GLEN CARBON
FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
ABOUT US
OUR VISION
The Glen Carbon Fire Protection District strives to provide safety, education, and training to its firefighters and community. We protect the lives and property of our community through fire prevention and public education.
OUR HISTORY
The Glen Carbon Fire Department was organized on July 21, 1901 as the Glen Carbon Chemical Fire Company No 1. The department, housed in the Old Village located atop the hill at the corner of School Street and Summit Avenue, consisted of 22 members and a handcart with 600 feet of 2-1/2 inch hose. The location of the building was ideal as it was located on one of the highest points in Glen Carbon allowing the bell, located on top of the building and used to alert the firemen, to be heard for miles.
In 1921 the department purchased its first mechanized truck, a Ford Model-T pumper with 500 feet of hose. In 1941, the department was able to update this first equipment with a Dodge truck pumper purchased from the Central Fire Truck Company. Now long removed from service, Fire Safety, Inc. Located in Wood River, Illinois, purchased the truck in 1985. The truck is still available today for the fire department to use for special events.
In 1956 the department reorganized as the Glen Carbon Fire Protection District. Bernard Birger, Nick Hamilos, and Albert Miller were appointed as the first trustees. That same year land was purchased on Main Street near the site of the old village ball diamond.
A new firehouse (Station 1) was built and occupied by the Glen Carbon Volunteer Fire Department, now Company No. 2.With the population and needs of the fire protection district steadily growing, so also were the department's equipment and services. In 1957 a new GMC 750 g.p.m. truck was purchased. In 1967, to aid in fighting brush and grass fires, a Ford 750 g.p.m. front-mount pumper was added to the fleet bringing the number of on-line pumpers to three.
Fire Station Two - 430 Glen Carbon Rd.
Each rescue truck carries the latest in rescue equipment including a Hurst Tool (The Jaws of Life).In January 2001, the department was notified that its ISO (Insurance Service Office) rating had successfully been lowered from 6 to 4 as a result of an earlier inspection of equipment and operation. This marked a significant accomplishment for an all volunteer fire department.Currently the department consists of 36 members including 4 Paramedics, 1 Intermediate EMT and 13 Basic EMT\'s. Our rescue service presently operates at an Intermediate Life Support (ILS) level. It is anticipated that this level of service will be upgraded to an Advanced Life Support (ALS) level by midsummer.
In June of 2019 the District opened its newest Fire Station at 199 S. Main St. This station is a 5-bay drive thru style station that houses some of the best equipment in the area. This station was built to serve the needs of the District and its residents for the next 50 years. This building was built with some of the latest technology available.
The Glen Carbon Fire Protection District fleet consists of 3-Engines, 1-Ladder Truck, 1-Brush Truck, 2-Rescue Trucks, 1-Off Road UTV, 3-Support Vehicles, and 4-Ambulances. These vehicles are utilized daily to carry out the tasks necessary to protect the men and women of the Fire District. In 2019 the District employees responded to more than 1700 calls for service. The District currently employees 34 Paid-On-Call Firefighters, 1 District Administrator, 3 EMS Shift Supervisors, 6 Full Time Paramedics, and 24 Part Time Paramedics under the direction of the Fire Chief to carry out the needs of the Fire District.
Fire Station One - 199 S. Main St.
With the growth of Glen Carbon and the development of the Cottonwood area, it became apparent that a second engine house was needed to meet the demands of this growth. In 1981 property owned by Farm Service on Glen Carbon Road near the intersection of Route 159 was purchased and the building was converted to serve as Station 2. The original building has now been removed and a new Station 2 constructed. This new 3-bay station has been designed and built to meet the long-term needs of the department and includes some of the latest in electronic technology.
Today, the equipment operated by the department includes a 1982 Ford 750 g.p.m. pumper, a 1987 Chevrolet medium-duty rescue truck, a 1993 1000 g.p.m. E-One pumper, a 1991 4-wheel drive Ford fire/rescue truck equipped with a 250 g.p.m. slid-in pump and a 1998 E-One 75 foot aerial truck. All of the pumpers are classified \"Class A\" pumpers.
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In June of 2007 the Glen Carbon Fire Protection District added its first Advanced Life Support Ambulance to serves the needs of the residents. This was staffed by 6 Full Time Paramedics and 6 Part Time Paramedics under the supervision of the Ambulance Director. Over the past 13 years the Ambulance service has grown to the point of having 2 ALS Ambulances staffed 24 hours a day 365 days a year, as well as, 2 additional Ambulances should the need arise for additional help needed. The District currently employees 9 Full Time Paramedics and 24 Part Time Paramedics under the direction of the Fire Chief to carry out the EMS portion of the Fire District.
The information included on this website is intended to be strictly informational. Any comments, statements, or opinions made on this website, any Glen Carbon Fire Protection District social media profile, any Glen Carbon Fire Department social media profile, or any association or volunteer corporation made up, in whole or in part, of Glen Carbon Fire Protection District members do not reflect the opinions or positions of the Glen Carbon Fire Protection District and are, in no way, endorsed by the District. If you are experiencing an emergency, dial 9-1-1.