As of 2016 the department has 70 paid personnel and 2-part time Fire Inspectors and 6 fire stations. The Fire Department responded to 8,189 incidents in 2015 an increase of 6.42% over 2014. See Response Statistics

The Monterey Fire Department provides fire protection to the U.S. Arm Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center at the Presidio of Monterey, Naval Postgraduate School and their housing located at La Mesa Village, as well as the cities of Sand City, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Pacific Grove and the Monterey Peninsula Airport.

Staffing is 24 per shift, 3-platoon system, 48-96 schedule, and a minimum staffing of 22 personnel per shift.

Administrative staffing: 1 Fire Chief, 1 Assistant Chief, 3 Division Chiefs assigned to shifts, 1 Training Captain, 1 Deputy Fire Marshal, 2 Part-Time Fire Inspectors.  Support personnel in the office include 1 Senior Administrative Analyst, 1 Fire Prevention Technician, 1 Executive Assistant and Administrative Assistant

The population is approximately 30,000. Due to fire service contracts, and tourism the fire department services a population exceeding 100,000.

Fire apparatus includes: 6 first out pumping engines, 1 100' Quint Aerial tractor-drawn Tiller Truck, 1 Reserve 100" tractor-drawn Tiller Truck, 1 Rescue truck, 1 Type 3 Wild land Unit, 1 ARFF Crash Truck, 1 Urban Search and Rescue Trailer with equipment, 1 - Command Center Truck, 1, Command Vehicle, 1 Backup Command Vehicle, 4 Staff Vehicles, 6 Reserve Fire Engines, 1 OES Fire Engine, , 1 Reserve ARF