Horry County Fire Rescue (HCFR)'s employee base consists of over 500 career and volunteer firefighters, firefighter/EMT's and firefighter/paramedics.  The department's fire jurisdiction is approximately 1050 square miles of the 1164 square miles that make up Horry County.  Much of our population resides in rural areas, mobile homes, single and multi-family residences.  However, we do have many high-rise resort hotels, malls, restaurants, and businesses in our jurisdiction.  We have an extremely diverse coverage area.  We report on NFIRS and gain some insight as to the fire problem and location of the problem via these reports.  We also learn about specific concerns from the residents of particular areas themselves.

Over the course of the fiscal year, under the coordination of our Public Education Officer, Kathy Rowell, HCFR's volunteer and career personnel have educated/trained over 34,000 residents, visitors and employees while conducting over 3,000 programs.

We have partnered with several groups and agencies throughout the county.  Wal-Mart, Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse, The Home Depot, Waccamaw Bowling Center, area churches, DHEC, Council on Aging, Horry County School District, and private schools are among those that request programs and provide referrals.

Horry County Fire Rescue is a major contributor to the Horry/Georgetown Fire Chief's Association's Fire & Life Safety EXPO which takes place annually during Fire Prevention Week in October.  The Fire & Life Safety EXPO has been a unique avenue to educate children.  Children from Horry and Georgetown Counties participate in this event during Fire Prevention Week.  Our department's personnel provide programs to children via puppetry, characterization and hands on with fire and rescue personnel.

HCFR has partnered with DHEC to provide and install smoke alarms to those at-risk in our area.  We have installed over 250 smoke alarms in 124 residences.  Along with the smoke detectors, we have replaced numerous batteries for those unable to do this for themselves, as well as conducted courtesy home safety inspections.  Recently, we have began offering Hearing Impaired smoke detectors to those with special needs in our communities.

Children have been the focus of Fire & Life Safety Education Programs.  During the average 12 month period, we educate over 10,000 children in over 180 programs.  Most of these programs take place in public and private schools and day cares, but each year we partner with the Horry County Library system during the Summer Reading Program and Fire Prevention Week to provide specialized programs.  Another special program took place at Carolina Forest Elementary School Cub Camp's summer program.  Over 100 children attended this camp each day.  We provide Water Safety, First Aid, Fire Safety, Firefighters and Engine, and Know Your EMS programs to this group once a week for five weeks.

Besides formal educational programs, our personnel provide informal programs when they participate in apparatus displays at community events.  Some of the over 125 apparatus displays have taken place at Lowe's Home Improvement Safety Day, Wal-Mart Safety and Baby Week events, store grand openings, and customer appreciation days to name a few.  One exciting program that our department offers is the Fatal Vision - Drinking, Driving & Dying program.  Using goggles and a golf cart, this program offers simulated awareness to one of the toughest challenges to todays' teens.

Station tours give the community an insight as to how department personnel live and conduct their day.  Annually, an average of over 500 people participate in station tours in 38 stations.  Visitors learn what the station personnel do during their shift and about the apparatus housed at the particular station, including specialized equipment like the Marine Rescue and HazMat Team.  Any opportunity to educate the public regarding fire and life safety is taken, even during station tours.  Home escape programs are conducted during every station tour stressing the need for working smoke alarms, two ways out, crawl low under smoke and sleeping with the bedroom doors closed.

Not only do our residents need to feel safe at home, but also at work.  Several programs are provided throughout the year for business and industry.  Among them are Fire Extinguisher use, CPR, and First Aid. Over 1,000 employees have been trained in 60 classes.  That number is expected to rise over the next several years as we continue to promote our CPR and First Aid classes.  Not only is business and industry benefiting from these classes, but high school students as well. 

One of the programs we are most proud of is our Juvenile Firesetter Intervention Program.  This program began in November of 1998 with one child and has increased to nearly 50 children each year.  This program includes classroom-based information as well as visiting the firesetter in his/her home.  Since its conception, Horry County Fire Rescue has not had a child repeat their past behavior.  Referrals for the program come from the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Waccamaw Center for Mental Health, actual fire scenes and parents calling the department directly.

Please visit the Safety Tips section for additional information on the programs we offer and helpful tips for safety around the home and workplace.