Encyclopedia Dubuque
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Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
This entry is in the beginning stage of development. 3/10/17
FIRE DEPARTMENT. We encourage you to visit William K. Hammil's website at http://www.dfdhistory.com
See: FIRES
Fire Department. In January, 1850, Dubuque was without a fire department of any kind.
When a building takes fire here, as was the case
with the Goodrich building, everyone runs toward
the scene, anxious to assist in subduing the destructive
element; but what avails an unorganized set of men and
boys without apparatus of any kind whatever — without an
engine, buckets or hose?
Express, January 16, 1850 (1)
A well ten feet in diameter was dug on Tenth street between Jackson and Washington for the use of the fire department, in November, 1860. It was thought the well would be better than cisterns. (2) S. S. Palmer was chosen chief engineer of the fire department on December 3, 1860. (3)
In 1869 the fire department consisted of two steam engines, three hose carts, one hose carriage, sixteen men, eight horses, 4,500 feet of rubber hose, two hand engines — Washington No. 1 and Protection No. 2 — an old hook and ladder truck and three or four ladders; public cisterns supplied water. (4) The expenses of the city for the fiscal year 1870-71 included $7,580.93 for the fire department fire department. (5) In 1870 during the fire at the DUBUQUE STAMPING AND ENAMELING WORKS, the hand engines became frozen. Fortunately, the city had just received its steam engines which were put to work for the first time preventing much more loss of property. (6)
In 1892 Mayor Saunders proposed at the same meeting that this proposal was written that a home company could be responsible for the water needs. With stand pipes on the bluffs supplied with water from the river, sufficient pressure would be created that steam fire engines could be eliminated. This would save $10,000 annually.
In 1883-84 the fire department was fully established on a paid and permanent basis. In 1885-86 the fire department cost $15,811.51. (7)
In 1892 Mayor Saunders proposed that a home water company could be responsible for the water needs in the city. With stand pipes on the bluffs supplied with water from the river, sufficient pressure would be created that steam fire engines could be eliminated. (8) The issue of sufficient water, however, remained important--especially to people of the hill district. The destruction of a barn by fire was blamed on insufficient water as well as water pressure--actually half of what was needed to shoot water onto the fire. (9) The water company responded that it had never been obligated to furnish water pressure or power sufficient to fight a fire. Undeterred by their problems with the water company, the fire committee of the council increased the number of hydrants from 286 to 300. According the the charter, when 300 hydrants were placed in operation, the cost for each dropped from $60.00 to $50.00. (10)
With the beginning of the city-manager form of government, a total of $650,000 was spent to improve water service. Along with the reorganization of the fire department, the improved water department reduced the city's insurance rates by $675,000 annually. (11) Hopes were raised that guaranteed water pressure would lower resident's fire protection insurance premiums by guaranteeing water pressure to all neighborhoods. (12)
Dubuque's firemen were slated to receive new equipment in 1922. The new equipment were gas masks capable of protecting firefighters from gas, smoke and ammonia. Fire Chief Joseph Fisher and other dignitaries practiced with the masks in the smoke room of the DUBUQUE PACKING COMPANY. No one suffered any ill effects. (13)
In 1944 the first returning veteran of WORLD WAR I to be hired by the City of Dubuque was Lawrence Schilling. (14)
In 1948 Fire Chief Thomas C. Hickson was praised by Robert Byrus, fire protection engineer of Iowa State College (later Iowa State University) for "knowing every large building in the city, and should a fire occur he would know just where to attack it." (15) Hickson was the chief in 1952 when the department answered 906 alarms and suffered the loss of Captain Patrick Casey in a clothing store fire. (16)
