Black Mountain Fire Department

The Black Mountain Fire Department has served the Town of Black Mountain, North Carolina since 1919. A combination department in eastern Buncombe County, it covers two fire districts — including the East Buncombe Fire District — spanning more than 54 square miles and over 22,000 residents, providing fire suppression, first-response medical care, and rescue services. The department holds an ISO Class 3 rating.

Crews of 24 full-time, 9 part-time, and 10 volunteer firefighters operate from three stations: the main station on Montreat Road, staffed around the clock and housed in the same complex as the Black Mountain Police Department; Station 2 on White Pine Drive at the entrance to Veterans Park South, also staffed 24 hours a day; and Station 3, an unstaffed facility in the Laurel Ridge community. The fleet includes multiple engines, Truck 4, Rescue 4, Squad 4, a tanker, a brush truck, and two UTVs.

The main station also houses a small fire museum centered on a 1926 American LaFrance engine the department bought new — a piece of its history preserved for a century.

Hiring for the Black Mountain Fire Department runs through the Town of Black Mountain's employment portal, where fire positions post alongside other town openings. The department hires at the Firefighter II level and expects core certifications at hire — North Carolina Firefighter II and NC EMT-B or higher — with further credentials earned on set timelines after joining: Advanced EMT within three years, Technical Rescuer Vehicle Machinery Rescue within 12 months, wildland certifications (S-130, S-190, L-180) within a year, and a Class B driver's license on a schedule set by the fire chief.

New firefighters complete a departmental probation period and work 24-hour shifts, including weekends and holidays, on one of three rotating shifts (A, B, and C).