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THE HISTORY OF THE GOSHEN FIRE DEPARTMENT
The city of Goshen officially
recognized its fire department on December 4, 1862. The department was
called the Reliance German Fire Company #1. This was the first organized
fire protection in the history of the city, known as the bucket brigade.
The fifty members donated $1200.00 and they the raised $400.00 through
subscriptions, in order to purchase a hand pup that cost $900.00.
On May 4, 1868 a rescue hook and
ladder company was organized, and two years later, a seventeen member
Reliance Hose Company #1 was formed on July 2, 1870.
The Gamewell fire alarm system was
put into use in the early 1880’s. This system was distributed throughout
the city for the citizens to contact the fire department. As of February
1, 1994 the duties of the municipal alarm system, or box alarm system,
was relinquished to outside alarm systems contractors.
The City of Goshen had grown to
four hose companies by 1905, so this led to the formation of a central
station, as well as, a paid fire force of four men in 1906.
During 1911, the horse drawn fire
department was dispatched to the first car fire recorded in Goshen’s
history. Five years after the car fire, Goshen purchased its first
motorized fire truck. The truck consisted of two fifty gallon chemical
tanks, hose, and ladders. The fire truck was built by Peter Pirsch Co.,
of Kenosha, Wisconsin.
By 1922 the department had enough
personnel in order to divide them into a two platoon system of five men.
This type of organization began to phase out the volunteer firefighters
in the city of Goshen. The two platoon system existed until 1982. The
department then decided to form a three platoon system with thirty four
men on three shifts and two men providing staff functions of Fire Chief
and Fire Inspector to bring the total to 36 active members.
In 1940 Goshen became one of the
first cities of its size to provide an ambulance and trained emergency
personnel to staff it. Today we have 51 firefighters on shift, 26 of
which are Paramedic trained, Fire Chief, Assistant Fire Chief, Chief
Fire Inspector, Office Assistant and a full time mechanic. We currently
house two fire engines, one heavy rescue pumper, a 110 foot aerial
truck, three paramedic ambulances, a fire command vehicle, fire
investigation vehicle, and one reserve engine in three stations. Twenty
seven firefighters, the fire chief, and office assistant,
stationed at Central Station, four firefighters are stationed at
College Avenue, and four firefighters and the Assistant Fire Chief are
stationed at the Reliance Road Station.
With the rapid growth of our city
we are planning on expanding the services we provide to better serve our
citizens. We will be taking delivery of a new medic and a new engine in
2006. We are in the beginning phases of a surface water rescue team and
a confined space rescue team. Our training facility currently holds a
flash over chamber, confined space simulator and large training room for
classroom courses. With our ever expanding city the growth of our
department will surely be an event to watch.
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