The Pamplin Volunteer Fire Department was organized in 1952 by a group of residents who thought that the Pamplin area was too far from the existing fire departments at the time. With Farmville Fire Department located 15 miles to the east and Appomattox Fire Department ten miles to the west, long response times were normal. Members of the Pamplin Ruritan Club were instrumental in the formation of the department.
The first meetings were to decide if there was enough interest among the residents to support a fire department. As a list of names appeared on the roll, the officers raised money toward the purchase of a fire truck. The Pamplin community, though small in number, saw fit to raise funds for the new truck. At the February 1952 meeting, the membership made the decision to order a truck.
A 1952 Ford pumper was ordered from American Fire in Battle Creek, Michigan for a total of $13,500. It was equipped with 500 gallon per minute front mount pump and a 500-gallon capacity tank. It was housed on Main Street at the old town office. Many proud laps around town were made with the new arrival. The first officers for the newly composed department were: President, C.D. Canada; Treasurer, Tom Wood; and Secretary, T. Cecil Ligon. Harry St. John was the first Fire Chief.
As the Pamplin Volunteer Fire Department grew, it had to endure many hardships in its early years. The members soon found that funding a fire department seemed to be a full time job. The county was yet to support them so they again turned to the citizens of the Pamplin area. An annual raffle seemed to be the earliest form of fund raising. In 1954, winners included: 1st place, J.E. Taylor, freezer; 2nd place S.E. Ranson $50 saving bond; 3rd place, W.M. Brown, $25 saving bond. The department raised $749.75 with this raffle. A 1954 list of officers included: President, Mack Inge; Chief, Harry St John; Asst. Chiefs, Richard Williams and Cecil Ligon: Secretary and Treasurer, Stuart Farrar.
Limited funding also meant that firefighters did not have the proper protective gear all the time. Many members bought, at that time what was the going thing for safety gear, a hardhat, raincoat, and work boots. Without proper breathing apparatus, an aggressive interior attack of a fire was still decades away. A small ¾ inch -booster line or maybe a 1 ½ inch were all the protection from the flames that you would have.
In 1956 the department was denied an insurance rating due to a lack of membership. A letter from the Virginia Insurance Rating Bureau recommended that the department raise its membership to at least nineteen members to provide proper fire protection.
Problems with the equipment soon arrived. Many invoices were found for repairing the trucks. A $6.40 bill to replace a head gasket, a $30 bill for removal and installation of engine, repair pistons, machine cylinder head and install points. A clutch replacement cost $18.00. To show how bad things were, a bill was found for repairing a tire with a used tube for $4.00
Communications even at the best of times were unfavorable. A siren was bought from army surplus and was mounted on a pole near St. John's Store to alert members of a fire call. The public had two phone numbers to contact the fire department in the case of an emergency. During the day, the number would ring at St. John's store, Chief St. John would activate the siren and go to the firehouse and wait for another member. There were no radios in the trucks in the early days, so location of the fire was critical. The first firefighter arriving at the building would write down the directions to the scene on a chalkboard so that the arriving members would know the location and route. The nighttime number rang at Herman Richardson's or Frank Ramsey's house. They would then repeat the process. Later, the daytime number was changed to R&K Grocery, located on Main St. in Pamplin.
In 1957, a second truck was added to the firefighting arsenal. A 1949 Ford was converted into a water tanker.
The minutes from the 1961 meetings include a formation of a Women's Auxiliary club. Members included were Edna Price, Wilsie Thornton, and Leah Williams. Another raffle was held and the prize list was quite different from earlier raffles. First place won a riding lawn mower, 2nd place was a pony, and 3rd was a transistor radio. A dance and bake sale was also held in Madisonville to raise money for operating expenses. Also according to meeting minutes from 1961, a committee was formed to "secure a building in which to house our tank trucks".
Construction began on the new firehouse in 1963 on land purchased from Erma Payne on State Route 600, close to St. John's Store. The members traveled door to door in the community to raise money for the construction cost. Much of the material and labor was donated which keep the cost of the firehouse to $3,087. The original building consisted of only two bays in which to park the trucks. In 1965, the kitchen and bathrooms were added to the rear of the building.
In 1968 mechanical problems plagued the 1952 Ford’s flat-head engine. After several replacements and overhauls, a 390 engine was installed in the truck. Numerous problems with the retrofit stalled the process but the members came through. That engine is still in the truck to this date.
As 1971 rolled around, the department was in need of another truck. An order was placed with Slagle Fire Equipment in South Boston, Virginia. An addition was built onto the front of the original building to house the truck. This addition doubled the size of the building. A 1972 Chevrolet tanker was soon placed into service. It was equipped with a 350-gpm pump and 1000-gallon tank. The total cost of this truck came to $18,000.
The 70's brought many changes to the fire department. The department was incorporated in 1971. Radio communications went from, non-existent, to citizen band, to a low band frequency used by other area departments. Soon, all members would be issued plectron pagers which were placed in their houses and were activated in the event of a fire by a radio dispatcher. While enroute to the fire scene, most firefighters relied on their citizen band radios to coordinate the fire attack and resources. Self-contained breathing apparatus were now added to the firefighting gear. This allowed the men to aggressively attack the fire from the interior while providing safe breathing air. While a long throw from the SCBA we use today in the area of weight and comfort, they nevertheless provided a means of entry to a burning building.
