STAFFING:

Polk County Fire District No.1 has four fire stations. Volunteers staff three of these stations completely. Station 40 is located in Buena Vista,  Station 80 is located in Airlie, Station 70 in Pedee, and Station 90, (the Central Station) in Independence. In addition to the fire suppression volunteers, the District also has support, special services, EMS only volunteers, and chaplains.

Station 90 is the only station in the District that is staffed 24/7 with three shifts. Each shift is comprised of a Captain/Paramedic, and three Firefighter/Paramedics on duty for 24 hours a day. In Fiscal Year 2022-23, the District added an additional Firefighter/EMT.  Not only are there career personnel and home responding volunteers at Station 90, but there are also Resident Volunteers who are students pursuing carrers in Fire and EMS and are assigned rotating schedules when they’re not in class. 

The District's full-time staff consist of; Fire Chief, Deputy Chief of Operations and Training, Division Chief of EMS and Logistics, Division Chief Fire Marshal, Office Administrator and part-time Office Assistant. Our Volunteer Division Chief assists in oversight if the Volunteers.