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1879-1900s
1879-1900s
From 1879-1900 the town of Worthing owned a man drawn cart. It had two big wheels, and a roll of hose wrapped around the center between two wheels. Water was combined with a chemical mixture. In the wintertime this chemical mixture had to be stored where it would not freeze. At the time this water and chemical mixture was good for putting out fires. It was a mess to work with, but it did the job it was intended to do. In these early years all of the buying of fire equipment was done by the town board. Later on, the Fire Department was organized but the town board still helped to buy the fire equipment needed.
Left: Man drawn cart, photo courtesy of Grainger.com
On August 20, 1900 the first hand pumper was bought from W.S. Matt Co. for a price of $505.22. This could be operated with five men working the handles to pump water. It was at this time the first engine house was built, its location being one block North of what is now the Maverick's Steak House. Later on a jail was added on to the fire house. At this time the Clerk of the town board was to issue the organization of a Fire Department in the Worthing Enterprise.
In October 1900 the Fire Department was organized and the trustees of the Department were authorized to buy the following equipment.
2 Fire Axes
1 Extension Ladder
1 dozen Ten Quart Fiber Fire Buckets
1 Lamp
1 Table
4 Lanterns
1 Stove
Hose Rack
1/2 Barrel of Granulated Ammonia
On November 5, 1900, a 10' x 10' x 12' tank was purchased for water supply.
On July 1, 1940, the Department of Inspection met with the town board, and it was declared to pass an ordinance to reorganize a fire department and order more equipment. Pete Geyken was appointed the Fire Chief with twenty-six members on the department. The members were as follows:
Lois Wrens
Fred Sinning
Charles Hagemeyer
George Ysbrand
Stanley Bushnell
Earl France
Earl Warsing
Neal Gerber
Harry Charlton
Ira Wilkinson
Pete Geyken
Pete Kluin
Harold Henning
Al Reynolds
George Zahn
Norman Ramstad
Herman Johnke
John Detmer
Clair Caldwell (Clarence Hardy)
Bruce Smith
Waitman Haymond
Frank Weisenbach
Bernard Zahn Sr
Leo H Dewitt
On October 6, 1941 the first fire truck was purchased for $499.00 from the Canton Fire Department. It was a Luverne Pumper. It was all open, including the cab. It had a lot of water pressure when it came to putting out fires. But you sure got a cold ride in the winter months!
1950s-1960s
1950s-1960s
In 1951, the Rural Fire Board and the Worthing Community Fire Department purchased a new International Fire Engine. It was a 300 gallon per minute Luverne Pumper. The chief at this time was Harry Charleston. This truck is on display in front of the Worthing Fire Hall.
On April 11, 1955, the WCFD help one of its first Spring Dances at the Canton Roller Rink, with the music of Duke Daly.
On June 3, 1955, the first portable pump was purchased for a back up unit.
On January 7, 1956, the first two-way radio was purchased for the new International Firetruck.
On September 7, 1956, the first smoke masks were purchased.
In 1963, the city purchased a 1948 Studebaker pumper from the Harrisburg Fire Department. Later, this truck was sold to a guy that fixed it up to show it.
1970s
1970s
In the early 1970's, a fire house was built. Not at our current location but on Main Street in the city shop. Previously, it was on the North side of Kim's Korner, across the street. Back then it was the fire house, and a train depot was down there too.
In December of 1976, eight new outfits were purchased by the fire department. They included boots, helmets, and waterproof coats. The FD also purchased three new smoke masks and six air tanks. These smoke masks were used to aid firemen in heavy smoke fires.
Pictured on the left are three firefighters completing overhaul operations without air packs. In early days, this was acceptable protective gear for firefighters. We now know more about the carcinogens present when materials burn and protective gear has advanced to SCBAs (self-contained breathing apparatus) to keep firefighters safer from cancer causing particulates.
In 1978 the Worthing Community Fire Department roster was as follows:
Clair Caldwell (Clarence Hardy)
Frances McDermott
Bernard Zahn Sr.
Leo M DeWitt
James Edman
Lyle Lyons
Steve Broughton
Lyle Devitt
Bernard Zahn Jr.
