Deer Park-Silverton Joint Fire District
April 1, 1999 was the first operational day for the Deer Park-Silverton Joint Fire District. Previous to the formation of the fire district, the cities of Deer Park and Silverton maintained their own separate departments, comprised primarily of volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel. During the years prior to the merger, the demand for emergency services increased to the point that the two departments were running automatic dispatch on most fire incidents, and were sharing responsibility for EMS services to both communities. Costs also began to escalate, as the communities were often buying similar equipment, as each department had to maintain the capability of operating independently.
Faced with these facts, the two departments began looking into the possible formation of a fire district to address both the service and the economic needs of the communities. It was decided that the best approach for this new district would be to run as a combination department, with full-time, part-time, and volunteer personnel. With the decision made on how to organize and run the proposed joint district, the departments went to the voters to ask for the required funding. In November of 1998 the voters approved a tax levy to finance the Deer Park-Silverton Joint Fire District.
The district now provides fire and EMS services to Deer Park, Silverton, Golf Manor and parts of Columbia Township. The fire district protects approximately 15,500 people living in a five square mile area. The district is primarily residential, with some light industry. There is an Indiana & Ohio rail line that runs through the district, as does Interstate 71.
The fire district responds to over 4,000 calls for service annually. Approximately 75% of these details are requests for EMS (paramedic) service. The fire district also performs life safety (fire) inspections of businesses and places of assembly, and will conduct home safety inspections at the request of our residents.