Ocala Fire Rescue

125 YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE

1883 Thanksgiving Day. A devastating fire occurred in the downtown business

district. The Ocala House, Palace Hotel, Ocala Banner and ten stores were
destroyed.
1883 December. An ordinance was established to sell Fire Bonds, to be used to
purchase apparatus and equipment for firefighting.
1884 Ocala was rebuilt, and quickly became known as the “Brick City”. Stone,
brick and iron building materials replaced the former wooden structures.
1885 An ordinance was created to establish the Fire Department of the city of
Ocala. Existing volunteer firefighters were incorporated into the new
department.
William Fox was elected by City Council to be the first Fire Chief of Ocala.
1886 The first annual Firemen’s Ball was held in the month of May.
1887 Chief J.D Lancaster became Ocala’s second Fire Chief.
According to City Ordinance, the Fire Chief will serve a one year term.
1888 Chief F.A. Teaque became the third Fire Chief.
A fire bell was installed on the grounds near the corner of Osceola Avenue
and Ft. King Street. It was made by the McShane Bell Foundry in Baltimore
Maryland. It would later be moved to the bell tower of the new fire station in
1894.
1891 Ocala’s Protective Hose Company No.2 won the State Championship at the
3rd annual convention, held in Orlando.
1893 Chief Clark became Ocala’s fourth Fire Chief.
1894 A fire station made of brick was constructed on Southeast Osceola Avenue
between Broadway and Ft. King Street. The cost was $5,000.00
A medal was given by the fire department to a local writer named Beatrice
Marean, in appreciation for her efforts to raise funds to buy a strand of
horses and a fire engine. The medal was handmade at Tiffany’s in New York
and survives to this day.
Ocala’s first fire horses were obtained to replace hand pulled apparatus.
Chief Campbell became the fifth Fire Chief.
Ocala’s Marion Hose Company No.1 won the State Championship at the 6th
annual convention, which was held in Ocala. A silver presentation cup was
awarded to the fastest hose team of the Ocala Fire Department, and survives
to this day.
1895 Chief J.B. Carlisle became Ocala’s sixth Fire Chief.
1897 Chief Ed Carmichael became the seventh Fire Chief.
1898 The department consisted of two hose wagons, one hook and ladder truck,
one chief’s buggy and three horses.
1901 Chief W.C. Bull became Ocala’s eighth Fire Chief.
Firemen were paid $35.00 a month.
1903 A double team of horses rather than a single horse was used to pull apparatus
for the first time.
1904 Chief A.J. Brigance became the ninth Fire Chief.
1906 A double cylinder chemical engine was purchased for $1,425.00
1907 Chief Hamp Chambers became Ocala’s tenth Fire Chief.
1915 A fire chief’s vehicle became the department’s first motorized apparatus.
1916 All the apparatus becomes motorized, and the fire horses are retired. The
former horse stalls in the rear of the station were renovated into a reading
room for the men and an office for the chief.
1919 Chief George Chambers became the eleventh Fire Chief in May.
Chief D.L. Keeffe became the twelfth Fire Chief in October.
1920 Chief E. Raymond became Ocala’s thirteenth Fire Chief.
1925 Chief T.E. Beal became the fourteenth Fire Chief.
1926 Chief W.S. Peck became Ocala’s fifteenth Fire Chief.
