Mission Statement
To make Okeechobee the safest county possible, we will continuously strive for excellence in all aspects of fire rescue services essential to the health and well-being of our citizens and visitors.
Okeechobee County, incorporated in 1917, is located in the state of Florida to the north of and encompassing part of the lake for which the county is named.
Fire suppression service throughout the county had long been provided by the City of Okeechobee Fire Department until 1977 when Okeechobee County's elected officials decided to establish their own fire department. Initially known as the Okeechobee County Fire Department, made up of volunteer firefighters, and three paid firefighters. They moved from their current location to another county building which would become station 1, located across from the Historical Courthouse. In 1999 station 1 suffered major damage from a fire and all operations were moved to the current location 504 N.W. 6th Street and has been the home of station 1 since.
in 1980, county commissioners elected to merge the county fire department and the county hospital ambulance service to create Okeechobee County Fire Rescue, which increased the paid personnel to nine people.
In 1984, Station 2 was built in Treasure Island, and it included the addition of nine personnel.
the following year Station 3 was built in Ft. Drum and was used to house apparatus and equipment and later become a volunteer station. Increasing the staffing from 2000-2004 helped with the opening of Station four in 2007 on the northern end of the county.
Today Okeechobee County Fire Rescue provides emergency services to nearly 40,000 residents, businesses, and visitors within the 892 square miles it serves. Service is provided by 36 paid firefighters and approximately 15 volunteers. Mutual aid is also provided to and received from by our neighboring jurisdictions of the City of Okeechobee, Glades County, Highlands County, Indian River County, Martin County, Osceola County, ad St. Lucie County.
