The Cranston Heights Fire Company

What The Cranston Heights Fire Company does

The Cranston Heights Fire Company is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit volunteer fire company founded in 1919/1920 in Wilmington, Delaware, providing fire suppression, Basic Life Support (BLS) emergency medical services, vehicle extrication, hazardous materials response, and technical rescue to the Cranston Heights area and surrounding New Castle County communities. The company operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, from Station 14 at 3306 Kirkwood Highway, running nine apparatus including two engines, two ambulances (A-14, C-14), one heavy rescue, one hazardous materials unit, and two command units, plus heritage antiques (a 1931 American LaFrance and a 1960 Mack under restoration). Staffing combines active volunteers with a small career staff under Fire Chief Jonathan D. Sokira (since 2014).

Revenue is generated from five streams: ambulance billing (variable based on insurance reimbursements and direct patient payments), recurring government contributions from local and state appropriations, tax-deductible public donations ($25/$50/$100/other amounts accepted online via PayPal and Venmo), transaction-based hall rental of the Cranston Heights Memorial Hall accommodating 50-300 guests for weddings, corporate functions, and funeral luncheons, and fundraising events such as $15-per-ticket chicken BBQs. Additional monetization includes distribution of KNOX-BOX rapid-entry hardware and resale of surplus Kenwood Viking 6430-F2 radio equipment at $1,350 per package.

The service scope is geographically bounded to New Castle County, Delaware, where the company participates in the New Castle County Emergency Operations Center dispatch network (with live fireground audio streamed via Broadcastify) and maintains mutual-aid relationships with 50+ Delaware fire companies. Community engagement — Santa Runs, open houses, craft shows, boot drives, and the Wake Up Delaware smoke-detector program — drives both volunteer recruitment and donor support. Governance rests with an elected Board of Directors and officers, with current leadership including President Eric W. Gaberlein, Vice President Christopher R. Ferrara, and Chairman Brian L. Lange.

Name

The Cranston Heights Fire Company

Legal name

Cranston Heights Fire Company

Website

https://chfc14.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1920

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Cranston Heights Fire Company is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit volunteer fire company in Wilmington, Delaware, providing fire suppression, Basic Life Support EMS, vehicle rescue, and hazardous materials response to Cranston Heights and surrounding New Castle County communities since 1920.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Emergency Services

NAICS

Fire Protection (92216)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Safety Administration (Fire/EMS, Emergency Management) (BPAIACAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Fire & Rescue Services (Fire Suppression, Rescue) (BPAIAGAB)

Keywords

• Volunteer fire services
• Emergency medical services
• Fire suppression services
• Vehicle rescue operations
• Fire prevention education

Headquarters

HQ city

Wilmington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Ambulance Billing: Revenue from ambulance services including patient care and transportation to local hospitals. Income varies depending on insurance payouts and direct patient payments.
2. Government Contributions: Standard contributions from local and state governments at set rates depending on available appropriation.
3. Donations: Tax-deductible donations from the public. Accepts online donations via PayPal and Venmo, as well as checks by mail.
4. Hall Rental: Rental of Cranston Heights Memorial Hall for weddings, banquets, corporate functions, training sessions, birthdays, anniversaries, and funeral luncheons. Accommodates 50-300 people. Includes bar rental packages with professional bartenders.
5. Fundraising Events: Chicken BBQ fundraisers and other community events with proceeds going to the fire company.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Cranston Heights Fire Company is a 501(c)(3) non-profit volunteer fire company providing fire suppression, Basic Life Support emergency medical services, vehicle extrication, hazardous materials response, and technical rescue to Cranston Heights and surrounding areas of New Castle County, Delaware, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. It supplements these emergency services with community fire prevention education, smoke detector distribution, and rental of its on-site Memorial Hall for events.

