Highlandville Rural Fire Protection District

04/08/2026

We want to extend a sincere THANK YOU to the community for your continued support.

With your approval of this proposal, we will now be able to move forward with adding paid daytime firefighters to better serve our district. This is a major step toward improving response times and reliability when it matters most.

This change will take effect in 2027, and we will continue to keep everyone updated in the coming months as we work through the details of implementation.

We are proud to serve this community and grateful for your trust.

FD Response Matters. 🚒

04/07/2026

🚨 YOUR VOTE MATTERS 🚨

When it comes to the safety of our community, every decision counts.

✅ Vote YES on FD Response Matters — This supports faster response times, stronger emergency services, and the resources our firefighters and EMS need to protect lives and property. When seconds matter, funding and support make all the difference.

❌ Vote NO on Senate Bill 3 — This bill could limit local control and impact how our community makes important decisions about public safety and funding.

Our first responders show up for us every day — now it’s our turn to show up for them.

🗳️ Make your voice heard. Vote YES for FD response matters. Vote NO on Senate Bill 3

03/28/2026

We want to say thank you to everyone who came out to our Open House at Station 75!

We had a steady stream of community members of all ages stop by to tour the fire station, check out the trucks and equipment, and spend time with our firefighters. It was great seeing so many families and neighbors come together.

We truly appreciate the opportunity to visit with you, answer questions, and have open conversations about the important vote coming up in April.

Your support and engagement mean a lot to us. We’re proud to serve this community.

Thank you again for taking the time to come out—we hope to see you again soon! 🚒

03/24/2026

Community Event this Friday.
Spokane Owls
Highlandville MO Community (unofficial)
Spokane/Highlandville Neighborhood Watch
Highlandville Saddle

03/20/2026

To add some context to the 2025 numbers, approximately 61% of those missed calls occur during weekday hours between 7 AM and 7 PM.

That’s when many of our volunteers are at work and outside the district, which creates gaps in immediate response.

This is why the proposal is focused on improving daytime coverage, ensuring someone is available when emergencies happen during the hours we are most vulnerable.

To add to this, any paid personnel brought on for daytime coverage will be required to have State certifications, including:
• Firefighter I & II
• EMT or EMR

This ensures that anyone responding is properly trained, qualified, and ready to handle emergencies from day one.

Our goal is to provide reliable, professional-level response during the hours we currently have the biggest gaps, while continuing to support our volunteer firefighters.

03/15/2026

Many people have asked what this proposal actually costs.

For an ASSESSED home value of $20,000, at the proposed rate of $0.23 per $100 assessed value, that equals $46 per year OR about $4 per month

This funding would provide paid firefighters and EMS coverage during daytime hours, when many volunteers are working outside the district.

Over the next few weeks we’ll continue sharing information so everyone can understand how this improves response times and protects our community.

Christian County residents, get your "ASSESSED" value here:
https://christiangis.integritygis.com/H5/Index.html?viewer=christian

Stone County residents, get your "ASSESSED" value here:
https://stonegis.integritygis.com/H5/Index.html?viewer=stone

Spokane Owls
Saddlebrooke Missouri Property Owners
Highlandville MO Community (unofficial)
Spokane/Highlandville Neighborhood Watch

03/14/2026

🚨 FD RESPONSE MATTERS 🚨

In April 2026, voters in the Highlandville Rural Fire Protection District will have the opportunity to vote on a proposal to add paid daytime firefighters and EMS coverage to our community.

Right now, our fire district relies heavily on dedicated volunteers. While they do an incredible job protecting our community, many of them work outside the district during the day. That means during weekday hours there are times when no one is immediately available to respond.

This becomes especially concerning when our schools call for help.
When that happens and we do not have firefighters available in the district, another county fire department has to respond, which can cause critical delays in emergency response.

Seconds matter in emergencies.

This proposal is about making sure someone is here during the daytime hours when help is needed most.

Over the next several weeks we will be sharing more information about:
• Why daytime staffing is needed
• How it improves response times
• What it means for protecting our schools and community

Our goal is simple: make sure help is here when you need it.

