Palm Beach County (FL) Fire-Rescue

History

Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue (PBCFR) was created on October 1, 1984, when the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners passed a resolution consolidating the existing fire districts in Palm Beach County.

Prior to 1984 the following fire districts were in existence, covering mostly unincorporated Palm Beach County:

• Jupiter-Tequesta
• Juno Beach
• Old Dixie
• Military Park (Westward Fire District, which covered the community of Westgate and Belvedere Homes, consolidated into Military Park prior to 1984.
• Southwest
• Trail Park
• Reservation (Tri-Community Fire District, which covered the Hypoluxo area, consolidated into Reservation prior to 1984.
• Del Trail
• Canal Point
• Palm Beach International Airport

These departments consolidated, under the leadership of Chief Herman Brice, into Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue (PBCFR). Most of the incorporated cities, unless they were under a contract with a fire district, retained their own departments.

The following departments merged into Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue between 1990 and 2011:

• Lantana Fire-Rescue, Incorporated 1921(October 1, 1997)
• Royal Palm Beach Fire-Rescue (March 13, 1999)
• Lake Park Fire Department (June 29, 2002).
• Belle Glade Fire Department (PBCFR began providing fire protection coverage in October 2006. EMS coverage began on January 7, 2008)
• Pahokee Fire Department (January 7, 2008)
• South Bay Fire Department (January 7, 2008)
• Lake Worth Fire-Rescue (October 1, 2009)
• Palm Springs Public Safety, Fire-Rescue Division(October 1, 2009)