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About Carbondale Township
The groundwork to create the Carbondale Township Fire Department began in 1975, after the City of Carbondale deemed that it was too costly to continue providing fire protection to the rural areas surrounding Carbondale and Makanda. In 1977, the department began full time fire protection with three firefighters each working shifts consisting of 24 hours on duty with 48 hours off. Shortly thereafter, the department added a fourth on duty officer, which put the fire chief on shift during the day.
The department was first located in the old Eaton Automotive Building at 200 East Main, in Carbondale. During this first stage of development, the firefighters slept across the street at the Township office building. Plans were made to build a new building and on February 1, 1978 the department moved in to its new quarters on East Park Street. The new station consisted of four bays and was shared with the Township Road Department. The building was shared between the two departments for nearly 23 years, but finally in 2001 the Road Department moved to a new facility. This new separation of departments permitted the fire department to expand and grow. |
Throughout the department's history a number of vehicles and apparatus have been utilized to perform its duties. The first fire engine was a used 1956 International with pumping capacities of 500gpm/750-gallon with a front mounted pump. The next vehicle was a 1973 International Crew cab used as an equipment and brush truck. The department then acquired a 1965 Ford F550 from the Forestry Service and converted it into a 1000-gallon tanker with a 250 gpm portable pump. After that, the next aquisition was a 1953 M-38A1 Jeep from the Forestry Service equiped with a 50-gallon tank and a 150 gpm pump and was utilized as a brush truck. |
Like all other things, age takes its toll on equipment, and the 1965 International pumper was replaced by a 1968 American LaFrance. The department’s first new apparatus acquisition, a 1990 International Darley pumper/tanker with a 1250 gpm pump and a 1000-gallon tank, subsequently replaced the 1965 tanker. The Jeep was then replaced by a new 1999 Dodge Ram pickup truck, loaded with a 100-gallon tank and 160 gpm pump, for off road brush fires. A 2000 International Pierce four door Pumper/Tanker with 1250 gpm pump and 1000-gallon water tank replaced the American LaFrance.
In 2004 the department recieved a grant to purchase a tanker pumper 1000gpm/1800gal. The apparatus was purchased from Battalion Three built by Central States/Rosenbauer.
Unfortunately, not all of the trucks were retired due to old age. In 2003, the 1990 Darley was replaced with a 2003 International Pierce Pumper/tanker with a 1250 gpm pump and a 1000-gallon water tank, after an accident rendered the truck inoperable.
The department has used other Equipment including: a trailer mounted 6000-watt diesel generator light plant, a 5000 psi SCBA compressor, and a four-bottle SCBA cascade system.
Over the past quarter century, the department has undergone many great changes and improvements in its equipment, personnel, and training. These improvements have lead to an increase in the department’s quality of service to the community, increased firefighter safety, and has even had the quantitative result of lowering the ISO rating to 6/9. |
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