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Elyria Fire Department Timeline (1906-2009)
Aug. 1, 1906~ Wallace N. Bates appointed Chief of department
Sept 1, 1906~ Elyria’s fire department reorganizes as a full-time paid department, prior to 1906 the fire department consisted of volunteers only ~Department consists of 1 Chief, 1 assistant chief, 1 driver, and 4 firefighters ~Elyria Fire Department headquarters and only station is a wing added to the rear of city hall, horses and apparatus were housed on first floor and living quarters for the men on the second floor ~pay scale- chief $840 yearly, firefighter $540 yearly ~responded to 31 alarms in 1906, property loss $95,043
1907~39 fires recorded
1908~ Ordinance passed to increase department to 16 men ~ Council approves to construct 2 new fire stations. One at Lake Ave. and one on Winckles Street~ stations cost approximately $3,500 each
April 1, 1909~ two new stations were opened
Dec. 1, 1911~ Two new Robinson motorized pumpers were placed into service ~Teams of horses were still used to pull other fire equipment
April 1913~ Chief Bates will receive a new Overland runabout automobile. The Chief walked or rode a bicycle in making rounds to outlying fire stations. Its chief usefulness will be in checking incipient fires and getting the chief quickly on the scene of a working fire; vehicle is equipped with Babcock chemical fire extinguishers which will prove a value in heading off small fires
1914~77 fires recorded
March 1915~ department receives one Drager Oxygen breather or “smoke helmet”, first mask used in fire department ~5 remaining horses in fire department~ Doc, Jack, Kit, Nell, & Jeff
1917~ Outdoor skating rinks located in several areas of town would be flooded by firefighters in the winter for skating
1918~ An alligator was kept and displayed in the park pool during summer and wintered in a tank in the fire department basement at fire station #3
1919~ firefighters worked five 24 hour days and were off two 24 hour days July 30~ Firefighter Emil Hess dies on duty of an apparent heart attack
Jan. 1, 1920~ department now has two platoons, men are on duty for 24 hours and off for 24 hours Jan 13,1920 ~ New combination hose and chemical truck was placed in service at fire station #2 (Winckles) The last horse drawn apparatus was retired
June 28, 1924~ A tornado rips through Lorain’s business section and residential areas demolishing everything in it’s path. 13 off duty Elyria firefighters and safety service director respond to search buildings and remove bodies. Firefighters spend nearly 2 days assisting Lorain Fire Dept.
1925~ 28 men in fire department
1927~ 236 fires recorded
1928~ 444 fire hydrants in the city of Elyria
April 1929~ Adopted use of filter type “all service” masks
1930~ 273 fires recorded
1936~ Water tower at Furnace and Belmont streets constructed
Aug. 1937~ Firefighters assist in returning a brown bear to his cage. Bears were housed by the parks department in a “bear den” located among the rocks in an area adjacent to the playground in Cascade Park
1938~ 3 new “modern” pieces of fire apparatus purchased, this established the Elyria Fire Department as one of the best equipped of the time Nov. 21~ New 85 foot ladder truck was brought to Washington Ave. bridge for demonstration to citizens of Elyria as well as Fire Chiefs from other cities interested in the modern fire equipment
1941~ 292 fires recorded
Sept. 2, 1942~ 55 men organized as an auxiliary fire unit. They were to aid the fire department during wartime after the bombing of Pearl Harbor
July 12, 1944~ auxiliary group disbanded as world affairs were beginning to settle down
1950~ FM two way radio units were first placed in fire apparatus
1953~ First Rescue truck purchased and placed in service
1955~ Elevated water tank at Clark and South Logan streets was placed into service
1957~ 54 men currently in the fire department
Feb. 7, 1963~ Lt. Albert “Tink” Andress dies in the line of duty at a house fire on Columbus Street from a heart attack (Only line of duty death in history of department)
April 26, 1963~ Maynard A. Hintz 45, a veteran Elyria Fireman was electrocuted when he fell across a high voltage line carrying 7,500 volts while answering an accident call in North Ridgeville. Hintz was off duty from the Fire Department at the time
1964~ 519 emergency responses recorded
April 1, 1965~ Elyria firefighters move into new headquarters at 40 Cedar Street, The Arthur W. Ely memorial fire station was built for $470,000. This was made possible through a federal grant for $270,000 along with $185,000 from the Ely estate and a donation from Harshaw Chemical Company in the amount of $15,000
April 9, 1965~ Chief Wallace Bates resigns as fire chief ending nearly 59 years of service ~ Lyle C. Scott becomes Elyria’s second fire chief
Sept 23, 1966~ Chief Bates Dies at Elyria Memorial Hospital at age of 88 ~254 structure fires recorded
Dec. 17, 1967~ Opening of new Abbe Road fire station dedicated to the late Wallace N. Bates
1968~ Bureau of fire prevention and arson investigation established
1969~ Firefighters are paid $6,672 yearly for their services
May 1971~ received Snorkel to replace 1938 ladder truck ~87 firefighters on department
1974~ Department records over 1,000 emergency responses for first time ~March 12~ Two major fires occur on same day causing $275,000 in damage
August 1975~ Civil disturbance erupts in city of Elyria, Firefighters battle 8 fires directly related. ~5 members of fire department are first to receive degrees in fire science from L.C.C.C
