What type of department employs full-time responders who must live at the station while on duty?

A career department employs full-time responders who are required to live at the station while they are on duty. This structure ensures that personnel are available at all times to respond quickly to emergencies. Career firefighters typically undergo extensive training and will often work set shifts, which may involve being on station for extended periods.

Volunteer departments rely on individuals who may have other jobs and respond as needed, often leading to less predictability in response times. Combination departments blend elements of both career and volunteer organizations, where some responders are career while others are volunteers. Support departments generally provide services that assist frontline emergency operations, such as logistics and administrative tasks, but they do not typically employ full-time responders on duty at the station.

Thus, the correct understanding of the workings and staffing of different types of fire departments clearly identifies why the career department is characterized by the requirement for its members to live at the station while on duty.