1929 The work schedule for a fireman is 149 continuous hours, with just 19 hours
off per week.
1935 Chief T.B. Sexton became the sixteenth Fire Chief.
Firemen were given one full day off a week, working 144 hours per week.
1941 An addition to the fire station was completed, changing the front of the
station from Osceola to face Broadway Street. The railroad tracks on Osceola
occasionally hindered a quick response because of a slow moving train prior
to the renovation. The construction cost was $19,359.00
The firemen were placed on a two platoon system, working one day on and
one day off, thus reducing the hours worked to 84 hours per week.
1943 Firemen’s uniforms are temporarily changed from blue to khaki color due to
war shortages.
The first two way radio was installed enhancing communications.
1945 Gymnasium equipment was purchased for the firemen, including tumbling
mats, boxing gloves and a medicine ball.
1955 City purchased a Seagrave 85’ ladder truck for $33,501.75
1957 Chief E.F. McCray became Ocala’s seventeenth Fire Chief.
1963 The beginning salary for a firemen was $330.00 per month.
1965 Chief A.L. Bedenbaugh became the eighteenth Fire Chief.
1966 Ocala’s second fire station was built on East Silver Springs Boulevard at
25th Avenue.
1967 The new Fire Station #1 was built on Northeast 3rd Street.
1968 The historic 1894 firehouse was razed and the site is currently a vacant lot.
1969 Thirty five firemen battled the McCory’s fire on the downtown square. The
three story building was later converted to two stories and is now an
attorney’s office at the corner of Broadway and Magnolia.
1972 The firefighters vote to be represented by the International Association of
Firefighters, and Local 2135 is established.
1974 Fire Station #3 was built on Southwest 16th Avenue. At the time 16th
Avenue was a dirt road and was the city limits.
1977 The first graduating class of paramedics began serving the citizens of Ocala.
1979 Chief Chuck Spray became Ocala’s nineteenth Fire Chief.
1980 The one story Fire Administration building is built on Northeast 3rd Street.
1982 Chief William Woods became the twentieth Fire Chief.
1984 The traditional Maltese cross became part of the official patch of the fire
department.
1985 The first female firefighter is hired.
1990 911 becomes available, replacing the seven digit phone number to call in
case of emergency.
Fire Station 4 is built on Southwest 20 Street.
1991 The First Baptist Church on Southeast 3rd Street was destroyed by an arson
fire. For many firefighters present, it would be described as Ocala’s biggest
fire in many years.
1992 Fire Station 5 opens on Northeast 25th Avenue.
1998 Chief Jim Poston became Ocala’s twenty first Fire Chief.
2001 Chief William Vola became the twenty second Fire Chief.
2002 Fire Station #2 was relocated to a new location on Southeast 36 Avenue.
The original Station 2 building on East Silver Springs Boulevard was razed,
and is currently the site of the Veteran’s Park.
2002 Chief Rusty Burnett became Ocala’s twenty third Fire Chief.
2003 Chief Dan Gentry becomes the twenty fourth Fire Chief.
2008 Fire Station #6 is built on Southwest 50th Court. The two story fire station is
the first to feature a sliding pole since the 1894 firehouse.
2010 Ocala Fire Rescue celebrates 125 years of dedicated service to the citizens of
our community.