1976~Lloyd Kinney becomes Elyria’s third fire chief
1977~ Greatest number of structure fires in history of department to date (505), over $924,000 in fire loss
1979~ City council passes legislation which creates position for a full time training officer
1980~ 5 firefighters are laid off due to a lack of city funds, all 5 men will later return to work, 4 of them will become officers ~Donald Norman becomes Elyria’s Fourth fire chief
1981~ 73% of fire department members are trained EMT’s (Emergency Medical Technicians)
August 25, 1982~ Earl Shelton, 36, Elyria Fire Department Lieutenant died after being stricken apparently with a heart attack at Station #1 while on duty. Shelton was a 10 year veteran of the department Nov 13, ~ City drops manning for the department from 21 to 17 firefighters on duty each day
1983~ Elyria Fire Department conducts 200 hr. basic firefighting course required by the state of Ohio for the first time. All new members will be trained in house ~Water rescue/SCUBA team created with 4 Elyria firefighters and 4 Elyria police officers ~Ronald T. Novak becomes Elyria’s fifth fire chief
1984~ 68 firefighters on department
1985~ Fire Dept. speakers bureau completes its first full year of operation. 2,000 people will attend 25 safety programs given by the bureau ~ October~ New Rescue truck placed in service
1986~ 50 people in Elyria have died due to fire related incidents in the past 20 years (1966-1986) ~ All members of department are EMT’s for the first time
1987~ Hazardous Materials response team is created due to increased number of hazardous materials incidents
1988~ Due to safety concerns and insurance purposes, firefighters no longer ride the rear step of fire apparatus
1989~ Lorain county 911 goes on line
1990~ New Pierce Arrow 105 ft. ladder truck purchased and placed in service ~Daniel T. Schue becomes Elyria’s sixth fire chief
April 8, 1991~ New central station at 330 E. Broad St. is opened and in service, fire prevention bureau moves from station #1 to central station.
1992~ 1257 emergency responses recorded ~$3.5 million dollar loss for year
1993~ August 27~Explosion at Aztec chemical on Garden Street requires full response of all fire department personnel and a mass evacuation of Elyria residents takes place. Total fire loss tops $4.5 million ~$5.9 million dollar loss for year ~158 structure fires
1994~ Hazardous Materials team responds to a pesticide removal call on Warden Ave. which becomes an EPA (environmental protection agency) superfund cleanup which totals $22 million dollars
April 21, 1997~ New Fire station #3 opens on Lorain Blvd. This will replace old station on Lake Avenue
1998~A modern heavy duty Summit Rescue truck equipped with “Jaws of Life” extrication equipment is placed into service at Station #1 ~3,527 emergency responses, 289 fires ~22 arson fires investigated, 22 others listed as suspicious ~13 juvenile fire setters were counseled by fire prevention bureau
1999~269 total fires reported, 125 structure fires ~73 men on fire department ~1,590 buildings inspected ~Arson is listed as #1 juvenile crime in U.S.
2000~ department has 3 trained paramedics for the first time
2001~First thermal imaging camera placed in service. Senses heat which assists firefighters in locating victims in smoke filled atmospheres along with locating fires and hot spots in hidden areas ~John F. Zielinski becomes Elyria’s seventh fire chief
2002~ (FEMA) Federal emergency management agency awards Elyria Fire Department with over $210,000 in grant money ~ $35,276 is used for modern physical training equipment located at station #1 ~$174,804 is used for lighter and more advanced SCBA units and air bottles for entire department
2003~currently 2,601 fire hydrants in city of Elyria
2004~ November~ Manning for the department is dropped from 17 to 14 firefighters on duty per day. This forces the closure of a fire station for the first time in department history ~FEMA awards fire department with money to update central dispatch office with desperately needed computers and communication equipment
2005~Fire department records 3,833 emergency responses, highest volume of responses to date ~Manning level returns to 17 and all four stations are operational
2006~ June/July~ Five arson fires set on Stoneybrook Drive cause over $331,000 in damages. Two of these fires are multiple alarm fires that severely damage three condo units ~70 firefighters on department ~Two new pumpers set to arrive in August
2007~ August 27~ Manning is reduced again to 14 firefighters per day, Station #2 will be closed most of the time ~ Highest call volume in history of department (4,320)
2008~ July 3~ One of the largest fires in history of Elyria destroys a partially occupied General Industries building on Olive and Taylor streets, A general alarm mobilizes entire department and every Fire department in Lorain county assists with the blaze.
2009~Feb.18~A general alarm fire rips through the tunnels underneath LCCC, fire and smoke cause over $1 million in damage to the campus. A 24 year old man is arrested and charged with arson.
2009~Mar. 27~Rich Benton is sworn in as the Departments eighth Fire Chief
2009~ April 11~Fire Station #4 closes for the first time due to lack of manpower~Fire Station #3 closes a few days later, All personnel on duty operate out of Station #1(No minimum manning)
2009~April 15~9 Firefighters are laid off |
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Elyria Fire Department History |
