How Firefighters are Trained to Respond to Riots and Violent Protests

When protests escalate into violence and civil unrest grips a city, firefighters find themselves responding to some of the most dangerous calls of their careers. While police confront crowds, fire crews operate in a delicate position between chaos and aid. They enter volatile scenes to extinguish flames, treat the injured, and save lives, all while avoiding becoming targets.

This is a delicate role and one that requires prompt action and clear protocols. The right firefighter protests training allows officers to keep both themselves and unpredictable crowds safe.

Why Firefighters Are Deployed During Public Unrest

Firefighters occupy a unique position during civil unrest. They’re generally seen as neutral emergency responders, who show up to help individuals rather than arrest or disperse crowds. But when crowds turn into violent mobs, that initial goodwill doesn’t shield them.

Generally, a firefighter’s mission remains the same whether at a burning building or a crowded protest.  They provide fire suppression, emergency medical care, and conduct rescues, even when victims are trapped or unable to move. The difference is the backdrop. Instead of a routine structure fire or medical call, a volatile riot can bring streets filled with angry crowds, burning vehicles, and flying projectiles.

The reality is clear: Firefighters are not exempt from civil unrest. When buildings burn or people need medical attention, someone must respond. That responsibility rests with fire and EMS crews, even amid the surrounding chaos.

How Key Training and Protocols Make a Difference

Recognizing these unique dangers, fire departments across the country have developed specialized protocols for responding during civil unrest. The approach is radically different from standard operations.

Safety remains the top priority.. “Safety is paramount,” explained LAFD Public Information Officer Adam VanGerpen. “So, it is critical that fire fighters stay mission-focused and wait until they can respond with law enforcement.”

The first rule is to never enter without backup. During riots or violent protests, firefighters only enter high-risk areas with police escorts. For example, when Los Angeles activated its Emergency Operations Center to Level 2 during recent protests, it meant all fire and law enforcement agencies coordinated through a central command. In this way, police officers could support them across mandatory areas, and fire squads received timely updates on which areas were becoming tricky.

Riot safety training for firefighters emphasizes several core principles:

• Situational awareness: Firefighters are trained to constantly assess their surroundings for threats, not just the fire they’re fighting. During public demonstrations, this includes noticing when the crowd’s mood is turning provocative or hostile.
• Conflict avoidance is paramount. Firefighters must stay neutral, and they aren’t there to take sides or engage with protesters. Their job is to get in, handle the emergency, and get out quickly, all while navigating serious health risks often overlooked by policymakers.
• Rapid retreat procedures.  Sometimes the safest decision is to pull back. If a situation deteriorates or responders come under attack, they need clear exit strategies.
• Coordination. Nowadays, task forces have become standard practice. Rather than sending individual engines, departments pre-position specialized task force units near potential hot zones, a move that often depends on the financial authority and flexibility granted at the state level. These typically include a fire truck, engine, and ladder company, with the ability to scale up as needed.

The International Association of Fire Fighters has developed specific courses that turn these principles into coherent public unrest firefighter protocols: “Workplace Violence Prevention for First Responders” and “Practical Strategies for Safety”. designed to prepare fire and EMS professionals for hostile environments using real-world scenarios.

Why Equipment and Protection are Essential

Standard firefighting gear isn’t designed for riots. While turnout coats and helmets protect against flames and heat, they don’t stop rocks or projectiles. This means their standard flame-retardant suits need to include a few extra additions.

Some departments provide goggles to protect against debris and chemical agents.  In some areas, they may also receive ballistic vests, although full body armor is much rarer.

Furthermore, moving crowds can change directions much more quickly than a standard rescue situation, making it hard to keep track of who’s who. Therefore, EMS personnel must wear clearly marked jackets and helmets to identify themselves as medical responders, not law enforcement.

Fire trucks also need to be modified before heading to a riot area. Equipment like axes, hooks, and poles are all part of a standard firefighting kit, but they can be easily turn into weapons if grabbed by the crowd. Windows, which may be hit with anything from a bottle to a brick, should be reinforced. If shock-proof glass is not available, duct tape in an X-pattern can prevent glass from shattering inward on impact.

Perhaps most significantly, firefighting crews need to be ready to de-escalate any obstacle. During a standard fire, spectators will usually move away and clear the entrance with very little prompt. During an angry protest, firefighters will need to be clear in their demands, without causing tempers to rise.

Challenges Faced during Protest

Firefighters and paramedics can be injured during civil unrest events. In France in 2005, crews responding to vehicle fires were attacked with bats, axes, rocks, and bottles. In Benton Harbor, Michigan, three firefighters were injured and two apparatus damaged when responders were pelted with projectiles while fighting structure and vehicle fires during a 2003 riot.

Usually, these incidents happen due to the following factors:

• Access problems, as large crowds block streets or create barricades.
• Murky target identification especially when protesters clash directly with police.
• Dramatic spikes in call volume spikes dramatically, which stretches resources thin.
• Fatigue and sleep deprivation during extended events. When unrest lasts days, even rotating crews face enormous physical and mental strain.

Community Trust and Coordination

Firefighters generally enjoy the public’s respect, and departments work hard to maintain community trust. However, in highly charged situations, arriving alongside police makes this goodwill evaporate quickly. At the same time, firefighters desperately need law enforcement protection to operate safely during riots.

But during civil unrest, that trust faces serious tests. When protesters see fire trucks rolling in behind police cruisers, the optics become murky. Are firefighters there to help or to support law enforcement operations? Fire and police departments need to coordinate to safeguard everyone, but if both forces are seen as aligned, this hard-earned trust may disappear.

Progressive departments try to thread this needle carefully. They maintain open communication with community leaders before, during, and after events. They’re transparent about their role and limitations. They emphasize that their mission to protect life and property never changes, even when the tactics must adapt to dangerous circumstances.

Why Firefighters and EMS Fund is Monitoring This

Firefighters responding to riots and protests walk a tightrope few other professions face. They must be prepared to enter violent, unpredictable environments while maintaining neutrality and community trust.

Firefighter riot response training has evolved significantly, particularly after the hard lessons of 2020. Departments now emphasize task force operations, coordinated responses, enhanced protective equipment, and realistic scenario training.

But no amount of training eliminates the fundamental challenge: when your city is burning and people need help, firefighters go. The Firefighters and EMS Fund monitors all public policies that affect first responders and continues to advocate for federal strategies that improve emergency response nationwide. Our advocacy mission is centered around ensuring that every Fire Department in the country receives the training, funding, and equipment needed for riot response.

In addition, we see the mental strain that these hostile situations create on firefighters. After the streets are cleared, firefighters need to access the counseling and support they need, before being sent back into the fray.

When everything else breaks down, communities still need someone willing to run toward the danger instead of away from it, even when that danger comes from the very people they’ve sworn to protect.