"One of the best equipped fire departments of any Midwest city this size." This was how Fire Chief Thomas Hickson and City Manager Laverne J. SCHILTZ described the department in 1953 after the purchase of a new pumping engine. In addition to having the needed small and large equipment, none of the items for the department were more than fourteen years old. The department pointed proudly to its three types of masks, inhalators, resuscitators, 750 feet of ground ladders, 14,000 feet of 2.5 inch hose and entering equipment including battering rams and door spreaders. There were also salvage covers to protect furniture and rugs from water. The firefighters were also equipped with buckets, mops and shovels for salvage clean up. With 67 men on the force, the city was only a little under the optimum of 1.5 firefighters per 1,000 population. Manpower training included the chief attending the annual instructors conference, daily drill of personnel, and firefighter attendance at schools including one provided by Iowa State College in Ames. (17)
In 1953, a year of improvements, an old engine house was renovated and construction of a new station was started. The renovation occurred on the 18th Street House which had seen remodeling for fifty years. An old hay chute even remained to remind firemen that their equipment was once horse-drawn. The new station was located at Delhi and University. (18)
In 1962 the first department first tried compressed air tanks hooked to face masks. Good for thirty minutes, the equipment cost $300 per unit. (19)
In 1970, Merle Bandy, a lieutenant of the Dubuque Fire Department was reelected president of the Iowa Association of Professional Firefighters. (20)
The Iowa Public Employers Relations Act in 1975 required local governments to collectively bargain with city employees. The City council agreed to allow Dubuque firefighters to determine which employees could be part of its bargaining unit. City staff members, however, wanted supervisory personnel named for each firehouse in case of a strike. On September 16, 1975 the council, against the advice of city staff, agreed to include captains and lieutenants in the bargaining group. (21)
In 2015 the Eagle Point Water Plant was supplied by five shallow and four deep wells and did not use water from the Mississippi River. The plant daily produced an average of seven million gallons of treated water. The plant had a capacity of up to eighteen million gallons daily. (22) The distribution system for the water included 321 miles of water mains; 5,770 control valves; 2,876 fire hydrants and 23,500 service connections. (23)
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Source:
1. Goodspeed, Arthur Weston. History of Dubuque County, Iowa. Chicago, Goodspeed Historical Association, p. 87
2. Ibid., p. 135
3. Ibid., p. 136
4. Ibid., p. 165
5. Ibid., p. 170
6. Oldt, Franklin T. History of Dubuque County, Iowa. Chicago: Goodspeed Historical Association, p. 827
6. Goodspeed, p. 185
7. Ibid.
8. "The Water Works," Dubuque Daily Herald, August 19, 1892, p. 4. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=_OG5zn83XeQC&dat=18920819&printsec=frontpage&hl=en
9. "Must Have More Water," Dubuque Daily Herald, July 31, 1894, p. 4. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=_OG5zn83XeQC&dat=18940731&printsec=frontpage&hl=en
10. "Compared with Others," Dubuque Daily Herald, September 25, 1894, p. 4. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=_OG5zn83XeQC&dat=18940925&printsec=frontpage&hl=en
11. "History of Dubuque and Dubuque County," Telegraph Herald, January 15, 1939, p. 5. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dtdBAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BaoMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5766,3140247&dq=dubuque+electric+company&hl=en
12. Phase V Architectural/Historical Survey/Evaluation Final Report. Online: http://weblink.cityofdubuque.org/WebLink8/DocView.aspx?id=44950&page=1&searchid=9d0a32ca-655e-4868-b2d1-db38eb62e79b, p. 30
13. "To Buy Gas Masks for Firefighters," Telegraph Herald, November 19, 1922, p. 20
14. "First Veteran Gets City Job," Telegraph Herald, August 15, 1944, p. 23.
15. "Fire Fighters Handed Praise," Telegraph-Herald, February 17, 1948, p. 7
16. "Officer, Four Civilians Die," Telegraph-Herald, May 29, 1953, p. 10
17. " 'Everything A Department Ought to Have', " Telegraph Herald, July 13, 1952, p. 15
18. "Dubuque's Firemen Get New Home, Will Soon Have Another," Telegraph-Herald, May 29, 1953, p. 10
19. "The Real McCoy," Telegraph Herald, December 18, 1962, p. 5
20. "Bandy Again Heads Iowa Firefighters," Telegraph Herald, June 28, 1970, p. 26
21. Griffin, Suzanne. "Firefighters Win on Bargaining-Unit Makeup," Telegraph Herald, September 16, 1975, p. 6
22. "IBM and Dubuque, Iowa Partner on Smarter City Initiative," Reuters, September 17, 2009. Online: http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/09/17/idUS35396+17-Sep-2009+PRN20090917
23. "Drinking Water," City Focus. City of Dubuque Publication. Fall 2014, p. 5