The Tempe Fire Medical Rescue Department is a modern, career-staffed, all-hazards fire department with seven stations, a robust fleet of engines, ladders, ambulances, and specialty units. It delivers comprehensive fire suppression, advanced medical care, rescue services, hazmat response, fire investigation, and community crisis support—serving a diverse urban campus and growing city.
Overall it’s a good department to work for but we do have our problems. High mandatory overtime rates. Trucks that are falling apart throughout the fleet. Stations have plenty of problems the biggest being A/C that doesn’t work right during the summer. High call volume, lots of training, lots of special events.
Overall, TMFRD is a great department to work for. The pay and benefits are competitive. It’s a fun city to work in with ASU and busy downtown district. South Tempe is a slower pace with a predominantly older demographic. The difference between downtown and south Tempe gives the best of both worlds in a way. The schedule is a 3-4 schedule with talks of exploring alternative shift schedules. The administration can be tough to work for at times.
The administration seems to have the city’s back before their members. The captains are overall great to work for and care for their crews. Tempe has some of the best firemen I know. Of course, every department has their bad eggs, and Tempe is no different.
Morale can be better. It has improved since the pandemic and recent changes in administration, but I wouldn’t say morale is great currently. Work environments differ from station to station and shift to shift.
Resources and equipment is pretty poor currently. Our fleet is minimal. Trucks seem to always have something wrong with them (both minor and major). Currently, the department only has 1 mechanic for the whole department. Several mechanics left for better pay and work conditions. Some rigs have little to no AC in the summer.
Staffing and scheduling has gotten better recently. For a while, members were being mando’d once sometimes twice a tour/four day. The union is currently exploring alternative shift schedules, but the current schedule is good.
Tempe is a part of the L493 Union. The union recently went through a dramatic and personal regime change. The communication from the union reps to the members could be better. I wouldn’t say we have a “strong” union, but I wouldn’t say our union is terrible either.
Rating Breakdown
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2 Reviews on “Tempe Fire Medical Rescue Department”
Overall it’s a good department to work for but we do have our problems. High mandatory overtime rates. Trucks that are falling apart throughout the fleet. Stations have plenty of problems the biggest being A/C that doesn’t work right during the summer. High call volume, lots of training, lots of special events.
Overall, TMFRD is a great department to work for. The pay and benefits are competitive. It’s a fun city to work in with ASU and busy downtown district. South Tempe is a slower pace with a predominantly older demographic. The difference between downtown and south Tempe gives the best of both worlds in a way. The schedule is a 3-4 schedule with talks of exploring alternative shift schedules. The administration can be tough to work for at times.
The administration seems to have the city’s back before their members. The captains are overall great to work for and care for their crews. Tempe has some of the best firemen I know. Of course, every department has their bad eggs, and Tempe is no different.
Morale can be better. It has improved since the pandemic and recent changes in administration, but I wouldn’t say morale is great currently. Work environments differ from station to station and shift to shift.
Resources and equipment is pretty poor currently. Our fleet is minimal. Trucks seem to always have something wrong with them (both minor and major). Currently, the department only has 1 mechanic for the whole department. Several mechanics left for better pay and work conditions. Some rigs have little to no AC in the summer.
Staffing and scheduling has gotten better recently. For a while, members were being mando’d once sometimes twice a tour/four day. The union is currently exploring alternative shift schedules, but the current schedule is good.
Tempe is a part of the L493 Union. The union recently went through a dramatic and personal regime change. The communication from the union reps to the members could be better. I wouldn’t say we have a “strong” union, but I wouldn’t say our union is terrible either.