Lebanon Fire Department
History
Lebanon put in its water works in 1894, believed to have been one of the first municipally owned plants in the United States. With the coming of running water from the wells at the plant on West Chicago Street, fire hydrants were strategically placed about the city and a horse drawn hose-and-ladder wagon Fire Department was established.
Before 1894, Lebanon depended upon its volunteer fire department whenever a fire broke out in town. Just how such a volunteer fire department operated is best detailed in a story in the Lebanon Pioneer dated December 12, 1889, "…as a reward for their service" the city gives each member of the company several dollars annually, and exempts him from street labor. The apparatus of the company consists of a Rumney hand engine, which will, if properly managed, throw two streams from a two inch hose over any business house or residence in the city; a hose cart, a bucket wagon and a hook and ladder wagon, all of which are housed in a frame building near the county jail, and are examined once a week by a detail of the company. "At the sound of the alarm, every member of the company is expected to report at the engine house at once. The first drayman (operator of the fire apparatus) at the house takes the engine to the fire and is allowed one dollar for his service, this, out of the fund created by the fines." The membership is constantly changing and the limit is 34 members. Lebanon continued to use its horse drawn apparatus from 1894 to 1917, when the old "hay-burners" "Dick and Elza" were replaced with a then most modern Seagrave motor driven truck. The Seagrave for many years gave good service but finally became obsolete and was replaced with newer equipment. It was retired in the 1970’s and sold to a gentleman from Illinois who restored it to it’s former glory.
There have been several Fire Chiefs in the Lebanon Fire Department History and some have served more than once. Here is a list of the Lebanon Fire Chiefs and the years served:
1892 to 1896 Charles B. Hicks
1897 to 1900 Will A. Tull
1900 to 1902 William A. Kemp
1902 to 1909 Percy G. Corey
1910 to 1913 Lon Ludlow
1914 to 1918 Edgar Casey
1919 to 1922 Dave King
1922 to 1923 Plesant Lewallen
1923 to 1924 Elmer Benton
1924 to 1925 Charles Moore
1926 to 1930 Robert Barker
1930 to 1942 Charles Moore
1943 to 1946 Robert Barker
1946 to 1948 Robert Laflin
1949 to 1951 Harry McCray
1952 to 1956 Kenneth Evans
1957 to 1958 Chester Spur
1959 to 1959 Harry McCray
1960 to 1968 Kenneth Evans
1968 to 1980 Noble Rose
1980 to 1991 William Williams
1991 to 2008 James Stevenson
2008 to Present Ted Caldwell