| The Formation of the Department |
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In 1952, the Junior Chamber of Commerce in Collegedale appointed a fire prevention committee headed by Mr. Robert Sanborn. Mr. Sanborn donated a Ford oil truck for the project. The truck was given a coat of red paint and was converted into a water tanker, fitted with a pump and a rack for hose. A new Chevrolet truck was purchased in December, 1954, by public subscription. |
| A $256,000 Fire! |
A rapidly spreading fire that started in a spray booth destroyed the furniture factory operated by Southern Missionary College on July 3, 1956. The fire started from a spark caused by a short circuit in the wires of a lighting fixture in a booth in the finishing room where a young man was spraying furniture. The flames spread so rapidly that fire extinguishers were unable to control the blaze. |
| The Tri-Community Fire Department and the East Brainerd Fire department fought the blaze, which spread so fast that their conbined efforts had no effect. The entire building was in flames in less than a quarter of an hour. Explosions caused by barrels of stain, varnish and lacquer aided the flames. None of the fifty-seven employees were injuried. |
| The property loss amounted to $256,000. The plant was partially covered by insurance. The insurance was used in building a bakery, now occupied by the McKee Baking Co., and operated by an alumnus of Southern Junior College, O.D. McKee. |
| In 1972 the fire deparmtent went into the ambulance business. Some months they had as many as 45 calls from the east county area. A registered nurse was to go on every call. There were 48 volunteers in the ambulance personnel at the time. |
| An Oil Tank Farm fire |
| The most spectacular fire that the Tri-Community Fire Department was called on for help, was the Southern Facilities gasoline tank farm fire in 1972. In apprecaition for their efforts in fighting the large oil blaze, the firm presented the fire department with a check for $10,000 which was used to help purchase a new tanker and pay for the repairs to an engine damaged when one of the tanks exploded into a ball of fire. |