Today, just as in past years, the men and women of Ocala Fire Rescue
are committed to saving lives and protecting property.
On Thanksgiving day 1883 a devastating fire occurred in the
business district of Ocala. The Ocala House, Palace Hotel, Ocala
Banner, and 10 stores are destroyed in the fire. A month later in
December, city officials passed an ordinance to issue and sell Fire
Bonds to purchase Firefighting equipment for the city. In 1885
another ordinance was passed that established The Fire
Department of Ocala. William Fox would become the first Fire
Chief of Ocala.

Ocala Fire Rescue is one of the Oldest Fire Departments in the

State of Florida. We have great culture and history that we would
like to share with you. Our family at Ocala Fire Rescue wants to
thank you for coming and celebrating our 125th Anniversary with
us. It has been a great pleasure serving you for over a century,
and we plan on doing it for you, your grandchildren and their
grandchildren.
 The Beginning Years
On Thursday November 29, 1883, a wave of excitement spread over Ocala. It was
Thanksgiving Day. Two thousand men, women and children prepared to board three
special trains of the Florida Southern Railroad to take them to an all day outing at Lake
Weir to celebrate the holiday.
All subscribers in good standing of the Ocala Banner were invited to be guests, but the
festivities would come to an abrupt end as happy excursionists began entering the open
platform coaches at the Osceola Avenue railway station. The railway station was located
between Silver Springs Boulevard and Broadway Street. The cry of “Fire!” soon rang out
panicking the crowd, and the worst blaze in Ocala’s history began. The fire was
discovered on the roof of the Benjamin & Company mercantile store. Early newspaper
accounts say the cause of the fire was never determined, although it was surmised that
one of two clerks sleeping over the store had left a lamp burning when they retired and it
had been upset in some manner. The fire got a good start according to the Ocala Banner,
because the entire upper story was filled with mattresses and furniture. Frantic men tried
to douse the fire, but the fire would quickly spread. A bucket brigade was formed, with
lines of men passing filled buckets of water fed from wells on the courthouse square in a
heroic but hopeless effort.
Before the fire would be extinguished, five blocks of the downtown business district
would lay in ashes. The wooden building containing the offices of the Ocala Banner
newspaper was destroyed, and so a newspaper official journeyed to Palatka to have
printed a special Fire Edition. This special edition consisted of just one page, the size of a
small handbill, and was published on Saturday December 1st.
City residents would now demand that a first rate fire department be formed, and the
city leaders agreed. During the month of December, 1883, Fire Bonds in the amount of
$2,500.00 were authorized to be sold to raise funds to purchase apparatus and fire
equipment.
The new year of 1884 would bring a rapid rebuilding of the town. Former wooden
structures, were now replaced with buildings made of brick, stone and metal. Within the
next few years Ocala would become known as the “Brick City”.
________________________________________________________________________

The following are Letters to the Editor, published in the Ocala Banner newspaper.
Ocala Banner - April 21, 1885
Marion Steam Fire Engine Company No. 1

The above named was adopted Tuesday 21, April 1885 by our new fire company. After a further trial of
the engine last Tuesday it was decided to purchase it, as it worked much better than it did at the first trial.
The company is now thoroughly and fully prepared to do good work should the occasion call for it.
At their meeting last Tuesday night 21, April 1885, Mr. William Fox who has been a prime mover in the
organizing of the company was unanimously elected Chief of the fire department. This compliment of Mr.
Fox is assuredly deserved. J.G. Lumpkin was elected Assistant Engineer, and several new members were
taken in. The constitution and by-laws were read and adopted by the company after which the meeting was
adjourned.
9
Ocala Banner - April 25, 1885
City Fathers

The present town council deserves the thanks of our citizens, once and for all, in a very large measure.
They have been more active than any other preceding municipal body. They have been efficient in
collecting the present and back taxes and script is more nearly at par now than in any other time since the
incorporation of the town.
They have purchased a hook and ladder company, a fire engine, 1000 feet of hose, two reels and dug
two cisterns of forty and thirty five thousand gallons respectively. The capability of the engine is 350
gallons per minute and can be got in readiness in less than ten minutes with the cisterns full of water it is
believed that a fire can be held in complete subjection anywhere on the square, and if parties remote from
the square or ponds or branches will provide cisterns upon their places, our town might be regarded in a
measure safe from the ravages of the flames. It is believed that the decrease in the insurance will pay for
the entire apparatus in less than three years.

In May of 1885, an ordinance was created to establish the Fire Department of the City
of Ocala. Existing volunteer firefighters were absorbed into the new department, and
William Fox was elected by City Council to be the first Fire Chief of Ocala.
On May 4, 1886, the first firemen’s ball was held at the Marion Opera House. This
was a very popular event, and a firemen’s ball would continue to be held on a regular
basis well into the twentieth century.

Ocala Firefighters Pulling Apparatus, 1891.

