Department History

Started in 1950 by members of the community who saw the growing need for an organized fire department. An initial meeting of members from the community discussed appropriate locations, equipment needed and how to raise the funds. Utilizing donations of land, building material and manpower from the community the first fire rescue station was built and the counties first fire apparatus was placed in service.

A short time later in 1960 the recently created Powhatan Rescue Squad combined with the fire department to become the Powhatan Emergency Crew providing both Fire and EMS services to the citizens of Powhatan County.

As the county grew the need for not only more units, but another location from which to respond from sparked several members to branch off creating their own department on the eastern end of the county known as Huguenot Volunteer Fire Department or Company 2.

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With no emergency dispatch established yet the citizens would report emergences to a local business via phone triggering a phone tree that would reach as many members as possible to respond. In the early months of 1972 the two companies came together and agreed on a single dispatch center which was built on the second floor of the Richardson building in the county court house.

The years from 1972-1974 saw more growth and development in the county which brought an increase in its population. Companies 3 (Macon District Volunteer Fire Department started 1972) and Company 4 (Fine Creek Volunteer Fire Department started 1974) were established to provide coverage to the far western portion of the county and the north eastern portion along the James River. These years also saw the Powhatan Emergency Crew, running out of the court house area, dissolve into two separate agencies creating what we know today as the Powhatan Volunteer Rescue Squad and Powhatan Volunteer Fire Department or Company 1.

With traffic increasing on Rt 60 the need for another fire company became evident to better serve those in the north western portion of the county, as well as daily commuters from neighboring counties as they passed through. In 1995 Company 5 (Deep Creek Volunteer Fire Department) was established to fulfill this need.

With five volunteer fire companies and a rescue squad the emergency response needs for the citizens of Powhatan County were met by dedicated members of the community volunteering their time to train and respond when necessary.

In 2017 the first full time career staff were hired to supplement the volunteers and provide additional fire and ems coverage county wide.