Panama City Beach Fire Department

What This Data Tells You About Panama City Beach Fire Department

Panama City Beach Fire Department operates as a Career (Paid) department in Panama City Beach, within Bay County, and the HIFLD and USFA records give a precise structural picture of its response capacity. The department reports 22 total personnel, 2 stations, no truck inventory reported. EMS capability is listed as active.

Benchmarking against the state gives this profile context. Florida has 758 registered fire departments and 21,048 total personnel, averaging roughly 28 staff per department. Panama City Beach Fire Department runs 21% below that state average, signalling a leaner crew typical of smaller jurisdictions or heavily volunteer-staffed areas. The state records about 106,000 fires, 206 fire deaths, and 24% volunteer coverage each year, which shapes training, funding priorities, and mutual-aid patterns felt at every department in the state.

Federal investment further defines this department's trajectory: Panama City Beach Fire Department has received 3 FEMA grants totaling $1,217,049.04 through the AFG and SAFER programs, money typically spent on PPE, SCBA, training, and hiring or retaining career staff.