The Pleasure Ridge Park Fire Protection District was originally formed by a group of local citizens in February 1950. For the first six months of PRP's existence it operated on funds provided by local businesses whose names were placed on the back of firefighter turnout gear. In October 1950, PRP was officially recognized as a fire protection district under Kentucky Revised Statute Chapter 75 Fire Protection Districts, which enabled it to collect taxes from property owners for its funding. PRP was initially an all-volunteer force. The first chief, Edward R. Gland, commanded a group of sixteen volunteers and operated out of a building it shared with the Jefferson County Police Department and the Department of Public Works. In 1955, PRP constructed its first stand alone fire station at the present site of PRP Station 1. By the end of the 1950s PRP was operating out of two stand alone fire stations, in the 1960s two more stations were constructed and in the 1970s a fifth station was added. In 1991, PRP constructed a state-of-the-art training facility that included a 6th fire station. In 2004, PRP merged with a neighboring department which added two more fire stations; this accounts for the eight current facilities operated by PRP. From 1950 to 1973, PRP remained an all-volunteer force. In 1973 a radio dispatcher was employed by the district. In 1975 the first female employee of the district was hired as a fire inspector. By 1984, PRP was still operating with an all-volunteer firefighting force consisting of 150 members, but had hired 11 employees to manage dispatching, building inspections, apparatus maintenance and hydrant inspections. In 1987, fire dispatching was transferred to the Louisville Division of Fire and the PRP dispatchers were transferred to PRP's first career fire company making PRP's official department type change from volunteer to combination. In 1991, PRP hired its first career fire chief, Eric D. Evans. Also, in the 1990s, PRP added a second career fire company during business hours which with the first career fire company responded to incidents during the day until the large volunteer suppression force was able to staff units after business hours. In 2003 PRP, following a trend of most departments with career members, moved its career staff from 40-hour employees to 56-hour employees. In 2004, PRP merged with a neighboring department and added a third career company which was the model until 2018. In 2018 PRP began providing a Basic and Advanced Life Support ground ambulance service. .
Mergers
In 2004, South Dixie Fire District merged with Pleasure Ridge Park Fire Protection District. In 2020, Lake Dreamland Fire Department merged with Pleasure Ridge Fire Protection District.
Statistics
In 2012, PRPFD was one of 676 registered Fire Departments in the state of Kentucky according to the National Fire Department Census.
Operations
Pleasure Ridge Park Fire Protection District operates out of 8 stations, making it the third largest department in the state of Kentucky, behind Lexington and Louisville. Here is a list of stations, their locations, and operating companies. Station 1 - 4500 Kerrick Lane Engine 2231 - Reserve Rescue 2281 - Career Staffed Medical Unit 2286 - Career Staffed Station 2 - 9500 Stonestreet Road Truck 2262 - Reserve Quint 2252 - Career Staffed Medical Unit - 2282 Career Staffed Battalion 2209 - Career Staffed Station 3 - 8505 Terry Road Engine 2283 - Volunteer Engine 2233 - Reserve Squrt 2253 - Reserve Station 4 - 5126 Cane Run Road Engine 2284 - Volunteer Engine 2232 - Reserve Station 5 - 6902 Manslick Road Engine 2285 - Volunteer Engine 2286 - Reserve Station 6 - 8201 Greenwood Road - Training Facility Quad 2241 - Training Use Only Station 7 - 13210 Dixie Highway Quad 2247 - Reserve Quint 2257 - Volunteer Engine 2287- Reserve Trench Rescue 6492 - Cross-staffed by 2288's crew as needed Station 8 - 6501 Bethany Lane Rescue 2288 - Career Staffed Water Rescue 2280 - Cross-staffed by 2288's crew as needed
The Jefferson County Water Rescue Team has members from several Suburban Fire Districts. PRPFD being one of those whose Water Rescue Team operates with the use of two inflatable Zodiac boats which are stored at Stations 7 & 8. PRPFD has the only rescue boats on the lower pool of the Ohio River from McAlpine Dam to the Salt River. The team is equipped to handle water rescues on rivers, swift water streams, and flooding. Both teams assist in operations during Thunder Over Louisville.
Due to this Districts location to many industrial areas namely Riverport, all Pleasure Ridge Park Firefighters are HAZMAT Operations Level certified and respond to Hazardous Materials Incidents. Pleasure Ridge Park Fire District also has members that are HAZMAT Technician certified that participate with the Jefferson County Hazardous Response Team.
Annual collections for the WHAS Crusade for Children were pioneered by the Pleasure Ridge Park Fire Protection District of which all other Districts have since taken part.
Pleasure Ridge Park was the top contributing Fire District for the 59th annual WHAS Crusade for Children. The citizens of Pleasure Ridge Park donated $314,132.27 in 2012. On June 5, 2016, at the 63rd annual WHAS Crusade for Children Pleasure Ridge Park Fire Protection District was recognized for donating over $8,000,000 to the Crusade, since 1956.
