For over 30 years, the Verde Rural Fire District and the Cornville/Page Springs Fire District provided service to their respective communities. Both Departments progressed from all volunteer organizations to very effective combination systems of paid and reserve members. Over the years, these two agencies progressed operationally from casual call sharing to Mutual Aid and Automatic Aid. Then in January 2002, we merged to become the current Verde Valley Fire District.

The Verde Valley Fire District now encompasses 95.5 square miles, serves a population base of approximately 18,000 people, and is the third largest Fire District in Yavapai County. We have an ISO rating of Class 5.

We have 27 paid members and 19 reserve and support personnel. We operate four stations: two are staffed 24-7 and one is manned by our support personnel. Apparatus consists of a fleet of 23 vehicles, comprised of engines, water tenders, brush trucks, ambulances and staff vehicles. Our call volume is over 2,000 responses a year, 50% of which are for EMS and ambulance service. Our tax rate is currently $2.15.  

The Chief of the Verde Valley Fire District is Jerry Doerksen and the Assistant Chief is Mike Flummer. The five-member Board of Directors consists of Chairman Buddy Rhodes, Board Clerk Bob Eddingfield, and Board members Linda Quam, Charlie Wright and Gerald Shanks.

Our office staff consists of Merry Carol Shanks, Administrative Assistant; Debbie Clonts, Secretary; and Denise Flora, Accounts Manager.

Verde Valley Fire District provides many emergency services including Structural firefighting, as well as responses to  Medical Emergencies, Hazardous Materials, Rope Rescue, Swift Water Rescue, Vehicle Extrication and Wild Land Fires, to mention a few.  We also provide Citizen Assists for people who need help after falling, snake problems, and bee problems, as well as emotional support and direction for victims of accidents and fires, and to families who have a death, critical injury or illness in the family.  The health and welfare of your community is a priority for the District and we do our part by providing business and school inspections, public education in schools and community groups, hazard inspections, weed abatement programs, a car seat program, and other programs needed to keep the citizens of our community safe.