Highlands Fire Department

What Highlands Fire Department does

Highlands Fire District (HFD) is a public special fire district organized under Arizona Revised Statutes § 48-261, established in 1999 and headquartered at 3350 Old Munds Highway, Flagstaff, Arizona. It provides fire suppression, paramedic-level emergency medical services, technical rescue (confined space, high-angle, structural collapse, trench, water), hazardous materials response, cold water rescue, and Honor Guard ceremonial services to the communities of Kachina Village, Mountainaire, Forest Highlands, Pine Del, and Lower Lake Mary in Coconino County. Each engine is staffed with at least five state-certified Paramedics and EMTs trained in advanced cardiac life support and multi-casualty incident response, and the district participates in a regional automatic aid system that pools personnel and equipment across the Greater Flagstaff Area.

Operationally, HFD runs a portfolio of prevention and community programs: Firewise property assessments, an online burn notification system replacing traditional burn permits, fire safety education, fire station tours, an annual Pancake Breakfast fundraiser hosted jointly with the 1505 Local Firefighters Union since 1976, Hirsch Center facility rentals, and firewood/wood chip distribution derived from fuels reduction projects. The district also supports regional recruitment via the House of Jacks mentorship program.

The business model is a tax-based public funding model: the district levies property tax assessments on all properties within its statutory boundaries, supplemented by modest facility use fees, a published service fee schedule, and fundraising. The 2021 refinancing of a $7,251,008.45 PSPRS unfunded pension liability via Certificates of Participation at 3.6% interest (down from over 7%) is projected to save approximately $6 million over 25 years, and reflects active balance-sheet management. Governance is by an elected/appointed Board of Directors with no parent company, subsidiaries, or external equity holders. Customer segments are strictly geographic: district residents, regional mutual-aid partners, and contiguous property owners eligible for annexation under Arizona Revised Statute § 48-262.

Name

Highlands Fire Department

Legal name

Highlands Fire District

Website

https://highlandsfire.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Highlands Fire District is an Arizona public special fire district providing fire suppression, paramedic EMS, technical rescue, and hazmat response to five Coconino County communities, funded primarily through property tax assessments and coordinated through regional automatic aid agreements.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fire and Emergency Services

NAICS

Fire Protection (92216), Fire Protection (922160), Support Activities for Forestry (115310), Support Activities for Forestry (11531)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Safety Administration (Fire/EMS, Emergency Management) (BPAIACAL), Integrated Forest Health & Fire Management Planning (AFAMAEAK), Wildfire Suppression & Incident Response (AFAMAEAE), Forest Fire Management & Fuels Reduction Services (IMAMAAAH)

Keywords

• Fire suppression
• Emergency medical services
• Technical rescue
• Hazmat response
• Fire prevention

Headquarters

HQ city

Flagstaff

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Property Tax Assessments: As a special fire district, HFD is funded primarily through property tax assessments levied on properties within district boundaries. Residents contribute to district operations through these tax assessments.
2. Facility Use Fees: Rental fees for the Hirsch Center (training and community room) are charged for private events. Fees may be waived for district residents who contribute through property tax assessments.
3. Service Fees: Fee schedule exists for various district services. A firewood assistance program sourced from fuels reduction projects is provided to district residents in need.
4. Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser: Annual community fundraiser hosted by HFD and 1505 Local Firefighters Union to support the community in times of need. The tradition began in 1976.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Highlands Fire District is an Arizona government special district that delivers fire suppression (structural and wildland), advanced-life-support emergency medical services and ambulance transport, technical rescue (rope, confined-space, trench, swift-water), hazardous-materials response, fire-prevention inspections, and community risk-reduction programs to roughly 7,500 residents across the Coconino County communities of Kachina Village, Mountainaire, Forest Highlands, Pine Del, and Lower Lake Mary. The district has operated continuously since 1999 and is funded primarily by a property-tax assessment on parcels within its statutory boundary, supplemented by facility-use and program fees.

Product overview

Highlands Fire District operates as a public safety organization offering a comprehensive suite of fire and emergency services to the Greater Flagstaff region. The core service portfolio includes Fire Suppression, Emergency Medical Service, Special Operations (technical rescue and hazmat response), and Honor Guard ceremonial services. The district provides Fire Prevention services through Firewise Assessments, Burn Notification systems, and Fire Safety Education programs. Community engagement is delivered via Fire Station Tours, Pancake Breakfast events, Hirsch Center facility rentals, and assistance programs for firewood and wood chips. The district also supports firefighter recruitment through the House of Jacks mentorship program. These services are coordinated through a website platform and operate from multiple fire stations serving Kachina Village, Mountainaire, Forest Highlands, Pine Del, and Lower Lake Mary communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fire Suppression Structural, wildland, and vehicle fire suppression delivered from four staffed stations by career firefighters using engines, a ladder/quint, water tenders, and wildland apparatus. Available 24/7 to all residents, property owners, and visitors within the district's statutory service area in northern Arizona.
• Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Advanced-life-support medical response, treatment, and ambulance transport provided 24/7 by district paramedics and EMTs. Represents the largest share of call volume for residents and visitors in the service area.
• Technical Rescue Specialized rescue operations including rope rescue, confined-space rescue, trench rescue, and swift-water/flood rescue, delivered by trained technicians using a dedicated rescue cache and supported by mutual-aid partners.
• Hazardous Materials Response