The photograph was made on Main Street and Ocklawaha Avenue in front of the Ocala House.
Pictured is Jason Grant, J.W.Lilly, E.L.Parr, H.L.Martinot, John Owen, C.J.Phillips,
Foreman F.G.Weihe, B.C.Webb, William Sheridan, J.C.Sutherland, Will Sparr, J.P.Harder.
10
 Ocala’s Fire Horses
“John, Dewey, Old Black George, White Dynamite…” These are just some of the
names of the horses that have served in the Ocala Fire Department. Beginning in 1894
and continuing for the next twenty two years, horses provided the power to transport
Ocala’s fire apparatus. The fire horses played a major role in protecting the citizens of
Ocala from the ravages of fire for more than two decades. It is difficult for us today to
appreciate the bonds that existed between men and their horses during the late nineteenth
century and the early twentieth century. From all accounts, fire horses were treated with
considerable respect and affection by the officers and men of the department. It was the
firefighters who fed, watered and groomed the animals on a daily basis. Horses entering
service in the department would go through extensive training. All horses were exercised
during periods of inactivity in order to be ready when an alarm of fire was sounded. In
1903 a double team of horses rather than a single horse would be used to pull apparatus
for the first time in Ocala.

Ocala Chief’s Buggy, Circa 1910.

Pictured is Fire Chief H.S Chambers with an assistant.
________________________________________________________________________

The following are Letters to the Editor, published in the Ocala Evening Star newspaper.
January 19, 1898 - Ocala Evening Star
Report on the State of the Fire Department

Chief Carmicheal’s report on the state of the fire department was read by the city clerk. It stated there
were sixty five volunteers and three paid men, two hose wagons, one hook and ladder truck, a chief’s buggy
and three horses. Truck No.4 needed new tires and all the other trucks needed painting. The department
has 2,050 feet of hose some of which was worn. A dry fire house is needed for the hose. Fire horse John is
reported in poor wind, and unless he can be doctored a new horse will be needed. Later the question of
doctoring John came up and developed a humorous phrase of horseology, when it was said a veterinary
surgeon could restore John’s wind for $15.00. Alderman Davis said if the doctor would take the case on a
“no cure no pay” basis he favored it. Alderman Fuller believed John’s wind had gone where the woodbine
twineth. The matter was left with the fire committee. Chief Carmicheal said there were twenty five fires
during the year, all of which the department had successfully met and saved the city much property. The
telephone has been of great service in giving prompt alarms and to expedite in getting to fires. The Chief
will connect his residence with the bell at the central station.
15
March 22, 1899 - Ocala Evening Star
Fire Horse Dewey

The members of the fire department learned that the hose wagons and their loads are too heavy for the
horses, and that is the cause of the horses breaking down so quickly, and therefore petitioned the council to
trade off Dewey of fire department equine fame and secure him for two horses, which will enable them to
reach the fire quicker and with almost double the present quantity of hose, and remove the necessity of
sending the wagon back for more hose. The council questioned as to whether the fire horses were properly
handled. Some thought the men did too much whipping; the fire committee will keep their weathered eye on
the matter. J.L Smook proprietor of Brick City Wagon Works, put in a bid to shoe the city’s fire horses for
one year for $25.00 and all other work at prevailing prices; it was referred to the fire committee.

September 11, 1903 - Ocala Evening Star

New Horses

Chief Bull returned last night from Kentucky where he purchased a pair of horses for the fire
department. The horses arrived last night and will be broken into service for the fire department at once.
They weigh 1,110 pounds each and are perfectly matched as to the weight, but not in color. This will be the
first experience in the Ocala Fire department with a double team attached to a hose wagon. It will enable
the boys to get to the fire very much quicker.

______________________________________________________________________________________

Hazel Park, Circa 1915

This park was located adjacent to the fire station, just out of view on the right.
The garden and flowers were maintained by the firefighters.

16
 Fire Apparatus
The first motorized apparatus in the fire department was a chief’s car purchased in
1915. By the following year all the apparatus would become motorized, and the fire
horses would be retired from service. The horses were transferred for use in the city
sanitation department.

Chief Chambers with the Fire Department’s First Auto, 1915.

______________________________________________________________________________________

The following are Letters to the Editor, published in the Ocala Evening Star,
Ocala Banner and Ocala Star Banner newspapers.
.

