HISTORY OF WHITE RIVER TWP FIRE DEPARTMENT

PRIOR TO 1946 WHITE RIVER TWP HAD A BUCKET BRIGADE 

THE WHITE RIVER TWP VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS FOUNDED IN 1946 BY 20 VOLUNTEERS 

WHITE RIVER TWP VOLUNTEER  FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS THE FIRST ALL VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT IN HAMILTON COUNTY

THE FIRST FIRE CHIEF WAS ALVIN HUNTER

CHIEF HUNTER RECALLED RESPONDING TO 25-40 CALLS 

THE FIRST FIRE TRUCK WAS A 1946 FORD TANKER TRUCK

IN 1958 THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PURCHASED A 1958 PUMPER TRUCK WITH 1,000 GALLON WATER TANK AND A 250 GMP PUMP

THE FIRE TRUCK WAS STORED IN THE WALNUT GROVE SCHOOL BUS BARN UNTIL 1960

IN 1960 A SEPERATE FIRE STATION WAS BUILT BY THE VOLUNTEERS, THE BUILDING WAS A 30X32 FEET BLOCK BUILDING AT A COST 25,000 DOLLARS

THE TOWNSHIP ALSO PURCHASED NEW COATS, BOOTS AND GLOVES FOR EACH VOLUNTEER TO MEET OSHA STANDARDS OF THE TIME AT A COST OF 14,000 DOLLARS AT 700 PER VOLUNTEER.

IN 1980 WHITE RIVER TWP FIRE DEPARTMENT BUILT A NEW FIRE STATION BEHIND THE BLOCK BUIDLING ONCE COMPLETE THE BLOCK BUILDING WAS TAKEN DOWN. 

IN 2003 A NEW FIRE STATION WAS BUILT UNDER TRUSTEE PHYLLIS JACOBS AND FIRE CHIEF PHIL ACHENBACH.

AT THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD A ENGINE, TANKER, GRASS TRUCK, AND RESCUE. 

IN 2020 TRUSTIE JAMIE RULON HIRED THE TOWNSHIPS FIRST PAID FIRE CHIEF, CHIEF GARRY HARLING

IN 2020 THE TOWNSHIP PURCHASED THE FIRST AMBULANCE 

IN 2021 TRUSTIE JAMIE RULON AND CHIEF HARLING HIRED THE FIRST PAID STAFF OF PARAMEDICS AND EMTS.

IN MARCH OF 2021 AMBULANCE 331 WENT INTO SERVICE TO PROVIDE BASIC LIFE SUPPORT CARE TO WHITE RIVER TOWNSHIP

IN MAY OF 2021 ADVANCE LIFE SUPPORT CARE WAS ADDED TO THE AMBULANCE AND MEDIC 331 WENT INTO SERVICE. 

WHITE RIVER TWP FIRE DEPARTMENT IS NOW CLASSIFIED A COMBINATION FIRE DEPARTMENT. HAVING PAID STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY OF THE TOWNSHIP.

DURING THE DAYS OF PARTY LINE PHONE SYSTEM THE TELEPHONE OFFICE WOULD RING A DIFFRENT PATTERN OF RINGS TO NOTIFIE THE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS HOME OF A FIRE CALL.

RADIO SYSTEMS WHERE NOT RELIABLE UNTIL THE LATE 1950's

IN 1958 THE FIRE CHIEF AND ASSISTANCE FIRE CHIEF HAD BIG RADIO CONSOLE RADIO TO RECEIVING CALLS. AFTER RECEIVING THE CALL ON THE RADIO THE WIFE WOULD CALL THE NEXT VOLUNTEER AND THE PHONE CHAIN STARTED. 

LATER ON EVERY VOLUNTEER RECIEVED A CONSOLE THAT WOULD ONLY RECIEVE COMPARABLE TO THE CURRENT FIRE PAGERS THAT CAN BE CARRIED ON A BELT. 

THE FIRE CHIEF WOULD TEST THIS SYSTEM EVERY NIGHT AT 6:00 PM THE FIRE CHIEF CONSOLE CALL SIGN WAS "KAX654"

THE RADIO TOWN AT THE FIRE STATION HAD A RED LIGHT ON IT WHEN A FIRE CALL WOULD COME OUT IT WOULD BE TURNED ON TO SIGNAL THE VOLUNTEERS OF A FIRE CALL. 

JUST LIKE THE CHICAGO FIRE IN 1871 WHITE RIVER TOWNSHIP VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD A GREAT STANLY CRAIG FARM FIRE 600 HOG WHERE LOST BUT NO FIREFIGHTERS WERE INJURED