George Zahn
Les Ramstad
Don Hood
Robert Lind
Robert Roetzel
Larry Hendrickson
Roger Reiners
Steve Beck
Duane Peterson
George Wallenstein
Marvin Buckneburg
Joe Tooley
Joe Weisenbach
Jerome Ysbrand
Robert Jones
Duane Johanson
Claude Arnold
Doug Hendricks
Dean Holman
Jim Anderson
Dave Bacon
George recalls in the late 1970s an old Chevy cargo van was purchased in Huron, SD. This was WCFD's first "Rescue." The department got a civil defense thing with it. Basic equipment was purchased for the Rescue Van: a collar and Oxygen. There was a lot of push back on the department having a Rescue rig but medical was becoming a majority of the calls. (And to this day, medical calls remain the majority!)
1977 South Dakota State Fire School
1977 South Dakota State Fire School
(Worthing Fire is pictured in the center, in the top balcony, above the word, "School." )
1975 Ford Apparatus
1975 Ford Apparatus
This picture was taken when Worthing Community Fire received a $9,500 grant from the Department of Forestry for the purchase of a 1975 Ford Fire Apparatus. The total cost of the apparatus was $35,000. This apparatus was in service in 1977 due to a fire in the building where it was being built.
Back Row: Robert Jones, George Wallenstein, George Zahn, Francis McDermott, Clair Cadwell, Duane Peterson, Russel Henning, Bernard Zahn Sr., Allen Zahn, Joseph Weisenbach
Middle: Joeseph Tooley, Leo DeWitt Toddy, Bernard Zahn Jr., Roger Reiners, Del Jacobs, Larry Henricksen
Front: Jerome Ysbrand, Steve Broughton, Lyle Devitt, Mike DeWitt, Lester Ramstad, Donald Hood, Wilbur Bruins, Doug Roetzel, Chief Robert Lind
2000s
2000s
The current fire hall (on Louise Ave or 472nd Ave) was built in 2003. Pumper 1 (purchased in 1997 and built by Central Fire Apparatus) was downtown (at the city shop) for a while. George recalls the air having to be let out of the tires in Pumper 1 so that it could fit in the city hall shop because the deck gun on the top was too tall to fit in the door!
Right: Photo of the Fire house bay with trucks inside, taken sometime between 2004-2010
Pumper Tanker 1
Pumper Tanker 1
In 2015, Pumper Tanker 1 (PT1) was built by Rosenbauer in Lyons, SD with Jon Hansen as chief.
Pumper 2
Pumper 2
This 1992 Smeal pumper was acquired from Irene Fire who purchased it from Yankton Fire. Justin Appel was chief when the department got this truck. Pumper 2 because of its iconic yellow color, is referred to as "Ole Yeller" by firefighters and people in the community.
In the photo on the right, it is shown with Chief Appel manning the pump panel next to another firefighter during a relay pumping training.
Tanker 2
Tanker 2
This 1997 Tanker was purchased from Canton, SD while Justin Appel was chief.
Pumper 1
Pumper 1
In 2024, the WCFD under Chief Appel purchased this 2002 Smeal Pumper from Canton, SD. It is a larger version of Ole Yeller aka Pumper 2. This pumper an enclosed pump panel, making the pump operator more comfortable with access to heating and cooling in the cab while running the pump in the extreme South Dakota temperatures.
The WCFD has come a long way!
WCFD at a Railcar Fire in 1950
WCFD at a Railcar Fire in 1950
In the 1950s, WCFD firefighters had extremely long coats and tall boots with helmets. The above photo was from a local newspaper and it depicts firefighters from Worthing, Canton, and Lennox working to knock down a railcar fire.
1970's Fire PPE
1970's Fire PPE
While a helmet, coat, gloves, pants and boots were acceptable protective gear in the 1970s, now we know firefighters need air packs to protect themselves when extinguishing fires.
Thermal Imaging Cameras
Thermal Imaging Cameras
TICs or thermal imaging cameras are used to help firefighters not only determine hot spots, but to also find people in low visibility conditions such as smoke. In the above photo, a TIC is showing two firefighters sitting across the room, concealed by smoke during a training exercise.
Extrication Equipment
Extrication Equipment
WCFD employed battery operated extrication equipment in 2015 to aid in removing patients from a vehicle after an accident with entrapment. Above, two firefighters are working together to remove a piece of a vehicle during WCFD's annual extrication training night.
Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus
Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus
SCBAs or Self-Contained Breathing Apparatuses help firefighters breathe safely during fire extinguishment as well as overhaul operations. SCBAs protect firefighters' airways from cancer causing carcinogens found in smoke. The above SCBAs were purchased from a grant offered by the State of South Dakota in 2022. The air packs arrived in 2023. The WCFD has been working diligently to attain adequate funding to garner enough masks so each firefighter can be properly fit tested for their own. This would allow for safer and more hygienic practices.
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