The Prescott Fire Department is the oldest fire department in the state of Arizona. It was established in 1885 and is today a modern and highly professional career fire department. The department has a wonderful history full of firefighting traditions and past times.

The department consists of 55 suppression personnel, five fire stations, and serves a population of 49,881 over 41.5 square miles. We are dedicated to providing the highest level of service in the prevention and mitigation of emergency incidents in a growing community and treating our citizens and employees in a fair and considerate manner while remaining financially responsible.

The Prescott Fire Department values a creative and proactive work place, and is involved in numerous joint partnerships to include automatic aid with the Central Arizona Fire and Medical Authority, United States Forest Service, and Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe.

We are dedicated to excellence in service for our customers. The Prescott Fire Department managed the first vegetation reduction crew with 400 area homes being successfully treated for wildland defensible space. We successfully secured a follow-up national fire program grant to continue vegetation reduction, and are a firewise model community within the nation in regards to mitigating the wildland urban interface issue that exists within our region.

Our communications center dispatched 8,808 emergency calls for Prescott Fire Department in the fiscal year of 2015. These calls were processed in less than 60 seconds, 94.65% of the time. Fire Prevention reviewed 1,644 plans for new subdivisions and buildings, trained 1,985 students in fire/life safety. The City of Prescott is currently using the 2006 International Fire Code, Wildland Urban Interface Code, and the 2012 International Fire Code.

Department apparatus are always staffed with at least one Paramedic who is skilled in advanced cardiac life support. Personnel and equipment are dispatched nationwide as part of our off district wildland/all risk response team. Suppression members conducted 16,135 man-hours of in-service training in all aspects of emergency services to include advanced and basic life support, fire suppression, wildland fire suppression, aircraft rescue firefighting, hazardous materials, confined space rescue, trench rescue, high and low angle rope rescue, helicopter operations, child safety, public education, mass casualty, natural disasters, and terrorism.

On May 15th, 2002, the most significant wildland fire in Prescott for over 100 years took place. The “Indian” Fire started near Indian Creek Road in the Prescott National Forest and burned into the city limits. Five homes were destroyed along with 1,365 acres of vegetation. 1500 people were evacuated and 2000 homes were directly threatened. Because of USFS fuel reduction and a quick coordinated initial attack by the USFS, Prescott Fire Department, Central Airzona Fire and Medical Authority, the cooperation of the Prescott Police Department, Yavapai County Sheriff’s office, Yavapai Division of Emergency Management and numerous volunteers. The fire was contained in five days. The cost of fighting the fire was approximately $3,000,000.