About PVFD

In 1968 the Puerco Valley Firefighters Association was created to help protect the local communities. In 1969 the very first ambulance was purchased for the local ambulance service which was started by Jimmy McDonald. The North half of Station 1 was built by the Apache County Sheriff’s posse to serve as the fire district’s first fire station. Puerco Valley’s very first fire truck was a 1942 Chevrolet Fire Truck and served as the only fire apparatus in the area for several years. Sometime around 1973-74 the Puerco Valley Firefighters Association and a local ambulance company merged and the Puerco Valley Fire District was established. The merge provided more personnel that were cross-trained in both fire and EMS. In 1991 the South half of Station 1 was constructed by the fire district.

Puerco Valley Fire District is located in Northeastern Arizona. The fire district is responsible for 2,500 square miles of land and by land mass is the largest fire district in the state of Arizona. Puerco Valley’s Station 1 is located in Sanders, AZ and is the only fully staffed station. The fire district has three fire stations total, Station 2 is located in Lupton, AZ and Station 3 is located in Navajo, AZ. Station 2 & 3 are staffed by volunteer members or off-duty personnel when needed. Puerco Valley Fire District covers I-40 from mile post 307-359 for the East and West boundaries, and US HWY 191 from mile post 344-390 for it’s North and South boundaries. When the fire district was established the board of directors could not decide on the boundary lines, so they decided on using the school district boundaries in their place.

Station 1 is staffed by fully certified Fire/EMS personnel who remain on duty for 48 hour shifts at a time. Full-time personnel are required to be dual certified as firefighters and either EMT’s or Paramedics. Today the fire district is staffed by 16 full-time members and 2 reserve members. Only 2 full-time members live within the fire district.