August 1949 – At a regular Company meeting, the
subject of a ball field, lights and swimming pool was brought up by Chief David
McDonald, and a committee was appointed to find a suitable property. At the
September 12 meeting, the Company voted to purchase the Littlejohn lot at the
east corner of Dry Mill Road and Loudoun Street for $10,000. The Committee in
charge of building the athletic field was headed by Fire Chief D. M. McDonald
and composed of Secretary Dr. Matt Pulliam, Howard Gill, Harry Flippo, Harry
Jenkins, Louis Atewll and James Anderson.
LVFC Archive Photo
In April 1950,
the Company sponsored a baseball team and continued to sponsor one each year
for the next decade. That May, the Leesburg Fire Company’s $40,000 lighted ball
field, at the park known as Firemen’s Field, was opened. It was reportedly one
of the best in the State and featured outfield distances of 307 feet in right
field and 327 in left. The cinder-block grandstand seats held 1500 people. Old
time Leesburg ballplayers Nick Carter, Hobby Littlejohn, Billy Jenkins, Hubert
Piaster, Raymond Castle and Bill Thomas were on hand while the Washington
Nationals coach, and famous radio personality Arthur Godfrey, helped in the
dedication. A football field was also added each fall, which the Loudoun County
High School used for home games. Fire company members staffed the concession
stand and ticket booth at games as well as worked to maintain the property
year-round.
Above two photos - Repairing the old tractor behind station 1 circa 1970
LVFC Archive Photos
Umpires and team coaches greet one another as they prepare to start a game at Leesburg's Firemen's Field circa 1964
David Frye - LVFC Archives Photo
Above photo and next two - Firemen from Leesburg and a visiting fire company play baseball at the field behind station 1 circa 1970. Note the two pull-through bay doors on the rear of the fire house.
David Frye - LVFC Archives Photo
In 1952, the
fire company began an almost fifty-year tradition of hosting a firework display
on Independence Day. Two years later, a parade was added which brought floats
and fire trucks from all over the Northern Virginia area. In 1998, the
responsibility for the parade and fireworks was handed over to the Town of
Leesburg, which continues this tradition each year.
Leesburg Volunteer Fire Forth of July parade circa 1972
David Frye Photo - LVFC Archive
At the request
of Loudoun Supervisor, Frank Raflo, the Leesburg firemen agreed to allow the
Chamber of Commerce to hold the first Loudoun County Fair at Firemen’s Field, in
September 1953. He told the membership that he hoped that this County fair
could be taken over by the 4H-Club next year and moved to a permanent place.
The fair was held on the Fire Company property once more the following year,
before eventually being taken over as hoped.
Members of the Leesburg Fire Volunteer Fire Company with the new 1954 GMC pumper in front of the east Loudoun Street station
LVFC Archive Photo
In 1955, the
fire company built an Olympic sized swimming pool with a snack bar and changing
rooms, next to the ball field. At the time, it was the largest public pool in
Loudoun County. Operating and maintaining the pool and the ball field were
full-time jobs for the membership during the spring and summer months. Now, in
addition to staffing the ball park, members had to spend the summer helping
life guard, staff the concession stand and run the basket room. This was a
locker room where people put their belongings in one of many numbered baskets
on a rope, which was then pulled to the ceiling.
Aerial View of the LVFC Pool and Ball Field looking west. Fire Station 1 would soon be located just north of the ball diamond, out of the photo.
LVFC Collection, circa 1962
The pool and high dive circa 1964
LVFC Archive Photo
In September 1965,
during the desegregation of Leesburg, the pool was shut down as the result of a
lawsuit, and remained closed the following year. In 1967, the pool could not
open due to an equipment malfunction which prevented filling the pool with
water, resulting in the concrete cracking. For several more years the Company
looked for a buyer and worked with Loudoun County Parks and Recreation to allow
them to take over the pool. However, the cost of the repairs was estimated by
the County engineer to be $35,000. This proved too much - the pool never
reopened and was filled in with dirt when the land was sold in 1972.
