Signal Hill Fire Department

05/15/2026

The latest edition of Hot Flashes should be in mailboxes in the next couple of days. You can also view it online here -

Signal Hill Fire Department

04/29/2026

What a difference 80 years makes. From the first truck, to the newest truck. From mounting equipment to getting supplemental systems in place, work continues on the new truck to get it ready to go in service.

04/18/2026

https://fox2now.com/news/fox-files/fire-truck-shortage-sparks-creative-solution-in-midwest/?fbclid=IwY2xjawRQyZxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEesto7S9Ot5yLVetRJ6g3ygIUnLpaTruosXUbBgzgLRFAxxDavO53NXbAowac_aem_YbwI0zG7QHzIUgPpSzTXpA

While a nationwide firetruck shortage is leaving many departments with aging equipment, one local crew found a workaround.

04/18/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1EAj2f82xY/

04/14/2026

The new 4712 arriving!

03/31/2026

A little bit closer to being done. We will see it in person next Tuesday for final inspection!

03/20/2026

Shaping up to be a great weekend to take care of some items on this list. Don't forget, you can find out where to recycle paint products at www.paintcare.org Ace Hardware on West Main is one place that is close.

03/12/2026

A little sneak peak update on the new engine. Delivery at this point is tenetively the first or second week in April.

02/13/2026

Continuing on with more history this week, 1963 brought about the thoughts of a hose tower and two additional bays. Fire hose at the time was made of cotton and it had to be dried before being rolled or reloaded onto trucks to prevent mold/mildew and damage. It wasn’t until 1973 that the work was approved. Work on the addition and hose tower began in the Spring of 1974.

In 1987 one final addition to the facility was approved. This addition consisted of two additional apparatus bays along with additional storage and work areas. Completed in 1988, this addition costs $106,000.

The building remained in the configuration from the final addition in 1988 till 2005. A couple of years before 2005, discussions had been held about renovating the fire station to meet the needs of apparatus that was getting bigger, as well as meeting the needs of the Americans with Disabilities Act(ADA). An architectural firm was hired to evaluate the building, and make recommendations on how to best meet the needs for the future. After reviewing several options, the one option that chosen based on the value to be gained was to raze the current building and build a new one in its place. Funding for construction of the new facility was gained thru the approval of a bond issue by the District voters. 2004 and 2005 were some interesting times as portions of the building were removed and new portions built, all while keeping the department in an operational mode to respond to calls.

The current firehouse has served the department well for the past 20 years and the planning that went into the facility will continue show its benefits for decades to come.

02/06/2026

More on the history of the Signal Hill Fire Department - After acquiring the land for the firehouse, plans were made for the building. Albert Goedde was on the committee and was the architect for the first firehouse. He also had designed Belessed Sacrament Church and School

The first firehouse consisted of just a single bay to house the apparatus. The original station had a red neon light over the bay from Treesh Neon Signs which simply read - SIGNAL HILL FIRE DEPARTMENT. A replica of that signs exists today in the community room of the firehouse.

In 1952 members realized that additional space was needed. Plans were made to add a meeting room to the building. Completed in March 1954, it was often referred to as "The Fowler Room". This was to honor S.J. Fowler, a resident of Signal Hill Boulevard who was involved in the formation of the department, and loaned money to the department to build the meeting room.

The next addition to the property was the construction of the Picnic Building in 1958. As a means of fundraising, The Signal Hill Firefighters Picnic was held every year in June. From seeing neighbors to meeting new people, riding carnival rides, enjoying the famous ribs, or just coming out to enjoy, the picnic served for a few decades as a favorite event of the year for many. The picnic building served to provide a sheltered place to host many of the picnic days booths, and then served as a storage area for the picnic items thoughout the rest of the year. As with many projects around the firehouse, the picnic building was built by members of the department. They dug the foundation, laid the block, poured the floor, built and installed the trusses, ran the electric, and installed bathrooms.

While picnics are no longer held, the building still exists today and serves as a training facility and stores trailered equipment for the department.