The Cary Fire Department employs 243 uniformed and two non-uniformed personnel and provides fire suppression, non-transport emergency medical service, and technical rescue response within the Town's corporate limits and the Cary Suburban Fire District. The department also provides automatic and mutual aid to surrounding departments. The department operates out of nine fire stations.

Fire Suppression

The Cary Fire Department 238 suppression personnel are divided into three rotating shifts. These personnel operate:

• Nine engine companies staffed with a captain, an engineer, a master firefighter, and two firefighters
• Three tractor-drawn aerial companies staffed with a captain, two engineers, a master firefighter, and one firefighter
• One ladder company staffed with a captain, an engineer, a master firefighter, and one firefighter.
• Three rescue companies staffed with a captain, an engineer, a master firefighter, and one firefighter
• One brush truck unstaffed until needed for response.
• Three battalion chief SUVs staffed with a battalion chief.

Emergency Medical Response

All Cary firefighters are certified Emergency Medical Technicians by the NC Office of EMS. As a part of the greater Wake County EMS System the department responds to all life threatening medical emergencies in a non-transport role.

• Beyond basic life support, firefighters are also trained in the use of Automated External Defibrillators and by protocol are allowed to administer certain life-saving drugs.
• Ambulance transport services are provided by Wake County EMS, an accredited agency. Three Wake County EMS Systems units and one Chatham County EMS unit are co-located in Cary fire stations.

Technical Rescue

Cary firefighters are certified to the Technical Rescuer standard by NC OSFM. Firefighters are trained and equipped to perform vehicle extrication, trench rescue, confined-space rescue, high angle rescue, and water rescue.

• Rescue companies are equipped with extrication equipment, rope rescue equipment, an inflatable boat, water rescue, and confined space rescue equipment.
• Ladder companies carry extrication and rope rescue equipment. Trench Rescue equipment is stored and transported in a tractor/trailer.
• While each apparatus is equipped to perform land-based water rescues, the department also operates a specialty Water Rescue Unit, 3 Zodiac inflatable boats, and a SeaArk aluminum boat.