At this writing, there have been ten fire chiefs appointed to the Denison Fire Department. Bob Fisher served from 1876 until the mid-1880s, when W.M. Yokum took over
until 1890. In 1890, Vic Morefield was appointed and served until 1913. His service was interrupted for about two years around the turn of the century. It was during this time that Bill Linden served until Chief Morefield returned. In April of 1913, Mr. C. Cooper was appointed and served until his retirement in 1932. He was succeeded by O.L. Garvin, who served until 1935. Pat Lowe was then appointed and served until July 1, 1955, when George Cravens took over and served until his death in September 1985. At that time, Assistant Chief Bill Taylor filled in until the appointment of Dave West in June 1986. Dave West served two years before resigning in September 1988, at which time Bill Taylor again became Acting Chief. Mr. Taylor was named Chief of the Denison Fire Department on December 1, 1988.  Assistant Chief Gordan Weger was appointed Acting Fire Chief after Bill Taylor's retirement on April 1, 2005, then was appointed Fire Chief effective June 1, 2005, and still serves as chief today.

Denison Fire Marshals
Dick Gray, 1921 - 1941
Joe Cappell, 1941 - 1949
Bob Sherburne, 1949 - 1959
Dwight L. Sharp, 1959 - 1986
James Littrell, 1986 - 2004
John Weda, 2004 - present

*****

While not much is known about Denison’s first bucket brigade, it is known that it was formed in 1872. 

Denison fire department started in 175
By Donna Hunt

Herald Democrat
July 26, 2012

More than 30 guys got together in November 1875 in the home of Captain Kirk to organize a hook and ladder company in Denison. A temporary organization was set up and committees were set up to call on businesses to try to sign up volunteers and to sell subscriptions.
At that time they believed that $800 to $1,000 was enough money to get a fire department set up, and the company was to be formed when that much money was raised.
Meanwhile, the volunteers met the third Monday of each month at the Truck House on Skiddy (now known as Chestnut) Street between Burnet and Rusk Avenues. P. Ledrick was foreman and other officers were M.B. Tallent, H. Mamlok, J.C. Montgomery, C.A. Cunningham and W.S. Lowe.
The fire department grew from that first meeting when there were wells on Main Street at Austin & Burnett. Water was struck approximately 20 feet down.  When the fire bell would ring, the volunteer firemen would rush to the station and the fire cart would be pulled by hand to the fire.

Back then, however, Denison was much smaller and there were many less buildings to protect. The volunteers didn’t have far to go, either, because the first known fire station was where 401 West Main now is located.

Fire protection in Denison progressed from the hand fire cart to a horse-drawn wagon by 1876, when the city bought a team of horses. The live horsepower moved Denison’s fire wagon for a number of years with the fire bell calling the volunteers to action.

The old fire station was originally built at 320 West Chestnut in 1886. It was built to serve as Denison’s Fire Station with the city hall and jail on the second floor. The City Council and police moved out in 1936. At that time Denison had only four wards, and the old bell sounded a certain ring for each ward.

The old fire station on Chestnut was a favorite spot for children to visit. On a trip to the fire house it was a real thrill to see the firemen slide down the shiny pole from the second floor quarters at the sound of the bell alarm. The pole was eliminated when the station became a one-story fire house, taking away a lot of the glamour of the job as seen through a child’s eyes.

I remember when the fire station was in the 300 block [320] West Chestnut Street, where the Chevrolet garage is, and horses were used to pull the wagons. They had a steam pump engine that was a thrill to see the horses run with, while the smoke poured out. On top of the station was a large bell. It could be heard all over town. It would signal the fire, then ring one at a time to signal the ward it was in—as l, 2, 3, etc. John Cooper was the fire chief, and Don Freels was chief of the south side station at 114 West Texas Street.

—Tom Anderson Memoir

Denison’s fire department once had four legged horsepower to pull the fire wagon. Fire station horses George and King pulled the Denison fire wagon before the first truck arrived on the scene.  Fire Marshal Joe Capelle is seated on the right.

Such animals as Big Mike, George and Old King were affectionately mentioned in early day records. Old King died the way a fire horse would like to go: He was making a run to a fire on Main Street alongside a new horse in harness. While firemen were fighting the blaze, Old King and the new horse “had it out” and then became a runaway team. Old King is said to have sideswiped a telephone pole and a splinter from the fire wagon tongue plunged into his throat and he died a few days later.

Dension Fire Department
300 block, West Main St.

Hunt & Bryant.  Denison, Arcadia Publishing Co., pg.14
Courtesy of the Herald Democrat

The Catholic Church blaze of 1900, during which two firefighters were killed when a wall collapsed on them. They were the first two fatalities of the department.

