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Fire Rescue

Hernando County Fire Rescue (HCFR) is dedicated to protecting life, property, and community safety through emergency response, fire prevention, education, and medical services. 

Fire Rescue

NOTICE

Burn Ban


A Burn Ban is in effect of all outdoor burning effective January 8th, 2026, for all unincorporated areas of Hernando County and the City of Brooksville.

Become a Firefighter

Burn Permits

Ambulance Billing

Fire Rescue Contacts

Fire Stations

Smoke Alarm Install Request Form

Fast Facts About Fire

  • Two out of every five home fires start in the kitchen.
  • Most fatal fires kill one or two people; in 2011, 12 home fires involving five or more deaths caused 67 fatalities.
  • Nearly two-thirds (62%) of reported home fire deaths occurred in homes with no smoke alarms or non-working smoke alarms.
  • Electrical failures or malfunctions cause nearly 50,000 home fires per year, resulting in approximately 450 deaths and $1.5 billion in property damage annually.

Courtesy of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

Fire Prevention Tips

To check the age and expiration date of your smoke alarm:

  1. Look on the back of the device for the manufacture date.
  2. Replace the alarm 10 years after that date (not the purchase date).
  3. Test all smoke alarms monthly.
  4. Replace batteries once a year or when chirping signals a low battery.

 

Reproduced from NFPA’s Fire Prevention Week website: www.firepreventionweek.org ©2016 NFPA.

Fire Rescue General FAQs

Hernando County funds the Hernando county Fire Rescue (HCFR) EMS Division through a combination of a Municipal Services Taxing Unit (MSTU) property tax and user fees.

To minimize the taxing impact on the entire citizenry it was decided to impact everyone for the availability of the service through the establishment of the EMS MSTU. Individuals who use the service then pay a user fee to fund the remaining cost of providing services. In this way, the taxes necessary to support EMS can be held to a minimum.

Florida Counties are prohibited by a longstanding Florida Supreme Court ruling, against using MSBU assessments to fund EMS.

Yes, either County General Fund or an EMS MSTU property tax could be used to fund 100% of the EMS Division budget.

EMS treatment and transport fees are billed to the patient's insurance company first. Federal and State mandated maximum allowable fees for Medicare, Medicaid and HMO's do not cover the entire bill and does not allow for the remainder to be paid by the patient.

Other insurance provider's also have maximum or customary charges they will pay. These amounts would not be able to solely fund the EMS Division.

County taxpayers would bear the entire cost of providing EMS, while the transported patient’s available Medicare, Medicaid, Tri-care, HMO and/or private health and/or vehicle insurance reimbursements to the EMS provider would go uncollected.

It is important to note that many of our transported patients are not residents or taxpayers of Hernando County.

MSBU Rate Increase

Hernando County is reviewing and considering updates to the current Fire Protection Municipal Service Benefit Unit (MSBU) funding structure. This section provides information about the proposed changes, how fire protection services are funded, and what the adjustments may mean for property owners.

MSBU Resources and FAQs

No, your attendance is optional.

The majority of funds (98.5%) come from the assessment to operate the Fire Department. We are staffed 24 hours per day and have working, well maintained equipment ready to respond when our services are needed. Our staff continually trains to maintain and learn new techniques to be more efficient to serve the County residents.

A MSTU is an ad valorem tax which is based on the VALUE of the property.


A MSBU is a non-ad valorem tax which is based on a flat rate or rate structure and is a benefit to the property.

Although the same personnel are used to operate Fire Services and Ambulance Services (EMS), the departments are funded separately.

Fire Services are funded by the Fire MSBU (proposed). EMS (Ambulance Services) are funded partially by an MSTU and partially by user fees.

Since an MSBU is a benefit to the property, EMS can only be funded by an MSTU.

The notice is required by state law to be written within an approved structure.

You may call 352-540-4353 for more information.

Contact

Hernando County Fire Rescue Headquarters
15470 Flight Path Drive
Brooksville, FL 34604

📞 Phone: (352) 540-4353

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