Timeline:

1816 The village of Terre Haute was platted. The bucket brigade started.

1838 The Town of Terre Haute purchased there first fire apparatus a double decker hand pump fire engine costing $520.00.

1855 The first organized Volunteer Fire Company in Terre Haute. TH purchased a hand-pumper at a cost of $740.00 and is now on display in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C.

1856 Under the leadership of T.E. Buntin.

1857 Under the leadership of R.L. Cox.

1859 Under the leadership of J.C. Yates.

1861 Under the leadership of J.D. Bell.

1863 Under the leadership of J.A. Bryan.

1865 Under the leadership of J.D. Bell.

1865 Under the leadership of R.F. Dengler.
 

• 1866 Incorporated City of Terre Haute bought its first Steam Fire Engine it was drawn by a pair of horse and had steam in six minutes to pump water. 

1866 Under the leadership of J.A. Bryan.

1866 Under the leadership of J.D. Bell.

• 1866 Incorporated City of Terre Haute bought its first Steam Fire Engine it was drawn by a pair of horse and had steam in six minutes to pump water.
• 1867 A Steam Engine was purchased.

 

 1871 Under the leadership of W.L. Wright.

1871 Under the leadership of Wm. Van Brunt.

• 1873 The City built a water pressure system that did away with most of the old cisterns.

1874 Under the leadership of Steve Mahoney.

1876 Under the leadership of Henry Raunne.

1877 Under the leadership of Joe H. Schell.

1878 Under the leadership of V.G. Dickout.
The Volunteer system was succeeded in the latter part of the Seventies, when men were paid $20.00-per-month on the hose wagon, Engineers of steamers received $1,000.00 per year and the fireman and drivers received $750.00 per year.

1880 Under the leadership of W.K. Burnett.

1882 Under the leadership of Lawrance Kretz.

1883 Under the leadership of John Kennedy.

1884 Under the leadership of Lawrance Kretz.

1885 Under the leadership of Jos. H. Schell.
The non-partition metropolitan system was adopted, it took politics out of the job. That meant if an appointed fireman on good behavior and doing his duty would remain on the job indefinitely. In the past new election and wrong party you would be discharged from the job.

1887 Under the leadership of Martin Hunter.

• 1887 A Chemical Engine was added to the Department.

1888 Under the leadership of John Kennedy.

1890 Under the leadership of J.D. Jones.

• 1890 Purchased an Aerial Truck for $3,400.00.

1892 Under the leadership of John Kennedy.

1894 Under the leadership of J.D. Jones.

• 1895 Fireman’s Pension Law passed by the State for all Indiana Fireman to benefit from that fund.

1896 Under the leadership of Theo. Goodman.

1898 Under the leadership of Jas. J. Daugherty.

1904 Under the leadership of Elias T. Leonard.

1906 Under the leadership of John Kennedy.

• 1908 Fire Station 10 in commission.

1909 Under the leadership of John T. Tully.

• 1910 First Motorized Fire Truck (Oldsmobile) put in service in Indiana.

1914 Under the leadership of Harry Bledsoe.

• 1915 Purchased Pierce-Arrow Hose & Chemical Fire Truck.
• 1916 First Motorized Aerial Ladder Truck 75 foot Seagrave Aerial.

• 1917 Days of the faithful old horse comes to an end. The department became fully motorized.

1918 Under the leadership of C.E. Evinger.

• 1920 First Telephone Switch Board.

1921 Under the leadership of John Roll.

• 1921 Started Two Shift Work System: work 24 – off 24.

1922 Under the leadership of Frank Miller.

• 1923 City purchased a new 20 circuit Gamewell Fire Alarm System.
• 1924 Purchased First American LaFrance Pumper.

1930 Under the leadership of John Falvey.

1935 Under the leadership of Albert W. Rowe.

• 1935 Purchased American LaFrance combination 1,000 gallon pumper, hose wagon and ladder truck.
• Purchased American LaFrance triple combination pumper.

1939 Under the leadership of Ralph Dinkel.

• 1940 Purchased American LaFrance 100 foot Aerial.
• 1941 Purchased American LaFrance Pumper.
• 1942 Built First Training Tower.

1943 Under the leadership of Albert W. Rowe.

1946 Under the leadership of Aubrey Hodgers.

1948 Under the leadership of Zenis Nicoson.

1958 Under the leadership of Norman Fesler.

• 1961 Fire Station # 6 in commission.

1965 Under the leadership of Don Harris.

• 1966 Purchased 85 foot Snorkel Truck.

1968 Under the leadership of Robert Terrell.

• 1971 Purchased American LaFrance 100 foot Aerial $66,000.

1972 Under the leadership of Leroy Shipley.

1980 Under the leadership of Robert Osborn.

1985 Under the leadership of William E. Terrell.

1991 Under the leadership of John Feuquay (Sept. – Nov.)

1991 Under the leadership of Paul Mason.

• 1992 Purchased KME Pumper.
• 1994 Purchased Pierce Ladder.

• 1995 Purchased Sparky’s Safety Smoke House.
   

1996 Under the leadership of William Reed.

• 1998 Purchased Tanker Truck.

2000 Under the leadership of John J. Brighton.

• Purchased Two KME - Smeal Pumpers.
• Purchased Smeal Pumper.
• Purchased Three Ford Box Ambulances.
• 2002 Purchased Smeal Ladder Truck.
• Purchased Two Smeal Pumpers.
• Purchased Battalion Chief’s Dodge Truck.
• Purchased Ford Box Ambulance.

2004 Under the leadership of James W. Utz.

• Purchased Ford Box Ambulance.
• 2005 Purchased Battalion Chief’s and HAZMAT Dodge Dually.
• 2006 Purchased Two Ford Box Ambulances.
• 2007 Indiana Firefighter Training Center District 7 was built in Terre Haute.
• Purchased KME Platform Truck.

2008 Under the leadership of Jeffery W. Fisher.