Fire Truck Museum
Second Street on the Canal Parking Lot
Built and donated to the city in the early 1970s by the Delphos Jaycees.

The Historian is wondering how many persons, now residents of "The city of Delphos, Allen and Van Wert Counties," as it officially is designated can remember the days when the old frame "Fire Engine House" was located where the municipal building now stands: How many will remember the rubber buckets first used in fighting fires? Or who can call to memory the advent of the hand pumper, responsible for many a blister in the palms of the hands of valiant and sturdy citizens of Delphos in earlier days? Or who can remember the transition from hand drawn to horse drawn equipment?

In these days of motorize firefighting apparatus, made necessary by the onward trends of the times perhaps only the older present and former residents of Delphos will recall events of the days when your hustling and enterprising city forged its way upward and onward as a. desirable place of residence, a business community of no small fame and so well governed by its chosen officials that no examiner for the State Bureau of Inspection and Supervision of Public Offices has ever found occasion to seriously criticize.

It was not until after May 3, 1872, the day of "Black Friday" as it was later called, when a: disastrous fire swept over Delphos, that determined steps were taken in the direction of providing adequate firefighting apparatus. Public demand for better fire protection resulted in official action by the town council. The citizens of Delphos determined that never again would they be in a position of helplessness should the fire fiend attack.

The history of the Delphos Fire Department, the comparatively limited number of fires, and unusually small losses since that time attests to the wisdom of the people, and the efficiency of the firefighters. Delphos has been an organized municipality since March 3, 1851. Previously, the territory comprised four settlements, Section Ten and East Bredeick on the Allen County side of the town and Howard and West Bredeick on the Van Wert County side.

At that time the only firefighting equipment consisted of buckets, water taken from the canal, the creeks or from wells, depending on where the fire was located. The buckets were passed along lines of citizens, serving as volunteers. The city fathers, recognizing that a bucket brigade afforded small protection against a serious fire in a growing community, took steps on April 25, 1857, to remedy the situation. Authority was voted to purchase six fire ladders at a cost of $72. Practically nothing more was added until after "Black Friday." Forty-five structures were consumed by that fire at an estimated cost of $150,000 in damages. The conflagration prevailed for the most part in the business district between Second and Third streets, and Miami-Erie canal and Washington Street.

Again the public demand for better fire protection resulted in action by the town council, who in 1872 caused to be erected a fire engine house 20 by 40 feet at a cost of $250. A hand pumper was also purchased from the city of Zenia, with 500 feet of hose. That same year the Washington Fire Engine and Hose Company was formed by John Walsh, Sr. This was the first organized firefighting unit for the municipality. Feb. 14, 1873, a hose reel was purchased, and the construction of seven fire cisterns of 250 barrel capacity each, located in different parts of the village, was authorized.

The first steam fire engine, a Silsby, was brought to Delphos in 1874. A second steamer was purchased in 1880, an Ahrens. That same year, an up-to-date hook and ladder truck and equipment was purchased, and an organization known as the J.W. Feely Hook and Ladder Company was operated independent of the Washington Fire Engine and Hose Company.

In 1883, a new steamer was procured, the older steam pumper being turned in as part payment. After the City Hall now the Safety Building on E. Second Street was erected, in 1888, the two firefighting units then operating were united and became known as the Delphos Volunteer Fire Department. However, each group continued to elect its own officers until in 1898 both organizations were disbanded, but reorganized the same year, adopting a constitution and by-laws which place both under the command of the same chief and his assistants, functioning as a single unit. The firefighters were paid 50 cents for each alarm answered.

During the years when horse-drawn firefighting apparatus was in use, prompt response to alarms sounded by the old faithful bell in the tower over City Hall was the. order. Fire losses were reduced accordingly. William Lehmkuhle, John A. Burkett, and M.H. Westrich followed in the order named in those days as chiefs of the department. B.H. Shabbing, Frank Foster, Adam Weger and A.M. Fettig were among those who served as hostlers and drivers in that period, caring for the four big dappler gray horses:

Before the horses were secured for the task of whisking the apparatus to fires, members of the hook and ladder truck volunteers attained considerable prominence in tournaments staged during the annual conventions, making runs with the truck.

The Delphos Department was motorized in 1916 by the purchase of a combination hose and chemical truck from the Service Truck Company of Wabash, Ind. This served well until 1919 when a Gramm truck chassis was secured from the Gramm Truck Company, a local enterprise. It was equipped with a 500 gallon Boyer pumper and chemical tanks. Later, the chemical tanks were removed and the truck converted into a triple combination, equipped to carry 400 gallons of water in its "booster tank." This firefighter is the engine which the Jaycees enshrined in a museum at Canal Parking Lot on West Second Street.

In May, 1930, the department was still further modernized with the installation of a 1,000 gallon triple-combination Seagrave pumper, fully equipped. Four full-time firemen, two on each shift, and one substitute made up the regular force. Two part-time men were added for night service and fifteen volunteers were on call at all times.

The current available number of volunteers firefighters is at 28 which was increased in 2000 from 22. The full time staff consists of 7 personnel.

The current fire department apparatus consists of the following: 1997 E-One Cyclone II Custom 1,500 GPM Pumper with preplumbed Class A & Class B Foam Systems, 1983 1,000 GPM Ford/Boyer Pumper, 1973 1,250 GPM Ford/Boyer Pumper, 1962 Seagrave 1,000 GPM Pumper, 1974 International/United 2,000 gallon tanker, 1975 International 2,100 gallon tanker, 1978 Dodge/United Mini-Pumper, 2002 E-One Typhoon 18' Non-Walkin Heavy Rescue, 2002 Chevrolet H.D. 3/4 Ton 4 DR Pickup Primary use 1st Out EMS response and tow the 2000 Pace American Water Rescue Trailer, 1992 Ford Crown Victoria Chief's Car, Medic 1 1990 Mobile Medical Ambulance, Medic 2 1999 Braun Ambulance, Medic 3, 2003 AEV Trauma Hawk Ambulance.

DELPHOS FIREMEN 2003: Chief Wayne Suever, Terry Trentman, Bob Kimmet, Captain; Mike Clark, Dennis Hageman, Captain; Chuck German, Joel Will, Chad Martin, Dana Steinbrenner, Rich Kimmel, Roy Hoehn, Apparatus Engineer; Joe Shumaker, Bob Jettinghoff, Tim Klaus, Kevin Streets, Apparatus Engineer; Dave McNeal, Platoon Chief; Tom Osting, Assistant Chief; Dale Carder, Apparatus Engineer; Paul Carder, Lee Ulm, Captain; Brent Brinkman, Don Moreo, Platoon Chief; Larry Beining, Chuck Shumaker, Don Ditto, Mark Wurst, Dave Wright, Bob Broecker, Joe Bullinger, Dave Christen, Denny Osting, Jamie Wisher.

Back to Gallery 1