Department of Fire Services Special Operations teams can be activated 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To activate Special Operations resources, follow this link. For an immediate response, call 508-820-2000 (MEMA).
To book resources for scheduled events and for more information, call the Special Operations Office at 978-567-3171.
There is no charge for the use of Special Ops resources.
Response Teams
Special Operations personnel are assigned to four groups: north, south, central, and west. Equipment is housed in each district. Support personnel are on call in:
- Communications
- Technology
- Critical incident stress management
- Chaplain's services
- Public information
There are four response tiers for Special Operations.
- A Tier One Response includes a driver and a maximum of three to four technicians.
- A Tier Two Response applies to a more complex operation and requires the remainder of the staff from the district and the technical support staff.
- In a Tier Three Response, all team members statewide are placed on alert that an incident has grown and is expected to exceed 14 hours and it is probable that other teams may be activated within 24 hours.
- A Tier Four Response entails multiple-team activation for long-term operations.
Additional Resources
Special Operations Resources
Learn more about the following resources in the Special Operations Resource Guide.
- UTVs
- Drone Units
- Generators
- HVAC Unit
- Incident Support Units
- Lighting Tower, small generator
- Rehab Units
- Zumro
Firefighter Rehab
Firefighter rehabilitation is key to keeping firefighters safely working. The DFS Special Operations Unit has many resources available to fire departments to assist with firefighter rehabilitation during incidents.
The theme of the 2021 Firefighter Safety Stand Down Week was Rebuild, Rehab. DFS facilitated a roundtable discussion on rehab with representatives of the Fire Chiefs' Association of MA, the Professional Fire Fighters of MA, the Mass. Call/Volunteer Firefighters Association, and of the DPH Office of Emergency Medical Services.
Take a virtual tour of a DFS Rehab Unit.
Additional Resources
Contact for DFS Special Operations
Phone
Weekdays
24/7