The ball field was closed to all games in 1968, due
to needed repairs, limited financial resources and significant problems within
the League. The Company began looking to sell the land but reopened the field
in 1969. Four years later, the operation of the ball field was leased to
Loudoun County Parks and Recreation in 1973.
The ball field was closed in 1980 when the land was finally sold and
developed.
Top two photos - Changing the lights at the ball field with the 1939 Seagrave ladder truck.
Howard Willis - LVFC Collection circa 1968
Leesburg's First Scott
Air Packs
At the
July 6, 1953, Fire Company meeting, a representative from the Southern Oxygen
Company demonstrated a Scott air pack. Afterwards, J. Flemming made the motion;
second by Ed Beavers, to purchase two Scott air packs with refillable equipment,
for $569.75. It was then pointed out that Mr. S.M. Rust had previously made a
donation of $225.00, primarily for the purchase of one of these air packs. Leesburg’s first self-contained breathing
apparatus (SCBA) were purchased. Chief McDonald stressed the point of using the
air packs in fighting gas and smoke fires but these early air packs were seldom
used. Most firefighters thought wearing one slowed them down too much because
they were heavy and stored in a box in the apparatus compartment. There were
also less than sixty fire calls per year at the time and it was ten years
before two more Scott SCBA’s were purchased in 1963.
Loudoun
County Volunteer Firemen’s Association and Central Fire Control
In the
summer of 1939, the Middleburg Fire Company asked the other two fire companies
in Loudoun; Leesburg and Purcellville, to meet and discuss the amount of money
that was paid out every year by the County.
These infrequent meetings were formally organized in November 1941, when
the now four fire companies (Round Hill incorporated in 1938) agreed on Bylaws
and a Constitution for the Loudoun County Firemen’s Association. The primary purpose
was “to promote a cooperative spirit
among the organized fire companies of the county…” One month later, on
December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor was attacked and the United States entered World
War II.
There is very little information about
the Association, as it seems to have ceased to operate for some time due to the
war. Near the end of World War II, the Hamilton Volunteer Fire Company was
incorporated in 1944 and designated as Company 5. Later that year, the Ashburn
Volunteer Fire Department was formed after several devastating fires, becoming
Company 6. The Aldie Volunteer Fire Department was organized in 1955, as
Company 7, followed later that year by the Philmont Volunteer Fire Company as
Company 8. Two years later, in 1957, the Arcola Volunteer Fire Company was
organized, as Company 9. Around this time, the population of Loudoun County was
roughly 21,000 people.
In the
1950’s, emergency dispatching took a big step forward. Reporting fires and
other emergencies had evolved from the early days of running through the
streets yelling “FIRE” or ringing a bell. With the advent of the telephone, all
you had to do was call the telephone operator for help. In the early 1900’s, the telephone operators
in Leesburg would take the emergency call, then activate the siren across the
street at the Leesburg town hall or phone the Mayor or chief of the company of
other towns. The Leesburg Fire Company always remembered the telephone
operators at Christmas time, usually with a present of a box of fruit, candy or
sometimes cash. In the early 1950’s the C&P Telephone Company reported that
every time the Leesburg fire siren was activated, a flood of calls from nosy citizens came into the telephone switchboard. The Leesburg firemen had to call
into the operator to get the address of the fire but were often blocked by
citizens calling the operator to ask where the fire was.
Modern
fire and rescue dispatching in the County can trace its roots back to 1952.
That’s when Loudoun’s Sheriff, Roger F. Powell, made a request to the famous
radio personality and Loudoun County resident, Arthur Godfrey, for money to
build a county police radio communication system. Mr. Godfrey donated $2000,
and on December 18, 1952, the Loudoun County Police radio station was
operational. Its purpose was to provide a system that would allow all of the
emergency units - fire, rescue and police--to communicate together. The
Sheriff’s dispatch center; located in Leesburg in the old jail across from the
Courthouse on Church Street, offered to take calls for the Fire Company.
