Welcome
Butler County, the largest county in the state of Kansas geographically with an area of 1,428 square miles, is served by a total of nine Butler County Fire Districts (#3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, and #11), four city fire departments (Andover Fire-Rescue covering BCFD#1, Augusta Department of Public Safety covering BCFD#2, El Dorado Fire Department, Potwin Fire Department), one Cowley County Fire District (CCFD#2), one Consolidated Fire District (Whitewater River Consolidated Fire District), and HF Sinclair Refinery Fire Department in El Dorado.
Butler County Fire District #3 covers seventy square miles in southwestern Butler County, serving ~8,000 citizens in the City of Rose Hill, KS and the unincorporated areas of Pleasant and Richland Townships.
We have automatic aid agreements with Andover Fire-Rescue (Andover, KS) to our north, Butler County Fire District #8 (Douglass, KS) to our east and Sedgwick County Fire District #1 to our west, which adds 93 automatic aid square miles to our coverage area.
In 2024 we responded to 753 incidents (alarms), a 14% increase from 2023.
Our Mission
To care for, protect and serve the citizens of Butler County Fire District #3.
Operations
The Fire District functions as a combination department, leveraging both paid career staff and dedicated volunteers to effectively accomplish its mission.
Fire Station #1 is staffed around the clock—24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year—by a team of full-time, part-time, and volunteer firefighters. The district includes two full-time 40-hour positions (Chief and Captain) and six full-time 56-hour positions, with rotating 24-hour on and 48-hour off shifts (A, B, and C).
Paid Career Personnel
- 1 Fire Chief (Full-Time)
- 1 Fire Captain (Full-Time)
- 9 Firefighters (6 Full-Time) (3 Part-Time)
Volunteer Personnel
- 1 Deputy Fire Chief
- 2 Fire Lieutenants
- 12 Firefighters
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 (and unincorporated areas that are within five road miles of the 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.
