About the Jackson Fire Department
About the Jackson Fire Department
Our History
1882 was a pivotal year for the Jackson Fire Department. On March 7, citizens met to discuss the need for an organized fire company and better firefighting equipment. This led to a special meeting of city leaders, resulting in the purchase of new equipment, construction of water cisterns, an alarm system, and the official formation of the Jackson Volunteer Fire Department on March 15, 1882. By 1893, the city transitioned to a paid Fire Department.
In 1885, the completion of Jackson’s water works marked a milestone in fire prevention. Fire hydrants on most street corners provided 80 pounds of pressure, ending the need for hand-pumping water. That year, the city added hose carts and reel houses, allowing volunteers to quickly connect hoses to hydrants. By November, the Fire and Water Works Committee sold the hand-pumping engine, signaling a new era of efficiency.
In 1912, Jackson acquired its first motorized firefighting apparatus, the American LaFrance Pumping Machine—the first of its kind in Tennessee. By 1923, the department included additional engines and a chemical/ladder wagon built from a Ford Model T. Growing city demands led to the opening of new stations, including Station #2 in 1925 and Station #3 in 1949 to address eastward expansion and train blockages.
The 1970s brought significant advancements in communication and dispatch, with the appointment of full-time dispatchers and modern equipment replacing horse-drawn apparatus. Over time, the department expanded its role, offering services like water rescue, hazardous materials response, and rope rescue. The Rescue Squad, established in 1989, focuses on specialized equipment and rescuing trapped motorists.
Today, the Jackson Fire Department operates with a commitment to excellence, providing 24/7, 365 fire and emergency response service. Firefighters undergo continuous training in fire suppression, rescue techniques, and hazardous materials to protect lives and livelihoods in Jackson, TN. Our Fire Department remains dedicated to state-of-the-art training, staying ahead by actively monitoring state requirements and embracing new certifications, ensuring that we remain at the forefront of emergency services. Together, we are dedicated to the safety, resilience, and well-being of our community.
Our Leadership
Help Us help Others
The Jackson Fire + Rescue Community Safety Fund
Did you know: City funding covers essential fire rescue support, but there are limitations to funding progressive community safety advancements. Over 94% of our annual operating budget is allocated toward department salaries and benefits. Donations, community support, and business partnerships allow us to improve our services while expanding our community safety, training, and preparedness efforts in our growing city.
We’re proud to accept donations from individuals, local businesses, and corporations to support the mission of Jackson Fire & Rescue Department. These generous contributions strengthen our fire and life safety initiatives, extend training for our personnel, and invest in advanced technology to better serve our community. Your support truly makes a lasting impact on the safety and well-being of everyone we serve.
Your donation to the Jackson Fire & Rescue Community Safety Fund strengthens our ability to protect local life and property through fire rescue, prevention, and emergency medical response.
Facebook Posts
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🔥 Fire is FAST. Time is NOT on your side. 🔥
Your first line of defense in a home fire is simple—but incredibly powerful: closed bedroom doors and working smoke alarms.
🚪 Sleep with your bedroom door closed. A closed door can slow the spread of heat, flames, and toxic smoke—keeping conditions inside your room survivable longer.
🚨 Make sure you have working smoke alarms. They give you the early warning you need to wake up and get out.
🗺️ Have an escape plan. Every member of your household should know at least two ways out and where to meet outside.
⚠️ Parents: make closed bedroom doors part of your children’s nightly routine. Before you go to bed, check that your child’s bedroom door is closed—just like you check that the lights are off or the doors are locked. This simple habit can make a life-saving difference if a fire occurs while your family is sleeping.
In a home fire, you may have as little as 4 minutes to escape.
Those minutes matter.
✅ Close your door.
✅ Check your smoke alarms.
✅ Practice your escape plan.
Every second counts. ... See MoreSee Less
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📚🔥 What an AMAZING week for literacy and fire safety! 🔥📚
The Jackson Fire Department is proud to share that during #readacrossamerica, our firefighters had the opportunity to read to and educate approximately 860 students and 45 educators across our community! 👏
We want to give a HUGE THANK YOU to Jackson-Madison County Schools and the schools that welcomed us into their classrooms and allowed us to promote literacy while sharing important Project ESCAPE fire safety information with their students:
🏫 Andrew Jackson Elementary
🏫 Lincoln Elementary
🏫 Alexander Elementary
🏫 Pope Elementary
🏫 Rose Hill School
🏫 South Elementary
Your hospitality and enthusiasm made this week incredibly special for our team!
We would also like to give a big shout-out to Mr. Allen Green, Fire and Life Safety Educator with Chattanooga Fire Department. His book, “Mom! Dad! What Should I Do?” was a huge hit with the students this week! 📖 The story sparked great conversations about what to do in an emergency and helped reinforce the life-saving lessons we love sharing with our community.
Thank you to everyone who helped make this week such a success. When we combine reading, learning, and fire safety, we help create safer and stronger communities! 🚒❤️
📸 Teachers and staff from our participating schools — we’d love to see your class photos! If you took pictures during our visit, please share them in the comments below! ... See MoreSee Less
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🚒 Jackson TN Fire Department – Project ESCAPE 🚒
🔥 Every Second Counts in a Home Fire.
Modern fires burn faster than ever due to synthetic materials, open floor plans, and lightweight construction. What once allowed 17 minutes to escape in 1980 has now dropped to less than 4 minutes.
That’s why the Jackson Fire Department is promoting Project ESCAPE, reminding our community that survival depends on quick action and a clear plan.
E.S.C.A.P.E.
• Every Second Counts
• Second – Act Fast
• Counts – Your actions matter
• Action – Get out immediately
• Purpose – Escape, don’t delay
• Efficiency – Know your exit plan
⚠️ Have a home escape plan. Practice it. Get out and stay out.
