Today’s Lakeland Fire Department has grown to employ 179 personnel operating seven stations, a maintenance facility, training center, and an administrative building; with a response area of approximately 84-square miles.
The department has also broadened its range of services to include heavy rescue, technical rescue, fire prevention, fire code enforcement, fire investigation, aircraft rescue and firefighting, and in-house fleet maintenance; this is all in addition to the exceptional fire suppression and emergency medical response service the department is known for.
In recent history, the department has celebrated other historical accomplishments, like providing Lakeland with the best Insurance Services Office (ISO) Public Protection Classification Rating of a 1, the highest it has ever had.
Learn more about the department’s ISO classifications and what it means here.
The Lakeland Fire Department of today enjoys top of the line equipment, highly trained and professional personnel, and the ability to provide outstanding emergency response services to the people of Lakeland because of the forward thinking of its leaders over a hundred years ago.
Reflecting Back: Looking Forward
The growth seen during the early years of the department came to fruition when the Lakeland Fire Department became a career fire department on August 1, 1916. The department reflected on its history in 2016 with a yearlong celebration, which included a commemorative centennial badge, apparatus and station décor, a community celebration, and more. The department’s Centennial Celebration is proof that the department cherishes and reflects on its past while using its rich history to look forward into the future and continue to work towards being the best public safety organization focused on providing superior customer service.
Learn more about the department’s apparatus today and its most recent additions here.