Jefferson Fire District
PROUDLY SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF JEFFERSON, MILLERSBURG AND TALBOT
Carrying on a proud tradition
Objectives, Vision, Mission and Values & History
Objectives
Be financially responsible. Provide quality community outreach. Maintain an effective organization. Maintain quality equipment and facilities. Provide effective and timely services.
Vision Statements
A team whose members are effective, empowered and enthusiastic in their service. A personal growth in combination with up-to-date Fire and Emergency Medical Services technology. Training where knowledge is safety. Customer service balances community support. A workplace that is free from harassment and discrimination. Recognition as the community resource during times of need. Continually exceeding our customers’ expectations. Fire prevention and education ideas turned into community wide uniformity. A District that is financially responsible. A management/labor partnership where decisions are made collaboratively.
Mission Statement
The Jefferson Rural Fire Protection District is dedicated to protecting life and property from harm and danger through education, training and teamwork.
Value Statements
Openness and receptiveness to new and innovative ways of doing business. Honesty and integrity with open communication at all levels in the organization. Respect for all members of our organization and support each individual’s efforts to achieve their highest potential. Safety and teamwork as the number one priority. Continually striving to respect and protect our customers. The importance of public education in the development of community safety.
History - Fire Chiefs
City of Jefferson Fire Department
Will Jones 1931 to 1933
Harvey Thurston 1933 to 1935
Kingsley Thurston 1935 to 1937
Harvey Thurston 1937 to 1941
Clarence Thurston 1941 to 1945
W.D. Barnes 1945 to 1949
Gilbert Jones 1949 to 1957
Jefferson Rural Fire Protection District
Gilbert Jones 1956 to 1968
Fred Neuenschwender 1968 to 1979
Elwin Salter 1979 to 1982
Mike Newell 1982 to 1988
Richard Daily 1988 to 2000
Don Bemrose 2000 to 2010
Jon Zeilman 2010 to 2017
Kevin Hendricks 2017 to 2022
Levi Eckhardt 2022 to present
History - Important Dates
1931 Formation of the City of Jefferson Fire Department and Station build near Ferry and S. Main street
1956 Formation of the Jefferson Rural Fire District and a Station build at the corner of N. Main Street and Hazel Street and election of five board members
1957 Voter in the City of Jefferson approved dissolving the City Fire Department and added to the Jefferson Rural Fire Protection Fire District
1961 The district hires its first full time employee, the Fire Chief
1973 The district hires second full time employee, the Assistant Chief
1975 Addition of two fire stations: one on Woods Road NE in the City of Millersburg and one station in the Community of Talbot on Talbot Rd S.
1994 The district hires its third full time employee, the Training Officer
1998 The district started a water rescue team
1998 The district starts providing Transporting Ambulance Service
1999 Hired full time ambulance service manager
2003 Voters passed a bond to buy apparatus and build a new office building
2015 Voters passed a levy to support the ambulance service
2018 City of Millersburg withdrew from the Jefferson Fire District for Fire protection, still providing ambulance service to North section of the City of Millersburg
2019 Voters approve an operating levy for equipment and personnel cost