History - City of Monroe, Louisiana

"After the great fire in 1871, which destroyed more than sixty buildings in Monroe and caused the loss of $650,000 worth of property damage, a Fire District, including the principle business streets of Monroe was established. Wood buildings were hurriedly erected near the depot and this part of the city was christened and has since been known as Five Points."

Vistors to this part of town Sunday morning, March 5, 1882 found not many of the buildings erected after the great fire of 1871 still standing. It seems that about half an hour after midnight of Saturday, March 4, 1882, fire was discovered in the back room of the store on the corner of Desiard and Hart Streets, occupied by William Hamilton, a Baptist Minister. The alarm was promptly given, but an unroly horse delayed the arrival of the fire engine several minutes. Meanwhile, the flames had reached Dobson's Livery Stable and was threatening Hamilton's residents in the rear of his store. The fire engine finally made it to the cistern at Mr. Kuhn's residence and began putting water on the buildings. But by this time an estimated $32,000 worth of damage had already been done.

Origins of the Department

The Monroe Fire Department has risen from a handful of unorganized neighbors associated for mutual protection into one of the best organized, most modernly equipped and thoroughly efficient firefighting organizations in the country. It has developed from volunteer to part-pay, to full pay. Its equipment has evolved from bucket brigade to a hand-drawn, hand operated pump and hose reel, to horse-drawn steam engine, hose cart, hook ladder, then to the all motorized standard equipment of today.

In the process of improving fire fighting methods and apparatus, the old obsolete underground cistern was discarded and replaced with a municipally owned and operated water system with a network of water mains, which furnishes an abundant supply of water made accessible through over 2,700 fire hydrants conveniently located throughout the city.

Communications

The shouts of "Fire! Fire!" accompanied by the popping of firearms was succeeded by the telephone. In 1916, a fire alarm system was added with nearly 60 signal boxes located throughout the city, which was divided into three sections, each of which was supplied by fully equipped fire alarm transmission equipment. A PBX telephone switchboard at the alarm headquarters, which directed telephone lines to each of the stations, assured prompt response to all telephones alarms, as well as two ways for the stations to receive an alarm. This "ring-down" system from Alarm Headquarters to each fire station is still in place and maintained today as a backup to the now existing tone-alert system which uses pairs of wave-tones to alert radios at the stations, and pagers on the belts of responders.

Legacy

Probably no period in the history of the Monroe Fire Department is as interesting as the long existence of the Old Fire Company No.1, which was the direct predecessor of the modernly equipped and highly efficient personnel of today. Membership in the old Company was considered an honor. Picnics, dances, barbeques, banquets, and early parades, events, in which the whole town was interested, were the old volunteer's reward of affection.

Early Equipment

The first firefighting equipment purchased was man-powered pumps and a hand-drawn hose reel, the latter surmounted with a clanging bell upon the end of a strong coil spring. When a fire broke out, every man and boy available became a fireman, slowly dragging by means of long ropes, the heavy and cumbersome burdens down the dust-laden streets. When the fire was finally reached, the suction hose was let down into the most accessible cistern, serving as the water supply. Neighbors had generally removed all furnishings and fixtures from the endangered building before the arrival of the firefighters so that, if the occupant carried proper insurance, he might be able to start over in due season.

The next forward step in the provision of more modern equipment was made in 1872, during the administration of Mayor Fred ("Boss") Endom, himself an enthusiastic fireman, when a real steam fire engine was purchased by the city and presented to the fire department. Morris McKenny was made engineer, later to be succeeded by Albert Nawadney. A second engine was afterward purchased and Victor Nawadney (a son of Albert) was appointed engineer. It has been said that the two engines were rarely in good operation condition at the same time.

In those days no horses were kept at the fire station, which was situated just across the street from City Hall. John Rigsby, more affectionately known as "Uncle John" was appointed as a driver. When an alarm was tuned in, a team was secured from Endom's stable, or as frequently happened, a passing team was commandeered, either mule or horse.

Ouachita Fire Company No. 1 at this time was divided into a hose company and a hook and ladder company. A.J. Renaud was foreman of the hose company; C.G. Woodbridge was foreman of the Hook Company and Ladder Company, while Frank Moore was Chief.

Andrew Jackson Herring was the youngest Mayor of Monroe, taking office at the age of 31, in 1888 and serving until 1894, and again from 1896 to 1898. It was during these years that he organized the Ouachita Fire Company No. 1 Volunteers, the forerunner of the present day Monroe Fire Department. The Ouachita Fire Company No. 1 Volunteers became the first volunteer fire department in Monroe, succeeding the Old Bucket Brigade (1870-1877) and the famous Hook, Ladder, and bucket Brigade which served in the late 1800's. Their motto was "Our Lives We Risk; Our Friends We Save."

According to legacy, nowhere in the history of Monroe was there a greater spirit of loyalty to the people and the city than that of the first Volunteer Firefighter. Ouachita Fire Company No. 1 at that time boasted a membership of 60 men with every lawyer, merchant, doctor, and artisan capable of serving, being on the company roster. The courthouse bell was used to call volunteers for a fire. When they heard the bell, they left stores, offices, barber shops, and even the courtroom to answer the call.

In 1902-1903 the department employed Minute Men, who were paid $1.00 for each fire alarm answered. This was the beginning of the paid Fire Department.

