Clarkston Fire Service Area No 6
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE CLARKSTON FIRE SERVICE AREA NO 6 (CFSA), AS AN ALL-HAZARD FIRE AND EMS ORGANIZATION, PROVIDES VOLUNTEER FIRE PROTECTION AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES TO THE RESIDENTS OF GALLATIN COUNTY, MONTANA AS ITS PRIMARY MISSION.
- Income
- $146,895
- Spending
- $129,510
- Spent on programs
- 89%
- Reserves
- 5.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 0
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 82 out of 100. Higher than 49% of charities in its peer group (public safety and disaster relief, under $250k).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.8 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 12% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 12% of income.
Spending floor
15 of 1589% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 90% of charities in its peer group (public safety and disaster relief, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 255 of 5 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (5)
- $63,364 spent. FIRE PREVENTION AND EMS SERVICES -- THE CFSA IS AN ALL-HAZARD FIRE AND EMS ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO PROVIDING VOLUNTEER-ONLY FIRE PROTECTION AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES TO THE GALLATIN COUNTY AREA SURROUNDING THE TOWN OF THREE FORKS, MONTANA. THE CFSA FOCUS IS THE PREVENTION AND SUPPRESSION OF FIELD, BRUSH, AND STRUCTURAL FIRES. IN MONTANAS RURAL COUNTIES, MANY PLAGUED BY PERSISTENT DROUGHT,THE NEED FOR AN ACTIVE AND ON-CALL READY VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN A CRITICAL FACTOR IN KEEPING LARGE UNCONTROLLABLE WILD FIRES AT BAY. THE PRESENCE OF WELL-TRAINED FIRE FIGHTERS AND EMS PERSONNEL IS ESSENTIAL AND CANNOT BE UNDER ESTIMATED. CFSA PROVIDES AVAILABLE VOLUNTEER PERSONNEL, EQUIPMENT, AND FACILITIES IN A COVERAGE AREA THAT SPANS OVE 25 SQUARE MILES AND INCLUDES RURAL AND WILD LANDS, SERVING A POPULATOION OF APPROXIMATELY 2,000 RESIDENTS IN THIS SERVICE AREA.
- $18,433 spent. AMBULANCE SERVICES -- THE CFSA ALSO PROVIDES AMBULANCE SERVICES THROUGHT THE COUNTY FOR SUCH MISHAPS AS SEARCH AND RESCUE, AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENTS, MEDICAL EMERGENCIES, TRANSPORTS BETWEEN MEDICAL FACILITIES, AND OTHER HEALTH-RELATED ISSUES THAT REQUIRE AMBULANCE TRANSPORT. THIS SERVICE IS ESSENTIAL IN RURAL PORTIONS OF THE STATE BECAUSE STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE UNABLE TO RESPOND TO THREATENING EMERGENCIES FROM CENTRALIZED LOCATIONS. THEREFORE, IT IS NOT UNUSUAL THAT MANY, IF NOT ALL, OF THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT MONTANA ALSO PROVIDE THIS ESSENTIAL LIFE-SAVING SERVICE.
- $16,129 spent. MUTUAL-AID AGREEMENTS -- THE CFSA ALSO PROVIDES RESPONSE SERVICES THROUGH MUTUAL-AID AGREEMENTS WITH MEDICAL FACILITIES AND ADJACENT FIRE DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT GALLATIN COUNTY. THE NEAREST HOSPITAL IS MORE THAN AN HOUR TRAVEL TIME FROM CFSAS CENTRAL LOCATION, WHILE THE NEAREST MUTUAL-AID FIRE DEPARTMENT IS APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES AWAY. THE CFSA PARTNERS WITH EVERY VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THE COUNTY, AS WELL AS THE BOZEMAN CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT. CFSA ALSO PARTNERS WITH THE THREE FORKS AMBULANCE SERVICE AND THE AMERICAN MEDICAL RESPONSE FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES. THESE PARTNERSHIPS AND AGREEMENTS ARE CRUCIAL TO EVERY ASPECT OF THE SERVICES PROVIDED WITHIN THE REGION, PARTICULARLY IN GALLATIN COUNTY, WHICH IS THE FASTEST GROWING COUNTY IN MONTANA, AND POSSIBLY WYOMING AND THE DAKOTAS AS WELL. AS THE POPULATION GROWS, SO DOES THE NEED FOR EMERGENCY PERSONNEL TO BE READY TO RESPOND TO WHATEVER ACCIDENTS AND MEDICAL EMERGENCIES THAT MAY OCCUR.
- $11,521 spent. TRAINING AND CONTINUING EDUCATION -- THE VOLUNTEERS OF CFSA COMPLETE MANY HOURS OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN ORDER TO BE READY AT ANY TIME 365 DAYS A YEAR TO PROVIDE THE BEST POSSIBLE SERVICE IN TIMES OF NEED. THE VOLUNTEERS RECEIVE REGULAR TRAINING IN THE USE AND MAINTENANCE OF NEW AND WELL ESTABLISHED FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT, SUCH AS FIRE ENGINE SYSTEMS, FIRE-FIGHTING EQUIPMENT USED IN THE FIELD, AND THE EMERGENCY SERVICE EQUIPMENT USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH AMBULANCE SERVICES. FITNESS ASSESSMENTS ARE ALSO INCLUDED IN THE VOLUNTEER TRAINING -- VOLUNTEERS MUST BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE THEY CAN PHYSICALLY PERFORM THE RIGOROUS EXERTIONS THEY WILL ENCOUNTER WHEN WORKING IN HAZARDOUS FIELD CONDITIONS WITH UNCERTAIN TERRAIN. IN ADDITION, VOLUNTEERS ARE REQUIRED TO REGULARLY ATTEND CPE COURSES THAT OFFER UPDATES TO EMPLOYING BEST PRACTICES, INCLUDING REFRESHER COURSES IN SAFETY TRAINING, APPROACHES TO TRAUMA MITIGATION, AND NEW FIELD DEVELOPMENTS AND TECHNIQUES.
- $5,760 spent. COMMUNITY OUTREACH -- CFSA ALSO PROVIDES EDUCATION AND TRAININGS TO THE CITIZENS OF GALLATIN COUNTY ON THE BEST PRACTICES FOR WILDLANDS FIRE MITIGATION, FIRE PREVENTION, FIRST AID, CPR INSTRUCTION, AND OTHER PERSONAL SAFETY ISSUES. IN ADDITION TO CONDUCTING INFORMATIVE DISCUSSIONS, THE CFSA VOLUNTEERS HAVE ALSO WORKED WITH AREA SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS TO HOLD DRILLS AND DEMONSTRATIONS SHOWING STUDENTS THE BEST WAY TO USE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS AND TO EVALUATE BUILDING EXITS IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY SITUATION.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since April 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.