The City of Kilgore was incorporated in 1931 and soon after established a fire department to serve the needs of the community. The Kilgore Fire Department is the emergency response system that covers approximately 75.5 square miles to include the City of Kilgore and surrounding areas in Gregg and Rusk counties. They currently serve an estimated population of 20,000.
Services included are fire protection, fire inspections, rescue services, community education in first aid, cardio-pulmonary-resuscitation, fire extinguisher training, citizen’s fire academy, as well as involvement in other community projects. All Kilgore Fire personnel are EMT level or above and 90% of Kilgore firefighters are certified wild-land Firefighters.
The department is currently under the leadership of Chief John Bellows and has 33 firefighters that work out of three fire stations. Firefighters work 24 hour shifts which are supervised by shift commanders: A Shift-Captain Mark Henderson; B Shift-Captain Ben Jones; and C Shift-Captain Justin Stephenson. The department training exceeds Fire and EMS State requirements and the department has developed an extensive physical training program to ensure that firefighters maintain physical conditioning that is imperative for job function.
The Department hosts an annual S.A.F.F.E. (Special Abilities Family Fun Event) Day every year in September. The event is designed to focus on anyone with special needs or abilities. The day is for people with special needs and their families, allowing them to participate in fun, educational, and exciting activities that are free. Most activities are fire service and safety oriented such as hose spraying to put out house fires and ring a bell, ride in the fire truck, safety puppet shows, balloons, clowns, soar into the air in a fire department aerial platform, face painting, educational booths to get assistance, free food, fire obstacle course, and entertainment. This is a special day that rewards all participants, firefighters, city employees, volunteers, and our friends that donate to make this event successful. You may go the cityofkilgore.com website for additional information.
Kilgore Rescue Unit
The Kilgore Rescue Unit is a volunteer organization that performs under the direction of the fire department and is supervised by the Fire Chief.
Currently, the Kilgore Rescue Unit is under the direction of Chief Edgar Rachal and has 6 active members. The Unit meets the first and third Monday of every month and is located within the city limits of Kilgore, Texas. The Unit has 4 rescue trucks in service and respond to calls within 10 miles of the city limits of Kilgore, Texas. Department members are certified in water rescue, confined space rescue, vehicle extrication, wild-land fire fighting and mutual aid with the Overton Volunteer Fire Department and the Crims Chapel Volunteer Fire Department as well as the City of Kilgore Fire Department.
Contact can be made via the cityofkilgore.com website.
RUSK COUNTY FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION
PO BOX 1911
Henderson, Texas 75653
info@ruskcountyfire.org