In early
1956, the C&P Telephone Company moved away from the Town of Leesburg to a
new building that would leave the operators unable to activate the Company 1
siren or telephone other fire companies in case of emergency. The solution was
to install a dedicated phone at the Sheriff’s office and transfer callers
directly to the dispatcher. This new system required the sheriff’s dispatcher
to take the information from the person with the emergency, then contact
someone affiliated with the fire company or rescue squad nearest to the
emergency. For some companies it was a member or wife, while for other
companies, a local business took the information, then either activated the
fire siren or called each member of the company to alert them of the emergency.
By
December 1957, with nine fire companies and three rescue stations, the system was
overburdened and inefficient. Delegates from each fire company met in Hamilton
to discuss the possibility of a county-wide alarm system. It was from these meetings that the new
Loudoun County Firemen’s Association was formed in 1958. Their first task was
to begin working with Loudoun’s Supervisors to implement a county-wide alarm
system.
In January
1959, The Leesburg Fire Company had two-way radios installed in each of their
fire trucks. Later that year, the first fire and rescue dispatch center, or “Central
Fire Control,” as it was known, was established by the County. It was located
in a room just off to the side of the front entrance to the Loudoun County
Courthouse on the Market Street side, in Leesburg. The original four
dispatchers were John E. “Johnny” Caviness Jr., Jack Walsh, and Leesburg
members Deck Warner and James "Big Jim" Anderson. They started with
at least one regular and one emergency phone line, and a single channel radio -
call sign KIU-862. They worked closely with the Loudoun County Volunteer
Firemen’s Association to establish procedures, run cards, member lists, first
due areas, even standard radio phraseology. Run cards were basically index
cards which listed each address, type of structure and the apparatus needed in
order of response. In 1961, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors ordered the
installation of radio equipment in the fire control center, to monitor Fairfax
County's Fire Department frequency. This allowed Fire Control to monitor
eastern Loudoun County for fires at the Fairfax County line that were received
on the Herndon telephone exchange.
In 1962,
the population of Loudoun was about 25,000 people. That year, Fire Control was
moved from the courthouse to the second floor of the Caviness building at 17
East Cornwall Street, Leesburg. The Association continued to improve the
communication system and, in 1963, worked with the County Supervisors to
improve funding for the Companies.
Dispatcher and LVFC member, Howard Leigh, at work at Central Fire Control on Monday, July 16, 1973
LVFC Archive Photo - David Frye
Rows of communication equipment connecting Loudoun dispatchers with all of the surrounding Counties
LVFC Archive Photo - David Frye
LVFC Archive Photo - David Frye
LVFC Archive Photo - David Frye
Leesburg
Fire Volunteer Fire Company Inc. and Station Number 1
In 1961, Chief
Dave McDonald declined the nomination for Chief, so Lester “Dude” Moxley was
elected. The following year, Chief Moxley began the process to incorporate the
fire company and become independent from the Town. On April 19, 1963, the
Company gained its independence and was incorporated as the Leesburg Volunteer
Fire Company Inc. Howard Gill was the first Chief and former Chief, Dave
McDonald, was elected as the company’s first president. Also elected as
cooperation officers were Harry Jenkins, vice president; James W. Fiske Jr.,
secretary, Karlton Kirk, treasurer; and directors T.E. Athey, A.B. Atwell, A.B.
Titus, Howard B. Gill, and Joe Grehan.
The purpose of Fire Company incorporation as stated in the 1963 document
LVFC Archives
The Town sold the Opera House / Town Hall in 1963
which was torn down and replaced with Whites Department Store, the current
building. With it went the firemen’s recreation room and meeting area. The timing
was good because the volunteers had outgrown the old 1927 fire station. It was
too small to house most new fire trucks and too close to the street for the
ones they had. The newer trucks were so long that they often ran up onto the
curb across the street when pulling out onto Loudoun Street. Occasionally, the
firemen had to pay to replace the trash cans across the street that were run
over by responding apparatus. At the May 1964 Company meeting, a motion was
made by Billy Fiske, second by Hubert Welch, to build a new fire station at a
cost not to exceed $60,000 – it passed. Later
that year, after researching fire stations in McClean and Great Falls, the
company moved into a brand new fire house on their property near the
ball field. Today, this fire house; known
as Station 1 and located at 215 west Loudoun Street, is one of the last
examples of the old Fairfax fire station architecture left in Northern
Virginia.