Quantifiable outcome

• Refinancing of $7.25M PSPRS unfunded liability at 3.6% interest (from 7%), saving approximately $6M over 25 years

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• SWCA Environmental ConsultantsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Contracted by the City of Flagstaff to work with municipal, state, and federal land management agencies to update the Greater Flagstaff Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). HFD participates as a key stakeholder in the planning process.
• House of Jacks (HOJ) Mentorship ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024HFD is a proud partner of the House of Jacks mentorship program run by dedicated local firefighters. HFD mentors attend monthly meetings and help interested individuals excel in firefighter testing processes. The program supports recruitment and career development for future firefighters at HFD and other regional departments.
• Guardian Medical TransportcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-recognized agency that handles all medical transports within HFD boundaries. HFD trains regularly with Guardian Medical Transport personnel to ensure coordinated emergency medical response and service that exceeds community and patient expectations.
• Greater Flagstaff Area Fire DepartmentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHFD participates in an automatic aid system with fire departments across the Greater Flagstaff Region, enabling rapid deployment of appropriate personnel and equipment to emergencies regardless of jurisdictional boundaries.
• 1505 Local Firefighters UnionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of the annual Pancake Breakfast fundraiser with HFD to support the community in times of need. Partnership has continued since 1976 tradition began.
• Coconino County Emergency ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinates emergency notifications through Smart911 system and provides evacuation information and resources for district residents.
• Coconino National ForestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinates on wildfire information, prescribed fire management, and fire restrictions. Forest Service provides fire danger information and burn project updates that affect HFD response operations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• SWCA Environmental Consultants: Environmental consulting firm contracted by the City of Flagstaff to update the Greater Flagstaff Community Wildfire Protection Plan in which HFD participates as a key stakeholder, representing an adjacent service provider in HFD's wildland risk-reduction ecosystem.

Direct peers

• Sedona Fire District: Arizona special fire district in the same mountain/forest region as HFD that delivers fire suppression, EMS, wildland fire response, and community risk-reduction programs to a comparable mountain-community and wildland-urban interface service area.
• Flagstaff Fire Department: Municipal fire department serving the City of Flagstaff and operating in the same Greater Flagstaff Region as HFD. Provides overlapping fire suppression, EMS, and special operations, and coordinates with HFD through the regional automatic-aid system.
• Guardian Medical Transport: State-recognized medical transport agency that handles all medical transports within HFD boundaries and trains jointly with HFD personnel, representing a tightly coupled operational peer on the EMS side of HFD's service portfolio.
• Summit Fire District: Arizona special fire district operating near the Greater Flagstaff region, providing comparable fire suppression, EMS, and wildland response services to rural and wildland-urban interface communities in a similar regulatory and funding environment.
• Pinewood Fire District: Neighboring Arizona special fire district in the Greater Flagstaff area that jointly supports the Bear Jaw wildland hand crew with HFD and offers comparable fire suppression and EMS services to a similar mountain-community service base.

Broad incumbents

• Coconino County Emergency Management: County-level emergency management authority that coordinates regional emergency notifications, evacuation information, and disaster response resources across Coconino County, overlapping with HFD's emergency preparedness mission.
• Coconino National Forest (USFS): Federal land manager coordinating wildfire information, prescribed fire, and fire restrictions affecting HFD's response area. Overlaps with HFD on wildland fire management, fuels reduction, and wildland-urban interface response in surrounding national forest lands.
• Phoenix Fire Department: Large municipal fire department providing fire suppression, EMS, technical rescue, and hazmat services across the Phoenix metropolitan area, serving as a broad reference point for advanced capabilities and scale economies beyond HFD's small-district operating model.

Emerging players

• Rural Metro Fire / Southwest Ambulance (private fire/EMS): Privately contracted fire protection and EMS provider operating in parts of Arizona, offering an alternative delivery model for fire and EMS services in unincorporated and contract-service areas adjacent to special fire districts like HFD.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HighlandsFireDistrict
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/highlands-fire-department

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Highlands Fire Department