July 17, 1906 - Ocala Evening Star

New Chemical Engine

Chief Brigance is now happy in the possession of a new and up to date double cylinder chemical engine
mounted on as handsome a chassis as the state can produce. The engine was tested this morning and works
admirably and will be a great help to the fire department especially where the fire is in the interior of a
building where it can be quickly smothered out without deluging the building with water. The dealer
wanted $1,700.00 for the engine. The city bought the tank and cylinders and coupling and then gave
Mr.Gates an order to make the wagon and the engine stands today complete for $1,425.00.

19
 This American LaFrance Combination Truck was delivered on April 11, 1927.
The purchase price was $13,500.00
The truck was equipped with ten ladders, a 750 gallon per minute pump, one 40 gallon chemical tank with
300 feet of chemical hose attached, assorted tools, four lanterns and 1,000 feet of standard hose.
Chief S.W. Peck is on the left.

Fire Chief and men in front of Station 1, Circa 1930.

21
 1955 Seagrave
1,000 gallon per minute pumper
Purchase price: $20,101.00
This is a Seagrave manufacturer’s photo, taken at Columbus Ohio.

1955 Seagrave 85 foot Aerial

Purchase price: $33,501.75
This apparatus was a front line ladder truck for thirty years.

21
 “When I was your age” 
 
 
 
We have all heard our grandparents and 
mentors tell their stories of how 
different life was for them when they 
were our age.  Let’s face it, times have 
changed and some things have become 
a lot better.  Take for instance going to 
the doctor in the 1700’s, the instrument 
to the right is a knife used for 
amputations (picture compliments of 
www.surgical technologists.net).   Can 
you imagine as a child your parents 
trying to get you to go to the dentist 
before numbing medicine, ahhhh! 

As time moves forward and human innovation blossoms we find our jobs and careers have changed 
within the last 10 years.  Think of how simple it was to book a flight and travel before September 11, 
2001.  When we look back at 9/11 we hear countless stories of heroes who laid down their lives for 
another.  One group of heroes was the firefighters that raced into the crumbling buildings in order to do 
what they do best, save lives. 

Firefighters share a history that dates to the 2nd 
Century BC when an Egyptian inventor devised the 
first known fire pump design and utilized hand 
pumps to fight fire.   Many centuries later, on 
Thanksgiving Day in 1883 a devastating fire 
occurred in downtown Ocala, Florida that 
destroyed The Ocala House, Palace Hotel, Ocala 
Banner, and ten department stores.  A month later 
in December, city officials passed an ordinance to 
issue and sell Fire Bonds to purchase Firefighting equipment for the city.  In 1885 another ordinance was 
passed that established The Fire Department of the City of Ocala.  125 years later, Ocala Fire Rescue is 
still serving the citizens and visitors of Ocala. 

I thought of an entertaining image of Ocala’s first Fire Chief, William Fox and all the other fire chiefs of a 
125 years sitting around a coffee table comparing stories.  As I looked around the room I saw the “Chiefs 
of Old” with their glorious mustaches drinking their scotch (not on duty of course) and the  “Chiefs of 
New”, both men and women with their cell phones in one hand and star bucks in the other.  If we could 
be a fly on the wall and listen in on their conversation it might sound a little like this…. 

“I remember in 1898 the 
department consisted of two hose 
wagons, one hook and ladder truck, 
one chief’s buggy and three horses.  
We had our station dog trained to 
run along with the horses pulling the 
hose wagon and scare off any stray 
dogs that may spook our horses.  
Before the trained dogs we had our 
hose wagons crashing all over 
because of those strays.”  You could 
almost see a smile appear through 
the old gray mustache on the “Chief 
of Old” while he rubbed the head of 
his old hound that sat obediently 
next to the chief’s chair. 

