1972-The first ambulance in Suwannee County was purchased by the City of Branford. It was located at the old bathhouse behind the library and was operated by volunteers.
1973– Live Oak Fire Department bought a 2nd ambulance, which was the first paid staff ambulance in Suwannee County.
1975– EMS was created under the Board of County Commissioners with daily operations under the Live Oak Fire Department. During that time 6 full-time EMTs were hired to operate a Basic Life Support ambulance in Live Oak, and 1 EMT was hired for the Basic Life Support ambulance in Branford utilizing Volunteers to drive. EMS continued to be an operational component of the Live Oak Fire Department until 1978.
1978– The County placed EMS and it’s daily operations under the control of the Suwannee Hospital Administrator. David Pate was appointed EMS director with personnel working not only EMS but in the Hospital Emergency Room as well.
1979– Rick Roberts was appointed EMS Director.
1983– EMS was taken over by the Board of County Commissioners as a separate County Department with Rick Roberts appointed as it ’s first Director reporting to the County Coordinator.
1984– The county transitioned to Advanced Life Support prehospital medical care with a Paramedic on all county ambulances at the northern end of the county. During this time the Branford based ambulance became fully staffed with a Paramedic and EMT on each shift.
1985– Suwannee County received its first Advanced Life Support (ALS) Ambulance, independently operated by the county. Emergency Medical Services was moved into a portable building behind the hospital.
1986– Zeke Mathews was appointed as Interim Operations Chief of EMS by the county coordinator.
1987– Murel McDonald was appointed as Operations Chief of EMS by the County Coordinator.
1988– The county began basic 911 telephone capability.
1989– The Department of Emergency Services was created by the Board of County Commissioners; which included the administrative oversight for EMS, Emergency Management, 911 implementation, and the coordination of the Volunteer Fire Departments with Murel McDonald serving as the Director. He was the first and only Director to serve in this capacity as this department was reorganized in 2006; upon his retirement. Part of these duties was to serve as a Volunteer Fire coordinator assisting the BOCC with issues from the VFD’s and title 4 funding assistance.
1989– The BOCC directed the department to begin a transition to an enhanced fully integrated 911 system. With input from the sheriff, BOCC, Postal Masters, a county 911 addressing ordinance was developed and countywide numbering of roads and a uniform addressing system deployed.
1994– On October 1st the Suwannee County Fire Dept was established. Fire suppression services were performed by 3 paid firefighters (one per shift) and one Fire Apparatus, which was stationed at the forestry house on Hwy 90.
1995– Suwannee County received a grant to build a new station. Plans were developed to design a station to house the Ambulance Service, Emergency Management, and a fire truck for the Airport.
1995– A fully enhanced County 911 System was started with daily operations of the system falling under the Sheriff’s department and 911 Addressing and database management fell under the Emergency Services Department.
1996– A 4th firefighter was added to the Suwannee County Fire Dept.
1998– The Suwannee County Fire Dept., Emergency Medical Services, and Emergency Management moved into their new station located at the Airport.
1999– The County adds the 5th firefighter to the Suwannee County Fire Dept.
2000– The County adds the 6th additional paid firefighter, establishing 2 staff members per shift. Staffing levels at that time was; EMS-20 full time, Emergency Management 3 full time, 911 coordination and addressing- 3 full-time employees. Fire Department 6 full-time firefighters and the fire coordinator.
2003– In November the County added a third ambulance unit.
2004– Emergency Management was taken over by the county coordinator. Emergency Services Director began the transition to a fire/rescue type organization under the directive of the county coordinator.
2004–2006 During this time Fire and EMS went through several transitioning processes including a temporary merging of city/fire/EMS services which operationally succeeded but failed later due to funding pressures between the City of Live Oak and County Commissioners.
2004– In April of 2004 the Board of County Commissioners voted to add a station in McAlpin. It housed 2 staff members with an ambulance unit and a fire engine. The stations were renamed as Station 1 – Live Oak, Station 2 – McAlpin, and Station 3 – Branford.
2005– In September of 2005, an engine was added to the Branford station.
2006– On August 1st of 2006 the Emergency Services Director, Murel McDonald retired. The County began the process of combining Fire and Medical Services into one entity known as Suwannee County Fire Rescue. The Board of County Commissioners declared that EMS and Fire had merged and would be under the direction of Scott Racow which served as the first Public Safety Director. The volunteer organizations would fall under the direction of the Public Safety Director. Emergency Management was taken over by the sheriff.
2006– The County bought 5 squads and 2 tankers to put in service. The new equipment was distributed to both volunteer and paid stations.
2008– Public Safety Director Scott Racow resigned. His replacement was Charle Conner which had been with the Department for a short time.
2010– In October; because of a joint effort with the Advent Christian Village, Station 4 was added in Dowling Park with 2 staff members, a medical transport unit, and a fire engine.
2012– On May 18th of 2013 Charlie Conner resigns as Public Safety Director in order to pursue a job with a private fire service company in Afghanistan. James Sommers was named interim Director until which time the County Administrator, Randy Harris, and Board of County Commissioners Appointed him to the position of Public Safety Director. Sommers had been with the department since 2001. The Board of County Commissioner voted to build station # 5 that was to the Wellborn area. In October Fire Rescue hired 6 additional firefighter/paramedics to staff Station 5. The Wellborn Community Association was instrumental in securing the land for the new station. Crews operated out of station 51 also known as Wellborn Volunteer Fire Department while Station 5 was being built. The project finished under James Sommers’s watch.
2013– The Station 5 project finished under James Sommers’s command. Work completed in May of 2013 and crews moved into the new station. An open house was held during the Blueberry Festival in June.
2014– SCFR begins providing interfacility transfers. These services hadn’t been provided since 1995 and were brought back to help the Board of County Commissioners fund the budget and to help provide for capital outlay. This was part of Chief James Sommers’s efforts to move the department to become self-sufficient. The BOCC approved a separate budget for the fiscal 2015 year for transfers. An additional medical transport unit was added to the fleet and staffed with part-time employees to provide additional services. The additional rescue unit became available after receiving a grant to replace one of the primary rescue units.
2017-The Board of County Commissioners approved to add 16 entry-level firefighters in an effort to combat overtime issues and absences.
2019– Public Safety Director James Sommers died in a motorcycle crash on August 6, 2019, after leaving a Board of County Commissioners meeting. Assistant Chief Eddie Hand was named the interim Public Safety Director.
2020– The County changes the Public Safety Director title to Fire Chief. County Administrator, Randy Harris appoints Eddie Hand as Fire Chief. Chief Hand becomes the 4th Fire Chief of Suwannee County Fire Rescue that was founded in 2006.
Currently, we have 5 Professional Stations staffed and operated with 65 staff members, 10 Reserve Stations, and 25 Reservist providing the following services: Fire Suppression, Emergency Medical Services, Non-Emergency Medical Transportation, Community Outreach Programs, New Construction Inspections, Annual Inspections, Public Education, Investigations, Tactical Response Team and a Regional Hazmat Team.