Product overview

Cranston Heights Fire Company operates as a volunteer fire company with some paid staffing, providing emergency services including fire suppression, Basic Life Support EMS with two ambulances, vehicle extrication, hazardous materials response, and general rescue operations. The company operates nine apparatus including engines, rescue vehicles, ambulances, and command units. Beyond core emergency services, the company offers a hall rental venue (Cranston Heights Memorial Hall) for events accommodating 50-300 guests, and distributes the KNOX-BOX rapid entry system for emergency building access. Additional offerings include fire prevention education programs, smoke detector distribution, and the sale of surplus emergency radio equipment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fire Suppression Services Professional fire suppression and firefighting services provided 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year to Cranston Heights and surrounding areas in New Castle County, Delaware, using two engines (Engine 14, Rescue Engine 14) and historical apparatus.
• Emergency Medical Services (BLS) Basic Life Support ambulance services with Nationally Registered Emergency Medical Technicians providing patient care and transportation to local hospitals; operates two BLS ambulances (A-14 and C-14).
• Vehicle Extrication Rescue Vehicle rescue technician services for extricating victims from motor vehicle accidents and collapsed structures, supported by Rescue 14 heavy rescue apparatus.
• Hazardous Materials Response Hazardous materials incident response capabilities, including one dedicated Hazardous Materials unit among the company's nine apparatus.
• Fire Prevention Program Community fire prevention education including school visits, fire safety presentations, smoke detector distribution through the Wake Up Delaware program, and participation in National Fire Prevention Week.
• Cranston Heights Memorial Hall Rental Event venue rental service accommodating 50-300 guests for weddings, banquets, corporate functions, training sessions, birthdays, anniversaries, and funeral luncheons. Includes catering options and bar facilities with professional bartenders.
• KNOX-BOX Rapid Entry System Deployment Secure emergency access system from Knox Company that provides the fire department rapid entry into buildings without forced entry damage. Property owners store keys and access cards in high-security Knox-Boxes mounted near entrances.
• Kenwood Viking 6430-F2 Radio Equipment Sale Sale of 800MHz portable radio equipment including Kenwood Viking 6430-F2 radios with speaker mics, batteries, antenna, and desktop chargers, programmed for P25 Phase 1 with P25 Phase 2 capability.
• Chicken BBQ Fundraiser Event Community fundraising event where chicken BBQ meals are sold at $15 per ticket with proceeds going to support the Cranston Heights Fire Company.

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Delaware State Fire SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTraining partner providing fire and EMS training programs. Members receive free training through the nationally recognized Delaware State Fire School. EMT classes taught through the school covering treatment of injuries to cardiac arrest response.
• New Castle County Emergency Operations CentercoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides live dispatch and fireground audio streaming via Broadcastify.com. Fire company participates in the county-wide emergency response system.
• Wake Up Delaware ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide smoke detector and battery distribution program. Cranston Heights participates in giving out smoke detectors and batteries twice yearly coinciding with clock changes. Program began in 2001 after 16 Delawarean deaths due to lack of working smoke detectors.
• Other Delaware Fire CompaniesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of 50+ Delaware fire company links for mutual aid and coordination. Includes Millville Fire Company, Indian River Fire Company, Aetna Hose Hook & Ladder, Hockessin Fire Company, Mill Creek Fire Company, and many others throughout Delaware.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Hockessin Fire Company: New Castle County, Delaware volunteer fire company and mutual aid partner of CHFC. Directly comparable in offering, hybrid staffing model, and reliance on donations and government appropriations.
• Millville Fire Company: Delaware volunteer fire company listed among CHFC's network of 50+ Delaware fire company links for mutual aid and coordination. Comparable in scale and the combination volunteer/career staffing model used by CHFC.
• Indian River Fire Company: Volunteer fire company in Delaware and part of CHFC's mutual aid/coordination network. Operates with a similar service mix (fire suppression, EMS, rescue) and community-funded revenue model.
• Christiana Fire Company: Volunteer fire company serving the New Castle County, Delaware area. Comparable size, scope, and funding model, and operating in the same county emergency response ecosystem.
• Aetna Hose Hook & Ladder (Delaware): Established volunteer fire company in Delaware referenced in CHFC's partnership links. Provides directly comparable emergency services in the same regional context to the same kinds of customer base.
• Mill Creek Fire Company: Delaware volunteer fire company within CHFC's mutual aid network. Operates fire, EMS, and rescue services under a comparable 501(c)(3) nonprofit structure serving suburban New Castle County communities.
• Belvedere Fire Company: Volunteer fire company in New Castle County, Delaware, providing similar fire and EMS services. Listed as a mutual-aid partner and references to assist appear in CHFC live run logs, indicating directly comparable geographic overlap and operational scope.

Broad incumbents

• American Red Cross: National nonprofit providing emergency response, disaster relief, and related services. Comparable as a 501(c)(3) public-safety nonprofit, but vastly broader in scope (national vs. local) and primarily focused on disaster response rather than municipal fire suppression.

Regional players

• New Castle County Emergency Management Division: County government entity that coordinates emergency operations across New Castle County and partners with CHFC for dispatch, live audio, and mutual aid. Broader in scope, public-sector, and not a competitor for residential service coverage.

Others

• International Association of Fire Chiefs: Professional association supporting fire service leadership and policy across North America. Relevant industry body for CHFC's Chief officers (Sokira is Fire Chief), but not a direct competitor or peer operating company.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/chfc14

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Cranston Heights Fire Company