History

Organizational Background

In 1852, the Town of Bluffton was officially established by the South Carolina General Assembly. Throughout its rich history, the town has survived many tumultuous times including South Carolina’s secession from the Union, the burning of the town in the Civil War, hurricanes, and other challenges to become part of a major commercial traffic route, due to its location on the May River. Eventually the town evolved more into a summer retreat area due to its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. This brought prosperity to the area and moved Bluffton to where it is today. The area is predominantly residential and light commercial, with no significant heavy industrial areas.

The Bluffton Township Fire District was formally founded in 1978 as a special fire tax district by the Beaufort County Council to provide emergency services in the southern portion of the County and the Town of Bluffton. Initially, the district was made up of three independent volunteer fire departments – Chelsea (Station 32), Pritchardville (Station 31), and Bluffton (Station 30). These local departments were created by concerned citizens seeing a need for fire and medical services in the area prior to the County combining them into a single department in 1978. Over the years the department evolved from a volunteer service and started hiring paid firefighters. In 2007, the district became a fully career department that now serves a population of approximately 75,000 residents with 170 personnel within its 246 square miles.

Today, the Bluffton Township Fire District is committed to protecting the lives and property of its citizens, while providing proactive all-hazards public safety services to address all its community’s risks from nine stations, located strategically throughout its jurisdiction. The district embraces quality, service, and excellence in all it does.