FUNCTIONS & RESPONSIBILITIES
Established in 1994, Fire-Rescue provides emergency services to an immense response area, covering 1132 square miles. Operating from 36 fire stations located in the beautiful South Carolina Lowcountry, the department is one of the largest ISO Class 4 Fire Departments in the United States. The staff is comprised of 175 volunteer firefighters, supported by 81 cross-trained career personnel. Fire-Rescue operates a fleet of 128 vehicles including 38 engines, 38 tenders, brush trucks, 12 paramedic ambulances, 2 E-One 95' Platforms and 1 ARFF (aircraft unit).
Services
- Fire Suppression
- BLS & ALS Emergency Medical First Response
- Paramedic Level Emergency Medical Transport
- Fire and Life Safety Education / Prevention Activities
- Fire Inspections / Code Enforcement
- Fire Investigation / Arson Detection / Computer Fire Modeling
- Technician Level Hazardous Materials Mitigation
- Technical Rescue / Extrication
- Water Rescue and Recovery
- Confined Space and High Level Rescue
- Public Education/ Fire Prevention
- Aviation Crash Rescue
Through a progressive local government, the department has experienced tremendous growth since 2002. Fire-Rescue constructed and equipped sixteen new fire stations to extend coverage to many rural communities and reduced the ISO classification countywide. The department assumed suppression duties within four municipalities and began providing countywide ALS/Paramedic Level Emergency Medical Services. All career staff members are cross-trained as Firefighters and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT, Advanced or Paramedic), an effort that greatly improved operations for the citizens.