Suppression Division

The Wheeling Fire Department Suppression Division is the backbone of the Wheeling Fire Department and consists of three platoons – divided into A, B and C equally.

Each platoon works three 24-hours shifts in a 5-day work period, with 24-hours off in between, totaling three 24-hours shifts. Firefighters then have 4 days off after working 72-hours before coming back to work. 

Each platoon has roughly 30 firefighters on a shift, including a duty chief, and various ranks that man the city’s seven stations. Of the three platoons, there are 30 licensed paramedics that man Rescue 1 and Squad’s 1, 2 and 3. 

Wheeling Firefighters respond to roughly 7,000 calls for service/incidents annually, including structure fires, fire alarms, medical emergencies, distress calls, service calls, weather emergencies and vehicle accidents.