The Tokyo Fire Department (TFD) (Japanese: 東京消防庁, Tokyo Shōbōchō), Founded in 1948, is the fire department of Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. The TFD is the largest urban fire department in the world with a total staff of 18,408.
The TFD is responsible for firefighting, fire prevention, fire investigation, hazardous material handling, disaster response, rescue operations, and emergency medical services across all 23 wards of Tokyo and parts of Western Tokyo. It is headed by a fire chief. The TFD is part of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and is distinguished from the Fire and Disaster Management Agency, which coordinates other municipal fire departments in Japan.
The TFD is headquartered in Ōtemachi, Chiyoda, Tokyo.
History
Japan's first fire service was founded in 1629 during the Edo period, and was called Hikeshi (Japanese: 火消し, lit. Fire eraser). During the Meiji Period, the Hikeshi was merged into the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department in 1881. During this period, pumps were imported and domestically produced, and modern firefighting strategies were introduced. The fire service would remain part of the police department until police reforms in 1947, when the Tokyo Fire Department was separated from the police as an independent agency. The TFD was officially formed on 7 March 1948.
Fire districts and fire stations
Overall of stations in Tokyo Metropolis Area
Fire station divisions: 3
Fire stations: 81
Fire station branches: 207
Fire districts and fire stations
1st Fire District: Marunouchi, Nihonbashi, Akasaka, Kōjimachi, Rinko, Takanawa, Kanda, Shiba, Kyobashi, Azabu 2nd Fire District: Shinagawa, Den-en-chōfu, Oi, Kamata, Ebara, Yaguchi, Ōmori 3rd Fire District: Meguro, Shibuya, Setagaya, Tamagawa, Seijo 4th Fire District: Yotsuya, Nogata, Ushigome, Suginami, Shinjuku, Ogikubo, Nakano 5th Fire District: Koishikawa, Oji, Hongo, Akabane, Toshima, Takinogawa, Ikebukuro 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, Ōme, Tama, Machida, Akigawa, Hino, Okutama 10th Fire District: Itabashi, Shakujii, Shimura, Nerima, Hikarigaoka
Mobile units
(As of April 1, 2019)
Demonstration and preparedness training
A few times a year, the department has demonstrations and preparedness training. These are small, whereas others might be large-scale events.
The demonstrations are mostly public awareness events for the people who live in the Tokyo area. This also shows the taxpayers where the funding of the department has been spent, and the department's state of preparedness. This is also used as a recruiting tool for future firefighters. Commonly one sees a small demonstration every so often in district centers, schools, and shopping arcades. The firefighters give rides, tours, or maybe let you touch equipment.
The biggest demonstration is Dezomeshiki. It's the New Year Tokyo Fire Department Review; and happens in January every year. They present all the resources and training that the Department currently are using. They perform a fake disaster where the firefighters use their equipment. They also set up a showroom for equipment and a small museum. About 2,800 people participated in Dezomeshiki in 2018.
Every so often a fire district performs a preparedness training. They train with a fake disaster in a real district area. This training is for the firefighters, support staff, and local volunteers. The training means they can become more familiar with an area in the event of a disaster happening.
The preparedness training also uses Mass Casualties Tags. These tags 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, a form of triage.
Technologies
The TFD currently has 12 different types of firefighting and rescue robots. These robots are designed 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 controlled by remote operators.
Future firefighting robotics might have simple artificial intelligence to search for life and be able to move on terrain without operator's assistance.