Chief St. John retired in 1978. As chief of the department since its inception, he provided the department with years of leadership. Herman Richardson was then elected Fire Chief.
The decision was made to obtain a brush truck in the late 1970’s. Once again, money was tight and the department received a 1950 model military four-wheel drive Dodge from the Army. The truck was driven from Aberdeen, Maryland to Pamplin at a top speed of 45 miles per hour. Once at its new home, it was outfitted with the necessary fire fighting equipment and warning lights. The members affectingly refer to it as G.I. Joe. It has proven to be very capable for its designed purpose and is still in use today.
The PVFD joined the Prince Edward Firefighter's Association in 1978. This organization was formed to help the departments better train their members, as well as to project a stronger voice in local government decisions. Along with the other departments serving Prince Edward County, Pamplin was issued new radio call numbers in order to help organize communications.
In 1980, a used fire truck was purchased from the Kenbridge Fire Department for $9,000. It was built originally as a fuel truck and lacked a proper pump, so a portable pump was retrofitted to the rear. It carried 1000 gallons of water and pumped 250 gallons per minute. The truck was painted bright yellow, which lead to members nicknaming it "Yellowbird". This was the only truck in the history of the department to be painted yellow, and hopefully the last.
In 1989, a new pumper was ordered from EEl in North Carolina. This was the department’s first Class A pumper. This piece of apparatus greatly improved the department's firefighting capability. It is equipped with a 1000 gallon per minute pump and a 1000-gallon tank. It also included a 35-foot extension ladder, 4 new SCBA, and three-inch diameter supply line among other things. Before the arrival of this truck, another single bay addition to the side of the old building had to be completed.
In 1991, the office of Chief went to Dalton Elder. He is only the third Fire Chief that Pamplin VFD has had in over 50 years. He still holds this office today.
In 1992, the tanker, known as Yellowbird, was showing its age. A new tanker was ordered from EEI to replace the old tanker. This Chevrolet tanker was equipped with a 450 gallon per minute pump and 1250 gallon tank. After damage that was sustained in an accident, the truck was sent to EEl for an overhaul. It was decided that the truck would better serve the department as a pumper/tanker. A 1250-gallon per minute pump was installed and the tank was replaced with a 1000 gallon unit.
A few years later, a 1977 Dodge military truck was obtained from the Department of Forestry. This truck was converted to a brush truck to supplement the older one.
The department was faced by its greatest challenge in the late 1990's. Space in the firehouse was at a premium. The department's six trucks were literally stacked bumper to bumper and trucks would have to pulled out of the building to make room for business meetings. The members started saving money for construction of a new building and broke ground in 1998. The new firehouse included a radio room, meeting room, a workroom, and an apparatus room with eight drive-though bays. A dedication service was held on May 23rd 1999. Congressman Virgil Goode was the guest speaker for the ceremony. Click to here read about the event.
The 1977 Dodge brush truck was now starting to show its age. Problems with the military wiring and the unreliable nature of the truck were enough for the members to start searching for a replacement.
A 2001 GMC 2500HD was added to the fleet in the spring of 2001. The truck was sent to M&W Fire in Vinton, VA for installation of a skid unit, lights and radios. The truck is equipped with a 300 gallon tank and a 250 GPM pump. It is also fitted with a foam system to help extinguish the fire.
A 1998 Yukon was acquired from Henrico Fire Department in the spring of 2002 to be used as a utility truck. This vehicle is used for transporting members and equipment to emergency scenes as well as to area training classes.
On June 16th 2002, the Pamplin Volunteer Fire Department celebrated its Fiftieth Year Anniversary. An open house was held to showcase the department's history and to show what the community had obtained over the past five decades. The members are proud, not only of their achievements, but of the achievements of those who came before us. Without their hard work, we would not be in the position we are now.
On August 1st, 2004 the Pamplin Volunteer Fire Dept. put a medical First Responder program into service. Once personnel arrive on scene, they can provide First Aid, Basic Life Support, patient stabilization, and communicate patient status to an incoming Rescue Squad. The members utilize a 1993 Chevrolet Suburban, donated from the City of Chesapeake, VA as their First Responder vehicle. The availability of this new service allows a patient quicker access to trained medical personnel and further enhances the ability of the department to provide emergency services to the community. Signifying its expanded role into the medical field, the Fire Department changed its official name to the Pamplin Volunteer Fire Department and EMS, Inc.
The department took delivery on a new Rescue/Pumper in December of 2005. The new engine which was built by M&W Fire of Vinton, Virginia features a HME P2-XL chassis with a rescue style body. It has a 1500 GPM pump, 1250 gallon tank and a 50 gallon foam tank. The rear compartment holds the hydraulic rescue tools pre-connected to an electric simo-pump. This unit will allow us a greater capability to provide extrication from motor vehicle accidents.