#ProjectESCAPE #EverySecondCounts #FireSafety #JacksonTNFire #CRR #HomeEscapePlan 🚒🔥 ... See MoreSee Less
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West Tennessee Healthcare EMS is reflecting on a call that initially seemed like a routine medical emergency, but quickly became dangerous. 👉https://www.wbbjtv.com/2026/02/24/west-tennessee-healthcare-when-the-call-turned-dangerous-they-never-stopped-caring/ ... See MoreSee Less
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When we talk about home fires, we often say, “Have a plan.” But what does that really mean in real life?
Imagine this:
It’s the middle of the night.
You wake up to the sound of your smoke alarms.
Because of Jackson Fire Department’s Project E.S.C.A.P.E., you’ve made it a habit to sleep with your bedroom door closed.
That one habit just bought you time.
You get out of bed and feel the bedroom door with the back of your hand. It’s HOT.
🔥 That means fire is on the other side.
You do NOT open it.
Instead, you:
• Keep the door closed
• Grab a blanket or towel and seal the crack at the bottom of the door
• Stay low and move to the window
You try the window — but this is real life.
Maybe:
Security bars prevent it from opening wide enough.
A heavy dresser blocks part of the exit.
You live on the third floor of an apartment building.
Flames or heavy smoke are already outside the window.
You can’t safely get out.
Now what?
This is where knowing your A, B, and C Plan saves your life:
Plan A – Get Out Fast
Use the door if it’s safe and clear.
Plan B – Second Way Out
Use a window if it is accessible and safe.
Plan C – Can’t Get Out? Close the Door. Seal the cracks. Call 911. Stay Put.
You call 911.
You stay calm and clearly tell the dispatcher:
“My bedroom is on the back left corner of the house.”
“I’m on the third floor, right side, facing the parking lot.”
That information matters.
When firefighters from the Jackson Fire Department arrive, they don’t have to search blindly. They go directly to where you are.
Because you:
✔ Slept with your door closed
✔ Kept the hot door closed
✔ Sealed the door
✔ Called 911 with your exact location
You survived.
Home fires burn faster than ever. You may have less than 4 minutes to act.
Your smoke alarms wake you up.
Your closed door protects you.
Your escape plan saves you.
Tonight, before you go to bed:
-Close your door.
-Know your A, B, and C Plan.
-Make sure everyone in your home does too.
Project E.S.C.A.P.E. isn’t just a message.
It’s a survival strategy. ... See MoreSee Less
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**The Problem: You Have Less Than 4 Minutes**
Today’s home fires burn hotter and faster than ever before, your window to safely escape a house fire has shrunk from 17 minutes in 1980 to less than 4 minutes today.
**The Solution: Project ESCAPE**
Project ESCAPE stands for making **Every Second, Counts, Action, Purpose, Efficiency. Beating the 4-minute clock requires a team effort between you and first responders:
**Your Job (The Citizen)**
**Close Before You Doze:**
A closed door is your greatest shield. It dramatically drops life-threatening heat (from 1,000°F to 100°F) and blocks toxic smoke from entering your room.
**Act Immediately:**
Do not wait or investigate. Follow your escape plan.
**Isolate if Trapped:**
If you cannot get out, get into a room with a window, close the door, seal the cracks with towels, and call 911.
**Our Job (The First Responders)**
**Dispatchers:**
We will quickly pinpoint your exact location and give you life-saving instructions—like telling you to close the door—while help is on the way.
**Firefighters:**
We scrutinize every second of our response times (our "4 Ts") to get to you faster. We will arrive assuming someone is trapped inside, aggressively searching for you while simultaneously fighting the fire.
* *Medical Teams:**
We will be waiting outside to provide immediate, life-saving treatments (like Cyanosis) for smoke inhalation the second you are rescued.
**The Bottom Line:**
Time is against you in a modern fire. Have a plan, act instantly, and always put a closed door between you and the fire. ... See MoreSee Less
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Every night, one simple action can make a life-saving difference. 🚪🔥
As part of Jackson Fire Department's Project E.S.C.A.P.E., we’re urging everyone to sleep with your bedroom door closed and make it part of your nightly routine. This small habit can increase survival probability to 94.72% in a home fire.
Closing your door helps keep temperatures in your room more survivable and reduces your exposure to the toxic gases produced during a fire. Pair that with working smoke alarms — your first line of defense — and you’re giving yourself precious time when seconds matter most.
And remember, alarms and a closed door work best when you’re prepared.
Have your Plan A, Plan B, and Plan C ready:
A- Get out fast using a door.
B- If doors are blocked, use a window.
C- If you can’t get out, close the door, block smoke, and call for help.
Fire moves fast — but preparation moves faster. Make closing your door a habit tonight. Your safety, and your family’s survival, may depend on it. ... See MoreSee Less
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We had a GREAT time yesterday at the Jackson, TN Senior Activity Center teaching Fire Safety and Hands-Only CPR! ❤️🚒
Our seniors brought the energy — asking thoughtful questions, sharing stories, and getting hands-on practice with important lifesaving information. There’s nothing more inspiring than a room full of community members committed to protecting themselves and their families!
We also shared information about the Jackson Fire Department’s Project E.S.C.A.P.E. and why it matters:
🔥 Working smoke alarms save lives
🚪 Sleep with your bedroom door closed
🏃♂️ Plan A: Get out fast — use a door
🪟 Plan B: If doors are blocked — use a window
☎️ Plan C: If trapped — close the door, seal the cracks, call 9-1-1, and signal from a window
When our community knows the plan, they have the power to survive. We’re proud to stand beside our seniors and help keep Jackson safe — one home at a time. 🚒 ... See MoreSee Less
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