Gretna Fire & Rescue

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Gretna Vol. Fire Department, Inc.

In the spring of 1933, the Town Council with Mayor G. H. Vaden presiding, met for the purpose of organizing a fire company. The Town Council met again in September 1935 and the volunteer fire company was organized, at which time B. E. Coffee was appointed the chief, and held the position until September 1947. Once the fire company was organized, equipment purchased and members obtained, a meeting was held on October 30, 1935, to pass an ordinance to govern the new Gretna Volunteer Fire Company. In the early days, the only firefighting equipment was a bucket brigade; then came the horse-drawn wagon, which was equipped with a hand pump, carried buckets, and a horse. From the memory of some of the older members, the first wagons that Gretna ever had were two-wheel wagons that were pulled to the scene by members. On April 2, 1945, the town authorized the reorganization of the fire company and the name changed to the Gretna Volunteer Fire Department. The town also agreed to pay each member $2.00 for every meeting or practice drill attended and also $3.00 for the chief. The council appointed Henry Ferguson chief on September 1, 1947, and Henry held the position until December 2, 1957. It was in 1948 that Town Council agreed to purchase Gretna its first motorized fire truck, which was a benefit to the department. Members of the department at the time were: Garnett Aylor, C. D. Hunt, Jr., Calvin Doss, Henry Ferguson, Manly Aylor, Acie Shelton, Russell Perkins, and George Scruggs. After getting the fire truck, a new need arose. On October 3, 1949, members of the department went before the Town Council and presented the need for a building to house the fire equipment. On November 28, 1951, the department was in bad need of a new truck and went before the Town Council and they agreed to purchase a new truck if the county Board of Supervisors would help with the cost. This truck has been painted and is still looking good but only used in parades.In 1967, the town built new offices on Shelton Street and also built a three stall building with a meeting room for the department. It was during this time that fire departments were organized in Renan, Climax, and Riceville-Java. In 1968, the Gretna Rescue Squad, Inc. was formed and their training was completed to take over the emergency ambulance service on January 1, 1969. The squad was organized with serval firemen becoming members. The squad used the firehouse as their base since they had no place to go. The years come and go and with time, the fire department needed a new firehouse. On June 2, 1994, the department purchased approximately 2.5 acres of land from the Gretna Rescue Squad, Inc. for the purpose of building a new firehouse. In January 2001, a fundraising thermometer was installed at the future site of the new firehouse. On May 20, 2003, Blair Construction crew began laying off and digging the footing for the new firehouse and on March 20, 2004, 8:00a.m., members moved all the equipment into the new firehouse on 122 East Gretna Road.