The mission of the Honolulu Fire Department today is the same as it was in 1850, to save lives and to protect property. However, today the department protects the entire island of Oahu (the City and County of Honolulu), with a fire fighting force of over 1,000 fire fighters. The Honolulu Fire Department is presently the 16th largest fire department in the United States. The island is divided into five battalions which include 42 engine companies, 14 ladder companies, two rescue companies, two hazardous materials companies, one snorkel company, one fireboat company, five tankers, one helicopter, and one helicopter tender. Haz Mat 1, the hazardous material company, was commissioned in 1990 and is dispatched to all incidents involving petroleum, radioactive substances, and toxic chemicals.
