[2] The Phoenix Fire Department currently protects 1.5 million residents spread across an area of 520 square miles (1,300 km2).

[4] In 1936 the Phoenix Fire Department joined the International Association of Firefighters and formed the union Local 493.

The surrounding fire departments, Tempe, Glendale, Chandler, Surprise, and Peoria, are also part of Local 493.

The Phoenix-based FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Team Arizona Task Force 1 (or AZ-TF1) is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force sponsored by the Phoenix Fire Department.

[citation needed] The Federal Emergency Management Agency created the geographically positioned teams in an effort to provide support for large-scale disasters in both the United States and the potential international response abroad.

AZ-TF1 is one of six task forces in the nation to be certified with training for WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction) related incidents.

[9] Noteworthy AZ-TF1 deployments include:[10] Since its inception, the Phoenix Fire Department has had 11 firefighters die in the line of duty.