Specialty Teams
Already a firefighter/medic and looking to take your training to the next level? Consider joining one of our specialty teams who supply our department with specialized data, equipment and expertise during an emergency. Help provide specialized preparedness and response to potential catastrophic events.
Looking to Join?
To qualify as an applicant for bomb squad, you must:
- Have five years as a firefighter/medic
- Have an annual evaluation rating of meets on your two most recent annual evaluations
- Be released from both fire and EMS
- Meet the FBI eligibility requirements
The Newport News Fire Department Bomb Squad is nationally accredited by the National Bomb Squad Commanders Advisory Board and the FBI – Hazardous Devices Operations Center, and is one of only 40 fire department based bomb squads in the United States. The squad is organized under the auspice of the FBI and actively participates as a member of the Hampton Roads Regional Metropolitan Bomb Squad (HRRMBS).
The Newport News Bomb Squad is composed of 15 fire department members and three police department members that work closely with outside agencies to include the FBI, ATF, local police tactical operations units, and various military units to ensure a rapid and resilient response to possible Explosive Ordinance Incidents.
Looking to Join?
To qualify as an applicant for the hazardous materials response team, you must:
- Have five years as a firefighter/medic
- Have an annual evaluation rating of meets on your two most recent annual evaluations
- Be released from both fire and EMS
- Have an operations level certification
The Newport News Fire Department Hazardous Materials Response Team provides emergency response and mitigation for incidents involving nuclear, biological and/or chemical materials, as well as environmental emergencies. Duties include assessment and containment of the hazardous situation and environment; provision of decontamination services that may include the surrounding population; coordinating evacuation operations if necessary; and monitoring clean-up activities. The NNFD Haz-Mat Team also functions as one of seven Regional Hazardous Materials Response Teams in the Commonwealth of Virginia and assists with Haz-Mat emergencies in the surrounding jurisdictions.
The Newport News Hazardous Materials Team is authorized by the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) and is recognized as a leader in hazardous materials response, mitigation, and recovery operations.
Looking to Join?
To qualify as an applicant for the marine incident response team, you must:
- Have five years as a firefighter/medic
- Have an annual evaluation rating of meets on your two most recent annual evaluations
- Be released from both fire and EMS
- Pass a pre-appointment medical evaluation by the city physician
The Newport News Fire Department Marine Incident Response Team provides technical water borne firefighting capabilities, dive rescue / recovery, evidence recovery, waterway hazardous materials response and emergency medical assistance to commercial and recreational entities within our surrounding borders. As an agency member of the Hampton Roads Marine Incident Response Team, the Newport News Fire Department provides an additional layer of incident prevention, mitigation and emergency response through multi-agency cooperation and interoperability.
The Newport News Fire Department Marine Incident Response Team works in a collaborative effort as part of the Hampton Roads Marine Incident Response Team to strengthen the regions response, mitigation and recovery efforts throughout Hampton Roads.
Looking to Join?
To qualify as an applicant for the technical rescue team, you must:
- Have five years as a firefighter/medic
- Have an annual evaluation rating of meets on your two most recent annual evaluations
- Be released from both fire and EMS
- Attend an introduction to HTR
The Newport News Fire Department Technical Rescue Team (TRT) provides emergency rescue response for complex rescue situations. The NNFD Technical Rescue team specializes in complex vehicle extrication, high angle / vertical rescue, confined space, and trench / structural collapse rescue. The NNFD Technical Rescue Team is a partner with the Peninsula Regional Technical Rescue Team, the Tidewater Regional Technical Rescue Team, and FEMA Urban Search & Rescue (US&R) Va. TF 2. As a regional asset, the NNFD TRT and its equipment cache are available to assist the eleven communities that make up the Hampton Roads region.
Looking to Join?
To qualify as an applicant for the prevention inspection team, you must:
- Have five years as a firefighter/medic
- Have an annual evaluation rating of meets on your two most recent annual evaluations
- Be released from both fire and EMS
- Obtain a written recommendation from their current supervisor(s)
The Newport News Fire Department Fire Prevention Team consists of conducting fire prevention inspections and re-inspections, incident potential assessments, pre-incident survey activities, and facility tours within assigned Battalion districts. Team members serve as a critical bridge between the activities of the Fire Marshal’s Office and suppression operations. Through assigned duties and functions, team members will have the ability to directly affect the safety of their co-workers as well as that of our citizens through organized fire prevention activities. This is part of the Newport News Fire Department’s on-going effort to eliminate or reduce accidental fires through public education, fire code enforcement, and relationship building within the business community.