Jefferson County has 7 volunteer fire companies:
- Friendship Fire Company of Harpers Ferry/Bolivar
- Citizens Fire Company, Inc.
- Shepherdstown Fire Department, Inc.
- Independent Fire Company, Inc.
- Blue Ridge Mountain Volunteer Fire Company, Inc.
- Middleway Volunteer Fire Company
- Bakerton Fire Department
The Jefferson County Emergency Services Agency staff, who are certified for both ambulance and fire response, also provide fire and rescue service using the equipment maintained by the volunteer companies.
2025 Review
The Jefferson County Commission is meeting with all seven of the county’s volunteer fire companies in Septemer and October to gather input on how local fire and rescue services should evolve in the coming decades.
Town Hall Meeting Schedule
Citizens Fire Company in Charles Town (September 23 – video recording)
Friendship Fire Company in Harpers Ferry (September 24 – video recording)
Middleway Fire Company (September 25 – video recording)
Blue Ridge Mountain Fire Company (September 26 – video recording)
Bakerton (October 13 – video recording)
Independent Fire Company in Ranson (October 14 – video recording)
Shepherdstown Fire Department (October 17 – video recording)
Each meeting has lasted about two hours and drawn longtime volunteers — many of whom also work as full-time firefighters in nearby jurisdictions — to share their experiences and views on the county’s emergency response system.
The current review began after a 2024 request from the Jefferson County Fire and Rescue Association asking the Commission to consider a special levy to replace aging equipment. The conversation has since expanded to include whether the county should add more paid firefighter/EMTs to supplement volunteer staffing.
To assist in the analysis, the Commission has hired Fitch & Associates, the same consulting firm that guided the county’s ambulance service transition in 2022–2023. This time, the volunteer companies are being consulted before the firm begins its formal assessment.
Published 2025 Oct 15. Updated 2025 Oct 20