After the election of Dr. Andrew J. Forsythe, who succeeded Andrew J. Herring as Mayor of Monroe, Ouachita Fire Company No. 1 and the city were unable to reconcile disagreement over several trivial matters, which resulted in the city asking that all equipment be turned back to the city. This was done, and shortly thereafter the old company ceased to exist as a separate organization, but continued for years to respond for service when needed. A.J. Renuad was appointed foreman by Mayor Forsythe and served in that capacity until the night that Millsap's & Company of West Monroe burned. The Mayor took exception to Mr. Renaud having taken the Monroe apparatus to the aid of our neighboring city, due to the risk taken in leaving this city practically unprotected, and Mr. Renaud resigned.

Motorizing the Department

The first step toward motorizing the Monroe Fire Department was taken under the Forsythe administration with the purchase on February 8, 1912, of Kissel combination hose and chemical truck. The next forward step, and probably one of the longest, was the appointment of Frank J. Roddy as Monroe's first Fire Chief.

Additional motorized apparatus was added under the Apgar administration:

• February 2, 1917, a type 12 triple-combination LaFrance, 125 horsepower pumper of 900 gallons per minute capacity.
• June 23, 1919 a type 75 triple-combination LaFrance 105 horsepower of 750 gallons per minute capacity.

Under the administration of Mayor Bernstein the following apparatus was added to the Fire Department.

• February 10, 1920, a type 20 combination hose and chemical truck.
• September 9, 1923 type 75 triple-combination LaFrance, 105 horsepower pumper of 750 gallon capacity.
• September 1926, another LaFrance type 75 triple-combination pumper, 750 gallon capacity.

In October, 1926 another Fire Company was organized to be known as No.4. At first it answered alarms from the Central Station but in the fall of 1927 it moved into the newer No. 4 station built for it at the triple intersection of Lee Avenue and Forrest and Jackson Streets.

In 1933 Fireman L. H. Patrick took the chassis and motor off the obsolete type 20 truck purchased in 1920, and on it at a very small cost (less than $500.00) he built a water tower that was the equal in performance of factory machines selling for $15,000 or more at the time. This truck was tested and placed in service January 30, 1934.

In 1927, Dr. H.E. Carney, a friend of the fire department and himself an ardent fireman, conceived the idea of having an emergency or rescue truck. An old truck chassis was donated for the purpose and the doctor did most of the work of building up a truck himself. He was assisted by his fellow Legionnaires in this work.

In addition to improvements in apparatuses, equipment, and personnel, new discoveries in fire tactics led to a better level of firefighting service. In the old days the first thing that firemen did upon arriving at a fire was to break all the windows in sight. This created a draft and caused the fire to burn still more fiercely. They then stood outside and poured in tons of water, completely ruining all furnishings and the interior of the building.

Today's firefighting tactics dictate that the seat of the fire be located before the water is ever turned on, and then only enough water be used to put out the fire. If only a small portion of a building is involved, or if the fire is on an upper floor, all furniture is quickly moved to the center of a room, and then covered with waterproof tarpaulins to prevent water damage, which in the old days was responsible for most of the loss caused by fire.

MONROE'S FIRE CHIEFS

The Monroe Fire Department has only had seven Fire Chiefs since its inception.

Chief George Douglas

George Douglas was appointed Fire Chief in 1988. Chief Douglas served from 1988 until 1995. Chief Douglas started a "First Responder" response program allowing firefighters trained as First Responders and EMTs to respond to medical incidents. Chief Douglas purchased a ladder truck, and a new ARFF truck. During Chief Douglas' administration, the department also acquired two rescue units and initiated the vehicle extrication response of the department, having several firefighters trained in vehicle rescue.

Chief Douglas separated Fire Investigations from the Fire Prevention Division and established a separate Fire Investigative Division staffed by two employees. Chief Douglas added a third Training Officer to the Training Division. Chief Douglas was Secretary Emeritus of the Professional Firefighters Association and served as a board member of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Chief Douglas also served on the Firefighter's Retirement Board.

Chief Douglas also acquired advanced EMS equipment for the EMTs and paramedics on the department, with ALS bags containing not just disposable basic supplies, but laryngoscopes and endotracheal tubes for advanced airway, and IV therapy supplies, emergency and cardiac drugs.

Under Chief Douglas' administration, two paramedic classes were conducted, allowing some of the department's existing Emergency Medical Technicians to be certified as Paramedics, able to perform more advanced life-saving interventions such as IV and drug therapy, advanced airway / intubation, and manual defibrillation. With Chief Douglas' leadership, these paramedics were allowed to function in their capacity while responding in service on the fire units, providing Advanced Life Support care to the citizens of Monroe

Chief B. L. Hampton

Monroe's sixth Fire Chief was B.L. Hampton. Chief Hampton was appointed from 1995 until 1998. Chief Hampton purchased two new pumpers, one new ladder and another new ARFF vehicle. Chief Hampton purchased Automatic External Defibrillators to be placed on the two rescue trucks to be used in case of sudden cardiac arrest. Chief Hampton created the positions of EMS Director as well as the Administrative Assistant to the Fire Chief. Chief Hampton served as board member on the Louisiana Fire Education Council and purchased new hand-held radios for the firefighters