Simpsonville, S.C. — The Simpsonville Fire Department received in April its first Fire Safe South Carolina Community Designation.
Awarded to 207 fire departments in South Carolina for 2024, the Community Designation recognizes communities that “continually work to reduce home fire-related injuries in South Carolina, thereby decreasing the risks for residents and firefighters,” a Fire Safe SC news release said. “They promote consistent fire and life safety messaging and stress the importance of providing data collected in response to fires and other emergency calls for service.”
Fire departments that received the designation from Fire Safe SC will be formally recognized at an award ceremony at the 2025 Fire-Rescue Conference in Myrtle Beach, S.C. on June 13 at 3:30 p.m.
Simpsonville Fire Chief Harold Nichols said 2024 was the first year that Simpsonville received the Fire Safe South Carolina Community Designation, which was an honor.
“Earning the Community Designation takes hard work, collaboration and commitment, all of which our personnel have,” Nichols said. “From course work to education to working with our partners, the Simpsonville Fire Department secured an award that reflects its excellence in public safety.”
Fire Safe South Carolina: A Community Risk Reduction Program said earning the Community Designation requires course completion to increase Community Risk Reduction efforts; documentation of opportunities for public education and working with partners to address risks in their communities.
Community Risk Reduction Chief for Fire Safe SC Josh Fulbright said the enthusiasm for getting the designation continues to grow.
“Many departments have received this recognition for the first time, some seek it again with new purpose, and others receiving since the 2017 inception continue to build depth within their organization,” Fulbright said.
Launched in 2017, Fire Safe SC partners include the S.C. State Firefighters’ Association, S.C. State Association of Fire Chiefs, S.C. Fire Marshal Association, S.C. Chapter of the International Association of Arson Investigators and S.C. Office of State Fire Marshal. The partners announce the fire departments that have obtained the Fire Safe SC Community Designation each year.
