Captain (then Lieutenant) Ron Furlong and Captain John Duerr practice spraying water at the Eagle Ridge Inn in the Galena Territory during drill.
Our History
The Fire District and Station 1
The Scales Mound Fire Protection District traces its beginnings back to the 'Scales Mound Volunteer Fire Department' around 1907. At this time the first firefighting equipment was purchased to protect the Village of Scales Mound comprising of a 2 wheel cart, pressure pump and tank. In 1929 an upgrade in the form of a fire truck was procured and the department moved to a new location. By 1947 the station was moved again and was large enough to house two fire trucks, a tank trailer and meeting room. A few years later, on August 18, 1949, the Scales Mound Fire Protection District was formally organized. The formalized district extended its coverage area 10 miles in multiple directions to cover most of Thompson, Scales Mound, Council Hill and a portion of the East Galena and Guilford Townships. Further expansion of the Fire District came in the 1960s as the Branigar Organization first developed Apple Canyon Lake, and then again in the 1970s when Branigar developed the Galena Territory.
Apple Canyon Lake Fire
While Apple Canyon Lake Fire is today referred to as 'Station 3', it's actually the second station organized in the fire district. The original location was built near the Apple Canyon Lake Property Association building in 1978. An addition to that firehouse was built in 1996. In 2010 the current location of the Apple Canyon Lake Fire Station was built at 2085 South Apple Canyon Road.
Galena Territory Fire
The newest station organized in the Fire District is the Galena Territory Fire Station, officially 'Scales Mound Fire Station 2'. Organized in 1980, the original Galena Territory Fire Station was housed in a portion of the original Galena Territory Marina building in 1980 and consisted of one truck, a 1949 Ford pumper with a pumping capacity of 500 gallons per minute. In 1984 a new firehouse was built on Territory Drive adjacent to the Galena Territory Owner's Club (pictured above) and housed a "new-to-them" 1973 750 gallon per minute pumper from the Epworth, Iowa Fire Department. Firefighters moved into the new station in May of 1985 which was later expanded with three additional bays.
