Department History

 

Fire Protection is a basic need of every thriving community. The city of Howell is no different. In the city's first 20 years there were three or four fires. Two of these fires destroyed Chandler & Kneeland’s Saw-Mill and Smith & Filkin’s Foundry both in the early 1850’s.

The following timeline table shows the efforts of the fire department to stay up to date with efficient fire apparatus compared to a history of some of the communities most devastating fires and fire losses.
September 28, 1857
Fire destroyed the first building erected in 1835 on the original plat of the village, The Eagle Hotel. Nearly the entire line of buildings on the south side of Grand River between Michigan Avenue (then East Street) and Walnut Street were consumed. The greatest loss occurs to Mr. Huntley, estimated at $5000. Balcom’s saloon was worth about $300. Judge Kneeland’s building about $800. Judge Whipple’s about $800, and the four small buildings pulled down were worth about $1000. There was no insurance on any of the buildings.
February 22, 1860
Three years later the west side of East Street (Michigan Avenue) south of Grand River was the site of a fire on. A number of buildings including the Phoenix Founder and machine shop were destroyed.
January 3, 1874
The council agreed to the purchase of the Champion Fire Extinguisher for $2000.00. This was strictly a chemical engine with no provision for pumping water and therefore was felt to be more practical at the time.
January 14, 1874
After procuring a piece of fire apparatus Champion Fire Co. No. 1 was formed. May 24, 1875
A lot was purchased from William McPherson & Sons on the west side of East Street (Michigan Avenue) north of Grand River. The Purchase price was $875.00. Mr. H. Halbert was appointed building committee. Contract for the fire engine house was awarded to Franklin Kelly on July 1875 and the work was completed in the fall. Total cost, $2917.52, for everything but the bell used to call the firemen.
March 12, 1892
Fire at Monroe Block.
F.G. Hickey and E.D. Wines, two prominent businessmen lost their lives in the fire.
Damages came to $50,000.
1894
The erection of the water works system. Fire hydrants now served a portion of the village. A hose reel on wheels was also purchased to service areas with water access. 1895 The Champion Fire Company No. 1 was dissolved and a new organization "The Howell Fire Company of the Village of Howell, Michigan" was formed July 1st, 1895.
April 1913
The Michigan Condensed Milk Factory (Bruce Products) was destroyed by fire. Clarence Hornung lost his life in this fire.
1910
The Village purchases the City Hall Building on the southeast corner of North Michigan and Clinton Streets. The Fire Department the northwest corner with a single door facing North Michigan.
1915
The Fire Department reorganized for a third time in 1915. It then became known as the Howell Fire Department. An alarm box system was purchased and installed throughout the city.
1919
First motorized fire apparatus. A one-ton Model T Ford chassis purchases for $1650.00
November 5, 1924
Thurber Cornell home suffered considerable damage all through the house amounting to several hundred dollars.
1921
The Howell Electric Motors built two electric fire sirens for the city mounted at the corner of Wetmore and North Michigan , and the water tower on South Michigan
1925
The City of Howell fire department purchases a Reo chassis equipped with a Obenchain-Boyer apparatus at a cost of about $3500.00. The first pumper owned by the city of Howell.
March 1931
The City Council authorized the purchase of another Reo Obenchain-Boyer pumper for $5750.00 offered by the Reo Obenchain-Boyer company at a considerable savings.
November 28, 1931
Fire discovered in Barron’s Store, located on the northwest corner of Michigan and Sibley Streets. Total losses in building and contents estimated at $25,000 to $45,000
February 1935
Another large fire completely destroyed the Recreation Building on the south side of East Grand River between Court Street and Barnard Street in February. Although the building was in the middle of the block the buildings either side suffered little damage.
December 25, 1938
Purdy and Woodruff Lumber Company destroyed by fire.
1941
The city purchased a Ford chassis for $775.00 and equipped it with an American Fire Apparatus Chassis for $2440.00 to replace the 1925 Reo. It was outfitted with two booster reels, a 400-gallon water tank, a 500-galloon permanent front mount pump, a complement of pumper ladders, and thirty feet of hard suction hose.
1942
The Bruce Products Company on the corner of Factory and West Streets was destroyed by fire.
October 1943
The Thureson’s Saw Mill, located on the NE corner of Catrell Drive and East Grand River was completely destroyed by fire.
Other changes in the 40’s
The fire alarm box system, now old and in poor condition was removed and the Bell Telephone Co. began exclusively taking the fire calls.
1949
They aquired a Ford Chassis and equipped it with a 900 gallon tank and pump the men edded his own area of expertise, built a first rate piece of fire apparatus that served the Howell area until about 1962.
1959
A fire in a garage behind the Howell Tire Company required fire fighters from Howell, Brighton, Fowlerville, Pinckney and a pumper from the Michigan State Sanatorium to contain the blaze. Buisness destoyed besides the tire company were the Howell Self-Service Laundry and Curtis’ Barber Shop. Damages amounted to over $100,000.00
November 1960
Delivery of the ninth piece of fire apparatus for the city. It was a new 1,250 gallon tanker / pumper with fire apparutus by Fire Trucks Incorporated on an International chasis. Delivery price was $12,335.75. This replaced the 900 gallon unit built by the firemen in 1949.
December 12, 1968
The Thureson Lumber Company on East Grand River. The fire was fought with the aid of surrounding fire departments for most of the night.
July 1965
A F.M.C. Corporation, John Bean High Pressure Firefighter was delivered on a Ford F600 chassis.
1974
Master Cast Company suffers a second large loss of over $150,000.00
1970
A new means of alerting the fire fighters for an alarm was added. Special Radio receivers with "Tone Encoded Squelch." An electronic sytem of selective paging were provided to each fire fighters home. These receivers are activated by the sheriff’s department.
1976
The Howell Fire Department moved into it's new fire station located on West Grand River.
1984
The city purchased the first vehicle to be used solely for rescue purposes. Built by Pierce Manufacturing Conpany. This unit would respnd to all structure fires ans rescues and was equipped with the Hurst "Jaws of Life".

1989
102 ft. Grumman Aerial-Cat, featuring a 4-door Panther cab that seats seven. It has a 248-inch wheelbase and 12 too and equipment compartments.
The Waterous, two-stage, 1,500-gpm pump feeds two discharges for 1 1/2-inch crosslays and a 5-inch waterway to the platform which features two 1,000-gpm Akron nozzles (one remote, one manual. The platform has an 800-lb. payload capacity, and the outrigger spread is 18 feet.

1992
Contruction of the new station on the south side of the city at the DPW complex. A Station at this location prevents the south side of the city from being cut off from rescue services in the event of a railroad mishap causing potential isolation. That year the department took delivery of a new Rescue/Command vehicle and referbished Pumper/Tanker 204.
Recent improvements caused the ISO rating used by many insurances companies to go from 7 to 5.
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