Munroe Falls Fire Department

== History ==
Munroe Falls was inhabited by the Seneca Tribe until 1786 when settlers came to what would become Stow Township. In 1811 a gristmill was built and the area was named Kelseys Mills, it was renamed Florence in 1817. It was changed yet again in 1836, to Munroe Falls when the Munroe Brothers settled there. Munroe Falls gained county services in 1925, and in 1948 the desire for a fire department was there. Residents were tired of paying for fire coverage from Stow Township and the village couldn't afford a fire department so it was established as a volunteer department. 50 men volunteered for active duty as firefighters and they formed the Munroe Falls Social Club which was later changed to the Munroe Falls Fire Association. They met weekly for training and planned to build a fire station and equip it with a pumper and other equipment. To earn the money necessary they sold concrete blocks and had many fundraisers. A ladies auxiliary was formed that helped fire victims and held fundraisers with the money being donated to the fire association.
In July 1948 land was leased from the Munroe Falls Paper Company and construction began on a fire station. The shell took 6 months to complete. The inside took much longer and materials and other items including water heaters were donated. By the summer of 1949 the station was ready, but the building costs consumed nearly all the money they had, and little money was left to buy equipment. The village had no water lines so water had to be taken from the river, then the paper manager donated an oil-carrying truck that was converted to a water tanker. 4 hoses could be attached at one time with water coming from the Cuyahoga River. A used truck was purchased from Coventry which had 1,100 feet of hose, a siren, two nozzles, a y connection, and a pump. It cost $4,000. Fire protection at the time was free and all the building fees were paid off by 1952 thanks to the Ladies Auxiliary. The station was also used for meetings and voting, and fundraisers were held often. The village was rapidly growing so the association raised $3,500 in funds for a new truck.
In July 1955 an American LaFrance pumper was purchased for $8,300. It arrived five months later. An open house was held on January 23, 1956. Fundraising didn't cover the whole cost and $2,400 still needed to be paid off. The village grew rapidly in the 50s and 60s so in 1963 a Jeep brush truck was purchased and in 1967 another American LaFrance pumper was acquired. In 1967, a contract was established with the village for $7,200, but the firemen were volunteers and weren't paid until 1970 when the Munroe Falls Fire Association became apart of the Village government. The station closed in 1974 when the current station 1 was built as a part of the $175,000 town hall. It was equipped with two and a half bays, an all-purpose room, sleeping quarters, a meeting room, a workshop room, and a 30 foot tall hose tower. There was no siren so the old one was used. Originally the plan was to tear down the old station and turn the land over to Sunoco, but it was preserved because it was thought that the department might want to house a rig there as it was on the north side of the train tracks. In 1982 Dunn-Quigley and Ciriello Funeral Home and Ambulance Company operated a paramedic service at the station to serve Munroe Falls, Tallmadge, eastern Cuyahoga Falls, Stow, and Silver Lake. A 10 year lease was negotiated with the ambulance service and Sunoco to allow use of the land. Dunn-Quigley renovated the building heavily with a new roof, doors, and remodeling. It was repainted as well to return it to the original appearance. The contract expired in 1991 and Care Ambulance became the new provider operating out of the building until 1999. The village obtained city status in 1991 as well.
On January 1, 2000, the city turned EMS over to the now Munroe Falls Fire Department with a plan to spend $15,000 to $30,000 to update the station. The plan to build the current station 2 was proposed and in lieu of refurbishing the old station the new one was built. The building sat idle until July 16, 2008 when it was demolished. In 2005 the cities namesake falls were demolished due to an EPA order. The department has a full time chief and assistant chief as well as around 30 part time members as of 2023.
The main bridge through the city will need to be replaced closing off Main Street for 8 months, this may mean Station 2 will receive staffing during that time. The department covers the southern portion of Stow during the cities fourth of July parade.
===Fire Stations===
Station	Address 	In Service 	Notes
1 	32 North Main Street 	1949 - 1974 	Demolished.
1 	43 Munroe Falls Avenue	1974 - Present	
== Apparatus Roster ==
=== Fire Station 1 - 43 Munroe Falls Avenue ===
Built 1974, dedicated October 6, 1974, repainted 2023
* Engine 1 - 1995 Pierce Saber (1250/750) (SN#E9128)
* Engine 2 - 2005 Pierce Saber (1500/750) (SN#14167)
* Brush 1 - 2003 Ford F-250 4x4 (250/250)
* Medic 1 - 2020 Ford F-550 4x4 / Braun Chief XL (Ex-Medic 2, ex-Medic 1, ex-Medic 2)
* Battalion 1 - 2018 Ford Explorer AWD (Ex-Car 1)
* Battalion 2 - 2012 Ford Escape (Ex-Car 2)
=== Fire Station 2 - 151 North Main Street ===
Built 2001, dedicated September 29, 2001
* Rescue 1 - 2002 Ford F-550
* Medic 2 - 2011 Ford F-450 / Braun Chief XL (Ex-Medic 1, ex-Medic 2, ex-Medic 1)
* Truck 1 - 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 4x4
*UTV 1 - 2018 Argo 8x8
*Water Craft 1 - 1980 rigid hull boat / Honda
*Boat trailer
*Trailer
*UTV trailer
==On Order==
* Ladder 1 - 2024 E-One Typhoon (2000/500/75' rear-mount)
== Retired Apparatus ==
*2006 Ford E-450 ambulance (Ex-Medic 2)
*2006 Ford E-450 ambulance (Ex-Medic 4)
*1999 Ford E-450 ambulance (Ex-Medic 3)
*1999 Ford E-450 ambulance (Ex-Medic 1)
*1967 American LaFrance pumper
*1963 Jeep brush
*1955 Ford F-750 Big Job / American LaFrance pumper (Ex-Engine 1)
*194? pumper (Ex-Coventry Township Fire Department (Ohio))
*194? Tanker (Ex-Oil Company)
== References ==
* The Old Fire Station at Munroe Falls
* Munroe Falls History
Category:Summit County, Ohio
Category:Ohio departments operating Pierce apparatus
Category:Former operators of American LaFrance apparatus