How old is your Department

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Permalink Reply by Brad Hoff on February 25, 2009 at 12:17pm

Boy you got me started and now I can't stop so this will be a bit long but I hope people will learn something from it or research it more. Well I can't list all the departments I have been in but generalizing it a bit.

My starting Volunteer Fire Company in PA, Jefferson VFC was formed in 1947 which is young for that area because our town was founded in like the late 1700's. Oldest piece was a 1947 Mack Pumper sold to a private buyer. The other FD's in our area where I grew up were founded in the late 1800's or early 1900's except for York. York City Fire has been around since 1771 but some say it is older than that and could be the oldest continuously operated FD in the Nation....I can see there could be some disagreement over this one but I am only recalling what one of the programs from the fireman’s assoc stated in the parade booklet from the annual parade.

The US Army and Air Force Fire Protection here in Interior of Alaska have only been in the last 60 to 70 years but the Army has had firefighters for longer than that. If anyone could shed some light on this we can have a fire service history lesson from this by the time we are done here. History of Ft. Wainwright LADD AFB here in Fairbanks has had firefighters since the 40's because of the "Lend Lease" aircraft program the US had with Russia during WWII. LADD AFB later to be named Fort Jonathan M. Wainwright honoring the general who led delaying tactics on Bataan and Corregidor in the Philippines against a superior Japanese force in World War II. Oldest piece of apparatus I have seen from the Army is a 1954 Ward LaFrance located in a remote village about 200 miles North. Eielson AFB has been around since the late 1940's originally called Mile 26 Satellite Field as a result of needing another runway for the "Lend Lease" program here in Alaska and later being named Eielson AFB in 1948 for pilot Carl Ben Eielson who became the first to cross the North Pole by air History of Eielson AFB. Oldest piece of apparatus I saw there was a 1978 single cab Ward LaFrance on a ford chassis and a 1979 the second produced P-15, the Largest fire truck in the world weighing in at 65.5 tons.

Finally my current Volunteer FD was formed in 1975 by a group of local citizens concerned about a rash a fires in the area. Before then Ft. Wainwright and Eielson AFB FD's along with the City of North Pole FD founded in 1957 had been graciously agreeing to fight some of the larger fires in the area. North Star's oldest engine that finally about two months ago breathed its last breath was a Ford 9000 6X6 mfd by Pierce in 1979.

Alaska has a few departments that are over 100 years old to include Valdez and Fairbanks and all have apparatus that is over 100 years old in various stages of restoration with Valdez having the fully restored Steamer and other apparatus in my photos. I encourage everyone to explore the histories even further as I know I will learn something here for sure after reading all the replies so far.

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Permalink Reply by acklan on February 25, 2009 at 7:09pm

My department, City of Baton Rouge Fire Dept., has been a career department since 1925. It's roots go back to 1825 with a citizen's bucket brigade, and a formal volunteer hose company (Washington Number One Volunteer Fire Company) was established in 1836. We still have a engine and tiller, 1926 American LaFrance.
We obtained an ISO class "1" rating in 1979 and have maintained it.

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Permalink Reply by Scott Hopkins on February 26, 2009 at 10:24am

The City of Sturgis Fire Department was organized by a group of business men prior to 1859. On June 20, 1859 the city actually purchased its first apparatus and hose cart. The engine was affectionately known as "The Old Tub". This summer on June 20 we will hold a celebration and open house and recognize it as our 150th anniversary. I am looking for input on what other departments have done (for kids and the community) during similar type of celebrations. So far we plan to have the station open for the public, free hot dogs and a bicycle rodeo. We will have old photos and equipment on display, but I want something that will draw a crowd and give people something to do, not just come, look and leave. Thanks

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Permalink Reply by Brenda Tenney on February 26, 2009 at 7:39pm

I believe that our fire dept is 10 to 15 years old,and we are still adding on.
We now have started and Exployer Group.Today the News Group came from Columbia SC,to do and story on our small town fire dept. Will be on Columbia SC news tonight and Saturday morn .BT

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Permalink Reply by Jeff Buechel on February 28, 2009 at 10:50am

My department was established in 1884. This year we are celebrating our 125th anniversary. Our first piece of equipment was a hand drawn pumper that was manufactured in town from the same time period. Our first motorized apparatus was a 1915 ALF/Ford Model T Chemical truck. The T still runs, although it hasn't seen chemicals in the tank for about 75 years. Our oldest truck in service is a 77 Pierce 50' Tele-squrt. It is being replaced by a Pierce 105' HD Quint this June. Wet-down will be on August 1st. The same day as our 125th anniversary celebration.

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Permalink Reply by Todd Ungar on March 4, 2009 at 6:47pm

The Willoughby Fire Department was formed in 1894, our first piece of equipment is no longer around because the horses have long since passed away. Just kidding. Actually we have an original hose cart, minus some of the cool ornamental metalwork, that cart is sitting right outside the window I'm looking out of at the firehouse right now. The first piece of motorized equipment is a 1921 American LaFrance and it is sitting inside our north end fire station.

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Permalink Reply by David Madsen on March 5, 2009 at 5:34pm

Our Department was established in 1907. Our first motorized truck was a 1913 American LaFrance chemical car. We located a 1929 American LaFrance/GMC pumper that was originaly owned by out department in a barn about 4 miles out of town. We aquried it and have it stored for future refurbish. I have included a picture of our first.

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Permalink Reply by Brenda Tenney on March 5, 2009 at 6:09pm

The oldest truck in our dept must be over 60 years old ,from our old fire dept.,mile away from the newer FD.We were on WisTV.com a community that is small,and we are doing all we can to make and larger fire dept,because we serve other towns when they have and a good many fire scenes ,Our Exployer group is coming alone great,these young men will make great fire fighters one day. Be safe Brenda t

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Permalink Reply by Srob0601 on March 6, 2009 at 4:02pm

Established in 1952, relocated to current station in 1958, oldest apparatus 1989 Sutphen Pumper, and yes... it's blue.

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Permalink Reply by Vincent Gatti on March 8, 2009 at 12:15pm

We were established in 1898. Still have one of the two original hose carts, made in 1904 and the 1st manufactured fire truck, a 1923 American LaFrance. Looking for a sugar daddy (or sugar mama, not fussy) to help us get the '23 up and running. Oldest in the "fleet" is a 1991 S&S tanker which we purchased last April. Newest is a 2004 E-One Typhoon

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Permalink Reply by Doug Yates on March 10, 2009 at 11:02am

Roseland Fire formed in 1913. Our oldest piece is a 1927 ALF, but we run a 1974 and a 1984 MACK CF pumpers, as well as a 1985 Pierce Arrow 110' RM Platform.

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Permalink Reply by Tom Heckman on March 10, 2009 at 4:24pm

Indianapolis is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. All of you coming to FDIC this year, we should be having a pretty good party. We have a wonderful museum in town at our union headquarters that showcases a horsedrawn steamer.

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