The District
About the District
The Superstition Fire and Medical District is a political subdivision of the State of Arizona, legally established in 1955 under what is now ARS § 48-261. The fire district was formed by a majority of property owners and registered voters, who petitioned the Pinal County Board of Supervisors to create a special taxing district for the express purpose of providing fire protection services to the community.
Since then, the fire district has grown from one fire station to five, a Fleet Services facility, an Administration office, and a Regional Training Center. With these facilities came the need for additional staffing; with 102 public safety personnel, 24 civilian ambulance personnel, and 14 civilian staff, the district has grown significantly since its origin.
The fire district is located on the east side of the Phoenix Metro area in Pinal County in the state of Arizona. It encompasses 71 square miles and serves the City of Apache Junction, the unincorporated areas of Gold Canyon, Superstition Foothills, Goldfield Foothills, Entrada Del Oro, and the new Superstition Vistas development along Ironwood Rd.
A popular winter visitor haven, the population fluctuates from 60,000 full-time residents to over 86,000 during the winter months. Additionally, the fire district is home to the Superstition Mountains and numerous horse trail systems. Just outside the fire district boundaries are canyons and lakes that offer water recreation and spectacular views.
An elected five-member board provides fiscal management of district operations, in conjunction with the Fire Chief, who directs administrative and operational services. District operations are divided into four sections: Emergency Services, Support Services, Administrative Services, and Transportation Services, each led by a member of the Senior Leadership Team. The district delivers advanced life support (ALS) and fire-related life safety functions utilizing a three-shift system. Each shift has an assigned Battalion Chief that directs daily operations, with station Captains providing supervision of direct fire and emergency medical services (EMS) related operations.
John Whitney
Fire Chief
Chief Whitney started his career in 1996 with the US Forest Service and was hired by Rural/Metro in 1999. He joined Scottsdale Fire Department as a Captain in 2005 and was promoted to Battalion Chief in 2011. He was promoted to Deputy Chief in 2013 where he worked in a multitude of divisions including Operations, EMS, Special Events, Prevention and most recently Administrative Services.
He holds a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies in Biology & Political Science from Arizona State University and a Master of Science in Emergency Management from Arizona State University. Chief Whitney was awarded a scholarship from the International Association of Fire Fighters and attended the Harvard University Trade Union Program in Cambridge. He also completed the Certified Public Manager Program at Arizona State University. Most recently, he completed the Center for Homeland Defense and Security Master’s program at the Naval Postgraduate School.
“I am beyond grateful to be a part of such a great organization,” says Whitney, “and I truly look forward to being a part of its bright future.”
