Frequently Asked Questions

You may contact the Administrative Office at 931-560-1734 to request a copy of the report. Office hours are 7:30 am to 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday. You will need the following to obtain a fire report:

• Address of incident
• Date of incident
• Valid photo ID

There is no fee for copying reports, unless they are 10 pages or more. 

Yes. A burn permit is required for permitted open burning within the Columbia city limits.

Residents may obtain a burn permit by contacting the Columbia Fire & Rescue Administrative Office at 931-560-1734 or by visiting the nearest fire station between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

There is no charge to obtain a burn permit.

For additional information about burn permits, please click here.

Per Ordinance Number 3402, certain services provided by Columbia Fire & Rescue are subject to cost recovery.

When applicable, billing is calculated as follows:

• $45 per hour (one-hour minimum) per apparatus

• $15 per hour (one-hour minimum) per personnel assigned to the call

• Any materials used, billed at cost

These fees are established by City ordinance and are intended to help offset the operational expenses associated with specific incidents.

If you have questions about a bill you received, please contact Columbia Fire & Rescue for additional information or clarification.

Contact the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Division of Forestry for a Debris Burn Permit Application. Call 877-350-2876 or visit the website.

No. City ordinance prohibits the outdoor burning of leaves within the Columbia city limits.

Residents are encouraged to utilize approved yard waste disposal or collection services in place of burning.

For questions about permitted outdoor burning or yard waste disposal options, please contact Columbia Fire & Rescue.

Yes. All personnel with Columbia Fire & Rescue are able to check your blood pressure.

Residents may stop by a fire station to request a blood pressure check. Firefighters are happy to assist when they are available and not responding to an emergency call.

Columbia Fire & Rescue recommends changing the batteries in your smoke alarms every six months.

An easy way to remember is to replace the batteries when you adjust your clocks for daylight saving time.

In addition to regular battery changes, residents are encouraged to test smoke alarms monthly and replace the entire unit according to the manufacturer’s guidelines.

Columbia Fire & Rescue also offers:

• Free smoke alarm inspections

• Free smoke alarms 

• Free carbon monoxide detectors

To schedule an inspection or request a smoke alarm, please contact Columbia Fire & Rescue at 931-560-1734.

Please contact Columbia Fire & Rescue at 931-560-1734.

To schedule a tour of a fire station, contact Columbia Fire & Rescue at 931-560-1734.

To receive a fire department patch, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to:

Columbia Fire & Rescue
1001 S High Street
Columbia, TN 38401

Attn: Patch Request

Columbia Fire & Rescue does not give away or sell department t-shirts.

Fire engines are typically the first units to arrive at an emergency and officially stop the emergency response clock upon arrival.

Columbia Fire & Rescue engines are fully staffed and equipped to begin patient care immediately. Crews are trained to provide both Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Life Support (ALS) services, ensuring critical care can begin without delay.

Early intervention improves outcomes, and having highly trained firefighters arrive quickly allows lifesaving treatment to start while additional resources are en route.

The Insurance Services Office (ISO) conducts independent evaluations of fire departments across the United States to measure the quality of a community’s fire protection services.

The ISO review evaluates several key areas, including:

• How fire alarms are received and dispatched

• The location and distribution of fire stations throughout the city

• The equipment carried on fire apparatus

• The training and staffing of fire personnel

• The adequacy and reliability of the community’s water supply for fire suppression

Based on this evaluation, ISO assigns a Public Protection Classification (PPC) rating on a scale from Class 1 to Class 10.

• Class 1 represents exemplary public fire protection.

• Class 10 indicates that ISO’s minimum criteria are not met.

These classifications are used by many insurance providers to help determine property insurance premiums.

Columbia Fire & Rescue is proud to hold an ISO Class 1 rating, the highest possible classification. This distinction reflects the department’s commitment to training, equipment, response capability, and overall service excellence to the Columbia community.