HISTORY OF THE GIFFORD FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
The Old “Fire Truck”, a chemical tank which held approximately 50 gallons of water mounted on a two wheel hand cart used in the “good old days”. Pictured (Left to Right): Werner Roessler, Doyle Curtis and “Tex” Lewis
The Gifford Fire Protection District was created by a special election held in late 1947. Wayne Stonestreet, Fred Mennenga and John H. Franzen were appointed by the County Judge to head that District.
The Department did not become operational until April 9, 1948, after the purchase and delivery of a high pressure pumper from the John Bean Corporation. Six men— Frank Fox, Doyle Curtis, Fred Mennenga, Jack Bouse, Wayne Stonestreet and Werner Roessler— received factory training at Lansing, Michigan, with the new truck and became the nucleus of the new fire department.
In addition to the above mentioned, twelve more men formed the eighteen-man fire department. They were Russell Burdette, Melvin Roessler, Ernest Hein, Eugene Hoch, William Johnson, Herman Ackerman, Lloyd Filkin, Dr. M. W. Tempero, John Harper, Ira (Tex) Lewis, Arthur Busboom and Loren Walston.
Jack Bouse was selected by those firemen to serve as the first Fire Chief with Fred Mennenga as his Assistant Chief. Space was rented in the newly constructed Locker Plant to house the truck and to serve as a meeting room.
Over the years more trucks and equipment were acquired, making it necessary to find larger quarters, so a building was constructed in 1957 and 1958 and dedicated formally with an open house on July 27, 1958. Jack Bouse was succeeded by Werner Roessler as Chief and later on by Joe Curtis.
THE FIRST FIRE TRUCK AND VOLUNTEERS
Front Row (left to right): Lloyd Filkin, Herman Ackerman, Loren Walston, Ernest Hein, Bill Johnson and Frank Fox. Back Row (left to right): Arthur Busboom, Werner Roessler, Melvin Roessler, Eugene Hoch, John Harper, “Tex” Lewis, Doyle Curtis, Fred Mennenga and Wayne Stonestreet
Training at the original fire station
The original fire station located at 105 N. Main Street in Gifford
