Mcallen Fire Department

The McAllen Fire Department serves the city of McAllen, Texas, operating from 7 fire stations spread across the city. The department's authorized workforce totals 189 employees, made up of 171 paid firefighters and 12 civilian clerical staff, organized under a central administration into four divisions: Fire Suppression, Prevention, Training, and Administrative Support.

The Fire Suppression Division runs day-to-day emergency response out of the department's stations with a fleet that includes 7 engine companies, 2 aerial truck companies, a heavy rescue/hazmat unit, 2 command vehicles, and an incident safety officer vehicle. The Prevention Division handles plan reviews, fire protection system inspections for new construction, code-compliance inspections of existing buildings, and complaint investigations, while the Training Division keeps personnel current with FAA standards for airport-assigned firefighters, Texas DSHS requirements for EMT-certified staff, and Texas Commission on Fire Protection certification.

Beyond emergency response, the department engages the community through school presentations, station tours, fire safety trailer demonstrations, extinguisher training, health fairs, and public outreach, and its Fire Marshal's Office administers permitting, plan review, and investigations under the 2024 International Fire Code.

McAllen hires firefighters through the City of McAllen Civil Service Commission's entry-level examination process. Candidates submit a preliminary application and sit for the entry-level fire examination; the city periodically posts application packets and publishes resulting eligibility lists (e.g., the 2025 Entry Level Application Packet and the Entry Level Fire Eligibility List from the December 2025 exam) that hires are made from.