Cedar Park Volunteer Fire Department
Cedar Park Volunteer Fire Department
Written by Sharon Wolfe and Betty Henry Friday, 19 September 2008
The first fire truck was a very used 1956 Wards LaFrance purchased from the Granite Shoals Fire Department at a cost of $1,313.13. The volunteers themselves made changes to the vehicle to suit their needs.
Prior to the early ’70s, Cedar Park depended on the Leander Volunteer Fire Department to assist with fires in the area. After Cedar Park implemented a water system, concerned citizens decided that it was vitally necessary to organize some type of fire protection that was self-sufficient. Frequent fires were started by the hot boxes of the daily train. The practice of using burlap bags dipped in water to beat out fire was not very effective, even with help of the water truck from the State Dairy and Hog Farm.
Even though Cedar Park had few residents, a small group of men got together in 1972 to discuss how to start their own fire department. The first order of business was securing a state charter that would grant nonprofit status. The necessary papers were filed, and the Cedar Park Volunteer Department was officially in operation. The department was the only organized group of residents in the area. It was used to bring the entire community together to discuss important decisions and was instrumental in the process of the city becoming incorporated.
This small department was responsible for territory bordered by Lake Travis on the west, Leander on the north, Brushy Creek low water crossing at Brushy Bend on the east and RM 620 on the south — more than 27 square miles, or 18,000 acres. The CPVD also assisted neighboring fire departments when needed.
In addition to fires, the group was called out for car accidents and medical emergencies. Working with the department were volunteer emergency medical technicians organized as the First Responders Association of West Williamson County. It had eight to 10 people including Virginia Hester, Bob Gamill, Gerda McQueen, Pricilla Davis and Butch Dennis from Cedar Park. Covering Leander were Paula Landeua and Dee Johnson.
The first fire truck was a very used 1956 Wards LaFrance purchased from the Granite Shoals Fire Department at a cost of $1,313.13. The volunteers themselves made changes to the vehicle to suit their needs. They were also joined by two women in the department: Gerda McQueen and Pricilla Davis.
A ladies’ auxiliary made plans for a spring festival, bake sale and auction that paid for the truck. In the beginning, other fire departments donated most of the equipment, but new equipment was gradually purchased with a door-to-door campaign for donations. Street dances and bingo were held at the Cedar Park Plaza from time to time to raise money.
The volunteers were dedicated individuals who faithfully attended weekly training sessions and became proficient at their duties. Practice sessions were sometimes held at a local lake on property east of the Parmer Lane bridge. Their normal sessions were held at the future site of the fire station on Old Hwy. 183.
A siren was positioned on the roof of Henry’s Drive-in Grocery, which was on old US 183 about 500 yards from Brushy Creek Road, and the first fire truck was parked on the north side of the store in warm weather. With the first onset of cold weather, a shelter was constructed for the truck and electric heaters installed to keep the motor from freezing up. When a fire was reported, a telephone grid table was used to contact the volunteers. All available people would report to Henry’s Grocery to get directions to the fire. Because most of the volunteers worked out of town, Buzz Henry, who ran the grocery store, was the first fire chief. He was 24 at the time and served for two years. James Hester was chief for eight years. Bob Russell was the last volunteer chief.
Don Webster donated a site for a fire hall a few hundred yards north of the grocery along the railroad tracks in 1975. Using donations and free labor, a slab was poured for the building. Most of the volunteers were able to get their employers to donate materials or at least sell to them at cost. Several of the volunteers signed a personal note to obtain the money to start construction of the actual building. The building was completed in April 1976. The original fire station is still standing and located on Old Hwy. 183 adjacent to Station 1, which is north of Callahan’s Feed Store.
Through the years, the department acquired four used trucks and was able to afford their first new one — a 1981 Ford Fire and Rescue Truck costing $45,000. Compare this with the Cedar Park Fire Department’s latest truck, a 2007 Quint ladder truck, costing more than $750,000. In 1994, the city hired its first five paid career firefighters, who worked alongside the volunteers. In 2001, the fire department was fully staffed with paid firefighters.
A video and more pictures about the Cedar Park Volunteer Fire Department are on the Cedar Park History website.
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