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The
Mount Pleasant Fire Department was organized on December 15, 1903
with 25 charter members. Mr. G. A. Mount, the last surviving charter
member, died in 1974. The motto adopted then, "When duty calls,
'tis ours to obey," is the same today.
The fire hose was carried in a hand pulled cart from
1903 until 1908. From 1908 to 1915, the hose was transported by
a horse drawn wagon. Mount Pleasant's first fire truck was a 1915
Brockway. The chain-drive vehicle, which arrived in a "plain
vanilla" condition, was fitted out after its purchase with
brass headlights and decorated with a fancy paint job, even to the
wooden wheel spokes. This first pumper was replaced by a 1929 Seagraves.
Then in 1938, the department took delivery of a 1936 Ford truck
with a Boyer 500 gallon per minute pump. The Mount Pleasant Fire
Department still owns this piece of equipment which is frequently
seen on special occasions.
 The
department was all volunteer until 1933, when one paid driver, Carl
Huckabee, was employed. In 1949, a second paid driver was added.
In 1968, the City appointed a full-time, paid Chief (Rex A. Mars)
and hired seven full-time firefighters. In October of 1978 Drue
Dees was appointed Fire Chief and was followed by Taft Nelson in
March of 1981. Chief, Larry McRae, took office in November of 1984.
Fifteen full-time and six part-time firefighters, a secretary, plus
28 volunteers make up the department today.
In 2001 a new central fire station was built in Dellwood
Park at 728 E. Ferguson Road. Prior to this, central station was
located at 402 N. Washington from 1961 to 2001. Before moving to
Washington Street location it was located with the old City Hall/Police
Department Complex. Prior to that it was at the NE corner of West
Third Street and N. Madison Ave. facing Third Street.
New Central Fire Station
History of the 1936 Ford/Boyer Fire
Engine
This 1936 Fire Engine was purchased by the City of Mount Pleasant
on August 17, 1936. The truck was manufactured by Ford Motor Company
and assembled by Boyer Fire Apparatus Company. The purchase price
of the truck was $3,450 paid in three equal installments of $1,150
each. The truck was officially accepted by Mayor E.M. Lide and City
Council Members J.D. Holland, F.W. Stephenson, and Frank Henderson
after it was driven to the corner of North Jefferson Avenue and
West 12th Street, connected to a fire hydrant at that location,
and tested.
1936 Ford
The truck was in full-time service until the early
1960s when it was retired and replaced by a newer unit. The truck
remained a backup unit for several years before being removed entirely
from active service. The truck was stored in or near the fire station
until about 1978, when it was moved outside to make room for additional
trucks as the fire department grew.
In 1996, the truck was moved to the City Fleet Shop
where restoration began and was completed by members of the Fleet
Services Staff in early 1998. City employees involved in the restoration
were Bobby Reese, Bill Brockman, Perry Ryan, Ronald Duncan and Jim
Carroll. Current value is estimated at $22,000.
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