December 24, 1902
The Pierce Fire Company Is Formed
A group of Pierce men met and formed the Pierce Fire Company. A report in the December 26 issue of the Pierce County Leader indicated a temporary organization was affected, and three men were appointed to draft a constitution and by-laws. Equipment at the time was a single hose cart, with another and a hook & ladder truck soon ordered, along with 500 feet more hose to supplement the 400 feet on hand. One of the original hose carts and the hook and ladder rig are on display today at the Pierce Museum.
1903–1906
The City's First Standpipe
The city erected a 55,000-gallon standpipe, making firefighting a much easier matter. By 1906 the department had 1,000 feet of hose to work with, though only 11 hydrants — and ladders and hose still had to be hauled to the scene of a fire by hand.
April 1925
The First Motorized Equipment
The trustworthy “Dodge” — the department's first piece of motorized equipment — was put into service, and remained in service for a quarter of a century before it was finally replaced. Before this, rural fires were, in the department's own words at the time, “pretty much tough luck,” since the old pumper could not be taken outside the city.
1946
Rural Coverage Begins
Aided by concerned farmers, the department purchased a rural pumper by selling shares to farm people — permitting manpower to grow from 25 to 35 members.
July 1951
A Heartbreaking Lesson
A large home burned to the ground 11½ miles southwest of Pierce, mainly because the rural truck did not carry enough water to put out a fire of major proportions. Firemen had nearly stopped the fire when the tank ran dry — a heartbreaking watch as the home burned. Spurred on by this loss, Pierce firemen went back to the community and soon raised enough for the department's first 1,000-gallon tanker.
1953
A New City Truck & Fire Hall
After defeating the issue once, city voters approved the purchase of a new city truck to replace the old Dodge. That same year, a new, modern fire hall was built on the site of the original single-stall building.
1958
The Rural Fire District Is Created
Seeking a better way to support rural coverage, the department circulated petitions asking for the creation of a rural fire district. The district became a reality in May 1958, encompassing 170 sections of land and improving how the department was financed.
1963–1970
The Fleet Grows
The department added another 1,000-gallon tanker in 1963, and in March 1970 purchased a new rural pumper — at $19,392, a truck that cost more than the large building that housed it.
1984
The Present Fire Hall
The current, modern fire hall was erected. The city also replaced the old water tower with a new 350,000-gallon tank in west Pierce, greatly improving water pressure available for firefighting.
Today
Shared Equipment, Shared Purpose
Under an agreement reached a few years ago, the rural fire district and the city now share alike in the department's equipment purchases. The present fire-rescue unit is authorized at a strength of 40 firefighters and 25 rescue members — some serving in both roles — fully equipped with personal firefighting gear.
