Fire Rescue
Highlands County Fire Rescue (HCFR) was established in 2018 to service the residents and visitors of Highlands County through a unified response organization.
Fire/Rescue Administration ensures positive relations and feedback, information dissemination and compliance with all County policies, and federal and state regulations.
This includes oversight through battalion chiefs, district chiefs and station officers. We are all indirectly responsible to all career and volunteer firefighters to promote compliance, as it pertains to emergency services, human resources, loss prevention/safety and County policies.
We develop and monitor all budgets and recommend purchases that will afford the greatest value, while promoting standardization countywide.
Fire/Rescue Operations is responsible for firefighter safety and compliance; facility and equipment maintenance; incident response and on-scene management; maintaining and updating the Standard Operating Guidelines; and assisting in the design, development, and implementation of the Highlands County Fire Control Plan.
Emergency Management is responsible for coordinating the County’s comprehensive, all-hazards emergency management program through preparedness, prevention, mitigation, response, and recovery activities. Responsibilities include developing and maintaining the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan and supporting plans; managing the Emergency Operations Center; coordinating countywide disaster operations, resource requests, public information, sheltering, evacuation, damage assessment, and disaster recovery efforts; administering the Special Needs Registry; supporting emergency communications and warning systems; coordinating training and exercises; and pursuing disaster reimbursement and hazard mitigation funding.
During Emergency Operations Center activations, Emergency Management coordinates Emergency Support Functions and works with County departments, municipalities, constitutional offices, public safety agencies, nonprofit organizations, private-sector partners, and state and federal agencies to ensure a unified and effective response.
Fire/Rescue Training is dedicated to creating, implementing, and delivering quality training programs that reflect the needs and ever-changing responsibilities of the Fire/Rescue service. That responsibility ranges from initial emergency response training to on-going training and skill development of firefighters, EMTs, paramedics and fire officers. Major emphasis is always safety, and to ensure a competent, efficient, and effective emergency response to protect life, property, and the environment.
Fire Prevention is responsible for performing periodic inspections of existing, publicly accessed buildings, new building construction and site plan review for fire and life safety code compliance with the Florida Fire Prevention Code. Fire Prevention also provides public education to promote fire safety within the Highlands County community.