Russellville-Lohman Fire Protection District
On December 3, 1953, several residents of the Russellville-Lohman area met to organize the first volunteer fire department in Cole County. Shares were sold to residents to support the purchase of equipment and to build the first fire station. The first fire truck was a 1954 Chevy pumper which was housed in the old Campbell’s Garage. Then a new fire station was built on Smith Street in Russellville behind the old MFA building. The first nine board members selected were Hugh Robertson, Clarence Volkart, Emmet Dawson, Edward Murphy, Denver Enloe, Leroy Robertson, Herman Holzbierlein, Hebert Goldammer, and Hugh Schubert. Hugh Richardson was elected president, Ed Lindley (citizen) served as secretary, and Emmett Dawson as treasurer, with Herbert Tambke as the first fire chief.
Even though there was a good group of volunteers, equipment was a problem. The second piece of equipment was a Chevy panel truck used to carry equipment and volunteers. A Jeep was then received from Army surplus, painted, and made into our first brush or natural cover fire unit. The work was done by the volunteer firemen. Later an Army 6X6 was acquired, which was made into a tanker for our water supply in the rural areas and in town if needed. As money became available, a 1964 GMC pumper was purchased. It was then decided to sell the 1954 Chevy and panel trucks. In 1974 a Ford pumper was purchased. When it was delivered to the Department in Russellville they had a big surprise; the truck would not fit in the station. The floor on the north side of the station had to be dug down approximately 3 feet to park the truck in the station. The Department then purchased a 1975 Dodge pickup, 4-wheel drive, and it was made into our second brush truck.
The board, fire chief, and volunteers began making plans to purchase land to build a new station. H.D. Tambke was the fire chief now and played a major roll in organizing and maintaining the department. Land was purchased on Route AA just south of Route C in Russellville from Fritz Stubinger and in 1989, a new six-bay fire station was built. Over the next few years, the Department expanded by adding new fire gear for the volunteers, Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA), radios for the trucks, and two new pumpers.
In 1991, a building was purchased in Lohman for the second fire station. At this time the name of the Department was changed from Russellville Rural Fire Association to Russellville-Lohman Rural Fire Association. On June 3, 2003, a special election was held for the purpose of forming a fire district, supported by tax dollars from all the residents in our district. This passed with a 64% majority.
In 2008 the third station was added in Enon to assist in lowering insurance rates for homeowners in the area. Two new fire trucks were added this year as well bringing our total fire truck count to 13.
The Department has come a long way and the volunteer firefighters would like to thank all who have and are now supporting us. Please keep in mind that volunteers are highly trained professionals. They would like to help in any way they can to save lives in our area and the outlining areas when called upon to assist.
Information Provided by: Charlie Platter, Information Officer
FIREFIGHTER MEMORIAL:
Russellville-Lohman Fire Protection District is very proud that one of our former member's has been honored on the honor wall at the Missouri Firefighter Memorial located in Kingdom City. H.D. Tambke a former fire chief's name appears on the Honor Wall.
This fire fighters memorial was dedicated May 18, 2002. On the black
granite walls the names of all the Missouri fire fighters who have
died in the line of duty since the first Fred Turnbull, St. Louis
VFD, 1838 to the present. The Fire Fighter in Prayer statue is
actually the second one. The first one was in transit through New
York City on September 11, 2001 enroute to this memorial. On
September 19, 2001, the New York Fire Department accepted the gift
of the first Fire Fighter in Prayer statue from Missouri Fire
Service. The gift was in honor of the 343 fire fighters who died in
fall of the World Trade Center. The original remains in New York
City at 8th Avenue and 41st Street and is probably one of the first
9/11 Memorials.
http://ffam.org/MEMORIALFOUNDATION.htm
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