Our History

The Vernon Township Volunteer Fire Department was organized. A committee was appointed to draw up the By-Laws and Ray Chamberlain was elected temporary Fire Chief. The first Fire Chief to be appointed was Herman Wente.

Membership at the beginning was around 20. An old Dodge tanker was bought with donations until a levy could be passed for a new truck. Meetings were held in Herman Wente's basement, and the tanker was kept in his garage until the new station was built.

The first fire station was built, providing a permanent home for the department's apparatus and a central meeting place for members.

Vernon Rescue was started, answering calls in a 1965 Oldsmobile Modified Hearse ambulance leased from Jack Davis at a local funeral home in South Webster for $1.00 a year.

Vernon Rescue was incorporated and a contract to provide ambulance service was established with the Township Trustees. Although separate from the Fire Department in organization, many of the same members serve in both departments and both organizations work together as one.

A second station was built at Ashley Corner for Vernon Rescue. Ambulances were garaged there, and after a period of time the membership of both organizations decided to put one engine at Ashley Corner and the second ambulance at the main fire station — providing better protection to the community for both fire and EMS.