History

In 1911 the City of Ashtabula enacted legislation to change the volunteer Fire Department into a fully paid professional service. This legislation made the Ashtabula Fire Department one of the first paid fire departments in the State of Ohio. Two pieces of apparatus were purchase; one a 1911 Seagrave chemical truck, the second a 1911 Robinson pumping engine with a chemical tank. Originally six men were hired and in September of 1911 began working out of a station on Bridge Street. This station was used until 1959 when it's personnel took occupancy of a new station on West Ninth Street.

In February of 1912, with the hiring of six additional men, the City opened a newly constructed station on Park Avenue at West 48th Street. The 1911 Robinson pumping engine was taken from Bridge Street and moved into this building. The department now had twelve paid men, with two pieces of motorized apparatus, working out of two stations. This station was manned until the early 1970's when the proposed widening of 48th Street forced it to be moved. In 1974, with the completion of the present station on Main Avenue, the station on Park Avenue was closed. In 1987, the station on Ninth Street was closed do to financial difficulties within the City of Ashtabula.

The Ashtabula Fire Department of today bears little resemblance to the department of 1911. The present Department roster of 26 personnel, man two apparatus, with additional manning accomplished through emergency recall procedures. The two front-line trucks consist of a 1991, 102 foot Grumman Aerialcat Ladder Platform and a 1998 HME Engine.