“Built on Tradition. Driven by Dedication.”

The history of the Coteau Fire Protection District is built upon a tradition of community service and the dedication of generations of volunteers, career personnel, commissioners, and citizens who believed their community deserved dependable emergency services. Over more than four decades, the District has continually evolved to meet the changing needs of the community while remaining faithful to the values upon which it was founded.

The origins of the District trace back to late 1979, when a residential fire highlighted the need for a locally based fire department capable of providing faster emergency response to the Coteau community. In response, local residents united to organize the Coteau Volunteer Fire Department. Through the vision of its founders, the leadership of its first Fire Chief, Wayne Guidry, and the dedication of its charter members, the department was formally organized in March 1980. Construction of the original fire station began that same year, establishing the foundation for what would become today’s Coteau Fire Protection District.

During the years that followed, the organization steadily expanded its capabilities to meet the changing needs of the community. What began as a volunteer fire department focused primarily on fire suppression evolved into a comprehensive emergency services organization. As the District matured, its emergency service capabilities expanded to include extrication services, emergency medical services, fire prevention activities, and other specialized emergency services. These enhanced capabilities enabled the District to provide a broader range of services while meeting the changing expectations of the citizens it serves.

A significant milestone occurred in 1996 with the establishment of the Coteau Fire Protection District and the voter approval of an 8-mill ad valorem tax, providing a dedicated and sustainable source of funding for fire protection services. In 2006, the citizens of the District again demonstrated their confidence in the organization by approving an increase in the ad valorem tax rate to 18 mills, strengthening the District’s ability to invest in personnel, facilities, apparatus, equipment, training, and emergency service delivery.

Continued expansion of career staffing in 2012 further strengthened the District’s weekday emergency response capabilities while preserving the essential role of the Coteau Volunteer Fire Department as an integral component of the District’s combination staffing model.

Recognizing that protecting the community extends beyond emergency response, the District established a Fire Prevention Bureau in 2018, an important milestone in its continued organizational evolution. The Bureau was subsequently recognized by the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office, reflecting the District’s commitment to professional fire prevention, public education, inspections, and Community Risk Reduction initiatives designed to reduce the frequency and severity of emergencies before they occur.

The completion of the Administration Building in 2020 represented another important investment in the District’s long-term organizational development, providing facilities to support administration, training, planning, and the continued delivery of professional emergency services.

Today, the Coteau Fire Protection District reflects more than four decades of community commitment, organizational evolution, and dedicated public service. Guided by Fire Chief Russell Di Salvo, Jr., Assistant Chief Breaux, the dedicated members of the Coteau Volunteer Fire Department, the District’s career personnel, and the Board of Commissioners of the Coteau Fire Protection District, the organization continues to build upon the vision established by its founders. While the District has evolved from a volunteer fire department into a modern combination fire department providing a comprehensive range of emergency services and Community Risk Reduction activities, its mission remains unchanged: to protect life, property, and the community through professional service, responsible leadership, and an unwavering dedication to those it serves.

The evolution of the Coteau Fire Protection District reflects a long-standing commitment to adapting to the changing needs of the community. The chapters that follow evaluate the District’s current operational readiness, organizational capabilities, and strategic opportunities to ensure that commitment continues for future generations.

The strength of the Coteau Fire Protection District has been built upon the dedication of its members and the continuity of its leadership. Since its organization in 1980, the District has been served by only three Fire Chiefs, each contributing to the organization’s continued development while remaining committed to protecting the community.

Fire Chief                                      Years of Service

Wayne Guidry *                                                1980–1985

 Robert Lee                                                         1985–1993

Russell Di Salvo, Jr                                          1993 – Present

* Founding Fire Chief

The continuity of leadership reflected above has contributed to the District’s ability to adapt to changing community needs while preserving the traditions, dedication, and public trust established by its founders.