In December of 1908, the Davis Livery Stable caught fire and burned. There were 30 of the town's finest horses stabled in the structure, all of which were lost.

In June 1910 the city switched its water supply from spring-fed Waterloo Lake that had an 85 foot tall storage standpipe to Randell Lake. But Randell didn’t fill up quite as fast as anticipated and Denison felt a water shortage for while. Water pressure was so low that for awhile the fire department had trouble fighting fires with the low streams of water from fire hoses not being able to reach the fires.

Horses were used to pull fire wagons and horse carts for 37 years in Denison until the delivery of the first fire engine on April 1, 1913. 

Denison Fire Department became motorized when  in 1912 they agreed to purchase a 1913 American La France type 12 pumper for $2,500.00 when the station was located in the 300 block of West Chestnut.  

Earlier, in April that same year, the fire department added more horsepower – 95 to be exact, when a huge six cylinder fire machine arrived on the scene.  

Townspeople turned out in force to see the American LaFrance Machine that could force 750 gallons of water per minute through three lines of two and one half inches in diameter. The truck cost the city $7,500, and those who remember seeing it said it was “a sight to behold.”

A demonstration of the truck was held a few days later and citizens agreed that it was just what the city ordered. However, later that summer the First Christian Church, then a frame building, the church parsonage next door and three other houses went up in flames. The pumper and what was thought to be good water pressure couldn’t save the structures.

A second fire station was opened on Oct. 16, 1913, in the 100 block West Texas to serve residents on the south side of townnd was equipped with one fire wagon and two horses . At that time there was no viaduct across the railroad yards, and it took too long for horses to respond to fires in that part of town.  

Fire equipment at the South Side Fire Station included a one hose wagon, a horse team of Alex and Ted, 1,650 feet of hose, two axes, a crowbar, two nozzles, a three gallon fire extinguisher and four wrenches. The station was active until long after the viaduct was built and motor driven wagons were in use. In about 1926 it closed until the old viaduct was closed, and it was reopened for a period of time.

It was after this second closing that Cliff Ramsey moved his Ramsey Manufacturing Co. into the two story brick building on Texas Street. The company manufactured storm windows and doors, screens patio covers, carport covers and other items until it closed a number of years ago. The building now has been renovated into a private residence.

There were horses before fire trucks
By Donna Hunt

Herald Democrat
January 04, 2012

 It’s interesting to learn about Denison’s “firsts” and our town has certainly had its fair share of being where many “firsts” have taken place. Through the years stories have been written about many of them, and no doubt there are many that haven’t been preserved through the years.

One first that I ran across that I had not seen before was dated March 19, 1939, in The Denison Herald. A front page picture actually was taken in 1916 in front or the Chestnut Street fire station when the city acquired its brand new, “rhapsody in white” fire truck, the first truck for Denison.
The article said “a gallant and romantic chapter in the history of public welfare, the fire horse, was beginning to be pushed from the picture” with the arrival of the firemen’s dream wagon.
The truck was nicknamed “Old Betsy,” and the article said that it served Denison for about 18 years before “wheezing its ‘last mile’ to the scrap pile.” Wouldn’t it have been great if it had been preserved just for posterity and to look at, ooh and aah over and for children to crawl over?

1916 American La France Ladder Truck
(Denison FD Files)

The picture featured Charles Smith, Joe Capelle, Chief J.C. Cooper, Walter Jones, Dave Worsham and Glen (Slim) Jordan. Most of these names are familiar, but Joe Capelle is more familiar than the others. His wife, Massie, was a good friend of my grandmother and I was enrolled in an “expression” class at her house before I ever started to school. They lived in the 900 block West Main.

In 1916 Denison purchased an American La France 14-4 Combination Service Ladder Truck. It's cost was $6000.00. The first hook and ladder truck was delivered in April of 1916. This truck had no pump and was basically used to transport ladders and other equipment to the fire scene.  At that time there was no viaduct across the railroad yards, and it took too long for horses to respond to fires in that part of town. This truck was "in service" until 1952 when the Fire Department purchased a new La France Ladder Truck, a picture of which is in Chief Weger's office today.

In September of 1919, the second American LaFrance Pumper truck was delivered at a cost of $10,000.00.  In 1919 another La France truck was purchased.  It was a Type 75 Pumper. It was placed at the first South Side Fire Station in the 100 block of West Texas.  It was to serve the area south of the railroad track while the first Viaduct was constructed.  That station had the motorized truck along with a Horse Drawn vehicle.

The next Engine purchased was a Ahrens Fox Model GP-100-4.  There is some confusion about this truck because it was as a 1928 Model, but was purchased in 1930 at a cost of $13,000.00.  As with so many of the trucks, it was placed in reserve and eventually wound up in a play ground at Morton ~ Hwy. 120 & Lillis, now Landmark Bank.