In 1971, a group of individuals from the Winnsboro Mills area of the County decided that fire service was needed in their area. As a result, the first active fire station in Fairfield County was born-Community Fire Department. The Mitford Station, which had been the first rural fire station, had been inactive for a brief time. As other citizens throughout the County saw what was happening in the Mill area, they too undertook to establish fire stations in their own community. Greenbrier-Bethel, Mitford (reactivated), Lebanon, Blair, Southeastern, and Jenkinsville-Horeb-Monticello followed their lead. As these departments were being organized, the County Council provided only $15,000 per department to build each fire station. After much discussion, however, the County Council approved a fire tax for all citizens living outside of the Winnsboro and Ridgeway Town Limits and then established the Rural Fire Protection Board in July 1976.

The job of coordinating the fire departments and the revenues fell to the new Fire Board. The eighth department to join the ranks of the Fire Board was the Town of Ridgeway, which contracted, with the Board in order to provide a critical link between their own active fire department and the dead area between Community and Southeastern. Dutchman Creek became the ninth and Feasterville the tenth department to join the Fire Board. Again, the time to other areas was lowered. The number was increased to eleven in 1992, when Blackstock/Woodard was accepted into the Fire Board. In 1997, Community Fire Department was able to better serve their fire district with their Sub-Station being opened on Highway 321 North. With plans in the works for a second sub-station in the county, our goals were achieved in 2001 with the opening of the Greenbrier Sub-Station.

                              

The Board has worked through the years to reduce the insurance premiums of homeowners and businesses in the County. It participates in the ratings assigned by the Insurance Services Office and has hired a Fire Inspector as mandated by State law and has attempted to upgrade its fleet and equipment each year.

The members are continuously urged to maintain their training and commitment to providing the very best fire protection to the people of the County.