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| Fire à
Introduction à
History |
First
St. Charles High School Fire
February 14, 1918
First St. Charles FireFighters-1861
First Fire Apparatus
Fourth Ward Hook and Ladder Company
Old Fire Station 1
Old Engine House 3
Former Fire Chief
Ed
Underwood |
In 1836, the City of St. Charles began taxing its
citizens for the purpose of purchasing a fire engine and firefighting
buckets. By 1853, each of the city wards had been mandated to keep at
least two side ladders and two roof ladders on hand for fire
protection purposes. In answer to the need for more organized fire
protection, the Union Fire Company was formed in 1861.
The city provided the fire company with a building that was located at
Jefferson and Main Streets. They held their meetings and housed their
equipment at the location. In 1864, a Hook and Ladder Company was
formed and temporarily housed with the hose company. The ladder
company moved to a new location in 1877, located at 1123 North Second
St., and became known as the Fourth Ward Hose, Hook and Ladder
Company. Their original building still stands today.
Joseph W. Ruenzi was appointed as the first Fire Chief (called the
Chief Engineer at that time) in 1880. Along with the fire chief, two
Assistant Chiefs were appointed. Both of these individuals, Hubert
Hacting and Herman Schaber, later held the position of Fire Chief. The
three appointed individuals are believed to have been the first paid
firemen in the City of St. Charles.
In 1892, the city installed its first municipal alarm system. The
system used ten remote stations connected to the city water plant.
When a call would come in, the steam whistle would be sounded to alert
the firemen that they had a call.
The Union Fire Company was disbanded in 1904, and all fire protection
was turned over to the Fourth Ward Fire Company. An additional paid
firefighter was hired that same year to monitor calls coming in at the
water plant.
The city purchased its first horse drawn fire equipment in 1908. Two
combination fire department wagons were purchased for $946.00 and a
horse team was purchased for $400.00. American LaFrance motorized
pumpers brought an end to the horse drawn equipment in 1921. The two
volunteer stations were closed and a more centralized station was
opened at Sixth and Clark in 1926. The station is no longer in use,
but still stands today. Firefighters waited another thirty years for a
second fire station to be opened at 1000 Boonslick. Station 2 still
stands, but is no longer an active fire station. They would only have
to wait ten years longer for a third station to be built on Elm
Street. Station 3 has been renovated and is still in operation today.
That same year, 1966, the firefighters joined the International
Association of Firefighters and established Local 757. The department
at that time consisted of fourteen paid men.
In 1971, the City hired Chief Edward B. Underwood to head the
department. He would remain Fire Chief until his retirement 29 years
later. During Chief Underwood’s tenure as chief, the department
realized a marked improvement in the services provided. Underwood
enlisted department personnel to attend the state’s first paramedic
program in 1973. His foresight in this area led the St. Charles Fire
Department to become the first paramedic service in the state. In
1975, the department purchased its first hydraulic automobile rescue
equipment, “Jaws of Life.” By 1977, the department had completed
Station 4 and had hired several new personnel to staff the station.
In 1978, the department became one of the first to break the gender
barrier by hiring its first female firefighter. That same year the
“Firefighter Freddie” fire prevention program was developed for use in
local elementary school classrooms. In 1979, the St. Charles Fire
Department started the first Hazardous Materials Response Team in St.
Charles County. By 1983, the need had risen to build a new Station 1,
add a second ambulance and set up temporary quarters South of
Interstate 70 for Station 5. The current Station 5 was constructed in
1991. Besides the engine company crew, the second ambulance was placed
in service at the station.
March, 1999, the department began integrating advanced life support
equipment on to each of its five fire apparatus. The end of this same
year marked the retirement of Chief Underwood and the hiring of Fire
Chief Frank C. Schaper. Chief Schaper remained as the head of the
department until his departure in 2002. Fire Chief Ernie Rhodes was
hired in October of 2002 and currently serves as Fire Chief and
Emergency Management Director for the City of St. Charles. In 2003,
the department promoted the first Battalion Chiefs in its history as
well as hiring the first staff officer in charge of the department’s
emergency medical services and a staff officer in charge of training.
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The mission
of the St. Charles Fire Department is:
· Service without boundaries;
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Compassion and Integrity in all that we do;
·
Courage to move forward.
Ernie Rhodes,
City of St. Charles
Fire
Chief
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Introduction
