Belleville Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 53

Belleville Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 53 We are a 100% membership union.

1918 charter member of the International Association of Firefighters, member of the Associated Firefighters of Illinois (AFFI) since 1935, and an active member of the AFL-CIO since 1955.

Please join us in supporting Chief Eiskant. From the Belleville Police Department:https://www.storessimple.com/schaeferi...
06/04/2026

Please join us in supporting Chief Eiskant. From the Belleville Police Department:

https://www.storessimple.com/schaeferink/groupproducts.php?prodgroup_id=42800&prodgroupbypass=true

The Belleville Police are proud to offer Support Chief Eiskant T-Shirts as a way for our community, law enforcement family, and supporters to stand together in solidarity and show their support for Chief Eiskant and his family.

Shirts will be available for purchase in person at our Belleville Police Department tent during Rock the Blue 2026 this Saturday, June 6. Stop by and see us at the corner of S. Jackson Street and E. Main Street to pick one up.

If you are unable to attend the event, shirts can also be ordered through the online store using the link or QR code on the flyer.

Thank you to everyone who has shown their support for Chief Eiskant, his family, and our department. Your encouragement, prayers, and support mean more than words can express.

Available Sizes: Sā€“3XL
$25 (2XL & 3XL add $2)

Once again, our 22nd Annual Local 53 Golf Tournament was a great time! We are very grateful for the support of players a...
05/20/2026

Once again, our 22nd Annual Local 53 Golf Tournament was a great time! We are very grateful for the support of players and business sponsors who made this a very successful event. ā›³šŸŒļøā€ā™‚ļø

To our original heroes, the ones always on duty, ready to serve ā€” Happy Mother's Day šŸ’
05/10/2026

To our original heroes, the ones always on duty, ready to serve ā€” Happy Mother's Day šŸ’

Come see us at Bennie's Pizza Pub now until 2pm for the Bloody Mary Walk! Proceeds go towards purchasing Burn Out Cards ...
05/09/2026

Come see us at Bennie's Pizza Pub now until 2pm for the Bloody Mary Walk! Proceeds go towards purchasing Burn Out Cards for families who lose their home to a fire.

THE DEPFORD ā€“ Belleville's First Fire EngineAround this time 185 years ago, Belleville was proud to receive its first fi...
05/08/2026

THE DEPFORD ā€“ Belleville's First Fire Engine

Around this time 185 years ago, Belleville was proud to receive its first fire engine, purchased in Baltimore by Gustavus Koerner. It cost $150 and was shipped by water to New Orleans and up river to St. Louis. It was given the name Depford, possibly named after an area outside of London known for manufacturing cutting edge fire equipment at the time.

Until the 1870's when steam powered engines were first purchased in Belleville, Belleville fire companies relied on hand-pumped fire engines (image is of a similar model). These engines had no motor and were essentially water buckets on wheels that needed to be hand pumped to move water. The earliest engines were unable to suck out water from city cisterns (which weren't installed until after the Civil War). They were hand-drawn and there was a monetary reward for the first and second water cart to arrive.

It took anywhere from 8 to 20 firemen standing on both sides, physically throwing their body weight up and down on long wooden "brakes", to build up enough pressure to shoot a stream of water from a "gooseneck," a brass nozzle that shot water on the fire. The arrival of the Depford marked a significant shift from the bucket brigade to the engine company, and it wasn't long until Belleville's population increased deserved bigger and better fire equipment.


St. Clair County Historical Society Belleville Historical Society

Sources
A History of Belleville, Alvin L. Nebelsick. (p.108-111)
History of St. Clair County, Illinois, 2 vols. Brink, McDonough and Company, 1881. (p.189)

Congratulations to Belleville's SWIC Fire Science Spring 2026 academy graduates! Thank you Rachel Covert for the wonder...
05/02/2026

Congratulations to Belleville's SWIC Fire Science Spring 2026 academy graduates! Thank you Rachel Covert for the wonderful photos to remember this occasion.

This features "Snow White," known as the only white fire engine in Belleville's history. In this 1950 article, the aut...
05/01/2026

This features "Snow White," known as the only white fire engine in Belleville's history. In this 1950 article, the author used Snow White's engine failure to argue for a more robust equipment budget. While we can attest that even newer fire trucks often malfunction, we are grateful for a city and department that keep our current rigs in good condition.

Who can name a face from the photo? [We know the answers šŸ˜‰]

Another great year at River to River Relay with a faster time than last year. The race spans 80 miles from the Mississip...
04/20/2026

Another great year at River to River Relay with a faster time than last year. The race spans 80 miles from the Mississippi river to the Ohio river, with each team member running an average of 10 miles total. Always a good time! Congrats to all runners.

We are pink today.
04/15/2026

We are pink today.

Address

2200 W Washington Street
Belleville, IL
62226

Telephone

+16182342244

Website

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