Fire Department

Fire Department. . , The Union City, Ohio Fire Department was first organized around 1854. At that time, firefighting consisted of volunteers with leather fire buckets and hooked ladders. About 1864, the department purchased a hose cart, which was transported by hand. In 1905, the Indiana department purchased a hook and ladder wagon that was drawn by a team of horses. Horses were used until 1919 when Union City, Indiana purchased the now historic American-Lafrance motor fire truck., The Union City, Ohio Fire Department purchased it's first fire truck in 1921. In 1934, the department purchased a new fire truck with complete fire-fighting equipment. Using an old white bakery truck, the department started the first ambulance service in Darke and Randolph counties in 1955., Until June of 1997, the Union City, Ohio Fire Department had only five fire chiefs. The department has not been able to identify the first fire chief, however, the second chief was George Brandon and the third chief was Charlie Rape. In 1935 Carl E. Wright Sr. became chief and served until 1957, when his son Carl Wright, was named to the post. Junior served as Chief for 40 years. Today the department is under the command of Douglas I. Wright, the third generation of Wrights to serve the department., [Caption:] , Fireman's Convention held at Union City, Indiana in 1915. This was a Panoramic Picture taken on the corner of Oak and Howard (northwest). The Wooden Building in the back right corner of this picture was the 1st Building erected in Union City by David Teeter in 1852. It was located on the southeast corner of Oak and Howard Streets.