About » History of MTFD

Photo before 1958 at Msbg Station

Miami Township Fire Department was formed October 1946.

Henry F. Schroeder was appointed part-time Fire Chief on October 6, 1946 by the Miami Township Trustees to set up fire service for the township.

As stations were added, each station was run by a captain and two lieutenants in addition to the part-time fire chief.  The captains serving with Fire Chief Henry Schroeder were: Irvin Weidle - No. 1 (Sta. 47), Emil Emonin – No. 2 (Sta. 48), Glen Long – No. 3 (Sta. 49), and Phil Bauer – No. 4 (Sta. 50).

After Fire Chief Henry Schroeder retired in 1967, District Chief positions were established at each station.  In the mid 70s Gary Trace was made part-time Fire Chief.  Paul Baker took Gary Trace’s place as part-time Fire Chief when he left.

District Chiefs for the stations were:

            No. 1 (Sta. 47) – Irvin Weidle, Huston Beals, Harold Meyers
            No. 2 (Sta. 48) – Emil Emonin, Norman Speaks, Gary Trace, Paul Baker
            No. 3 (Sta. 49) – Glenn Long
            No. 4 (Sta. 50) – Phil Bauer, Harold Brown, Ray Miller, Lee Hieronymus

            * As one District Chief left, another was assigned.
   
The District Chief positions were done away with in the late 70s at which time two captains were over the four stations.

Once a full-time Fire Chief and Deputy Chiefs were hired, the captain positions were done away with.

Fire Chiefs:

            Gobal Williams – 1st full time Fire Chief.
            Bobby Ring – 2nd full time Fire Chief
            Tom Achor – 3rd full time Fire Chief
            David Fulmer – 4th full time Fire Chief

First crew and equipment were housed at existing stations in Miamisburg and West Carrollton. 

Firemen and equipment housed in the same building as the Miamisburg fire station until 1958 when the new Fire Station No. 1 (Sta. 47) was built at 8600 Miamisburg-Springboro Rd.  Different signals were used to distinguish between fire calls in Miamisburg and Miami Township - one blast on the siren for Miamisburg and oscillating tones for Miami Township. 

Fire Station No. 1 (Sta. 47)

Fire Station No. 2 (Sta. 48) at Dwyer Mill in West Carrollton was built in 1948, later moving, due to the construction of I-75, into its new building at 5204 Springboro Pk. on June 4, 1960.

Fire Station No. 2 (Sta. 48)

Fire Station No. 3 (Sta. 49) was built in 1953 at 6706 Upper Miamisburg Rd.  After the property was annexed into Miamisburg, the address number changed to 716 Upper Miamisburg Rd. 

Fire Station No. 4 (Sta. 50) was built in 1954 at 2918 Miamisburg-Centerville Rd. (where Wendy’s Restaurant is presently located today).  The sale of this property and the Township Bldg located in Miamisburg generated funds to finance the building at 2700 Lyons Rd in 1970.  Sharing this building were the Fire Department, the Police Department and the Government Offices.  Renovations to enlarge the building were made in 1980 and the Police Department moved to their new building at 2660 Lyons Rd in 1987.  In 2006 a new government center was built for the Administration Offices and Trustees, keeping the 2700 Lyons Rd address.  The former building is now totally occupied by the Fire Department, taking on a new address of 2710 Lyons Rd.  

Fire Station No. 4 (Sta. 50)

Two fire trucks (Dodge truck with Barton-American Pumpers) were first purchased in October 6, 1947 – one stationed in Miamisburg and one at West Carrollton.

Pumper No. 1

Pumper No. 3

All four stations were equipped with pumpers/tankers.  Additional equipment was added to different stations over the years such as the aerial ladder, medics, boats, and rescue trucks, all manned by capable volunteer firemen who lived in the vicinity of their stations and providing fire protection to some 32,000 residents of the township.

First aerial equipment was a 1969 Sutphen 75’ Aerial Tower.

Ladies Auxiliary organized at each station shortly after formation of the Fire Department, composed primarily of firefighters’ wives who met regularly for social and fundraising activities.  One of their primary purposes was to provide food and water at major fire scenes for firefighters and those affected by the fire.  The “Daisy Chain”, made up of the Ladies Auxiliary, was used to notify the fire crew in the event of a fire.  Miamisburg dispatch would call a member of the “Daisy Chain” for the appropriate station and the “Daisy Chain” would call the firefighters and say “Fire”.  The firefighters would then report to their station.  The first firefighter to the station would call dispatch for the information, write the incident information on a blackboard for following firefighters, and would remain at the station for additional information while following firefighters went to the scene.

Auxliary No. 3

First full-time employee for the Fire Department was Fire Inspector Jim Gay who was hired under Gary Trace when the Fire Department was still volunteer.

Fire Station No. 4 started running EMS approximately 1976, but Fire Station No. 2 had been running EMS since the early 60s.

1960

Miami Township Fire Department under Fire Chief Billy Ring responded mutual aid to Miamisburg on July 7, 1986 on a train derailment west of the river in Miamisburg, losing its last four cars with cargo.  When oxygen came in contact with the 20,000 gallons of white phosphorous in a tanker, fire and smoke erupted.  A state of emergency was declared and many people were evacuated to the Dayton Mall; then evacuated again when the mall itself had to be closed.

  
As quoted in a January 16, 1986 newspaper, Miami Township Fire Department had about 55 volunteer firefighters responding from home.   The department’s emergency medical personnel, consisting of nine full-time firefighters, worked on station duty 24 hours a day, working six-hour shifts. 

In addition to medical emergencies and fire-related incidents, the Fire Department also handles hazardous materials incidents, vehicle extrication, water rescue, ice rescue, high-angle rope rescue, confined space rescue, trench rescue, and structural collapse.