History

In 1998, The Village Center Community Development District (VCCDD) introduced a "Proposal for Improved Public Safety" to provide full-time fire protection services to the growing community and rapidly increasing population. The ultimate goal for this proposal was to reduce response times for emergency service calls and to standardize the level of response within The Villages.

On October 6, 1998, a special meeting of the Board of Supervisors of the VCCDD was held for consideration and approval of the proposal for improved public safety, and with a unanimous vote, the Board authorized staff to move forward, thus leading to the formation of The Villages Public Safety Department (VPSD). VPSD has provided fire protection and emergency medical services to the areas of The Villages since October 1, 1999.

Initially, the Department was comprised of one Station (Station 41- Lake Sumter Landing), one Fire Chief, and 12 Firefighter/Paramedics. VPSD responded to 1,040 calls for service during the first year of operations and the response area covered approximately 3 square miles.

Today, The Villages Public Safety Department has the honor of serving the world’s largest retirement community. Over the past twenty years, the community and population have experienced a tremendous amount of rapid growth. VPSD has expanded in unison with The Villages to ensure that increasing demands are met with no reduction in service. The Department’s coverage area exceeds 55 square miles with over 140,000 residents in three counties (Lake, Sumter, Marion) and five cities (Lady Lake, Wildwood, Coleman, Oxford, Fruitland Park). Although predominately a retirement community, The Villages has three family communities and an A+ charter school system (pre-K through 12th). The Villages Public Safety Department has the honor of protecting a population demographic that spans all ages.

Department Profile

The Village Public Safety Department is a full-service career fire rescue department operating out of eight stations strategically located throughout the community to ensure a rapid response to emergencies.

• 8 Fire Stations (4 additional Fire Stations currently planned)
• 150+ Full-Time Firefighter/EMTs and Firefighter/Paramedics
• 4 Engines
• 1 75’ Aerial Ladder
• 1 95’ Tower Ladder
• 1 100’ Aerial Ladder
• 1 Type I (Heavy) Technical Rescue Team (FL-TRT-424)
• 9 Fully Equipped Ambulance Transport Rescues (Advanced Life Support)
• 1 Marine Unit
• 1 All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Unit
• 2 Battalion Chiefs per shift (3 shifts)

Services Provided

• Fire Suppression/Fire Protection
• Emergency Medical Services
• Advanced Life Support (Paramedic) services including ambulance transport
• Type I (heavy) Technical Rescue Team (FL-TRT-424) recognized by the State of Florida. Team members are Firefighter/EMTs and Firefighter/Paramedics specializing in:
  • High Angle Rope Rescue
  • Vehicle Machinery Rescue
  • Confined Space Rescue
  • Trench Collapse Rescue
  • Structural Collapse Rescue
  • Large Animal Rescue
  • Swift Water Rescue
• Operations Level Hazardous Materials Response
• Fire Prevention and Inspections (Including Public Education Events)
• Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
• Neighborhood AED Groups (Neighbors Saving Neighbors® program)
• Fire Station Tours
• CPR/AED Classes
• Smoke Detector Program
• Car Seat Installation Program
• Knox Box Program

Call Statistics For Fiscal Year 2021-22

The Villages Public Safety Department responded to over 28,000 Incidents in Fiscal Year 2021-22. 63% of those Incidents were Rescue and Emergency Medical Service calls involving medical emergencies, medical assists, motor vehicle crashes and extrication. 25% of Incidents were service calls which include water leaks, smoke/smell of smoke, smoke detector assistance and persons in distress. The other 12% of Incidents were calls related to fires, hazardous conditions, false alarms, good intent and severe weather. An example of a good intent call is someone mistaking steam or fog for smoke and calling it in thinking it could be a fire or other emergency.

Insurance Service Organization Public Protection Class

The Insurance Service Organization (ISO) is a third-party independent agency that evaluates the fire prevention and fire suppression capabilities of fire departments across the United States and rates the results on a national scale of 1 to 10 — with 1 being the best and highest score. This numerical classification score is called a Public Protection Classification (PPC) and is based upon a number of criteria and major elements of a community’s fire protection system. The Villages Public Safety Department is proud to have been ranked as a Class 2 Fire Department by ISO, a rare Classification among American fire departments with only 2% of fire departments in the United States obtaining this level.

ISO is the driving factor for residential and commercial property insurance premiums and rates. Due to our superb ISO rating, commercial properties and residents pay a lower insurance premium. This is a nationally recognized standard based on extensive criteria that evaluates a fire department’s ability to protect its citizens and property.