City of Bedford, Indiana



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  • December 1879
    • Bedford Light Guards assumed responsibility of a hook and ladder company.
  • April 1881
    • Bedford Fire Company was fully organized from the militia company and was recognized by the town board. Fire apparatus was ordered.
  • May 1884
    • With 2451 citizens, the Town of Bedford was made the City of Bedford.
  • August 1884
    • Four cisterns (500 barrels capacity each) were dug on the public square, in the street at each corner, to be used as reservoirs to extinguish fires.
  • 1914
    • Bedford acquires its first motorized equipment and its stationed at the downtown fire station next to city hall.
  • June 1914
    • Bedford takes delivery on second motorized fire apparatus, a Studebaker, costing 2348.00. The new truck was stationed at the north end fire station. The city’s remaining two fire horses, wagon, and harnesses were auctioned and sold for $170.00.
  • 1918
    • Bedford acquired another fire apparatus for $9000.00.
  • July 1920
    • Day and night shifts were started to satisfy a long-sought plea for better hours by fire department personnel. There were only 10 men in 2 city stations, with 3 on duty day and night at central (downtown) station and 2 on duty day and night at north end station.
  • 1921
    • Bedford had 178 fireplugs maintained by the fire department.
  • 1922
    • Bedford Fire Department personnel received a 10 day annual vacation. The fire department personnel were not allowed vacations prior to this time.
  • October 1923
    • Bedford ordered a new 40 foot, $11,050.00 American-LaFrance truck. It was equipped with a 600 gallon tank, 1000 feet of fire hose, 235 feet of ladders, a chemical tank and 200 feet of chemical hose. The truck arrived in a boxcar on March 10, 1924.
  • 1925
    • North end fire department was moved in to remodeled quarters at 7th & Lincoln.
  • August 1927
    • Two accidents put the city into a precarious situation when the fire dept. had two accidents within a month. On the 13th, a fire truck was wrecked due to an oil slick on 24th street. Shortly thereafter, the other truck crashed head on into a Milwaukee train engine at 10th & J streets. 1 fireman lost a foot and 3 other were injured. The mayor and chief Elza Owens drove to Indianapolis fire dept. to try to borrow a truck to be used during the emergency but were turned down. So a new $13,000.00 American La-France was immediately ordered and the worst-wrecked fire truck was sent back to the factory for salvage.
  • 1928
    • Ernest Buher was made chief.
  • 1929
    • With a comfortable economic situation, Bedford had 15 uniformed men, seven of whom were on duty at all times, three trucks and 259 hydrants. In May, Chief Buher was provided with a new Model A Ford roadster equipped with a siren and special chemical extinguishers. Construction was started on a much needed new north end fire station was also built on the corner of 5th & Lincoln.