What title have many fire departments added to their staff, along with additional responsibilities?

The title that many fire departments have added to their staff, along with additional responsibilities, is "Emergency manager." This role has become increasingly important as fire departments take on broader responsibilities in emergency preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation. Emergency managers focus on coordinating resources and ensuring that all aspects of disaster management are addressed, which is essential in today’s world where incidents can escalate quickly and require multi-agency coordination.

This addition reflects the evolving nature of emergency services, where the scope of work has expanded beyond just firefighting to encompass comprehensive planning for various emergencies, including natural disasters, terrorist attacks, and public health crises. The emergency manager ensures that there is not only a response plan in place but also training and drills for personnel, resources allocated for potential emergencies, and communication strategies for the public and other agencies.

In contrast, while positions like firefighter, safety officer, and code enforcement officer are critical within fire departments, they traditionally focus on specific functions related to fire suppression, safety protocols, and compliance with building codes respectively, rather than the overarching coordination of emergency management.