Our fire departments play a crucial and vital role in our communities. McIntosh County has 12 rural fire departments and 2 municipal fire departments serving within our county. They are listed as follows:

Rural Fire Departments

1. FAIC (Fountainhead Area Improvement Council)

2. Hanna

3. Hitchita

4. Lotawatah

5. Onapa

6. Porum Landing

7. Paradise Point

8. Shady Grove

9. Salem-Ryal

10. Texanna

11. Tiger Mountain

12. Vivian

Municipal Fire Departments

1. Checotah
2. Eufaula

The municipal fire departments operate from funds within their municipality.

OPERATIONS AND FUNDING OF RURAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS:

Rural fire departments operate independently within specific fire districts, rather than being directly under the authority of the county.

The rural fire departments rely on volunteers and limited resources. They operate from fire dues, grants, fundraisers, and county sales tax money. In 2002, McIntosh County voters passed an indefinite 1% county sales tax to support multiple county departments, including our rural fire departments. When the 1% county sales tax is collected by OTC, it is then sent to McIntosh County to be apportioned to the multiple departments. Of that amount collected, ten percent (10%) of the county sales tax collected each month is apportioned to the rural fire departments and divided by the 12 rural departments. When using the county sales tax monies to support their fire departments, they are mandated to follow the same purchasing laws and procedures as the county.