Indian Lake Volunteer Fire Department

History

“It Can’t Be Done”...

Two civic minded residents of the Indian Lake area saw the need for local fire protection. One Sunday in the middle of June 1957, a meeting was called on the lawn of the Inn-D-Inn to discuss the possibility of organizing a volunteer fire department.

By the end of the meeting with about 14 men present, officers were nominated and elected thereby starting the Indian Lake Volunteer Fire Department. Officers were Lyle Hunt, Chief, Al Ray, Chairman, Bob Pellow, Assistant Chief and Garland Smith, Lieutenant. A 1929 Studebaker fire truck was purchased from Center Township in Indiana by Al Ray and Robert Sriver and donated to the new department along with $150 in donations was the beginning of local fire protection.

When the members began looking for support from people in the area, they heard the same story over and over from most of the people. It seemed as though three or four times previously, attempts had been made to organize a fire department. People had donated previously to a fire department “in the making”, however nothing ever materialized. The same lament of “it can’t be done” was heard again and again.

The members had to convince the public that they were incorporated by the state of Michigan as a non-profit organization; as a corporation for the protection of life and property in the area.

A blind institute in the Indianapolis area which made brooms and furnished them to non-profit organizations to sell was the source of the department’s first money making project. In order to supplement donations from area residents to provide money for equipment, various types of brooms were sold.

The first expense incurred by the fire department was the purchase of one hundred fifty (150’) feet of hose for $16.50.

After several meetings and considerable discussion regarding a building for the fire department, on October 24, 1957, it was decided that the fire department should purchase the property that they now own. Plans were drawn and construction began. Before the building could be finished, winter set in and construction was halted. Since the meetings could not be dispensed with, firemen donated the use of their basements during the winter months. After the weather broke, construction continued on the building. The floor was poured and finished on May 15, 1958 about 10:00 P.M.

On May 26, 1958, the department signed a contract with Silver Creek Township to furnish fire protection. After the contract was signed, it was decided that a better fire truck was needed to provide better fire protection. On June 5, 1958, the membership approved the purchase of a 1958 GMC four-wheel drive chassis and signed a contract for building the fire truck with Howe Fire Apparatus Company. On July 23, 1958, the chassis was delivered to Anderson, Indiana for the truck construction. The completed fire truck was delivered and ready for use on November 1, 1958, for the sum of $10,593.05.

Prior to receiving the new fire truck, the need for a tank truck was foreseen. On September 20, 1958, a 1952 Chevrolet truck chassis was purchased, and the tank truck was in the making. The tank body was donated by a gasoline distributor and the piping by a local dealer.

In 1962, a used four-wheel drive Jeep was purchased with a 200 gallon tank, hose reel and portable pump to be utilized for grass fires.

With the growth of the department and new members joining, in 1965, an addition was built on the back of the station to facilitate a meeting room and kitchen.

Since the department fought most of its fires out in the country, and there was not the use of fire hydrants to refill the trucks with water, a used White tank truck with a capacity of 4,000 gallons of water was added to the fleet. The volunteers put forth a great deal of work on the tanker, installing the pump and piping and painting it until it looked like a brand new truck.

On July 4, 1969, a new International with fire apparatus built by Howe Fire Apparatus in Anderson, Indiana, was delivered. The water tank held 1,5000 gallons of water with a pump capacity of 350 gallons per minute.

The 1929 Studebaker that the department first started fighting fires with was sold in 1969 to the Clinton Valley Council of the Boy Scouts of America for fire protection use at Lost Lake Scout Reservation, located northeast of Baldwin, Michigan. Two of the department firemen drove the truck the 200 miles to the camp.

In 1971, the front of the garage was remodeled, changing it from two doors to a three door design.

In 1972, the department purchased a base radio station and Plectrons for the members. From sounding the alarm themselves, to telephones and finally Plectron radios, the department had definitely advanced their methods of effective communications. A base radio station was located in the fire station and each of the firemen had a Plectron in his home.

In May 1973, the department finished paying for the International which gave the volunteers titles to four trucks with no strings attached.

In 1974, more improvements were made to the property with the black topping of the parking lot. Also, in 1974, a surprise grant was received from Pokagon Township for $1,792.00, to be used toward drilling a new well.

In 1976, a new Ford Pickup was purchased to be used as a brush fire truck. The labor to equip the truck to make it serviceable was provided by the firemen thus saving considerable money. This new vehicle replaced the four-wheel drive Jeep purchased in 1962.

In 1977, four new truck radios and a K-12 Saw were purchased.

In 1978, a used International was purchased to replace the White tank truck. The tank was removed from the White and installed on the International.

In 1978, two “walkie-talkies”, a chain saw, a Porta Power, and a portable resuscitator were purchased.

Also in 1978, a new International chassis was ordered.

In 1979, the International was delivered complete with fire apparatus installed by The Howe Company, Norfolk, Virginia. In this same year, the exterior of the meeting hall received a facelift with aluminum siding. 100 new chairs were purchased for the meeting room; 50 purchased by Lila Smith in memory of her husband, Garland, and the other 50 purchased by the department.

In 1980, two additional Scot Air Packs were purchased for $1,350.00. These are used in order to facilitate breathing in smoke-filled rooms.

Also in 1980, a generator to furnish electricity for the building in the event of a power outage was purchased for $3,000.00. The generator furnishes power for the entire building including lights, pump, siren and radio.

In 1981, a weather Plectron was purchased. Its purpose was to receive weather information and set off the siren for tornado alerts.