In NY, cities have Eire departments where paid firefighters have duty rotations at a firehouse waiting for an alarm. You see that in movies.
Towns have volunteer fire companies. Stations are unmanned until an alarm goes out. Firefighters drive to the station using blue lights on their vehicles that no one understands or gets out of the way for. They then man the equipment and go to the fire, but it's mostly medical calls with an ambulance.
Mutual aid means another fire co. Is called to assist, so there may be some UNFAMILIAR FACES on occasion.
See the first Mission Impossible movie….