As the 2020 Highlands Fire Department Chief, I thank you for taking the time to visit the Highlands Fire Dept. website. The Fire Department has been a staple for the last 120 years voluntarily serving Highlands. We are an organization made up of highly trained men and women, who are proud to serve not only our tight-knit community but surrounding communities as well. Our courageous firefighters are ready all hours of the day to make sure Highlands is a safe place to visit, work, and live. These men and women have a passion for not only responding to calls but to continuing their education to better assist the members of our community.
As this year started, I had a vision of widening our scope of training, strengthening our department with new members, and inviting the community to come to see what The Highlands Fire Department is about, however, with the pandemic of COVID 19 affecting so many of our daily lives, I sit speechless at the dedication and passion of our 49 members. The goals of the department have changed on a whim, and our members have stood up to that challenge and did so with dignity and pride. Words cannot express how grateful I am for these men and women, and I could not ask for a better family to stand with when a crisis arises. All 49 members have a different reason for initially joining The Highlands Fire Department. For me, it was going to the firehouse with my uncle as a young kid, from there I saw the dedication and love for community and that’s what started my passion to volunteer in the community. From that young kid to the fire chief now I bring my kids along with many other members’ kids to the firehouse. To hopefully instill the passion that was instilled in us to be a part of the great Highlands Volunteer Fire Department. The 120 years of service the Highlands Fire Department is still here and training, volunteering, and being a huge part of our community. In closing, we welcome anyone with a passion to help others, a sense of community, and pride to reach out and join our family.
Chief Brian Burton
