FIRE
DEPARTMENT HISTORY
Before 1921
fire fighting was done mostly by bucket brigade. In 1926, Civic Leader, Paul E.
Greenlaw, made the first effort to organize a fire department. Cubic C. Simmons
was the first fire chief and Dr. T.C.W. Magee was the secretary. Mr. Greenlaw
donated a truck to haul the equipment. Enough town support was gained to erect
five or six small houses in the business section. These houses were used to
store the wheeled hose and water carts of the day. Someof the early fire
fighters were: Fred Bateman, Odgen Doremus and Vic McKenzie. About 1933 a
disastrous fire almost destroyed the business section of Franklinton. The fire
department of Bogalusa saved the town. In 1934, throughout the efforts of Mr.
P.E. Greenlaw, our modern fire department was organized. A tax of 5 mills, two
for the fire department and three for water works was voted in 1934. George
Varnado was appointed Fire Chief. That same year a motorized Fire Engine was
purchased, Mr. Varnado and Mr. Bryan Fussell went to Logansport, Indiana to
accept delivery of the Engine. The original ford Fire Engine is still at the
fire house and is used in parades and other special events. At the time of the
purchase Mr. L.O. Torregrossa was mayor and Mr. C.J. Gayer, P.N. Givens, Geo.
Brown, W.E. Magee, and Robert W. Bateman were council members. In 1947 a second
Fire Engine, a Chevrolet, was purchased. In 1950 a fire station and city hall
was completed in the bussiness section of town. Also in 1950, a 960 gallon
water truck with portable pump was purchased. Through the efforts of George
Brown, a son of the city councilman, an American LaFrance truck was purchased.
In 2005 a new fire station was built on 11th ave allowing the
department to house all of its modern equipment instead of keeping it outside
at the preveous station. Today the
fire department currently operates out of one station and the apparatus fleet
consists of 4 Engines, 1 Ladder, 1 Rescue, 1 Brush rig, 1 Tanker, 1 Air and
utility truck. We have 2 paid firefighters and 29 volunteer firefighters.The
station is staffed Monday thru Friday, 7am till 4pm, after which volunteers man
the station. Our mission is to protect and serve the Town of Franklinton and
its surrounding communities in which we are called upon, with the strong
dedication and professionalism of our members.
THE DEPARTMENT
OF
Pub: April
1941
Prepared by, The
The following are typed articles that are on file here at
the station. Some have pictures along with the articles, but scanning them in and
placing them on the site is becoming a size problem. We will be posting the
pictures shortly. Enjoy the reading and remember the good ole days! Please keep
in mind these articles were written for that era, and equipment listings have
been updated since then.
Volunteer Fire Department
No definite date can be established for the beginning of the Volunteer
Fire Department of Franklinton. As early as 1911 a committee had been appointed
by the council to buy house and equipment for fire protection;
(1) in 1920 the town was making payments on a fire truck,
(2) although plans for a building to house it were not
made until 1923.
(3) On January 22, 1929, the town council held a special
meeting to organize the fire department. At this meeting the first fire chief,
C.C.Simmons and the secretary, T.C.Magee, were elected.
(4) In 1934 a fire chief was elected by the town council
with the power to elect his own assistant and personnel and to work out a
schedule of drills.
(5) A special property tax authorized by a popular
election was levied to equip and maintain the fire department,
(6) and in December 1934 an ordinance was passed
establishing the Franklinton Volunteer Fire Department and defining its duties.
(7) The department was to be composed of not less than 12
active members and as many in excess of 20 as might be deemed necessary for the
adequate protection of the community.
(8) The chief was to be appointed by the board of
aldermen for an indefinite period of time, his tenure dependent upon his good
conduct and efficiency, and he was to be removed only for just cause and after
a fair and impartial hearing before the board of aldermen.
(9) The chief was to be accountable to the board of
aldermen only, and he was to appoint the assistant chief and the company
officers, who were to be accountable to him alone and removable at his
discretion.
(10) The active membership of the department was to be
appointed by the chief or by the board of aldermen with the approval of the
chief. The firemen were to be able-bodied male citizens residing within the
town, who could read and write the English language understandingly, who were
of good moral character, and, preferably, who were property owners whose
business activities were chiefly within the confines of the town. They were
also required to have telephones in their homes.
(11) In addition to formulating the rules and regulations
of the department, the chief was to conduct semi-monthly drills in the
operation and handling of equipment, in the first aid and rescue work, and in
salvaging; he was to inaugurate a study of the buildings of the town and of all
other matters bearing on good firemanship.
(12) The chief was also to have inspections made not less
than twice each year of all buildings within the town, except those used
exclusively as residences, and to serve written notice upon the owner to abate
within a specified time any and all fire hazards that might be found therein.
(13) Regularly appointed members of the fire department were
given special police power during active fire service.
(14) In 1936 the council provided that each member of the
fire department be paid a stipulated sum for each fire attended.
(15) In 1938 members were paid a stated amount for each
fire drill, and the number of drills was increased to 4 a month. For active
service the amount of pay was twice as much for a drill.
(16) The present fire company is composed of 31members,
and its equipment includes 4 Engines, 1
Ladder, 1 Rescue, 1 Brush rig, 1 Tanker, 1 Air and utility truck.
