Grapevine Fire Department History
In May of 1907 the City Council appointed V.M. Washam as Fire Chief of the thirteen member all volunteer “Bucket Brigade.” A year later in 1908 the city made trade with the Wall brothers to pull the fire wagon with horses when needed. Wall brothers agreed to do it for free. The first fire hydrants were authorized in 1912 and in 1915 the city authorized a payment of two dollars to the Fire Chief for each fire he attended with his team. The first major piece of fire equipment was bought in 1917 for three hundred dollars and equipped with a soda-acid extinguisher.
In 1921 the “Grapevine Volunteer Fire Department” was chartered with the State of Texas and B.B. Tidmore was appointed Fire Chief. A Ford Model “A” was purchased new in 1928 and equipped with fire hose and a large chemical-tank fire extinguisher. It was housed in a building located at Main and Texas Streets. Authorization was also given that year for a fire alarm, so long as the price did not exceed five dollars.
Tidmore served until 1929 when records show C.C. Coleman taking over as Fire Chief and serving until his death in 1937. Period newspaper articles credit him for doing more than anyone in helping to build a strong fire department. Chief Coleman was also the founding President of the “Fireman’s Co-Operative Association.” This association consisted of the fire departments of Grapevine, Grand Prairie, Lewisville, and Carrolton, and was formed to share resources and information. They also held regular scheduled contests of a foot race, wagon pull, and a special ladies race. Records show that in 1932, Grapevine was the proud recipient of $7.50 for winning the foot race.
E.C. Daniel held the reins as Fire Chief until 1941, when he accepted a position as a Captain for the Consolidated-Vultee Aircraft Corporation Fire Department.
In 1942 Charlie Thomas became Fire Chief. He began his career with the Grapevine Fire Department in 1928 as a fireman and set a strong example by his regular attendance at all departmental affairs and meetings. In 1949 the Grapevine Fire Department became a Charter Member of the newly formed Tarrant County Volunteer Fire Fighters Association. This enabled neighboring cities to combine resources on major incidents and to provide a countywide radio system. In 1950, through the efforts of Chief Thomas and then Mayor Gordon Tate, the City Council gave a bonus to each member of the department as a token of their appreciation, a credit for three dollars a month on their water and sewer bills. It also became customary for the council to approve the purchase of a box of candy for each fireman at Christmas. In September of that year Chief Thomas suffered a heart attack and died while attending the Abbots Place fire in Smithfield, Texas (now North Richland Hills) in 1952. Jake C. Greener succeeded Chief Thomas for the rest of the term.
Harold Lowe was Fire Chief for all of 1953. In January of 1954, Jake C. Greener was made Fire Chief and held this position for the next 30 years. A new fire station was dedicated in February of 1963 at the corner of Main and Texas Streets where the Wallis building now stands. In 1965 the city hired Mr. Ed Davis and Mr. Jack Hodges to be the first paid firemen at a monthly salary of three hundred and twenty-five dollars. In August of the same year Mrs. Laura Allen began radio dispatching from the fire station for a salary of two hundred and fifty dollars per month. Chief Greener became the first paid Fire Chief for the city in December of 1973. Chief Greener began his service as a Volunteer Fire Fighter in 1940 and served the city for forty-four years until his retirement in 1984. Under his guidance the department grew to three fire stations and 45 paid personnel. In 1975 the fire department became providers of a radical new responsibility, “Emergency Medical Service.”
Billy Alvin Powers became Fire Chief upon the retirement of Jake Greener in 1984. His career began with the Grapevine Volunteer Fire Department in April of 1955. He rose through the ranks eventually being involved in all aspects of the fire department including Captain, Training Officer, Fire Marshal, and Assistant Chief. In November of 1973 he switched from volunteer to paid status as a Shift Captain and Fire Marshal. As Fire Chief, Bill Powers brought Paramedics into the emergency medical service in 1986. This transformed every ambulance into a Mobile Intensive Care Unit (MICU). All fire trucks were also equipped with the advanced life support equipment and staffed with at least one Paramedic, enabling any fire truck to deliver critical care treatment to sick and injured citizens. The Central Fire Station and Administration offices were moved into a new large facility located at 601 Boyd in 1990. The Grapevine Fire Department grew to four fire stations, with a fifth under construction, and eighty department personnel during his term as Fire Chief.
David B. Anderson took the helm in September of 1999. His career began as a Volunteer Fire Fighter with the department in October of 1973. He was hired as a Fire Fighter in January of 1974 and was promoted to Captain in 1977. Chief Anderson rose through the ranks becoming a Battalion Chief in 1990 and Assistant Chief in 1992. His responsibilities began with taking the department into the new century. During his tenure, the work force of the department grew to 90 line firefighters and 10 administrative personnel. Major accomplishments during this period included. Fire department oversight of the construction of the Gaylord Texan Hotel and Convention Center, with all its fire detection and control systems, and the department"s accomplishment of earning a coveted Insurance Service Office rating of 2, which effectively decreased insurance rates for homeowners and businesses.
Steve Bass
After the retirement of Chief Anderson in June of 2005, Steve Bass joined the GFD as Fire Chief on August 1, 2005. He began his fire service career with 3 years with the Hurst Fire Department, 26 years with Dallas Fire Department (retiring as a Deputy Chief), 6 years as fire chief of Bedford Fire Department, and 1 year as Deputy City Manager in Bedford. Chief Bass has a BBA from Dallas Baptist University and an AAS in Fire Technology from Tarrant County College. He has state certifications as a Master Firefighter, Master Instructor, Hazardous Materials Technician, and Head of Fire Department.