Potter County Fire Rescue

Potter County Fire Rescue is a combination paid/volunteer fire department serving Potter County, Texas, which surrounds and includes part of the city of Amarillo. The department operates out of six stations - Station 1 in Bushland, Station 2 in Valle De Oro, and Stations 3 through 6 across Amarillo - and responds to fire, rescue, and medical incidents throughout the county under Fire Chief Richard Lake.

Because PCFR relies heavily on its volunteer membership to sustain emergency response coverage, the department runs a structured volunteer firefighter pipeline: a written application, background check, interview with the Assistant Chief of Training, a new-hire physical (paid for by the department), online NIMS coursework (ICS 100, 200, 700, and 800), and a multi-week Orientation Training program held Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings plus Saturdays. New members then serve a probationary year while completing ongoing certification training.

Ongoing training is a core part of membership. Through the TEEX Resource One program, PCFR volunteers can earn NFPA Firefighter 1 and 2 certification along with Hazmat Awareness and Operations credentials, and the department also offers Emergency Care Attendant coursework for members pursuing EMS certification. The department also administers the county's burn ordinance and burn-ban notifications for area residents.

Potter County Fire Rescue is a combination paid/volunteer department that recruits volunteer firefighters on a rolling basis. Applicants submit a completed application, pass a background check, interview with the Assistant Chief of Training, and pass a new-hire physical (the exam is paid for by the department). Before Orientation Training begins, candidates must complete online NIMS modules (ICS 100, 200, 700, and 800), then attend the required Orientation Training program.