County profile
Dorchester County, SC 13 departments
366 HIFLD personnel across 13 departments in Dorchester County · #19 of 46 in-state.
Dorchester County, SC carries a heavy HIFLD roster (366 personnel across 13 departments) - #19 of 46 in-state; mix 1/11/0 career/volunteer/combination.
- Personnel rank #19 of 46 in South Carolina
- 5.19 stations per 100 personnel
- 23% of roster in Summerville Fire and Rescue
- 1 of 13 depts provide EMS
- 13 of 689 South Carolina departments statewide
Fire Departments in Dorchester County
| Department | Type | Personnel |
|---|---|---|
| Cattle Creek Volunteer Fire Department Reevesville | volunteer | 12 |
| Dorchester Volunteer Fire Department Dorchester | volunteer | 17 |
| Grover Rural Fire Department Saint George | volunteer | 9 |
| Harleyville Rural Fire Department Harleyville | volunteer | 21 |
| Indian Field Volunteer Fire Department Harleyville | volunteer | 12 |
| Old Forte Fire Department Ridgeville | volunteer | 10 |
| Old Forte Fire Department Summerville | other | 63 |
| Old Forte Fire Department Ladson | volunteer | 63 |
| Reevesville Fire Department Reevesville | volunteer | 18 |
| Ridgeville Volunteer Fire Department Ridgeville | volunteer | 14 |
| Saint George Fire Department Saint George | volunteer | 28 |
| Sandhill Volunteer Fire Department Ridgeville | volunteer | 16 |
| Summerville Fire and Rescue Summerville · EMS | career | 83 |
Coverage desk
Roster-weight lane (366 personnel) - station density and largest-book share from HIFLD.
Staffing mix: 1 career, 11 volunteer, 0 combination (85% volunteer).
5.19 stations per 100 HIFLD personnel (19 stations / 366 roster).
Largest book: Summerville Fire and Rescue holds 23% of county personnel (83 of 366).
Photo-finish peer: Vermilion County, IL (+0 personnel).
South Carolina roster context
- State departments
- 689
- Annual fires
- 32,100
- Volunteer %
- 49%
FAQ
How many firefighters serve Dorchester County? ▼
Dorchester County has 366 total fire department personnel across 13 departments. The average per department is 28, which is 12% above the South Carolina average.
How many fire departments are in Dorchester County, SC? ▼
Dorchester County, SC has 13 fire departments with available federal data. 1 career, 11 volunteer, By total reported personnel it ranks #19 of 46 among South Carolina counties with at least one listed department.
Are Dorchester County fire departments mostly volunteer? ▼
Yes, 11 of 13 departments (85%) in Dorchester County are volunteer.
Does Dorchester County have EMS coverage? ▼
Yes - 3 departments in Dorchester County provide EMS services.
Nationwide counties with similar fire coverage
Source: U.S. Fire Administration, National Fire Department Registry NFDR (National Fire Department Registry) · 2024 Personnel totals for Dorchester County sum HIFLD roster fields (career + volunteer) where reported.