HISTORY OF THE IRVING FIRE DEPARTMENT THE IRVING FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS FORMED IN 1925 AS A VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT AFTER A FIRE STARTED IN THE ONLY SCHOOLHOUSE. THEY STARTED WITH 20 MEN; MR. R.V. LEACH WAS ELECTED CHIEF. VOLUNTEERS STARTED WITH A FOUR WHEELED PULL-CART LOADED WITH A 20 GALLON WATER BARREL, A HAND PUMP, BUCKETS, BROOMS, AND A SMALL LADDER. THERE ARE OPINIONS THAT THE IRVING FIRE DEPARTMENT STARTED EARLIER, POSSIBLY 1921. HOWEVER THE ONLY DOCUMENTED EVIDENCE OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS FROM A 1925 INVOICE FOR FIRE HOSE. THE CITY WAS ONLY ONE SQUARE MILE AT THE TIME. IN 1926 THE VOLUNTEERS GOT THEIR FIRST MOTORIZED EQUIPMENT, A 1919 MODEL T FORD TRUCK. THE VOLUNTEERS ADDED A PUMP, WATER BARREL, 250 FEET OF 2 1/2 HOSE, BUCKETS, A LADDER, AND AN AXE. THE TRUCK HAD A TOP SPEED OF 25 MPH. VOLUNTEERS WERE ALERTED ABOUT FIRES BY A LIGHT AND A SIREN ON TOP OF THE OLD WATER TOWER DOWNTOWN. THERE WAS A RUMOR THAT THE CITIES FIRST POLICE OFFICER WOULD SHOOT HIS GUN INTO THE AIR TO SUMMON THE VOLUNTEERS TOO. THE FIRST STATE CERTIFIED FIREMAN WAS EARL SARGENT, WHO GOT HIS CERTIFICATION IN THE MID 1930 S.
IN THE 1930 S THE VOLUNTEERS BOUGHT A USED REO FIRE TRUCK FROM THE MINERAL WELLS FIRE DEPARTMENT. IN THE EARLY 40 S THEY BOUGHT A USED 1936 1 ½ TON CHEVROLET TRUCK. THIS TRUCK HAD A 500 GPM PUMP AND A 250 GALLON TANK. THEY ALSO BOUGHT A WAR SURPLUS INTERNATIONAL TANKER THAT HELD 600 GALLONS. THE MEN USED RUBBER RAINCOATS AND FISHING WADERS AS FIREFIGHTING GEAR. IN THE 1950 S THE FIRST NEW FIRE ENGINE WAS BOUGHT, A 1951 MACK WITH A 750 GPM PUMP. IN 1953 THE CITY HIRED ITS FIRST FULL TIME PAID FIREMAN AND FIRE MARSHAL, JAMES D. PISTOL MITCHELL.
IN 1954 THEY HIRED 4 MORE FULL TIME MEN. THE FIRST FULL TIME PAID FIRE CHIEF, E.F. CRONAN, WAS HIRED IN 1955. HE WAS A RETIRED CAPTAIN FROM THE DALLAS FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE FIRST TWO-WAY RADIOS WERE INSTALLED IN 1955. STATION 2, AT 1306 N. STORY WAS BUILT IN 1956. THIS STATION HOUSES BATTALION CHIEF 1,A TRUCK, AN ENGINE, AN AMBULANCE, AND A RESERVE AMBULANCE. THIS STATION HAS THE MAIN AIR COMPRESSOR FOR REFILLING SCBA TANKS.
STATION 3, AT 1825 E. GRAUWYLER, WAS BUILT IN 1957. THIS STATION HAS AN ENGINE, AN AMBULANCE, THE MASS CASUALTY TRAILER AND 520 SHIFT DUTY OFFICER. STATION 3 REPAIRS FIRE HOSES FOR ALL STATIONS. IN 1958 THE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS WERE PHASED OUT. A 1956 PANEL WAGON WAS DONATED IN 1959 TO BE USED AS AN AMBULANCE.
