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I have come across several examples where a Fire Department as named on map is actually a Fire Protection District. Is there a distinction made between Fire Department and Fire Protection District? |
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Broadly, both fire protection districts and fire departments comprise several stations that service an area, but fire departments are generally funded by a city or county and work within certain city or county boundaries, and fire protection districts are generally independent of city or county government. The services of a fire protection district may extend beyond typical administrative boundaries to rural or unincorporated areas. There's also a funding and management difference, but I'm not totally clear on that. For our purposes, whether you come across a station run by a fire department or a fire protection district, you should enter whatever name is listed on an authoritative source. Or, if you can access an image or on-the-ground map view of the building, you can enter the name that is displayed on the building (or on a nearby sign). Before collecting any fire station (department or district), make sure that it fits our definition of a fire or EMS station as detailed in our Structures List. |
