About the Sherwood Fire Department

As the city of Sherwood has grown over the last few decades, it has encompassed the Sylvan Hills Community. The Sylvan Hills Fire Department, established in 1955, provides full-time fire protection to the north two-thirds of the city, or what would be considered the old Sylvan Hills Community.

The Sylvan Hills Fire Department began as a volunteer fire department and made the transition to a “combination” fire department in 1999. A “combination” department is one that uses both on-duty and off-duty firefighters to respond to emergency situations. This was all made possible by a subsidy provided by the City of Sherwood to assist in the funding for full-time manpower.

The Sylvan Hills Fire Department responds from two fire stations, one located on Lantrip Road on the east side of the city and one located on State Highway 107 in the northwest. Five on-duty firefighters are stationed at Central Station on Lantrip with an additional three firefighters at Station Two on Highway 107 - a total of eight firefighters on duty at all times. These firefighters are supplemented by off-duty personnel and other agencies that respond under mutual or automatic aid agreements.

Since 1999, the Sylvan Hills Fire Department has taken a unique approach to staffing the fire department in an attempt to maximize the benefits to the city while keeping costs as low as possible. The department has a roster of 48 active firefighters, many of whom work flexible shifts at the department while maintaining other full-time jobs and responsibilities. Two-thirds of the Sylvan Hills firefighters are certified firefighters, police officers, and/or paramedics from other local agencies. This arrangement provides a unique benefit to the city due to the increased levels of training, experience, and professionalism that the firefighters bring to the department.

The funding for the majority of our manpower comes from the City of Sherwood, by way of an annual subsidy. The remainder of funding for manpower and equipment is received through the ad valorem tax that was established in 1991. The tax is based upon the property tax value assessed by the Pulaski County Assessor’s Office. The tax is included annually in the county property taxes of the residents of the fire district, and is collected by the Pulaski County Tax Collector. The Sylvan Hills Fire Department works from an annual budget submitted to and approved by the Sylvan Hills Fire Department Board of Commissioners, appointed by the Pulaski County Judge. The department also uses a professional accounting firm to manage both the payroll and operations accounts.

The Sylvan Hills Fire Department is managed by the Fire Chief, who is paid a part-time salary. In addition to the Fire Chief are three Assistant Chiefs, seven Captains, a Fire Prevention Officer, and a Maintenance Officer, each of which draw a small part-time salary.

The department is dedicated to professional service and protection of the citizens of Sherwood and the Sylvan Hills community. Numerous advances have been made in recent years, and many more are on the horizon. In addition to providing fire protection, rescue services, and hazardous materials services, the department staffs nationally certified fire investigators, state and nationally trained fire inspectors, state and nationally trained fire prevention specialists, state certified training officers, and hosts a Fire Chaplain’s program.

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