Florence Township Fire Department
A Volunteer Fire Department was established after several serious fires in the community. A group of about twenty men started to organize the department in 1929. The organization was finally formed in 1930 under the leadership of Charles Croft, a retired fireman from Cleveland, Ohio, who moved to Birmingham in 1921. The organization received its charter in 1932. Before the charter there were about one hundred volunteers. After the charter, the department had twenty five members who received $1.00 per year for their services.
The original fire truck was a chemical truck, purchased by donations given by members of the community. The cost was $600. Mr. Croft purchased it in Cleveland. The truck was stored in the north end of the town hall and the meetings were held in the south end of the hall.
The firemen built the cement block building to store the new Diamond T Truck which was purchased in 1932. A levy of $2,000 was passed to purchase this truck. The Diamond T was converted into a tanker holding 600 gallons of water.
The original chemical truck was acquired by James Ives, who restored it to its original form. The Ford pumper truck was purchased in 1951. The Chevy tank truck was purchased in 1956. The chassis was bought and the tanker was built by Charles Persons and Edwin Prince, painted by Richard and Robert Prince, Keith Jarrett, Paul Knott and Merill Peasley. It was wired by Rozelle Angelo. This equipment cost the taxpayers about $1500.
An International Pumper truck was purchased in 1965.
A Jeep designed to fight brush fires in 1966 was built by Howard Lees and Charles Persons. The emergency equipment was bought in 1975. Many of the firemen trained for emergency cases.
The Pierce Truck, which is a pumper, was bought in 1978. Frank Scholl and Howard Lees have completed the work on this pumper. The equipment used on this truck was paid for with money received from the Clarence Opperman estate. The following have served as fire chiefs:
Charles Croft*, 1930-1933; Ed Prince*, 1933-1934; Carl Ives*, 1934-1935; Edwin Howe*, 1936-1941; Don Wasem*, 1941-1963; Paul Knott, 1964-1971; James Green, 1971-1975; Howard Lees, 1975-.
*Deceased.
Transcribed by Lowell Dunlap