A brief history of the Brazil Fire Department

Several years after the incorporation of the Town of Brazil in 1866, there began to be an urgent need for fire protection. There were no fire protection efforts before this time save for whatever volunteers could help.

The only way fire protection could be possible was for the town to incorporate as a city.  This was done with little opposition by a special election on March 3, 1873.

The first meeting of the new city council discussed different methods of fire protection.  A committee was formed to solicit opinions from the people about which method (chemical or water) they preferred for eliminating fires.

It was discovered that most people preferred water. A waterworks would then need to be established. With City Ordinance 79, the city obtained land for a reservoir and water works building and was able to put in water lines to supply hydrants and eventually supply people’s houses with water.

The site for this is where Craig Park is today.

Once the infrastructure for this was in place, the citizens were treated to a demonstration of the fire hydrants at Main Street and Depot Street and at Main and Meridian on August 23, 1875.

The newly organized Hose Company also paraded through the streets. This was quite a spectacle for its day.

Space was needed for the new Fire Department, and a building was leased from a Daniel H. Davis in 1890 during the administration of Jacob Herr.  This building would house the Fire Department, a jail and city offices.  Changes to this lease permitted the construction of stalls for the Fire Department’s horses.  Before this time, the hose reels and carts had been hand pulled.

There are records of Firefighters being paid for their efforts early on.  There are also records of Minutemen who would voluntarily leave their jobs when emergencies occurred.  Some of these Minutemen would get appointed to firefighter positions. 

During 1899, a house was remodeled that would become the city hall for the next 68 years. A two story fire station was built next to this building. The only problem with this building was that the garage doors opened out onto a narrow street. This made for a tight squeeze for the trucks.

This building also had an apartment for the chief and his family.

Here are some additional highlights:

1917: The first motorized truck was purchased.

1923: The department becomes a fully paid one with 8 men on staff.

1932: The department expands its fire protection area to the rural townships north of Brazil city proper.

1940’s:  Two on shift firemen would respond to fires in the rural townships and two off shift firemen would respond to fires in the city.  There were also frequent personnel changes at this time because of disputes with the city over pay and pensions.

1949: 11 paid firemen on staff.

1950: Mayor Archie Hamm and Fire Chief Howard Rockhill adopt the Firemen’s Pension fund system that was being used by the State. This would allow for retirement benefits.

1962: The local firefighters union affiliates with the International Association of Fire Fighters.

1968/69: the Fire Department gets housed in the new and current City Hall Building.

1970: A 75 foot ladder truck gets purchased to protect the Cooper Towers apartment building.

Today, the department employs 13 firefighters Including the Chief, 2 assistant chiefs, and 1 captain. The department has 2 engines, a brush unit, and an Aerial truck. The department has an active public outreach and the fire prevention program educates hundreds of school kids a year with station tours and school visits.