Excerpts from the Champaign News Gazette:

On Wednesday, the Champaign Fire Department marked a major milestone—its 150th anniversary. Just one day later, the city’s oldest living firefighter, Pete Lipscomb, turned 91, making it a special week for both the department and its history.

Lipscomb served as a firefighter from 1951 to 1985, spending over three decades in service. On Tuesday, he visited Station No. 1, reflecting on how much the department has evolved since he first joined nearly 64 years ago.

He recalls that back in the day, the fire trucks were open-cab models with sirens right next to the driver’s ear—often his own. “That’s why I have these,” he said, pointing to his hearing aids with a chuckle.

The technology wasn’t just lacking in sound; it was also missing when it came to navigation. Without GPS or digital maps, firefighters had to memorize the city layout. During breaks, they’d quiz each other on street names. If the driver got lost, they’d just follow the smoke, he joked.

Equipment was another area of big change. In the early days, only one firefighter per shift had a smoke mask, while others would fight fires and then step outside to catch their breath. “That’s why I have COPD,” Lipscomb said with a dry laugh.

Deputy Chief John Barker added that firefighting has changed dramatically over the past 150 years. The department started in 1865 as a volunteer group, with horses helping firefighters reach the scene faster. By the 1880s and 1890s, paid firefighters were introduced.

Back then, the city used a bucket brigade, where people passed water from a hand-pump to extinguish fires. Firefighters would also tear down parts of buildings to stop the flames from spreading. Instead of 911 calls, a bell on top of the city building would ring to signal a fire in a specific area.

In time, steam-powered fire engines were introduced, but they were eventually replaced by Champaign’s first motorized engine in 1915. That change came after a devastating fire on Lewis Street caused $800,000 in damage—equivalent to about $18.8 million today.

To celebrate the 150th anniversary, the department will host a fire apparatus parade and firefighter muster on July 19, from noon to 5 p.m. The parade will start at the Illinois Fire Service Institute at noon, traveling west on Kirby Avenue, north on Mattis Avenue, and east on University Avenue to Champaign Central High School, arriving around 12:30 p.m. The muster will begin at 1 p.m. in the parking lot at the corner of Washington and Walnut streets.

Thanks, Dan

 

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