Although officially part of the armed forces, by the early twentieth century they had become solely engaged in fire fighting and civil defence.

The Corps was entrusted with the protection of Saint Anthony's Abbot and was seated in the Apostolic Palace, with entry from the courtyard of the Belvedere, where it is still today.

Politically, the Vatican fire brigade has been under the control of the Directorate for Security Services and Civil Defence, since this body was legally established on 16 July 2002.

Although the small size of the Vatican City makes dangerous fires a rare occurrence, the Corps is turned out, on average, more than once every day, to respond to demands for their varied skills in relation to first aid, civil defence, rescue, flood control, or simply the movement of vehicles, or provision of lifting or moving equipment.

[6] On Sunday 1 September 2019 Pope Francis, who is the Vatican Fire Brigade's commander-in-chief, became stuck in a failed lift (internal elevator) on his way to give his weekly audience to the crowd in St Peter's Square.

[7] The Corps also has some more unusual duties, including responsibility for the erection and safe operation of the famous chimney over the Sistine Chapel through which black or white smoke indicates (respectively) the non-election or election of a new pope during a papal conclave.

The ceremony (involving the burning of the used ballot papers from the Conclave's voting process) is watched by millions of people, in person and via news media.

The Corps of Firefighters of the Vatican City State is a modern and well-equipped national fire brigade, whose members wear protective fire-fighting uniform and helmets.

All fire appliances (apart from the aerial hydraulic platform) utilise vehicle types capable of negotiating narrow streets and locations with cramped or difficult access.