Our Mission

The Hampshire Fire Protection District has been established to provide all who have contact with the District Professional Administration, Fire Prevention, Fire Suppression, Emergency Medical Services, specialized Rescue Services, Hazardous Materials Response, and Public Education. The District will strive to provide these services while attaining and maintaining the confidence and respect of the people that it serves. Our goal will be accomplished through the constant and earnest endeavors of all District employees who perform their duties and assignments in an efficient, honest, and professional manner. It is equally important that all employees realize that, through exemplary conduct, they must continually strive to foster and enhance the realization that the Hampshire Fire Protect District is an important requisite to the well being of all who live, visit, and acquaint themselves with our District.

History

The Hampshire Fire Department received its charter in May 1931 and E. W. Gustafson served as the first Fire Chief. In 1961 the Hampshire Township Fire Protection District was formed including an appointed three-member Board of Trustees. In 2005, the first publicly elected five-member Board took office and the current Board members are President Dan O'Shea, Treasurer Connie VonKeudell, Secretary Jack Gray, Trustee Jim Dunbar, and Trustee Tim Thompson.

On August 1, 1974 the District began providing ambulance service to the 42 square mile district. The ambulance donated by Ron Fredrick was staffed by nine volunteers. Years laater the Ambulance Service and Fire District would merge into one organization. In June of 1995 Trevor Herrmann became the District's first full-time employee followed by Bill Robinson in 1997, Rick Heine and Erik Carlson in 2003.

In April of 2004, Curt Kramer became the District's first full-time Fire Chief and the five full-time employees are joined by a force of 35 paid-on-call men and women who serve the Fire Protection District. These dedicated professionals provide fire suppression, emergency paramedic ambulance service, technical rescue, hazardous materials response, commercial/industrial inspection services, code enforcement, and public education programs including cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) classes, station tours, blood pressure screenings, fire prevention week activities for the areas school children, and the firefighter career program.

The District serves a population of approximately 6,000 and is located in Kane and DeKalb Counties. The District responded to 1,052 calls for help and protects 7 miles of railway and 10 miles of Interstate 90. The District's apparatus includes:

2 fire engines 1 tower ladder 1 tender 1 brush truck 1 squad 1 staff vehicle 2 ambulances