Welcome to Butler County Fire District #3
The Fire District operates as a combination fire department, utilizing both career personnel and dedicated volunteer firefighters to fulfill our mission of protecting life and property.
Fire Station #1 is staffed 24 hours a day by a combination of full-time, part-time, and volunteer firefighters. The District is led by a full-time salaried Fire Chief and a full-time Deputy Fire Chief assigned to a 40-hour position. In addition to their regular administrative duties, both the Fire Chief and Deputy Fire Chief respond to emergency incidents beyond normal business hours, including structure fires and other significant events.
Operational staffing includes six full-time firefighters assigned to 56-hour positions, working a rotating 24-hours-on / 48-hours-off schedule on A, B, and C shifts.
Our Mission
To care for, protect and serve the citizens of Butler County Fire District #3.
Department Staffing
Career Personnel – 12
- 1 Full-Time Fire Chief
- 1 Full-Time Deputy Chief
- 3 Full-Time Lieutenants
- 3 Full-Time Firefighters
- 4 Part-Time Firefighters
Volunteer Personnel – 13
- 1 Volunteer Deputy Chief
- 2 Volunteer Lieutenants
- 10 Volunteer Firefighters
Response Area
Butler County is the largest county in Kansas by geographic area, encompassing 1,428 square miles. To provide fire protection across such a vast region, the county relies on a coordinated system of 15 fire districts and departments.
Of these 15 agencies, 12 are Butler County Fire Districts. Two areas are served by city departments that contract with the county – Andover Fire-Rescue and Augusta Department of Public Safety – while the remaining districts operate as fully county-administered fire districts.
Three of the fifteen departments serve areas that cross county lines. Butler County Fire District #10 provides service to portions of both Butler and Marion Counties. Whitewater River Consolidated Fire Department serves areas in Butler and Harvey Counties. Additionally, Cowley County Fire District #2 covers Cowley County and a portion of southern Butler County.
Butler County Fire District #3 covers seventy square miles in southwestern Butler County, Kansas serving approximately 8,000 citizens in the city of Rose Hill and the unincorporated areas of Pleasant and Richland Townships.
We have automatic aid agreements with Andover Fire-Rescue to our north, Butler County Fire District #8 to our east and Sedgwick County Fire District #1 to our west, which adds 93 automatic aid square miles to our coverage area.
In 2025 we responded to 782 calls for service or alarms, a 3.9% increase from 2024.
Services We Provide
Our department provides a comprehensive range of emergency and public safety services to the community, including:
- Fire suppression
- Fire education and prevention
- Community risk reduction
- Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Life Support (ALS) medical first response
- Technical rescue
- Hazardous materials response
- Fire alarm response
- Weather spotter operations
- Public assistance calls, including free vehicle unlocks
We serve as the designated trench rescue team for Butler County, responding to trench collapse emergencies throughout the county. Additionally, we are a participating member of the Butler County Wildland Task Force #3, assisting with coordinated wildland fire response efforts.
Butler County EMS Station #5
The Fire District is proud to partner with Butler County EMS by providing an ambulance bay and on-site living quarters for a full-time EMS crew at Station #1. This facility serves as Butler County EMS Station #5, enhancing emergency medical coverage and response capabilities within our district and the surrounding area.
Property Protection Class
The Insurance Services Organization (ISO) Property Protection Class (PPC) program provides important, up-to-date information about municipal fire-protection services throughout the country. A community’s investment in fire mitigation is a proven and reliable predictor of future fire losses. So, the majority of insurance companies use PPC information to help establish fair premiums for fire insurance – generally offering lower premiums in communities with better protection (lower PPC ratings).
Our PPC (ISO) Ratings
- 4 within the city limits of Rose Hill including unincorporated areas that are within five road miles of a fire station and within 1000 feet of a recognized fire hydrant.
- 6/10 in the unincorporated areas of the fire district, depending on location.
Controlled Burns
- Outdoor burning in the unincorporated portions of Butler County Fire District #3 (Pleasant and Richland Townships) requires authorization before the burning is to take place.
- Outdoor burning in the city limits of Rose Hill requires a burn permit before the burning is to take place.
- Please visit our Controlled Burns page for additional information on conducting a controlled burn.
