Watertown Fire Department

What This Data Tells You About Watertown Fire Department

Watertown Fire Department operates as a Career (Paid) department in Watertown, within Middlesex County, and the HIFLD and USFA records give a precise structural picture of its response capacity. The department reports 94 total personnel, 3 stations, no truck inventory reported. EMS capability is listed as active.

Benchmarking against the state gives this profile context. Massachusetts has 568 registered fire departments and 19,841 total personnel, averaging roughly 35 staff per department. Watertown Fire Department runs 169% above that state average, signalling a larger-than-typical crew likely tied to denser population or higher call volume. The state records about 38,700 fires, 51 fire deaths, and 35% 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: Watertown Fire Department has received 4 FEMA grants totaling $1,242,205 through the AFG and SAFER programs, money typically spent on PPE, SCBA, training, and hiring or retaining career staff.