There is one thing I can say about a typical Fire Department, and it will probably be seen as controversial. I don’t mean to demean anyone by saying it, it’s just an observation.
Fire Depts have a lifesaving function and they have a property-damage mitigation function.
The lifesaving function is of course important.
As for the property-damage mitigation function; in the overwhelming majority of cases, the cost of maintaining and staffing the FD is much, much greater than the property they can actually save.
If only the lifesaving function could be isolated and optimized; it’s a heck of a lot cheaper to let stuff burn than to maintain a FD to put it out.
That's probably true with regard to the singular structure that's on fire. The greater purpose of a fire department however, is to keep a single fire from spreading into a wider conflagration.