Our History: Protecting Grand Island since 1938
Growth is at the heart of the Grand Island Fire Company, but it does not happen by accident. Our organization is built by dedicated neighbors who see a need in our community and step up to meet it.
1930s: The Foundation
February 10, 1938: The first formal meeting took place at the home of Town Supervisor John L. Mesmer Jr.
The Guidance: Ralph W. Simson, an Assistant Erie County District Attorney, guided the group through the steps of building a volunteer fire company.
Official Charter: On April 13, 1938, the State of New York issued a certificate of incorporation. Grand Island Fire Company #1, Inc. was born with 53 founding members.
The First Engine: In July 1938, the department took delivery of Engine #1, a 1938 500 GPM pumper purchased from Young Fire Equipment.
First Home: The Town transferred its own town hall building to the firemen to serve as the official fire hall.
1940s-1950s: Early Operations & Expansion
By 1940, the Town was formally declared a fire protection district, and the Company entered its first contract to protect local residents. As the population grew, the Company added emergency first aid services to its responsibilities.
Chalkboard Dispatching: From 1938 to the early 1960s, a dedicated group of telephone operators - originally led by dentist Dr. DeWitt Bell and later by Marion E. Klingel - alerted firefighters. They called drivers manually, activated local sirens, and literally wrote call locations on chalkboards outside their homes.
A New Headquarters: In 1953, a new two-bay fire hall was built on the site of the current facility. It was expanded in 1956 to include four bays, a hose tower, a day room, and a directors' room.
The First Substations: In the late 1950s, temporary Butler building substations were erected on Baseline Road (near Fix Road) and Stony Point Road (near Huth Road).
1970s: Modernizing the Force
The 1970s brought permanent infrastructure upgrades and specialized squads to match the town's growth.
Permanent Substations: The temporary substations were replaced with permanent buildings. Station #2 (Stony Point) was dedicated to Cyril J. Diebold, and Station #3 (Baseline) was dedicated to Edward L. Kruse - both past presidents and charter members.
Fire Police: The mid-1970s saw the formation of the company's first fire police squad, urged forward by Chief Donald Barth.
The Paramedic Leap: In September 1978, a contingent of firemen began intense paramedic training under local doctors and EMS leaders. By October 1979, nine newly certified paramedics launched the town's first Advanced Life Support (ALS) service.
1980s-Present: A Premier Emergency Provider
The modern era transformed the department into a high-tech, multi-disciplinary emergency response agency.
Modern Headquarters: Following a major fundraising drive, the extensively rebuilt and expanded fire headquarters was dedicated in 1983.
In-House Dispatch (1986): The company hired 12 permanent and 4 alternate dispatchers, introducing computer-aided dispatching (CAD) and taking over 911 operations.
The Fleet Today: What started as a single-truck operation in 1938 has evolved into a massive emergency fleet, including three ALS rescue vehicles, four pumpers, a heavy-duty rescue truck, three utility vehicles, a marine rescue boat, and chief command vehicles.
Driven by People
Equipment and buildings change, but the backbone of the Grand Island Fire Company remains exactly the same as it was in 1938: dedicated, caring people.
Today, operating out of a modern headquarters and two substations, our highly trained firefighters, paramedics, and EMTs answer over 1,300 calls annually to keep our neighbors safe.