STATION 4, AT 3303 N. MACARTHUR, WAS BUILT IN 1960. THIS STATION HAS AN ENGINE AND AN AMBULANCE. THIS STATION ALSO REFILLS ALL OXYGEN BOTTLES FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT UNITS. IN 1967 THE FIREMEN WENT FROM 24 ON/ 24 OFF TO 24 ON/ 48 OFF AND THE NUMBER OF FIREMEN ALMOST DOUBLED. A 1953 AMERICAN LA FRANCE 75 FT. AERIAL LADDER WAS BOUGHT FROM FLOWERTOWN, PA. IN 1967, TO BE USED AS THE FIRST TRUCK. THE ORIGINAL STATION 5, AT 1230 GLENWICK, WAS BUILT IN 1967. CHIEF WILLIAMS WAS HIRED IN 1968. THE FIRST ASSISTANT FIRE MARSHAL WAS HIRED IN 1969. THE ORIGINAL STATION 6, AT 2601 ESTERS RD., WAS BUILT IN 1970. AUGUST 2, 1970 HUMBLE OIL REFINERY FIRE ON HIGHWAY 183. ALSO IN 1970 THE IRVING FIRE DEPARTMENT FIRST STARTED USING SCBA, SELF CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS. BEFORE THEN YOU WERE A TRUE SMOKE EATER.
IN 1971 THE IRVING PROFESSIONAL FIRE FIGHTERS ASSOCIATION #2073 WAS CHARTERED. DECEMBER 10, 1972 BOWIE JR. HIGH ARSON FIRE. JANUARY 29, 1975 LPG BULK STORAGE FACILITY FIRE ON HIGHWAY 183 AT CARL RD. SHUT DOWN 183 FOR OVER A DAY.
STATION 1, AT 925 CHAMBERLAIN, WAS BUILT IN 1975. THIS STATION HAS AN ENGINE, A RESERVE BATTALION CHIEF S SUBURBAN AND A ZODIAK TYPE BOAT USED BY THE SWIFT WATER RESCUE TEAM THAT IS BASED OUT OF THIS STATION. IN 1976 THE IRVING FIRE DEPARTMENT TOOK OVER AMBULANCE SERVICE FOR THE CITY WITH 4 AMBULANCES. BEFORE THIS THE AMBULANCES WERE RUN BY THE THREE FUNERAL HOMES IN IRVING AND THEY RESPONDED ON A ROTATING BASIS.
CHIEF SPILLMAN WAS HIRED IN 1977 AFTER HE RETIRED FROM THE DALLAS FIRE DEPARTMENT. JANUARY 1978, A MAN WEARING A SNOWMAN COSTUME TO STAY WARM AT A VERY COLD DALLAS COWBOY GAME HAS HIS COSTUME CATCH FIRE DUE TO A LIT STERNO CAN. IT GETS NATIONAL ATTENTION AFTER IT IS SHOWN ON TV. THE FIRST PARAMEDICS FOR THE IRVING FIRE DEPARTMENT WERE TRAINED IN 1978. FIRST JAWS RESCUE TOOL FOR THE IRVING FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS PURCHASED IN 1979. NOVEMBER 1980, ARSON FIRE AT THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA HEADQUARTERS BUILDING.
