Emergency Services

The Federal Emergency Management Agency leads the US response to disasters

Established in 1979, FEMA coordinates the government's response to hurricanes, wildfires, floods, and other disasters, providing funding, logistical support, and recovery assistance. In FY 2024, the agency spent $35.1B, nearly 40% of the Department of Homeland Security's total budget.

See how a 2018 fire in Paradise, California, exposed the limits of emergency coordination

This Frontline documentary shows how the Camp Fire stretched and ultimately overwhelmed the complex web of agencies involved in emergency response, including fire suppression, 911 dispatch, law enforcement, and emergency management, with catastrophic results.

Hear the story of the first paramedic services, which grew out of a community training program in 1960s Pittsburgh

Before 911 existed, cities sent police cars or hearses from funeral homes to medical emergencies. In 1967, a group of young Black men in Pittsburgh changed that, developing the training protocols and lifesaving techniques that became the foundation of modern EMT response.

Go behind the scenes of a 911 dispatch center

This video follows a dispatcher at a Colorado communications center serving over 1,600 square miles across four counties, showing the constant communication and relentless pace of a 24-hour shift on the other end of your emergency call.

In the 1960s, Virginia became home to the first emergency department in the US

It was a 450-square-foot basement room with four stretchers staffed by four doctors inside Alexandria Hospital, in Alexandria, Virginia. Patients there were charged $5 per visit. The first emergency medicine residency followed in 1970, in Cincinnati.

Fire engines are among the most complex vehicles on the road

These vehicles are purpose-built to carry water, foam, hoses, ladders, and lifesaving equipment to a scene in minutes. This animated video pulls apart every system inside a pumper truck, showing exactly how the machinery that fights fires actually works.

Freestanding emergency departments are growing increasingly common

These satellite emergency rooms, though not yet approved in all states, are helping meet the need for emergency services beyond a hospital setting. But from an insurance perspective, they are considered emergency rooms—not urgent care. Freestanding emergency rooms grew tenfold from 2001 to 2016.

See Virginia's emergency stats broken down by date, type, and even body part

This dashboard from Virginia's health department provides a detailed look at various aspects of its emergency care services from January 2019 to December 2024, when there were more than 575,000 emergency incidents. More than 40% of its emergency services were devoted to slips and falls.

Rural emergency rooms are sometimes operating without any physicians on-site

These facilities may not have an on-site doctor at all, with norms varying widely by state. In North and South Dakota, more than half of their emergency departments were running without 24/7 attending physician staffing, according to recent research. Instead, they're staffed by physician assistants and nurses.

How search and rescue teams remove survivors from rubble

At any time, large-scale seismic activity can devastate entire regions, often with little warning. Emergency responders, then, are perpetually on call. This is particularly critical in areas with poor infrastructure.