Fire Department
100 S. Sherman Avenue
Cortland, NE 68331
(402) 798-7711
Fire Chief, Chris Briggs
Fire Captain, Taylor Burkey
Assistant Fire Chief, Adam German
Second Assistant Fire Chief, Taylor Burkey
Fire Training Officer, AJ Kurtzer
The fire hall is located on the east side of town on the corner of First Street and Sherman Avenue. Currently, the department has 24 personnel, which includes EMT’s, First Responders and Fire Fighters. Their equipment includes a tanker, a grass rig, a medical truck, a pumper truck and a utility truck. Monthly meetings are on the third Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. Training sessions are held in alternating months for medical and fire training. For inquiries on these sessions contact:
Medical Captain, Marilynn DeVries at (402) 798-7371
Medical Training Officer, Cristi Grusing at (402) 798-8339
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Team
The Cortland volunteer rescue established their EMS Team in 1982 to better serve the community. The department receives financial assistance from the Cortland Rural Fire District, the Village of Cortland, and through donations. The area covered is 64 square miles, including Cortland and Princeton. Hallam and Clatonia Rescue Squads serve as mutual aide and as their transporting units. The EMTs are dedicated volunteers who donate many hours a year of their own time for monthly meetings, drills, training, classes, EMT basic and refresher courses, public relations and seminars.
For inquiries contact, Marilynn DeVries at (402) 798-7371.
Cortland Explorers
The Cortland Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department started a junior fire and rescue team around 1996 known as the Cortland Explorers. All members are certified as Professional CPR providers and go through many hours of fire and rescue training a month. Explorers have the opportunity to train alongside the fire department by going to calls to get first-hand experience of what it’s like in the field. To be an Explorer you must be 14 to 20 years old and live in the area.
For more information on becoming an Explorer, contact Adam and Michelle German at (402) 798-2113.