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History of the Lima Fire Department
The town of "Lima" was on the map before any
local record of June 6, 1831, but it was not fully organized until March
29, 1842, and a mayor was elected.
In this same year the Common Village Council
gave an order to blacksmith, William Andres, to install a clapper in th
courthouse bell at a cost of $1.87. This is said to have been the first
move to establish an organized fire department since the bell was used
to assembly common pleas court, church and school meetings, and to
summon citizens who would arm themselves with buckets, dishpans, and any
sort of container that would holdwater, and formed bucket brigades to
fight a fire.
Five years later, on April 21, 1847, another
important date in regards to fire prevention and fire protection, at a
meeting of the Common Council, the "Town of Lima," with a population of
600 people realized the need for fire prevention and the Common Council
resolved that it be expedient to take some measures to prevent fires
from breaking out in town. A committee of three was appointed to examine
the conditions of chimneys and other fire hazards and to make a report
at the next meeting. Then two years later at a Common Council meeting on
April 6, 1849, on a motion, authorized the purchase of three ladders and
six fire hooks to pull burning thatch from roofs. A committee was also
formed to examine the houses in town and have the properties secured to
prevent danger of fire.
In 1865 a volunteer fire department was
organized and the first piece of pumping apparatus, a hand pumper, was
purchased second hand from Dayton, Ohio, and was known as the "Pacific
Engine #1." After a large fire in 1871, two more engines were purchased,
the "Champion Steam Fire engine and Hose Co., No 2" and the "Citizens
Gift Fire Engine and Hose Company, No. 3." The old "Pacific" engine was
sold to Spencerville, Ohio. History tells us there was much rivalry
between these two companies in trying to be the first on the scene of a
fire.
A city building was built in 1868 on West High
Street, just west of Main Street on the south side, and housed the City
Jail and the Volunteer Fire Department on the ground floor with other
city offices on the second floor. This would be the first of several
"Central Stations" in the department's history.
It is not known what the status of the
volunteer companies were from this time on until 1890 when the
department was fully organized and the community was protected by
"Minute Men" which was part paid or "call department." The men were paid
for each fire call or for services rendered. At this time, there were 2
steam fire engines, one hose reel, 2 hose wagons, and 1 hook and ladder
in service. These were all horse drawn, since horses had been used in
the department from 1878 on, and at one time consisted of 21 head of
fine stock.
In August, 1893, a fully paid department was
organized and went into service the following month. This followed the
City of Lima building the water works system in 1886, with water being
first delivered through the mains on February 1, 1887. The system
consisted of 34 miles of street mains, 213 fire hydrants and nearly 2400
service taps.
A second fire station was completed and
occupied in 1888 at 216 E. Kibby and a third firehouse was built at 776
N. Main in about 1901. The city's fourth fire station opened in 1908 at
1174 W. High Street. Also, in 1906-07, a new safety building was built
and occupied at High Street and Central Avenue. This was the second
location of the Central or No. 1 fire station.
Early in 1915 the department was motorized,
when five pieces of equipment were delivered. At this time many of the
fire horses were sold and some were issued to the Public Service
Department. It is reported when the fire bell was heard it was difficult
to restrain the horses from responding, although drawing a street
cleaning apparatus.
On July 8, 1918, No. 5 Station at Lincoln Park,
Shawnee and Elm Streets was completed and opened for service, and No. 6
Station, on S. Main Street and Lafayette was opened as well. The fire
department operated out of these six fire houses until about 1944 or
1945 when the No. 2 Station was closed. Two new fire stations were built
in 1961. One was No. 3 Station which moved to its new location at 1199
N. West and No. 4 Station which moved to it's new location at 1440 W.
Spring St. No. 6 station was built in 1975 at a new location, 700 E.
Third, and a new Central Station was built at it's third location, 433
S. Main Street. These stations, along with No. 5 Station at Lincoln
Park, are the current fire houses in Lima.
The department was placed on a 2 platoon system
in 1920, with each platoon working 24 hours and then being off for 24
hours. On September 7, 1939, the "Kelly Day" was established and this
meant an extra day off every 14th calendar day, lowering the average
work week from 84 to 72. The "Kelly Day" came about as a result of
legislation lobbied for by Mayor Edward Kelly of Chicago. This system
was replaced in 1969 with a three platoon system or 56 hours a week, and
follows what is known as the California Plan, or one day on, one day
off, one day on, one day off, one day on, four days off. Another hours
reduction took place in the late 1980's and the average work week is 53
hours a week today.
Four firefighters have lost their lives in the
line of duty over the years. John Wolfe and John Fisher died in the
Allen County Courthouse fire in 1929, Frank Kinzer as the result of a
fire in the 400 block of North Main Street in 1933 and Cloyd R. Webb
died at the Marshal Sporting Goods fire in 1954.
The above information is excerpted from the
"Early History of the Lima Fire Department 1865 - 1975" compiled by
former Fire Chief George K. Kelley. It contains a wealth of information
which is too lengthy to list in it's entirely here. Anyone interested in
looking at the entire document can read the 1976 History of Allen County
at the Lima Public Library. The Fire Department section begins on page
29. |
