The Midland, Texas, Fire Department is a century old this year. It began in 1909 as an all volunteer fire department. Their first fire truck cost a thousand dollars in 1912 and was powered by one hay eating horse. Today they have trucks costing $800,000. Here's more from the news release:
The Midland Fire Department was first organized on a volunteer basis in 1909 in response to two disastrous fires, which almost destroyed the downtown business district. Initially, the department's equipment consisted of a Hose Cart stored in a shed at the courthouse. In 1916, the city purchased its first modern engine from American LaFrance which was delivered June 20, 1917.
Today the Midland Fire Department employs 174 firefighters and 22 administrative and support staff. What was once a small volunteer department is now a professional fire and EMS service with nine stations (including a Crash/Rescue station at Midland International Air Terminal), 11 fire engines, two ladder trucks, nine ambulances, and several other special purpose apparatus.
This afternoon at a ceremony in the Central Station garage the department unveiled a commemorative coin, and each firefighter will get one. According to military folklore, members of a unit which had its own coin would use them on occasion to determine who picked up the bar tab. Tap tap tap, someone would rap his coin on the table, and each of the others would then show his coin. If someone couldn't produce a coin he got to pick up the tab. But that was another time and place. Our sober firefighters will no doubt use their coins to reflect on the department's long and proud history.
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