Edwardsport Volunteer Fire Department

The first fire truck was purchased from Midstate Fire Equipment Co. for the sum of $1350.00. On December 5th , 1961 money was received from the Township Trustees office. At that time, the dept. decided to purchase a portable pump to be carried on the truck to use in combating rural fires. The truck had to be housed at a members home until a fire station was built. It is unknown which member housed the truck.

On January 8th , 1962 the dept. looked into the possibility of purchasing the N.E. lot on Mill lot from Roy Anderson’s heirs. The 2 ½ lots would be used for the purpose of constructing a new fire station. The telephone company had contacted the dept. regarding fire alarm phones. These phone systems were too expensive to be considered practical, however the phone co. agreed to list the numbers of several members in their book at no cost to the dept. These numbers were to be used in case of a fire. Once a call was made to a fire member they would in turn call the other members.

The new fire station, built by Wainman Brothers Contractors and the members of the fire dept, was completed on July 15th , 1964 and the first regular monthly meeting was held at the new station. On August 22nd , 1964 the general public was invited for the dedication of the new fire station.

From October 1965 until February 1970 only one to three members attended each business meeting resulting in little or no business was discussed.

October 9th, 1965 - the first bean supper and chili supper fund raisers were held.

March 18th , 1970 - Hosea Land, Bob Blythe and C. Bennett were to check on a fire truck that Bicknell had for sale.

December 16th , 1970 - the mortgage on the building was paid in full.

January 1971 - Public Service donated a siren which was mounted on top of the station with a red light. The light and siren were to be turned on by the first member that arrived to help call the other members to the station.

From November, 1974 to 1987 the business meeting notes are missing so the information was found through old receipts.

March 22nd , 1980 - a 1956 American Lafrance pumper was purchased from Shoals fire dept. for the sum of $3,700.00

October 1982 - a new 48’ x 40’ building was constructed by Graber Post Buildings to house the trucks. The old building would be used for a meeting room and office. A breeze way was constructed to connect the two buildings. The cost of the construction was $20,000.00.

January 21st , 1986 - a 1985 Ford F350 4x4 pickup was purchased from Ruxer Ford in Jasper for the sum of $11,450.00. This truck was the department’s first grass rig.

August 29th , 1987 - a 1987 Ford F800 pumper/tanker was purchased from Midwest Fire & Safety for the sum of $70,000

February 15th , 1989 - electric door openers were installed for the truck bay doors, the first shirt patches were purchased, uniform shirts would be purchased for each firefighter once their 2nd class firefighter classifications were completed.

Somewhere between 1987 to 1989, the first radios, phone patch & repeater were purchased. Using this system, the fire phone would ring and could be answered using the radio.

March 15th , 1989 - a phone was purchased to hook on to the repeater.

April 19th , 1989 - the telephone company removed the list of fire members phone numbers from the phone book and then listed the new emergency phone number for the fire department.

April 11th , 1990 - the first badges were purchased

May 30th , 1990 - the 1987 tanker was paid in full.

July 18th, 1990 - motion was made and seconded to tile the floor in the meeting room. Herschel Yagle, Bob Schutter, and Joe Koenig would pick out the color

April 16th, 1991 - a new 1991 GMC topkick engine was purchased from Midwest Fire & Safety for the sum of $ 101,038.00

August 17th , 1993 - Bob Schutter made a motion that the department enter into Rescue and First responder

March 16th, 1994 - a new brush rig/ Rescue truck was purchased from Thompson Chevrolet for the sum of $ 16,154.00

January 23rd , 1995 - the department officially started running rescue

January 24th , 1996 - the department’s first P.A.S.S. devices were purchased. These devices were used on the S.C.B.A. packs so that if a fireman goes down an alarm will go off alerting others.

April 1996 - a used truck was purchased from Dave Worland for $5,000.00 and a utility bed was purchased from D. Carnahan for $ 1,500.00. These were use to build a new rescue truck. The existing rescue/grass rig with be strictly a grass rig. These changes were made due to the weight of the rescue equipment, grass firefighting equipment and water on the truck.

June 1996 - an addition to the truck bay was constructed and a training room was made in this addition

October 1996 - a new bed was constructed to be put on the grass rig

January 1997 - the dept. purchased its first CO detector

July 1997 - the dept. purchased its first defibulator.

October 15th , 1997 - purchased a new 1998 Chevy HD3500 from Ubelors in Jasper for the sum of $19,500.00 and the utility bed from old rescue will be put on this truck.

1999 Knox County became 911

February 20th , 2002 - a new compressor and bottles for a cascade system were purchased.

July 2003 - poured new concrete drive and put new sheet metal on building History

April 21st , 2004 - a sealed bid of $15,005.00 was given on the aerial truck Mt. Vernon, IN had for sale. A 30 gallon OSHA approved cabinet was purchased for the gas cans.

May 26th , 2004 - the bid was accepted for the 1973 American Lafrance aerial truck with an 85’ ladder.

July 21st , 2004 - the lettering on the aerial was completed. The aerial truck was equipped with 30 sections of 2 1\2” hose and 10 sections of 1 3\4” hose and will be on display at the Knox County Fair.

September 22nd , 2004 - new nozzles, fittings, and halogen lights received for the aerial truck

October 20th , 2004 - aerial 16 was put in service. The Jr. Firefighter program was started.