History of Volusia County Fire Services

Prior to the 1960's, fire protection in Volusia County was provided in a similar fashion as most other areas of the country. The larger cities and some municipalities had organized their fire departments and staffed them with either all career personnel or a combination of volunteer and career staff. The smaller communities provided fire protection through the enlistment of volunteer members from their town. In the rural areas there was no fire protection at all. To fund their operations, the small volunteer organizations relied heavily on donations from their communities and by numerous fund raising activities (i.e. bake sales, dinners, raffles, etc.). Many of the small fire departments were ill-equipped, often poorly trained, and always struggling to find the money needed to purchase the tools, equipment, and training they so desperately needed.

As Volusia County continued to grow and develop, the need for improved fire protection came with it. The costs associated with fire protection also grew. Additionally, there were increasingly more regulatory requirements being placed on agencies that provided emergency response services. Taxes were imposed in the various communities or districts to support these efforts. By 1982, Volusia County Fire Services had 15 taxing districts. This funding technique seemed to work well until the acceleration of growth and the increased service demands began to exceed the ability of a number of the districts to meet those needs.

On October 1, 1984, the County Council approved consolidation of fire services into six districts. The plan divided the county into four large areas, with two smaller districts and all unincorporated areas with the exception of the Deltona Fire District were included. Three cities (Lake Helen, Pierson, and Oak Hill) opted into the existing county fire districts.

The fire chiefs in each quadrant elected their own quadrant coordinator to serve as the administrative liaison with the county to promote effectiveness and efficiency in operations. Each district had its own budget and millage rate. Funding priorities were based upon the needs identified within the districts, with the goal being to provide more equitable levels of service throughout. All operations, training, communications, prevention, and administration were being coordinated by volunteers in each quadrant.

In May 1985, massive wildfires occurred throughout Florida. Both Volusia and Flagler counties were among those counties hardest hit. These fires occurred on what became known as "Black Friday." After the fires, concerns were raised regarding the county's level of preparedness and fire protection capabilities. In February 1986 the County Council created the Department of Fire Services. This action brought all the fire departments within the unincorporated areas of the county under one director. The new department would have unified leadership, improved budgeting capabilities, and the ability to standardize apparatus and equipment, training and standard operating procedures that were previously handled independently from within the four quadrants.

One of the early acquisitions was a twelve-acre tract on Tiger Bay Road in Daytona. This land would be utilized to build a training facility. In 1988, the Fire Services training facility opened its four-story drill tower. In the period from 1988 through 1996, the Training Center would expand to include a drafting pond, roadway and hydrant system, liquid petroleum gas training project, automobile extrication project, a state of the art classroom and apparatus room complex, and a two-story burn building.

In 1996, the Training Division developed a process, known as the Volunteer Academy, to train newly recruited volunteer personnel in fire-rescue services. With the need for more and more emphasis on education and training of personnel, the Fire Services Training Center became affiliated with Daytona Beach Community College through a partnership agreement in August, 1996.

The County Council approved 30 career Firefighter positions in 1997. Later that year a career firefighter academy was created to indoctrinate those newly hired in VCFS. The six week academy is now required for all persons joining our career ranks.

Wildfires plagued Florida and Volusia County again in the summer of 1998. While there were widespread fires throughout the county, fortunately, there was no loss of life and minimal damage. After the fires, an After Action Report was generated to identify any issues and/or problems that had occurred with recommended corrective actions. Several operational improvements were made. All personnel received extensive training in the incident management system, communication system improvements were made, and several initiatives were developed to assist in evaluation and managing the natural fuels throughout the county.

1999 brought numerous changes for Fire Services. Career staffing was increased with the addition of Advanced Life Support (paramedics) services to several stations. The County Council approved the consolidation of the six taxing districts previously used by VCFS into one fund. This would level the tax rate and allow Fire Services to provide equal services to all unincorporated areas of the county. Hurricane Floyd launched the largest evacuation effort in county history. Once again, Volusia County was blessed with a near miss. Floyd's real time "practice exercise" served as a catalyst to make Fire Services and other county agencies re-evaluate plans and procedures and modify them to be better prepared in the future.

The new millennium has arrived and change continues to bring good things for Fire Services. Even though the drought of 2000 brings back the wildfire threat and memories of Firestorm '98, as an organization, Fire Services is stronger and better prepared. With continued dedication and clear vision, Fire Services continues to grow and improve. The future is just another place in time. It is filled with new opportunities to investigate. The future permits the opportunity to explore what lies ahead and master the challenges it presents.