I have a burning question for firemen. 
I pass a firehouse everyday which says “Engine Co. 16 & Trcuk Co. 8” Does this mean anything? Why can’t it just be Fire Station 16 with two trucks, for goodness sake? In the very least, why aren’t the numbers consecutive?
How confusing!
They are different companies within the same department. A truck or ladder company performs forcible entry, search and rescue, ventilation, salvage and overhaul and they can deploy their ladder for an aerial attack or entry. The engine company mainly sticks to deploying hoselines for direct attack or exposure protection. An engine has big water tanks, the ladder truck has a big ladder.
The trucks within departments are given numbers according to what sequence they were put into service, not their location.
The numbering scheme varies.
In Baltimore County, MD, the numbers on paid engine and truck companies are the same as the station number (Engines 1 & 101, Truck 1, and Medic 1 are all at station 1, engine, truck, and medic 17 are at station 17, etc.) However, not every station has a truck company.
In Baltimore City, the numbering scheme is as Hauss said. The truck numbers tend to be lower because there are more engine companies than truck companies.
We discussed it earlier in this thread.
To recap, Truck companies typically perform forcible entry, ventilation, ladder work and search and rescue. Engine companies typically supply water and do the bulk of the actual hose work. Some cities run paramedic engines that respond on medical calls. Some cities also have rescue companies that perfrom extrication and in some cities, truck companies do extrication work. Another new trend is “quints” these apparatus have an aerial ladder, but also have a large water tank like an engine and foam capability. Hope this helps!
St. Urho
Firefighter/Paramedic
D’oh! The numbering scheme is probably different because they’re two different types of apparatus with two different missions. Also, most cities have many more engine companies than truck companies. Some cities do set it up so (for example) Station 8 is Engine 8 and Truck 8.
St. Urho
Who gets sent if the fire call is something like “my house is on fire”? An engine company, a truck company, both, or whoever’s closest?
It varies from department to department and it also depends on the building/s involved. That said, a typical 1st alarm would be 2 engines and a truck.
If it turns out to be a room and contents fire, or something else small, the 1st in engine is likely to cancel the other engine and the truck. If there’s flames through the roof, they’ll probably call for more resources.
In Baltimore City and County, a “box” is dispatched - four engines, a truck, and a batallion chief. The county will also send a rescue squad at night (for the floodlights).
A second alarm will send an additional four engines, a truck company, a medic unit, a rescue squad (if one hasn’t already been dispatched), and an air unit. I think an assistant chief also goes, but I’m not sure.
I used to spend way too much time listening to the scanner!