Stay tuned for more information as we explain why FD Response Matters.

Spokane Owls
Spokane/Highlandville Classifieds
Highlandville Saddle

03/07/2026

Mountain Ridge Coffee Co. Thank you for the kind words! We’re always happy to take a few minutes to let kids check out the trucks and equipment. Moments like that are what community service is all about.

You never know — today’s curious kids could be tomorrow’s firefighters.

We appreciate the support from our community and are grateful for the opportunity to serve Highlandville and the surrounding area every day. 🚒

02/26/2026

This morning, Highlandville crews were dispatched on a mutual aid request from the North Stone Northeast Barry County Fire Protection District for a structure fire inside the City of Galena. Upon arrival, crews encountered a fully involved two-story residence. Due to limited manpower on scene, Highlandville assumed command and immediately began coordinating operations.

Additional support quickly arrived from Southern Stone County Fire Protection District, Billings Fire Protection District, and Hurley. Working together, crews mounted an aggressive exterior attack to contain the fire and protect surrounding property. Based on the prior condition and fire involvement of the structure, there were no safe interior firefighting opportunities.

Incidents like this are a reminder that volunteerism is declining nationwide. Rural fire protection districts depend heavily on volunteers who sacrifice time away from their families and careers to serve their neighbors. When staffing is limited, mutual aid partnerships become critical — and today those partnerships worked exactly as they should. Also thank you Stone County Ambulance District for their standby.

While Highlandville is fortunate to have strong community support and stable funding, the cost of fire apparatus, lifesaving equipment, protective gear, and ongoing training continues to rise every year. Departments must constantly upgrade equipment and capabilities to meet modern emergencies and keep both firefighters and citizens safe.

We want to sincerely thank our community for your continued support.

— Highlandville Rural Fire Protection District

02/26/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Funeral and Visitation Arrangements Announced for Christian County Sheriff’s Office Deputies Gabriel Ramirez and Michael Hislope
Christian County, MO — The Christian County Sheriff’s Office announces the funeral and visitation arrangements for Deputies Gabriel Ramirez and Michael Hislope. The Sheriff’s Office, alongside our community, continues to mourn the loss of these dedicated public servants who served Christian County with honor, courage, and commitment.
Public visitation for Deputies Ramirez and Hislope will be held on Friday, February 27, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at James River Church, located in Ozark, Missouri. Community members, law enforcement partners, and all who wish to pay their respects are encouraged to attend.
Funeral services for both Deputies Ramirez and Hislope will take place on Saturday, February 28, at 1:00 p.m. at James River Church in Ozark, Missouri. The service will honor the lives, service, and sacrifice of both deputies.
Honors for both Deputies will be rendered on site immediately following the funeral service. A law enforcement procession will follow to Greenlawn Funeral Home in Ozark, Missouri. There will be no graveside service.
The Christian County Sheriff’s Office extends its deepest gratitude for the outpouring of support shown to the Ramirez and Hislope families, our deputies, and the entire Sheriff’s Office during this difficult time. We ask the community to continue keeping the families, friends, and colleagues of Deputies Ramirez and Hislope in their thoughts and prayers.
Questions regarding services may be directed to the Missouri Law Enforcement Funeral Assistance Team, 816-509-0256, who is assisting our agency.
Address for James River Church: 6100 N. 19th St. Ozark Missouri

02/24/2026

02/18/2026

🚨🔥 HIGH FIRE DANGER – NO BURNING WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY 🔥🚨

Today’s weather conditions have created an extreme fire danger across our district. Dry fuels, low humidity, and wind can cause even the smallest spark to spread rapidly.

With limited daytime volunteer staffing, we are asking all residents to restrict burning activity to ZERO today.

❌ No brush burning
❌ No debris piles
❌ No burn barrels
❌ No open flames outdoors

Even a controlled burn can quickly become uncontrollable under current conditions — and response times can be impacted when volunteer availability is reduced during workday hours.

We rely on your cooperation to help protect:
🏠 Homes
🌾 Property
🚜 Farmland