Originally founded as Leland Volunteer Fire Department in 1959 and Leland Volunteer Rescue Squad in 1968, the two departments merged in 1998 to provide fire protection, rescue services and emergency medical care to the citizens of Leland and northern Brunswick County. Today, Leland Fire Rescue is a combination department that consists of 18 career staff members, volunteers, high school cadets, and two life time honorary members that answers over 3,000 emergency requests per year.
 
In 2008 the department accomplished a number of goals in an ambitious 10 year plan set by Chief John Grimes, who has actively served as the department's Chief since June of 1994. Career members staff the department on a 24 hour basis, providing fire and EMS response for Leland. In June of 2008, Leland Fire Rescue became the first department in Brunswick County to become Heavy Rescue certified by the North Carolina Association of Rescue & EMS Providers. And most recently, it has taken another step in improving the quality of safety to the citizens of northern Brunswick County by operating at the EMT-Paramedic level. Leland Fire Rescue is Brunswick County's third Paramedic level service and Brunswick County's only non-municipal Paramedic level emergency medical service.