The LaGrange Fire District
The LaGrange Fire District
Our Mission Statement
It
is the mission of the LaGrange Fire District to provide expedient, skillful
and cost-effective life safety, fire protection and emergency medical services
to the citizens of the town of LaGrange and its visitors.
The LaGrange Fire District was established in 1941 and today consists of three stations, a volunteer staff, a career staff and an array of firefighting, rescue and EMS apparatus. Our district measures 39.7 square miles, with boundaries that correspond to those of the town of LaGrange, and has a population of 14,928 (based on data from the 2000 Census). While primarily residential, there are a number of industrial, commercial, farming and rural properties located throughout the town, along with six of the Arlington School District's schools. There are a number of heavily traveled, major roadways that pass through our district, including; The Taconic State Parkway, NYS Route 55, NYS Route 82 and Noxon Road.
The governing body of the fire district is the Board of Fire Commissioners, which consists of five members that are elected into office by the residents of LaGrange. They are elected for 5-year terms with a single Commissioner coming up for re-election each year. They oversee the business operations and the annual budget for the fire district and have the authority to collect a tax from LaGrange residents.
The day-to-day operations of the fire district are managed by a team of chief officers that consists of; the Chief of the Department, the Deputy Chief, the 1st Assistant Chief and the 2nd Assistant Chief. Our emergency medical service operations are overseen by the EMS Administrator. Each of these positions, with the exception of Deputy Chief and EMS Administrator, are filled by a volunteer chosen from the active ranks of the volunteers with a vote of the membership for a term of one year.
In order to provide more complete EMS and fire protection coverage on weekdays during "normal business hours," and Advanced Life Support services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, a paid staff of firefighters and paramedics are employed by the district, to supplement the efforts of our volunteers. The Deputy Chief oversees the day-to-day activities as part of his district-wide responsibilities. The EMS Administrator oversees the day-to-day operations of the EMS sector, which includes defining and enforcing district wide policies and procedures and acting as the district's liaison for the various local, state and federal regulatory bodies.