The Boone County Fire Protection District is the largest volunteer fire department in Missouri and one of the largest in the United States. It provides fire suppression, emergency medical services, hazardous materials response, and technical rescue across Boone County. The district also sponsors Missouri Task Force 1, one of FEMA’s Urban Search and Rescue teams.
The district covers approximately 492 square miles of Boone County, Missouri. Its jurisdiction includes rural areas, small towns, farms, and some suburban communities. Cities such as Columbia have their own fire departments, but BCFPD provides protection for most of the surrounding county.
BCFPD responds to around 4,000 emergency calls each year. These include structure fires, vehicle accidents, wildland fires, emergency medical calls, rescues, and hazardous materials incidents.
The Fire District is led by Fire Chief Scott Olsen along with a team of division directors and staff. Leadership includes specialists in training, operations, support services, life safety, and community outreach.
BCFPD is primarily staffed by dedicated volunteers. The district maintains about 220 volunteer firefighters and emergency responders. A smaller number of full-time staff members provide administrative support, training coordination, and leadership.
