History
The Beginning
The Ames Fire Department was founded on June 12, 1895, as a volunteer fire department. The first fire chief, C.H.
Glidden, led a team of eight volunteers known as the Ames Hose Company. At the time, they had one hand drawn hose cart and basic equipment purchased in 1891. The city's water system consisted of a wooden tower and tank at City Hall, and three fire hydrants on Main Street.
Early Growth
By 1900 the Ames Hose Company became the Ames Volunteer Fire Company. There were twenty-five volunteers. In 1907, the department defined specific duties during fires. These included “nozzlemen” and “hydrantmen” and “linehandlers”. They also began wearing protective gear, including rubber coats and helmets.
In 1910, a horse-drawn fire wagon was purchased. In 1915, the department is named the Ames Fire Department. Sleeping space was set up in City Hall and the first paid firefighter is hired.
Expanding and Upgrading
In 1916, the department purchased its first motorized fire engine. L.R. Morris became the first paid fire chief in 1922. He helped the department buy its first ladder truck. In 1924, the Ames City Council approved the department to be paid.
To meet the growing needs of the city, the department opened Fire Station Two in 1932 in west Ames. This helped
provide
better coverage for the Iowa State University (ISU) area. In 1966, the department moved to
a new fire station
at Welch Avenue and Chamberlain Street. Two years later excavation to the north caused a wall of the station to
collapse.
In 1980, Fire Station One which also serves as Headquarters opened at 1300 Burnett Avenue. In 2002, Fire Station
Three opened in south Ames at 2400 S. Duff Avenue. The process of moving Station Two further to the west has begun. Plans for a fourth station for the north part of Ames are being explored.
Today’s Ames Fire Department
The current Fire Chief is Richard Higgins. He is the department’s eighth paid fire chief since 1922. The department now has 62 uniformed personnel, including:
- 1 Fire Chief
- 2 Deputy Chiefs
- 3 Shift Commanders
- 1 Training Officer
- 9 Lieutenants
- 45 Firefighters
- 1 Fire Inspector
New Responsibilities
As the city’s needs grew, the Ames Fire Department expanded its duties. Today, most firefighters are also licensed Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). The department has a new Special Operations Unit. It has equipment used for hazardous materials, rope rescue, confined space, ice rescue, and trench rescue incidents.
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