Historical Timeline for the Stony Creek Fire Department
1908: First volunteer department for the Village of Stony Creek consisting of 5 men.
1912: The Great Creek Fire started during the unloading of a small shipping vessel that spread throughout the docks, warehouse and many blocks of homes and small business. As the Village was unprepared for any type of working fire, a portion of the Village was left in devastation. As a result, the first fully organized fire department was created with a fire hall and 20 gallon man drawn pumper.
1915: Purchase of first 2 ladder trucks; a Jeffrey 50’ and an Acme 24’.
1921: Village became the City of Stony Creek.
1922: City council approves promoting the department from volunteer to full time status. A signal system was installed and retired the watchtower from up top of St. Mary’s church.
1923: City ordered it first engine driven apparatus, an American LaFrance pumper. It was a Model #75 rated at 750 gpm. The six-cylinder truck had right hand drive, chain power transfer, mechanical brakes and an exhaust whistle.
1928: Fire Hall #2 opened in the southern area. Three new trucks were purchased; a Seagraves pumper and service truck, and a Dodge booster. The pumper was a 1000gpm centrifugal pumper. The service truck contained much of the firefighting equipment and many wood truss-type ladders; the longest being 55 feet. The Dodge booster truck carried 175 gallons of water, a 300 gpm centrifugal pump, a booster line in a basket, soda acid extinguishers and tools.
1929-1945: It had been 17 years since the department was granted any funding to improve equipment and stations. The Great Depression and WWII years were brutal to the City of Stony Creek and its fire department. This was the darkest age of the department.
Two new fire trucks were ordered from American LaFrance and were to be 500 gpm pumpers. One was to replace the old LaFrance #75 at Hall #2 and one was to replace the 1928 Dodge at Hall #1. These trucks were finally delivered in 1947.
1953: A new Fire Station #1 was completed, replacing Fire Hall #1. Fire Hall #2 was renamed to Station #2.
1954: Fire Station #3 completed on the east side of the city. Department purchased a 4 wheel drive, 750 gom pumper for station #3 and an 75ft Peter Pirsch Aerial for station #1 replacing the old Seagrave. The Seagrave can still be seen today at the local theater that replaced the old drive inn.
1955: Upon completion of the Stony Creek Hospital, Fire Station #4 was constructed in the adjacent corner.
1969: Construction of Station #5 completed.
1972: The department began responding to medical runs with trained Emergency Medical Technicians and instituted an Advanced Life Support Paramedic program. With the purchases of ambulances, the transporting of patient's became part of the hospital while the fire department responded for assistance. In addition to the purchase of ambulances, the Department purchased 3 Suthpen engines and a 75ft Suthpen ladder. The department also employed its first female firefighter.
1977: The second largest fire took place requiring mutual aid from surrounding cities as a local manufacturing plant went a blaze that last over 22 hours. For the first time in history, the Stony Creek Fire Department lost two of its members while on duty.
2004: 3 new apparatus are purchased. This is the departments first run with apparatus from Crimson Fire.
2006: Though the city was not exempt to the hardships of the fallen economy, the department was facing its own crisis with aging equipment again. With positive reinforcement from the community, the department was granted funding for new apparatus. 5 new E-One's were placed into service.
2008: Station #3 was 80% demolished by a tornado that ripped through the west side. The structure was damaged enough to demolish the remaining station and construct a new design. During the storm, Engine 3 and Ladder 3 were responding to numerous emergencies when the call came in for a building fire at Station #3.
2013: The department placed in service a Suthpen SP95 Tower.
2014: City Council has begun investigating funding and registering for Federal grants to add to the under staffed department.
1912: The Great Creek Fire started during the unloading of a small shipping vessel that spread throughout the docks, warehouse and many blocks of homes and small business. As the Village was unprepared for any type of working fire, a portion of the Village was left in devastation. As a result, the first fully organized fire department was created with a fire hall and 20 gallon man drawn pumper.
1915: Purchase of first 2 ladder trucks; a Jeffrey 50’ and an Acme 24’.
1921: Village became the City of Stony Creek.
1922: City council approves promoting the department from volunteer to full time status. A signal system was installed and retired the watchtower from up top of St. Mary’s church.
1923: City ordered it first engine driven apparatus, an American LaFrance pumper. It was a Model #75 rated at 750 gpm. The six-cylinder truck had right hand drive, chain power transfer, mechanical brakes and an exhaust whistle.
1928: Fire Hall #2 opened in the southern area. Three new trucks were purchased; a Seagraves pumper and service truck, and a Dodge booster. The pumper was a 1000gpm centrifugal pumper. The service truck contained much of the firefighting equipment and many wood truss-type ladders; the longest being 55 feet. The Dodge booster truck carried 175 gallons of water, a 300 gpm centrifugal pump, a booster line in a basket, soda acid extinguishers and tools.
1929-1945: It had been 17 years since the department was granted any funding to improve equipment and stations. The Great Depression and WWII years were brutal to the City of Stony Creek and its fire department. This was the darkest age of the department.
Two new fire trucks were ordered from American LaFrance and were to be 500 gpm pumpers. One was to replace the old LaFrance #75 at Hall #2 and one was to replace the 1928 Dodge at Hall #1. These trucks were finally delivered in 1947.
1953: A new Fire Station #1 was completed, replacing Fire Hall #1. Fire Hall #2 was renamed to Station #2.
1954: Fire Station #3 completed on the east side of the city. Department purchased a 4 wheel drive, 750 gom pumper for station #3 and an 75ft Peter Pirsch Aerial for station #1 replacing the old Seagrave. The Seagrave can still be seen today at the local theater that replaced the old drive inn.
1955: Upon completion of the Stony Creek Hospital, Fire Station #4 was constructed in the adjacent corner.
1969: Construction of Station #5 completed.
1972: The department began responding to medical runs with trained Emergency Medical Technicians and instituted an Advanced Life Support Paramedic program. With the purchases of ambulances, the transporting of patient's became part of the hospital while the fire department responded for assistance. In addition to the purchase of ambulances, the Department purchased 3 Suthpen engines and a 75ft Suthpen ladder. The department also employed its first female firefighter.
1977: The second largest fire took place requiring mutual aid from surrounding cities as a local manufacturing plant went a blaze that last over 22 hours. For the first time in history, the Stony Creek Fire Department lost two of its members while on duty.
2004: 3 new apparatus are purchased. This is the departments first run with apparatus from Crimson Fire.
2006: Though the city was not exempt to the hardships of the fallen economy, the department was facing its own crisis with aging equipment again. With positive reinforcement from the community, the department was granted funding for new apparatus. 5 new E-One's were placed into service.
2008: Station #3 was 80% demolished by a tornado that ripped through the west side. The structure was damaged enough to demolish the remaining station and construct a new design. During the storm, Engine 3 and Ladder 3 were responding to numerous emergencies when the call came in for a building fire at Station #3.
2013: The department placed in service a Suthpen SP95 Tower.
2014: City Council has begun investigating funding and registering for Federal grants to add to the under staffed department.