STATION 7, AT 3303 W. WALNUT HILL, WAS BUILT IN 1982. THIS STATION HAS A TRUCK, AN ENGINE, AND AN AMBULANCE. IN DECEMBER 1982 THE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS RESPONSE TEAM WAS PLACED IN SERVICE. MARCH 4 1983 FIRE MARSHAL J. D. PISTOL MITCHELL RETIRES FROM THE IRVING FIRE DEPARTMENT. HE WAS THE FIRST FIRE MARSHAL FOR THE CITY OF IRVING. CENTRAL FIRE STATION WAS CLOSED IN 1984. IT IS CURRENTLY BEING USED BY THE IRVING PROFESSIONAL FIRE FIGHTERS ASSOCIATION AS A MEETING HALL AND POSSIBLE MUSEUM. FEBRUARY 28, 1984 JAMES PRESSNALL, E4B, DIED IN THE LINE OF DUTY AT AN APARTMENT COMPLEX UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
MAY 1984, MURDOCH MACHINE 4 ALARM FIRE ON WEST HWY 183. STATION 8, AT 650 E. LAS COLINAS BLVD., WAS BUILT IN 1984. THIS STATION HAS A QUINT TRUCK, AN ENGINE, AND A HAZ-MAT TRUCK USED BY THE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS TEAM BASED OUT OF THIS STATION. AUGUST 2, 1985 DELTA AIRLINES FLIGHT 191 CRASHES AT THE NORTH END OF DFW AIRPORT, IFD RESPONDS TO A CAR HIT BY THE PLANE ON HWY 114 AND TO ASSIST WITH THE AIRCRAFT CRASH. JUNE 1986 FREE SMOKE ALARM PROGRAM STARTED FOR RESIDENTS THAT OWN THEIR OWN HOME BUT CANNOT AFFORD A SMOKE ALARM.
STATION 9, AT 8101 JETSTAR, WAS BUILT IN 1987. THIS STATION HAS THE ONLY IFD PLATFORM QUINT TRUCK, AN ENGINE, AND A RESERVE AMBULANCE. JANUARY 25, 1988 WENDELL MCCLUER, T9C, DIED IN THE LINE OF DUTY AS HE WAS ASSISTING A MOTORIST ON THE HIGHWAY. MARCH 30, 1988 THE CITY OF IRVING STARTS USING ENHANCED 911 FOR ALL FIRE, POLICE, AND MEDICAL SERVICES. AUGUST 31, 1988 FLIGHT 1141 CRASHES AT THE SOUTH END OF DFW AIRPORT AND IFD RESPONDS.
STATION 10, AT 315 CIMMARON, WAS BUILT IN 1989. THIS STATION HAS AN ENGINE, AN AMBULANCE, AND A RESERVE ENGINE. CHIEF SPILLMAN RETIRED IN 1990 AND CHIEF RICHARD KNOPF WAS HIRED IN JULY OF 1990. JANUARY 1993 THE HIGH ANGLE RESCUE TEAM (HART) WAS PLACED IN SERVICE. OCTOBER 1993, MAJOR FIRE IN A SUITE AT TEXAS STADIUM.
CHIEF KNOPF SERVED UNTIL DECEMBER OF 1994, AND BATTALION CHIEF MAYFIELD WAS APPOINTED INTERIM CHIEF UNTIL CHIEF HICKEY WAS HIRED. IN MARCH OF 1995 JACK HICKEY WAS HIRED AS FIRE CHIEF, AFTER RETIRING FROM THE DALLAS FIRE DEPARTMENT WITH ALMOST 30 YEARS OF SERVICE. STATION 11, AT 6200 LOVE, WAS BUILT IN 1997. THIS STATION HAS BATTALION CHIEF 2, AN ENGINE, AN AMBULANCE, A ZODIAK BOAT, AN A WAGON, AIR AND LIGHT VEHICLE, BRUSH 11, A DECON TRAILER, AND A DECON TOW VEHICLE. THIS STATION ALSO SERVES AS THE NORTH OFFICE FOR FIRE PREVENTION INSPECTIONS. THE OLD POLICE BUILDING WAS RENOVATED AND REOPENED