Another voice spoke up “Does anyone remember in 1901 when we made $35.00 per month?  Heck, 
towards the end of my career in 1929 we worked 149 continuous hours but we did get 19 hours off per 
week to take care of personal stuff.   We had a close knit family; my oldest boy did his school work at the 
station table for years” 

“I will never forget the year 1941, Pearl Harbor.  That shook us up over here when we heard the news on 
our radio.  That was the same year we changed our work week to 84 hours.   Our schedule was one 24 
hour day on duty one day off duty.  When that new schedule came out, I bet I was to thank for lowering 
the bass population because I fished every day I was off duty.”   One of his buddies yelled out you didn’t 
catch any fish couldn’t catch a cold!  The room broke into laughter.  Firefighters have been picking on 
each other for centuries and will probably be so for centuries to come. 

One of “Chiefs of New” put his phone in his pocket and said to the group, “Thanks to all your hard work 
we now have motorized vehicles that we respond not only to fires, but to heart attacks, strokes, car 
accidents, hazardous material leaks, terrorist’s attacks, bomb threats, school shootings, and baby 
deliveries.”  Man, we sure didn’t have school shootings when I was a firefighter.  Spoke a “Chief of Old” 
and you would never catch me trying to deliver a baby, that’s just plain gross.   

An old chief stands to his feet, he stands tall and proud.  His face is worn and you can see burn marks on 
his cheeks and 
his ears look like 
bacon that has 
been burn.  He 
has a long gray 
beard and 
mustache and 
when he stands 
everyone looks 
and immediate 
respect and 
silence falls over 
the faces of the 
chiefs in the 
room.  When 
this chief speaks 
you can tell his 
voice has been 
abused by yelling orders to his crew and he has voice has been hardened by the smoke he has breathed 
in over the years.  He says, “When you see a firefighter you can say you have met a hero.  I knew when 
my crew ran into a fire we would be breathing in that nasty smoke.  We didn’t have that thing you 
firefighters have today that give pure air.  He looked over at a “Chief of New” what do you call that 
contraption?”  SCBA came the reply.  It stands for Self Contained Breathing Apparatus.  “Well we didn’t 
have a SCBA, you know what we did?  We would wet our beards and shove them into our mouths and 
that would block some of the smoke and debris from the fire.  When you had your first blazing fire you 
were no longer a “Probie” you became a “Smoke Eater”.” 

The chiefs continued sharing countless stories of the history of Ocala Fire Rescue.  You can hear talk 
about how firefighters now educate kids in school how to prevent fire and what to do in case of a fire.  
You could also hear about the stories of all the practical jokes played on each other while at the stations.  
With the excitement of group growing while they all shared their story and their passion the room grew 
very loud and was interrupted when an old familiar voice grabs everyone’s attention.  It was Chief 
William Fox, Ocala’s first fire Chief.  Chief Fox stands to his feet and with much wisdom says, “We have 
all been through trying times and seen images that nobody should ever have to witness.  We have 
trained hard; both our body and our minds in order provide an elite service to our beloved Ocala.  It’s 
been 125 wonderful years.  This world is faced with some horrible things and we will be there when they 
happen to give our service.  We won’t stop and we won’t give up.  We will continue to fight for lives 
until the day death overtakes us.  We will face death, day and night for the Ocalians and its visitors, 
why?  Because we are firefighters and that’s what we do.”  

On Thanksgiving Day 1883 a devastating fire occurred in the business district of Ocala.  The Ocala House, 
Palace Hotel, Ocala Banner, and 10 stores are destroyed in the fire.  A month later in December, city 
officials passed an ordinance to issue and sell Fire Bonds to purchase Firefighting equipment for the city.  
In 1885 another ordinance was passed that established The Fire Department of Ocala.  William Fox 
would become the first Fire Chief of Ocala.    

Ocala Fire Rescue is one of the Oldest Fire Departments in the State of Florida.  We have great culture 
and history that we would like to share with you.  Our family at Ocala Fire Rescue wants to thank you for 
coming and celebrating our 125th Anniversary with us.  It has been a great pleasure serving you for over 
a century, and we plan on doing it for you, your grandchildren and their grandchildren.