County profile

Rutherford County, NC 18 departments

618 HIFLD personnel across 18 departments in Rutherford County · #15 of 100 in-state.

618 personnel · #15 of 100

Rutherford County, NC carries a heavy HIFLD roster (618 personnel across 18 departments) - #15 of 100 in-state; mix 2/14/0 career/volunteer/combination.

  • Personnel rank #15 of 100 in North Carolina
  • 3.88 stations per 100 personnel
  • 15% of roster in Hudlow Fire and Rescue Department
  • 10 of 18 depts provide EMS
  • 18 of 1,534 North Carolina departments statewide
18
Departments
618
Total Personnel
#15 of 100
In-state by personnel
14
Volunteer Depts

Fire Departments in Rutherford County

All fire departments in Rutherford County, NC with personnel and station counts
Department Type Personnel
Bills Creek Volunteer Fire Department
Lake Lure · EMS
volunteer 36
Bostic Volunteer Fire Department
Bostic
volunteer 29
Cherry Mountain Volunteer Fire Department
Bostic · EMS
volunteer 26
Chimney Rock Volunteer Fire Department
Chimney Rock · EMS
volunteer 23
Cliffside Area Volunteer Fire Department
Cliffside
volunteer 37
Ellenboro Volunteer Fire Department
Ellenboro · EMS
volunteer 39
Fairfield Mountains Volunteer Fire Department
Lake Lure
volunteer 70
Fairfield Volunteer Fire Department
Lake Lure
other -
Forest City Fire Department
Forest City · EMS
career 29
Green Hill Volunteer Fire Department
Rutherfordton
volunteer 56
Hudlow Fire and Rescue Department
Forest City · EMS
volunteer 94
Hudlow Volunteer Fire Department
Rutherfordton · EMS
other -
Rutherfordton Fire Department
Rutherfordton · EMS
volunteer 23
Sandy Mush Volunteer Fire Department
Forest City
volunteer 31
Shiloh Danieltown Oakland Volunteer Fire Department
Forest City · EMS
volunteer 53
Shingle Hollow Fire Department
Rutherfordton
volunteer 20
Spindale Fire Department
Spindale · EMS
career 30
Union Mills Volunteer Fire Department
Union Mills
volunteer 22

Coverage desk

Roster-weight lane (618 personnel) - station density and largest-book share from HIFLD.

Staffing mix: 2 career, 14 volunteer, 0 combination (78% volunteer).

3.88 stations per 100 HIFLD personnel (24 stations / 618 roster).

Largest book: Hudlow Fire and Rescue Department holds 15% of county personnel (94 of 618).

Photo-finish peer: Winnebago County, IL (+0 personnel).

North Carolina roster context

State departments
1,534
Annual fires
62,800
Volunteer %
57%
View North Carolina →

FAQ

How many firefighters serve Rutherford County?

Rutherford County has 618 total fire department personnel across 18 departments. The average per department is 34, which is 31% above the North Carolina average.

How many fire departments are in Rutherford County, NC?

Rutherford County, NC has 18 fire departments with available federal data. 2 career, 14 volunteer, By total reported personnel it ranks #15 of 100 among North Carolina counties with at least one listed department.

Are Rutherford County fire departments mostly volunteer?

Yes, 14 of 18 departments (78%) in Rutherford County are volunteer.

Does Rutherford County have EMS coverage?

Yes - 11 departments in Rutherford County provide EMS services.

Nationwide counties with similar fire coverage

Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details.
Top fire departments in Rutherford, NC Horizontal bar chart of the top 5 items by value (personnel). Top fire departments in Rutherford, NC Top 5 1. Hudlow Fire and Rescue Department 94 personnel 2. Fairfield Mountains Volunteer Fire Departme… 70 personnel 3. Green Hill Volunteer Fire Department 56 personnel 4. Shiloh Danieltown Oakland Volunteer Fire De… 53 personnel 5. Ellenboro Volunteer Fire Department 39 personnel Top 5 fire departments by total personnel in this county.Source: U.S. Fire Administration NFDR.

Source: U.S. Fire Administration, National Fire Department Registry NFDR (National Fire Department Registry) · 2024 Personnel totals for Rutherford County sum HIFLD roster fields (career + volunteer) where reported.