AS FIRE ADMINISTRATION IN 2000. THIS BUILDING HOUSES THE CHIEF OF THE DEPARTMENT, THREE ASSISTANT CHIEFS, EMS BATTALION CHIEF, COMMUNICATIONS BATTALION CHIEF, DISPATCH OFFICE, FIRE MARSHAL, ASSISTANT FIRE MARSHAL, TWO FIRE PREVENTION LIEUTENANTS, FIRE PREVENTION STAFF, PROPERTY ROOM MANAGER, ASSISTANT PROPERTY ROOM MANAGER, THE PROPERTY ROOM, AND 7 OFFICE STAFF MEMBERS. JUNE 29, 2000 IFD HIGH ANGLE RESCUE TEAM MAKES A RESCUE OF TWO WORKERS FROM A SCAFFOLD THAT COLLAPSED AT WATERWAY TOWER, IT MAKES THE NATIONAL NEWS. IN DECEMBER 2001 THE FIRST THERMAL IMAGING CAMERAS WERE PLACED IN SERVICE ON THE FOUR TRUCK COMPANIES AND THE TWO BATTALION CHIEFS ONLY. THE IRVING FIRE DEPARTMENT CITIZENS FIRE ACADEMY WAS STARTED IN SPRING OF 2002
CHIEF HICKEY RETIRED IN OCTOBER 2002 CHIEF PAUL WHITE STARTED IN JANUARY 2003 AFTER SERVING WITH THE TYLER FIRE DEPARTMENT AND HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT OCTOBER 2003 THE FIRST FIRE SAFETY HOUSE FOR THE CITY OF IRVING IS PLACED IN SERVICE. STATION 5, AT 2925 W. SHADYGROVE, OPENED IN 2003. THIS STATION HAS AN ENGINE, AN AMBULANCE, A RESERVE AMBULANCE, AND IS THE HOME TO THE FIRE SAFETY HOUSE. THE PUBLIC EDUCATION STATION, AT 1203 GLENWICK (OLD STATION 5, WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY BUILT IN 1967), OPENED IN 2004. THIS STATION HAS A SUBURBAN, A PICKUP AND A RETIRED 1988 ENGINE. THIS STATION
IS USED FOR PUBILC EDUCATION SERVICES WITH ONE PUBLIC EDUCATION COORDINATOR OFFICED THERE. ANOTHER FIRE PREVENTI0N SPECIALIST IS ASSIGNED TO THIS STATION AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR INSPECTIONS OF ALL SCHOOLS IN THE CITY OF IRVING, PUBLIC (THERE ARE 3 SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE CITY OF IRVING) AND PRIVATE. HE ALSO INSPECTS THE HOTELS AND MOTELS IN THE CITY OF IRVING. THE PUBLIC EDUCATION STATION IS ALSO THE HOME OF THE IRVING FIRE DEPARTMENT CITIZENS FIRE ACADEMY. AUGUST 2004 THE LOFTS FIRE OCCURRED, FOUR ALARM FIRE INVOLVING AN APARTMENT COMPLEX UNDER CONSTRUCTION AT LAKE CAROLYN.
THE NEW FIRE STATION 6 OPENED IN SEPTEMBER 2005. THIS STATION HAS AN ENGINE, AN AMBULANCE, A RESERVE TRUCK AND A RESCUE VEHICLE USED BY THE TECHNICAL RESCUE TEAM THAT IS BASED OUT OF THIS STATION. FIRST IFD STATION WITH INDIVIDUAL BEDROOMS AND A DESIGNATED WORKOUT ROOM. DECEMBER 2005 CAPTAIN HOLDER, E1B, CELEBRATES HIS 50 TH ANNIVERSARY WITH THE IRVING FIRE DEPARTMENT. CHIEF WHITE RETIRED IN JULY 2006, AND ASSISTANT CHIEF EVITTS WAS APPOINTED INTERIM FIRE CHIEF. THE FIRST QUINT ARRIVED IN SEPTEMBER 2006 AND WAS ASSIGNED AS TRUCK 8. OCTOBER 29, 2006 THE FIRST IRVING FIRE FIGHTER S BALL WAS HELD AT THE FOUR SEASONS RESORT. THE EVENT WAS TO RAISE MONEY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS FOR IFD FIRE FIGHTER S CHILDREN. JANUARY 8, 2007 MARIO MOLINA WAS HIRED AS THE CHIEF. CHIEF MOLINA CAME FROM THE CARROLLTON FIRE DEPARTMENT WITH 17 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. JUNE 2007 THE VIAL OF LIFE PROGRAM BEGINS WITH HELP FROM WALMART. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES A PLASTIC CONTAINER THAT SENIOR CITIZENS PLACE THEIR MEDICAL HISTORY IN AND THEN PLACE IN THEIR REFRIGERATOR WITH A SPECIAL MAGNET ON THE OUTSIDE. THIS PROVIDES UP TO DATE MEDICAL HISTORY FOR PARAMEDICS IN THE EVENT THAT THE VICTIM IS UNCONSCIOUS.
