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History of the Dayton Ky Fire Deparment
The headline above was taken from a special edition magazine printed in 1944 that highlighted the Dayton Volunteer Fire Dept., which was organized in 1933. However, the fire service history dates back far more years than that. 
The small river city of Dayton, Ky. was founded in March of 1867 with the merger of two smaller towns, Jamestown and Brooklyn. As more families and businesses moved into the city, it became imperative to develop some type of fire protection and emergency service to insure the safety of Dayton’s citizens. So in 1898, a city-run, paid fire department was organized and a horse drawn hose and ladder truck was acquired. The first motorized fire truck, a Republic Truck, was purchased in 1916. Then in 1924, an Ahrens Fox Pumper was procured. 
Records state that in the early days, two paid men would work 12-hour split shifts. When they responded to a fire scene, they would commandeer spectators from the crowd to assist them in fighting the fire, for which they were paid $2.00. As you can imagine, the efficiency of this system left something to be desired. So on January 10, 1933, the Dayton Volunteer Fire Department was organized by a group of public-spirited citizens who wanted better protection for their city. The small paid fire dept. acquired 39 volunteers and Chief Clarence Kiefer Sr. arranged a schedule by which four volunteers would be on duty every hour of the day. Each man was admitted to membership only after a thorough investigation of his qualifications. The department functioned as a club and had rules similar to those of a fraternal organization. Those volunteers received many hours of training in two mandatory sessions each week. Membership grew and grew. In fact, in 1949, historians boasted that the department consisted of four paid men and seventy-eight volunteers. Unfortunately, in this day and age the number of volunteers has dwindled dramatically. 
In 1934, a Life Saving Squad was formed, only the second one in Campbell County. Their training was received under the direction of Chief Barney Houston and Captain Daniel Kummer of the Cincinnati Fire Dept. The firemen / squad men were highly praised by the Cincinnati dept. and local officials for the “zeal and willingness” with which they pursued the course. They became very proficient in life saving techniques. The Dayton Squad was the first in Northern Kentucky to receive the Red Cross Merit Certificate and Registration. Originally, the squad runs were made in a fire Truck. Then in 1935, an ambulance, The Invalid Coach was purchased. A total of 45 squad runs were responded to in that first year, paving the way for the present day 1,612 runs per year. In 1938, the department was the first to carry oxygen, and oxygen tent for use in a home and an invalid basket for transporting patients. After just four years of existence, local physicians and the Red Cross pronounced the life squad and it’s personnel to be the most thoroughly trained and equipped squad in this part of the state. The original squad responded to sister cities Bellevue and Newport and surrounding Campbell County as it does today. Many improvements in the life squad have been made throughout the years. Newer and more advanced ambulances and equipment have been purchased. Most recently, our paid firemen have studied and achieved the status of paramedics for which we are extremely proud.
Dayton was and is always striving to improve and modernize their equipment to meet the ever-changing needs of a growing community. The original fire dept. was housed at 505-507 Berry Ave. In the early 1930’s, the old abandoned Sixth Street School was refurbished to house the City Building and provisions were made to accommodate the Fire and Police Depts., at the new location. By 1944, a small-detached garage was completed, which protected the old Ahrens Fox and the new 1944 Seagrave Quad Pumper.
In 1946 some additional renovations were made and in 1963 a new garage was built by the volunteers, adjacent to the City Building. Finally, in the early 1990’s, the most recent addition of a new garage with a state of the art exhaust system and drive through bays was completed.
In addition to updating the fire equipment, the firemen’s alert systems have flourished also. Previously, “at the sound of the big fire bell, anyone within hearing distance ran to the fire house and jumped on the apparatus.” Around 1945, fire bells were installed in the firemen’s homes. When the house siren blew, it tripped a relay switch to their phones and rang a bell, alerting the volunteers of the emergency. In the 1960’s, firemen were equipped with Federal Tin Tins and Plectron home monitors to keep them abreast of an emergency situation. Then in the late 70’s, an individual paging system was adapted. Presently the Dayton Volunteer Fire Department participates in the 911 emergency response system. Dayton has been plagued with several major fires. In February 1952, Lincoln School burned. Over $100,000.00 in damage was recorded and 25 firemen were injured. The Perry and Derrick paint company burned in 1957. Not only Dayton, but also Newport and Bellevue Fire Depts. responded to assist in fighting the explosive inferno. An apartment building at Sixth and O’Fallon Aves. burst into flames in 1988. The building was a total loss, and worse, there were 5 fatalities, 4 from the same family. Dayton firemen have also responded to major fires outside of our city. The most famous of which was the Beverly Hills Supper Club fire in 1977. In addition to fighting fires, the department assists our community by providing aid to property owners during inclement weather, including erecting and disassembling the floodgates in the levee and manning the pumps while a flood is present. Finally, no fire department could function without good leadership. The Dayton Fire Department has been blessed with many knowledgeable and dedicated leaders. The earliest records report that the Fire Chief in 1870-1878 was George McClure. In 1933, Chief Clarence Kiefer was very instrumental in organizing the volunteers. He spent much of his time training with the Cincinnati Fire Department and passing that training on to the men in his command. Dayton mayor, Fred Mader, was elected 1st president of the Dayton Volunteer Fire Department, which proves the city government was very supportive of the Fire Dept. Chief Charles Spreter (1949-1990) was the youngest chief in the state, taking command at age 21 and serving for some 40 plus years. Many innovative changes in the Fire Dept. took place under his leadership. Several officers of the department have served the community by holding various important positions in local and state fire associations. In 1997, our present chief, Dennis Lynn, was president of the Campbell County Fire Fighter’s Educational Assoc., our safety officer, Joe Eggemeier, was president of the Northern Ky. Fire Fighter’s Assoc., and Assistant Chief, Mike O’Day held the revered office of President of the Kentucky Fire Fighter’s Assoc. Chief Lynn continues to guide the success and growth of our department, both paid and volunteer. Presently, in 2001, the Dayton Fire Dept., consisting of 10 paid firemen and 20 volunteers, continues to serve and protect our city, our residents and our community.
At Left from Right to Left: Chief Dennis Lynn, Assistant Chief Mike O’Day and Safety Officer Joe Eggemeier. LIST OF FIRE CHIEFS |