A look at the brand new wood paneling on the west side of the engine bay at station 1
LVFC archive photo
Painting the ceiling in the day room at station 1
LVFC Archives
Leesburg Volunteer Fire
Station Number 1, 215 W. Loudoun St. circa 1966.
LVFC Archive Photo
LVFC Archive Photo
County
Growth
The years
following the move to the new fire station proved to be financially challenging
for Leesburg. The Company’s independence
from the town meant responsibility for all expenses, including the large loan
for the new station. In 1966, the pool remained closed, further reducing
capital. That year, Treasurer Dan Hyatt
instituted a budget, applied spending controls and worked to get the books in
order. Also, in 1966, Bingo started up and a mail-in fund drive was sent out,
both providing additional income. As the population of the County increased, so
did the number of emergency calls. At the request of the Loudoun County
Volunteer Rescue Squad, the Leesburg Volunteer Fire Company was now being dispatched on all vehicle
accidents. By 1968, the financial
situation had improved enough to allow Mr. Hyatt to budget money for the
purchase of a much needed, used 1939 Seagrave tiller in 1967 and a new Seagrave pumper in 1968.
1939 Seagrave tiller in front of Station 1, Leesburg
LVFC Archive Photo
The 1968 Seagrave pumper in front of station 1 circa 1969. Note the gravel driveway
Howard Willis - LVFC Archives
During
the 1960’s, Dulles International Airport was being constructed, which
precipitated the development of Sterling Park in eastern Loudoun. The county’s population began to grow
rapidly, as almost two thousand acres of farm land were turned into housing
developments. This growth added about
12,000 people to the County’s population in just a few years and greatly
increased the demand for fire protection. Emergency calls were on the rise
throughout much of the County, increasing pressure on the volunteer companies
to provide more service. In 1964, the Sterling Volunteer Rescue Squad was
formed, followed in 1966 by the Sterling Park Volunteer Fire Company, as
Company 11. Also, in 1966, the Lovettsville Volunteer Fire and Rescue Company
was formed and designated Company 12. Dispatch upgraded box alarms near the end
of 1966: a house fire would receive a two-company response; hospitals, four
companies; nursing homes, three companies. It was up to each station to decide
which apparatus to take; and, if the fire was big enough, each station on the
box would “dump the house,” meaning to bring all of the apparatus.
County Progress
In 1967,
the Fire Rescue Association requested expense reports from each company,
proposing to use that information to request $5000 per company from the County,
to assist with operational expenses. Traditionally, each company raised funds through
carnivals, rummage and bake sales, dances, dinners and fund drives; but, the
increase in call volume made it difficult to keep up. The County turned down
the request, instead raising the payment rate to $2.00 per mile for emergency
responses.
The Purcellville
Volunteer Rescue Squad was established in 1969 as Company 14. In December of
that year, the dispatchers at Fire Control reported that they were working on a
system to have all of the roads in Loudoun County named and numbered. The
Association assisted companies in securing reimbursement from the County for
radio purchases, coordinated with the Sheriff’s Department to improve on-scene
cooperation, and worked to increase the level of training among the companies.
In addition, the Association worked closely with the County in developing mutual
aid agreements with surrounding jurisdictions, assisted in upgrading fire
control capabilities, and worked on overall operational funding with the Board
of Supervisors.
Another
major project that year was defining company boundaries, or first due areas.
Some companies wanted to have defined boundaries while others were not
interested who is dispatched first. This latter group simply wanted to be
notified of any emergency in their vicinity, so that they could respond. A
months’ long boundary dispute between the Lovettsville and Lucketts fire
companies was finally settled with Fire Control making the final decision.
In 1970,
a new, two-channel base station was installed at fire control and a sixth
dispatcher added. From 1960 to 1970, the population of Loudoun increased 51%,
to 37,000, forcing the fire service in Loudoun County to grow and modernize at
a rapid pace and in many directions simultaneously.
Leesburg Volunteer Fire Company apparatus in front of Station 1 circa 1970
LVFC Archive Photo
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