AUGUST 2007 NEW THERMAL IMAGING CAMERAS ARE PLACED IN SERVICE ON ALL FRONT LINE FIRE APPARATUS. NOVEMBER 7, 2007 TRUCK 9 WAS PLACED IN SERVICE ON A QUINT WITH A 100 FOOT LADDER/PLATFORM AND A 2000 GPM PUMP. IN 2008 A TACTICAL PARAMEDIC PROGRAM IS STARTED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE IPD TACTICAL TEAM. JUNE 2008 IFD BIKE PARAMEDICS ARE INTRODUCED TO BE USED AT SPECIAL EVENTS. JULY 21, 2008 THE FIRST THREE LIEUTENANTS START IN THE FIRE PREVENTION DIVISION, GIBBS, MALONE, AND AUSTIN. OCTOBER 2008 A THIRD ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF, VICTOR CONLEY, IS APPOINTED BY THE CHIEF.
DECEMBER 20, 2008 THE LAST HOME GAME OF THE DALLAS COWBOYS IS PLAYED AT TEXAS STADIUM. THE IRVING FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS MAINTAINED A REGULAR PRESENCE AT THE STADIUM SINCE IT OPENED. FIRE PREVENTION SPECIALISTS HAVE BEEN ON SITE DURING ALL EVENTS AT THE STADIUM TO CHECK FOR FIRE AND LIFE SAFETY HAZARDS. IN RECENT YEARS FIRE FIGHTERS HAVE ALSO BEEN ON SITE TO INSURE THE SAFETY OF THE FANS DUE TO LACK OF ADEQUATE FIRE SPRINKLER PROTECTION. FEBRUARY 2009 THE IRVING FIRE DEPARTMENT S FIRST FIREBOAT IS PLACED IN SERVICE ON LAKE CAROLYN. THE FIREBOAT HAS A 250 HP MOTOR, A 1,250 GPM FIRE PUMP AND FOLD DOWN SIDES TO HELP WITH RESCUES. APRIL 13, 2009 FIRST BELL CEREMONY TEAM AT FEO BILL GANDY S FUNERAL.
NOVEMBER 2009, ASAP ALL TERRAIN AMBULANCE PLACED INTO SERVICE. IT WILL BE USED FOR SPECIAL OUTDOOR EVENTS. APRIL 11, 2010 TEXAS STADIUM IMPLODED. APRIL 2010 TRUCK 2 IS REPLACED WITH A NEW QUINT LEAVING TRUCK 7 AS THE ONLY TRUCK WITHOUT A PUMP.
APRIL 2010 RESCUE 6 IS PLACED IN SERVICE REPLACING THE BREAD TRUCK THAT HAD BEEN USED PREVIOUSLY. RESCUE 6 IS A HEAVY RESCUE VEHICLE USED BY THE TECHNICAL RESCUE TEAM AT STATION 6. JUNE 2010 FIRE MARSHAL KEN LEWALLEN RETIRES AFTER 32 YEARS WITH THE IRVING FIRE DEPARTMENT. HE IS ONLY THE SECOND FIRE MARSHAL THE CITY OF IRVING HAS HAD.