What Is The Difference Between A Fire Chief And A Fire Captain?

At Clackamas Fire District #1, as with most departments or districts, the Fire Chief manages the entire department. But, there are different levels of chiefs. There are Battalion Chiefs which manage day-to-day operations and Division Chiefs which manage different divisions- such as Training, EMS, Operations and Prevention. A Captain is part of a regular crew working on either an engine, truck or rescue unit. He also oversees his particular fire station, which includes maintenance, personnel, the budget, etc... Another difference is that a Chief wears a white helmet and a Captain wears a red helmet. more