighters. Commonly you see a small demonstrations every so often in a District Centers, Schools, and Shopping Arcades. The firefighters would give rides, tours, or maybe let you touch equipment.

Mass Casualties Tag

The biggest demonstration is Dezomeshiki. It's the New Year Tokyo Fire Department Review; where it happening in January every year. They presents all the resources and training that the Department currently are using. They perform a fake disaster where the firefighters use their equipment. They also setup a showroom for equipment and a small museum.

Preparedness Training

Every so offer a Fire District performs a preparedness training. Where they have a fake disaster in a real district area. This training is for the firefighters, support staff, and local volunteers. So that they can better know an area if a disaster happens.

The preparedness training also uses Mass Casualties Tags. These tag are used in major disasters. These tags give information about the person and sort out many who could be saved with the current status of medical service.

Technologies

Fire Fighting Robotics

The department currently has 12 robots for fire fighting and rescue. These robots are design to handle disasters that are too dangerous for personnel during an emergency. Some types of robots can shoot water or foam on to fires. One type can rescue a person and another type are able to move large objects. Currently all robots are control by remote operators.

Future fire fighting robotics might have simple artificial intelligence to search for life and able to move on terrain without operator's assistance.

Ranking System & Uniforms

Rank insignias are place on a small badge and pinned above the right pocket. Rank is told by stripes and Hexagram stars. The design of the insignias came from older Japanese style military insignias. Some ranks maybe shown as different color like of the fire jacket for station commander.

• The dress uniforms are a blue suit and normal firemen wear jump suits in the same color with orange reflection stripes. A normal fireman's fire jacket are brown with orange stripes.
• Gray and white are reserved for Emergency medical services with their work uniform. They are mostly seen with a light blue rain coat over them on a call.
• Orange is reserved for rescuer where they wear a jump suit with the same color. The fire jacket are orange with yellow reflection stripes.
• Black fire jacket with yellow and silver reflection strips are for specialized firemen or officers.

Tokyo Fire Museum

Tokyo Fire Museum

Old Fire Motorcycle

The Tokyo Fire Museum is at Yotsuya 3-10, Shinjuku-ku. Where it has a large collection of historic fire fighting apparatuses. The museum has fire fighting history of the 17th and 18th centuries with large scale-model dioramas showing scenes of destruction from past events. Models shows the uniforms and equipment that was used during that time. Other parts of the museum shows old pictures and films. They have scenes to show the birth of modern fire fighting vehicles, equipment, and fire suits. With the very first pumps and hoses that was used. 20th century fire fighting history is also is shown and the future of fire fighting is exhibit at the museum. Such as high-tech robots. A current working Fire station is right next to the museum.

"Multilingual Page" Website

The Tokyo Fire Department wants all visitors and current residents from other nations to feel safe and know the fire codes of the city. So a "Multilingual Page" was created to promote fire safety.

English http://www.tfd.metro.tokyo.jp/eng/index.html

Chinese http://www.tfd.metro.tokyo.jp/eng/chinese.html

Korea http://www.tfd.metro.tokyo.jp/eng/korea.html

Thailand http://www.tfd.metro.tokyo.jp/eng/thailand.html

Filipino http://www.tfd.metro.tokyo.jp/eng/pilipino.html

In popular media

• "Firefighter! Daigo of Fire Company M" the Manga and it's Live Action TV series "Fire Boys (Megumi no Daigo)" was based within the Tokyo Fire Department. Most of the cast act as Fire Department personnel.

• 252: Seizonsha Ari a Disaster film; has Tokyo Fire Department personnel as main characters in the Film. They are rescuing people during the aftermath.

• Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 The Animation shows the Tokyo Fire Department saving the city from the aftermath of a major earthquake that hits central Tokyo.

Other Weblinks

Tokyo Fire Museum http://www.tfd.metro.tokyo.jp/ts/museum.htm