Chief’s Welcome
Welcome to the Alachua County Fire Rescue website. It is an honor to serve alongside the dedicated men and women of ACFR who work every day to protect and serve our community. Our department is committed to providing professional, compassionate, and dependable service while continually looking for ways to improve how we meet the needs of our residents and visitors.
I invite you to explore our website to learn more about our people, our services, and the many ways we serve Alachua County. We are proud to be part of this community and grateful for the trust you place in us.
Our Mission
Public servants dedicated to enhancing and caring for the lives of those in our community, through preparedness and immediate response to any and all of life’s emergencies.
Fire Rescue is organized into divisions, each with specific areas of responsibility. Our staff provide leadership and oversight for these divisions, ensuring effective service and operations.
Alachua County Fire Rescue (ACFR) is a career department serving 284,000 residents across 962 square miles. With 377 personnel, including 330 uniformed members operating from 17 stations, ACFR responds to roughly 50,000 calls each year.
As Deputy Chief, I oversee Fire Rescue Operations, ensuring our teams have the leadership, training, equipment, and support needed to deliver exceptional service. Our structure is designed to maintain strong emergency response capabilities while fostering professional development, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
ACFR’s operational division includes:
- 3 Assistant Chiefs: Karem Scott-Kotb (Professional Standards), Jacob Faul (Emergency Medical Services), and Michael Cowart (Fire Operations)
- 12 Battalion Chiefs, 44 Suppression Lieutenants, 26 Rescue Lieutenants, 42 Driver Operators, 172 Firefighters, and a Peak Load Division of 12 Paramedics and 11 EMTs.
- Additional resources include the Fire Prevention Bureau, Health & Safety, Recruitment & Public Education, EMS Special Operations, Mobile Integrated Health, and our IT Office.
I’m proud to work alongside the men and women of ACFR as we continue developing our people, improving our systems, and strengthening our ability to serve our community
The Finance and Administration Office provides the financial and administrative support necessary to ensure Alachua County Fire Rescue operates efficiently and responsibly. Our office is committed to fiscal accountability, operational excellence, and data-driven decision-making.
Our responsibilities include:
- Developing and managing the department's annual operating and capital budgets.
- Monitoring expenditures and overseeing purchasing, accounts payable, and payroll.
- Coordinating personnel support and administrative services.
- Administering grants and contracts while ensuring compliance with funding requirements.
- Collecting and analyzing operational data, including emergency responses, incident volume, response times, and unit utilization.
- Providing reports and performance metrics that support strategic planning, resource allocation, and informed decision-making.
- Ensuring compliance with County policies and applicable state, federal, and grant requirements.
Through responsible financial management, efficient administrative services, and meaningful data analysis, the Finance and Administration Office supports Alachua County Fire Rescue's mission of delivering exceptional emergency services to the community.
The Medical Billing Office, in the Revenue and Collections Section of Alachua County Fire Rescue, is committed to providing accurate, compliant, and patient-centered billing for the county’s ambulance service transports of about 35,000 per year.
What We Do
- Bill, process insurance claims, and collect the fees for emergency and nonemergency ambulance services.
- Assist patients with billing questions, insurance updates, appeals, and payment options.
- Maintain billing records and process record requests in compliance with privacy laws.
How We Do It
- Review patient care reports to ensure documentation supports billed services.
- Apply current coding standards and requirements of each payer type.
- Submit claims, post payments, resolve denials, and protect patient information using some of the latest technology and highest industry standards.
- Prepare records for subpoenas, attorney requests, patients, & payers.
Why We Do It
To provide ethical, efficient ambulance billing that appropriately maximizes payer reimbursements, helps reduce Emergency Medical Services' reliance on the County's General Fund, delivers exceptional customer service, and ensures the responsible stewardship of public resources.
Contact
- Jeff Taylor
- Interim Fire Rescue Chief
- PO Box 5038
- Gainesville, FL 32627-5038
- Office Phone: 352-384-3101
- TDD/TTY users, please call 711 (Florida Relay Service)
- Email Jeff Taylor
