Apple Valley Fire Department Celebrates 50th Birthday

The Apple Valley Fire Department is celebrating its 50th Birthday this year. Do you know the history of Apple Valley and how its fire department came to be?

The Beginning

Before it became Apple Valley in 1968, the area now known as Eagan, Rosemount, Burnsville, and Lakeville was known as Lebanon Township, according to the city of Apple Valley website. With a need to provide fire protection for the homes and businesses that were growing quickly around the County Road 42 and Hayes Road intersection, the Lebanon Fire Department was created in 1966. Ordinance 33 took effect in November that year, creating a formal fire department, according to city officials.

When Lebanon became Apple Valley in 1967, those first firefighters shared 16 black rubber fire coats, pull-up rubber boots, rubber gloves, and plastic helmets. The fire station was not much more than a large garage stall in the existing town hall. There was only one fire truck, a General Safety Equipment 1966 Ford pumper. Two firefighters sat in the cab and the rest of the crew rode on the tailboard. Fire calls were made through a multi-ring telephone system, there was one stationary siren in town, and less than 22 calls for fire response were made that first year.

Apple Valley Fire Today

Today, Apple Valley is home to three fire stations. There are 24 firefighters assigned to each station, three assistant chiefs, one fire marshal, a fire inspector, and a full-time fire chief, according to city officials. Each member has been issued a complete set of protective equipment to include Kevlar bunker coat and pants, Kevlar helmet with protective hood, fire gloves, and a face mask for the breathing apparatus they wear. Emergency 911 calls are taken by the Dakota Communications Center, where consolidated dispatching occurs for the entire county, according to officials.

Firefighters respond to their assigned station when pagers are alerted and they must attend an average of two hours a week of specialty training. There are 16 pieces of apparatus within the department that consist of five engines, two ladders, a brush truck, a command van, three chief vehicles, a boat, and three utility vehicles. The standard equipment has increased as well with a hydraulic rescue tool, four gas monitors, thermal images, EMS equipment, 800 MHz radios, and computers in apparatus. In addition to fire calls, the department now responds to medical rescues, alarm calls, good intent calls, and more.

In 2010, there were over 1,300 calls for the Apple Valley Fire Department to respond to, according to city officials.

Image via JOHN LLOYD, used under Creative Commons