In 1978, the Palmersville Ruritan Club voted to implement and establish the first Palmersville Fire Department The club sought professional help through people who had firefighter experience who would become very instrumental in helping set up the first Volunteer Fire Department in Palmersville. Those professionals had worked with other volunteer departments in the past and knew what it took to get one established and the training it takes to keep a fire department up and running, as well as being able to serve the public.
Many people of the Palmersville community came together in the early part of 1978 to form and establish the first Palmersville Volunteer Fire Department.
Each household in the 38241 mailing area was sent a notice offering a membership on volunteer basis, the fee was set at $25.00 per year membership to be covered in the Palmersville Fire Department service area. After a successful turnout the department purchased a 1955 Ford fire engine and began training to fight fires in the Palmersville Community.
A buddy system was set in place, having no radios or pagers like the department has today, each firefighter was assigned two buddies to call on the phone when notified by the Chief or the Captain, who told the location of the house or farm in which to be dispatched to. The chain was made complete when all firefighters where notified and on the way to the location of the fire.
According to Chief Joe David Laws, Larry Moubray was the first fire chief to head the department in 1978, followed by David McAlpin, followed by Ted Cantrell, followed by David McAlpin again and later today’s Chief Joe David Laws [c. 2014].
During 1978, after many days of training by David McAlpin, the Fire Department was ready to respond to fire calls. In the past, fires in the Palmersville community had been covered by the Weakley Co. Forestry Department and or the Dresden Fire Department which was located some 15 to 20 mile from the furthest house or farm in the 38241 zip code (Palmersville Community) area.
The first fire call came in during the first part 1978 to the Reynolds Farm located 3.5 miles southeast of town who had reported having a grass fire. The Department responded and saved a field of Jap seed from being destroyed. The first successful response from the new fire department had saved property, the departments goal was in place; fight fires, save lives and prevent future property damage.
The second call came on February 16th of 1978 to the home of the late Mr. Billy Danner, Mr. Danner unfortunately perished in the fire, the home was was located close to Latham.
Some of the fire fighters in 1978 were Larry Moubray, Kenny Doster, Mark McAlpin, Robert Perry, Larry Sides, Gail Ainley, Jerry Rachels, the late Marlin Fagan, the late Jimmy Winstead ,the late Steve Donoho, Gary Olds, Dewey McClure and David McAlpin.
The fire Department responded to 12 calls during 1978, according to Chief Joe David Laws the department responds to 50 to 75 calls per year today, many more calls after the department had been established 46 years ago. The Fire Department would have not been made possible without the support of the whole Community of Palmersville.
The first Palmersville Fire Department Board Members were Kenny Doster Chairman, the late Mr. Tom Hardy, the late Mr. Willy Perry and the late Mr. Denny Watkins comprised the board members until 1980 when the board approved the late Mr. Eddie Steel, the late Mr. Bob Cantrell and Larry Moubray to reside as Chairman, the late Mr. Louis McAlpin also severed as board member. David McAlpin was named Fire Chief in 1980. Throughout the years many Palmersville residents served as board members.
During the late 1980s, the hard work of the late Mr. Hubert McKelvy, residing as board member and Chairman, was able to accrue funds for the new Palmersville Fire Department, which was donated from the late Mr. Jack Tucker Estate to establish a new fire house in Palmersville.
The first building to house the fire truck and water truck was in a grain storage building owned by the late Willy Perry, located at Perry Farm Supply. Later a building was purchased to store the Fire engine and equipment which became the first firehouse.
The first firehouse was located about 100 feet south of today’s Reckless Customs Garage. The fire Department used this building until the funds for the new fire house were donated by the Mr. Jack Tucker’s Estate.
The old firehouse was a 20 by 30 foot structure red in color with a sign over the door that read “Palmersville Fire Department”. Some of the equipment for the firehouse was donated by the Paris Fire Department. A bank loan was approved to add extra equipment needed to fight fires. Allot of training went into making the station a well oiled machine, an efficient operational Fire Department.
Due to the first Palmersville Fire Department being created 46 years ago, many lives and homes have been saved, also adjacent properties and out buildings have been saved due to the fast response time of a Fire Department that was now based only a few miles from any home in the 38241 area.
“The “History of the Palmersville Fire Department” story was first published in 2013. Joe David Laws, who is the present fire Chief, and David McAlpin spent many hours researching the Fire Department log books and provided the information to make this story possible. Most of the information was found in the first log books that were written in 1978 and are still on hand today at the Palmersville Fire Department.
By Robert G Reynolds of Gutenberg Media; please visit his page on Facebook: Palmersville TN News.
Palmersville Historical Society 