Willowfork Fire Department

Willowfork Fire Department began operations on January 1, 2003 in a temporary station located at 4021 S. Mason Road next to the Cinco Ranch Homeowners Association building. The Department was created following the work of dedicated individuals who determined a fire department was needed in Cinco Ranch and the surrounding community to serve the ever growing area and ever increasing population. An election was held to establish an emergency services district and was approved by an overwhelming majority of the residents. Fort Bend County Emergency Services District No. 2 was created and the new fire department was named Willowfork after the branch of Buffalo Bayou that runs through the middle of the district. The department began with a staff of four professional paid firefighters 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The paid staff was backed up by a group of volunteers. Two new American LaFrance Eagle pumpers, E11 and E12, were placed into service in 2003. A new brush truck, B21 was placed into service during the summer of 2003. The District received an ISO PPC rating of 2 also during 2003. The paid staff was increased to five for each 24 hour shift in January of 2004. In July 2006 the Department moved into its new station located at 24655 Westheimer Parkway. In January 2007 a sixth firefighter was added to each 24 hour shift, and a new 2,000 gallon Tanker/Pumper, T12 was placed into service. In January 2009 two additional emergency vehicles were placed into service. A Ford Expedition, R11 was acquired and equipped to take over the first responder duties the brush truck had been performing. A Ford F150, E1100, was also placed into service as a Chief vehicle and backup first responder. In early 2011, Tower 11 was put into service, and a 7th firefighter was added to each 24-hour shift. In 2009 the first in-house Willowfork Volunteer Firefighter Cadet Academy was held, graduating eight volunteer firefighters in May. A second Cadet Academy completed in April 2010, also graduating eight volunteer firefighters. Fort Bend County EMS ambulance, Medic 9, also began operations in January 2003 and has been housed at the Willowfork Fire Station since that time. It is staffed by a crew of two from Fort Bend County Emergency Medical Services 24 hours a day, seven days a week.