Red Lodge Rural Fire District 7
RLFR is governed by the Board of Trustees of the Red Lodge Rural Fire District 7. Formed in 1977, the Rural Fire District serves the City of Red Lodge, the Town of Bearcreek, parts of the Custer-Gallatin National Forest, and the surrounding rural area. The service area is over 250 square miles.
Red Lodge Fire Rescue (RLFR) provides high quality structure and wildland fire suppression, Critical Care Advanced Life Support and basic level EMS, technical rescue and extrication, hazardous wildland fire fuels reduction, as well as fire prevention and plan review services.
RLFR represents a cooperative partnership between the Red Lodge Rural Fire District 7 (RD7), the City of Red Lodge, and Carbon County. This partnership provides these services more efficiently than each entity could provide alone and at a much higher level than that found in comparable communities of similar size.
This partnership has evolved over time to include seamless operation and sharing of volunteers, facilities, and equipment. In July of 2014, the Fire and EMS partner organizations were administratively consolidated through inter-local agreement under the management of the Red Lodge Rural Fire District. In July of 2015, Carbon County Search and Rescue was consolidated into RLFR by agreement.
Funding
The District is funded primarily through property taxes and charges for services such as EMS Billing Revenue, wildland fire suppression assistance to State and Federal partners, and hazardous fuels reduction projects. RLFR also pursues several grants to assist with large capital projects such as the federally funded Assistance to Firefighters Grant, the Staffing For Adequate Fire and Emergency Response program, DNRC Hazardous Fuels Reduction Grants, and others.
The majority of funding for the District is tax revenue either milled by the District directly or paid to the District through operating agreements with the City of Red Lodge and Carbon County. These funds account for approximately 50% of the operating budget and the remaining funds are from charges for services and grants.
Red Lodge Rural Fire District 7 Board
The Board of Trustees of the Red Lodge Rural Fire District 7 are elected community members who serve 3 year terms. The Board is governed by its bylaws.
The Board of Trustees has the authority to provide for adequate and standard firefighting and emergency response apparatus, equipment, personnel, housing, and facilities, including real property as well as; ambulance response, emergency medical services, and other emergency services beneficial to the citizens of the Fire District.
Board Meetings are publicly noticed according to Montana law and occur 3-4 times each year.
Board Member terms are maintained by the Carbon County Elections Administrator and can be found here.
Carbon County EMS Board
The Carbon County EMS Board was created by the county commissioners in 2024 after the Carbon County EMS levy passed.
Board meetings -
Tuesday, Nov 19th 7pm Joliet Fire Hall 129 N Main St., Joliet, MT
Red Lodge - Roberts Ambulance District
Before the passage of the Carbon County EMS levy in 2024, RLFR was partially administered and funded by the Red Lodge Roberts Ambulance District. The district was dissolved after the passage of the Carbon EMS levy.
Red Lodge Fire Rescue
Red Lodge Fire Rescue operates on a July - June Fiscal Year.