History of the VBVFD
A. 1900-1919
1919 O. Roach Sr. appointed Chairman of Fire Protection
B. 1920-1929
April 14, 1921 City obtained information on getting firefighting apparatus
July 13, 1921 resolution to purchase the first fire truck (continued below)
October 11, 1921 Redstone Lumberyard fire
June 24, 1922 the City Council voted to build a City Hall with space to house the fire trucks
May 10, 1923 City Light Plant burned
Ottie Roaches Garage housed the fire trucks
On December 3, 1923, the new Brockway was delivered
December 17, 1923 Vero Beach Vol. FD formed
Fire Whistle on City water tower
1925 Dept. joined the Florida State Fireman's Assoc.
January 26, 1925 the VB Volunteers recommended that the City Council hire a paid firefighter
1925 Charles D. Toole first paid Fire Chief
Farmer Bank closed and VB Volunteers had to cancel banquet
August 15, 1927 VB Volunteers donated its first equipment to the City.
VBVFD took equipment to Breaker's Hotel in West Palm Beach
C. 1930-1939
The Florida State Fireman's Association was held at the Royal Park Inn
1937 I.R.C. Fair and Fruit Festival Association
By 1938, firefighters were attending the Florida State Fire College
D. 1940-1949
11-7-42 "Monk" Baughman Fire Chief
1947 Volunteers took equipment to Cape Canaveral fire
1949 May James P. Britton pasted away.
E. 1950-1959
1950 Central Fire Station was completed
1950 Fire in Rooming House
July 14, 1951 Frank Holland 1st paid firefighter to die in the line of duty
1951 Department branched out into emergency and rescue
1952 Albert Guy Sullivan was appointed Fire Chief
In 1954 acquired a fire dog named Smokey
1954 - The department consisted of 42 volunteers and 14 regularly paid firemen.
1955 Fire at Adams Bldg. Air Base
1957 Beach Fire Station #2 was built and donated by the Vero Beach Volunteers
1957 First Methodist Church Fire
1958 department organized a Water Emergency Squad
1959 Eastern Air Lines Flight 605 four-engine turbojet fire, made emergency landing in Vero Beach
F. 1960-1969
1960 Fire Prevention Week night time fire of house
1961 Airport building fire housing Triangle Truss Co.
1961 55,000 gallon gas tank at VB Municipal Airport
1961 Wabasso wooden bridge shut down due to fire
1964 raised roof to expand downtown station
1964 New station wagon equipped with all emergency supplies
1965 Fire Prevention Bureau formed Capt. Ottie Roach, Fire Marshal
1967 Dodd's Mid Coast Tire Service Fire 810 US #1 Estimated $100,000 damage
1967 - 1949 Chevrolet fire truck blew up in brush fire
1967 - new radio receivers
1967 - drought in Florida burned nearly 1 million acres
G. 1970-1979
1970 or 71 VBFF Assoc. formed
1971 new smoke masks
1973 new truck
Downtown station decorates hydrant for Christmas
1974 volunteers started carrying pagers
December 29, 1974 Holiday Inn Oceanside Fire $390,000 damage
February 20, 1976 Station 3 completed
1976 hydrants painted like soldiers to Celebrate Country's 200th Anniversary
May 9, 1977 Firestone Fire
1977 new pumper #14
H. 1980-1989
1980 - Formed the South Indian River County Fire District and became a County Fire District
1981 Main Fire Station built - 1500 Old Dixie Hwy.
1982 built Station 4 - 1500 9th Street S.W. and Station 5 - 6586 US #1
1984 built Station 6 - 101 S. A1A and Station 7 - 1215 82nd Ave
I. 1990-1999
October 1990 Crash Fire Rescue Truck
1991 - per a referendum vote became the Indian River County Department of Emergency Services and became a County wide Fire District
April 1991 Station 9 opens
April 5, 1991 1st women firefighters
Island Metals Tire Fire 4455 45th Street
1992 Station 1 expanded dorms
April 29, 1995 Cushion Express 9095 17th Place
March 25, 1996 Creative Floors 1175 Old Dixie Hwy
1996 Station 10 open, 62 N. Broadway, Fellsmere
1998 received Hazardous Material Trailer
Ron Nickols is president of the Vero Beach Volunteer Fire Department
John A. Morgan is president of the Vero Beach Volunteer Fire Department.
1998 VBVFD contributes to the Fire Department with a Firefighter Memorial Monument at Station 1
J. 2000-2006
Annual Fish Fry is held during the fall
Purchase of a state of the art "Fire Safety House" by Fire Prevention Bureau in a team effort with the Vero Beach Volunteers for public education
2001 Financial assistance is available to young volunteers through a scholarship with Indian River Community College Scholarship Foundation for Emergency Medical Technician, Firefighter, and Paramedic school.
2001 Purchase of Thermal Imaging Units for trucks so that firefighters can detect hidden fires.
Travis Frank is president of the VBVFD
Purchase of the Dive truck by VBVFD and the County Commissioners
Mayor donations to the Muscular Dystrophy Association
Baron Taylor is president of the VBVFD
Participation of the Vero Beach Volunteers in many fund raising events, such as the Dollar for Scholars Golf Tournament, the Firefighters Fair, the Chili cook off, Fire Prevention week in Indian River County, several parades, presentation of Sparky the fire dog suit to public education, schools, and special events.
Jim Pasqualone is president of the VBVFD
August 2004 Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne damage Indian River County Fire Rescue stations, and many of them are used for storage only
VBVFD membership takes active action in response to hurricane relief efforts to Indian River County community
Matthew Resch is president of the VBVFD
2005 Annual Fish Fry is held at Riverside Pavilion after Hurricanes damaged Station 2.
2005 Scott Howder is president of the Vero Beach Volunteer Fire Department
Response for the Hurricanes of 2005 is shown in a combined effort with non-profit organization. Trucks are delivered from Walmart store in Vero Beach, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana to continue Hurricane Relief efforts to victims of Hurricane Ivan.
2005 new Rescue trucks are received at station 4 and station 7, and new fire truck at station 4
2005 Indian River County Fire Rescue and Emergency Medical Services combine as one institution
2006 New Bylaws adopted by the Vero Beach Volunteer Fire Department
2006 Website for the Vero Beach Volunteer Fire Department is launched to the internet.
