To enhance the quality of life of those who live, work, or visit the City of Fredericksburg by providing highly trained, courteous personnel for rapid response to their needs 

Department

The Fire Department is responsible for the fire suppression, prevention, planning, and inspection programs within the City. It manages the hazardous materials program, the emergency operation plan, career EMS personnel, training programs, and bimonthly drills for the volunteer fire company, and keeps volunteers abreast of activities and changes related to fire service.

The Fredericksburg Fire Department serves an area of 11 square miles with a population of approximately 20,500 people. We currently staff two fire stations 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Our department also has active mutual aid agreements with Stafford and Spotsylvania counties. Fredericksburg Fire Department operates two Advanced Life Support ambulances Monday through Friday, 5:30 am to 6:00 pm.

2008 Fredericksburg Fire Department Annual Golf Tournament Flier

City Demographics

The City of Fredericksburg is a part of the Washington Metropolitan Area and, because of the vast abundance of commuters that travel to Fairfax, Prince William, and Arlington Counties as well as Washington, DC, is considered by many to be a part of Northern Virginia, and is sometimes regarded as the southernmost suburb of Washington, DC.

Fredericksburg is the commercial hub of a rapidly growing region in north central Virginia. A 40-block national historic district embraces the city’s downtown area and contains more than 350 buildings dating to the 18th and 19th centuries. Notable homes include Kenmore, home of George Washington’s sister Betty, and the Mary Washington House, where his mother spent her final years. The historic district draws crowds of tourists to Fredericksburg during the summer months.

During the American Civil War, Fredericksburg gained strategic importance due to its location midway between Washington and Richmond, the opposing capitals of the Union and the Confederacy. During the battle of Fredericksburg, December 11-15, 1862, the town sustained significant damage due to bombardment and looting at the hands of Union forces. A second battle was fought in and around the town on May 3, 1863, in connection with the Chancellorsville campaign (April 27 - May 6, 1863). The battles of the Wilderness and Spotsylvania Court House were fought nearby in May 1864.

The University of Mary Washington was founded here in 1908 as the State Normal and Industrial School for Women. Adopting the name of Mary Washington College in 1938, the college was for many years associated with the University of Virginia as a women’s liberal arts college. The college became coeducational in 1970 and is now independent of UVa. Recently the College changed names from Mary Washington College to The University of Mary Washington.