Grandview Heights was in a financial discord with the City of Columbus on the cost of fire protection so they placed a Bond Issue on the ballot to pay for the creation of a Fire Department. The Bond Issue passed to pay for two fire trucks, hoses, ladders, and other equipment including a system of alarm boxes. They relied on fire protection from volunteer companies until the building was built.
Mearl Klingensmith was named the first Fire Chief of Grandview Heights.
The first fire truck was purchased, a 1924 Seagrass Suburbanite.
Grandview Heights Municipal Building was built to house the village offices and the fire department. It opened on August 8, 1924.
The City of Grandview Heights Fire Department assumed fire protection for Upper Arlington until 1930.
On August 8, 1924 the newly acquired Seagrave Engine No.1 made its first run to a grass fire near Goodale Avenue and Northwest Boulevard.
Grandview Heights Fire Department took delivery of a Seagrave ladder truck, one of the first trucks built with pre-connected crosslays.
Charred walls were all that remained of a one-story structure that covered half of 900 Goodale Boulevard after the largest fire in the history of the city of Grandview Heights destroyed the entire building and contents. The 60,000 sq. ft. building was occupied by the Wheeling Corrugating Company and the Huttig Sash and Door Company. The soaring flames lit skies for miles and attracted thousands to the scene.
Upper Arlington, Grandview Heights, and Columbus firemen worked together to fight an oil fire after a train consisting of eleven derailed crude oil tanks wrecked in San Margherita on September 15. Nearly a mile of fire hose was laid by the firemen who had to carry it across the Trabue bridge from a hydrant at the Scioto Country Club.
Rav Starner was named Fire Chief. He served until 1948.
Fred J. Musser was named Fire Chief. He served until 1950 and was on staff since 1938.
Frank Snyder was named Fire Chief. During his tenure, the Fire Department tripled in size from 7 to 21 members. Due to his progressive thinking, Grandview Heights was one of the first in the state and the only one in Franklin County to have a famous yellow fire truck.
Mrs. Anderson, a prominent Grandview Heights woman and Vice President of Anderson Concrete Company, died in a house fire after her husband and son could not rescue her from her second-floor bedroom.
Contracts were awarded for an addition to the Municipal Building to house administrative offices, the police department, and a firemen’s dormitory. Additional space was needed to house an emergency squad truck.
The Grandview Heights Fire Department have been trailblazers throughout its history. They were the second department in the area behind Columbus to get a motorized engine with their 1924 Seagrave. Chief Frank Snyder is shown with his firefighters in this 1963 photo in front of one of the first fully equipped emergency squad, which was donated by the Northwest Kiwanis Club.
The first emergency truck was purchased and the first squad man was hired.
Melvin Watrous was promoted to Lieutenant and head of the Fire Prevention Bureau.
Grandview Heights Fire Department purchased a yellow fire truck with money paid to the city for the protection of the Summit Chase high-rise building.
Goldberg Iron & Steel Company notified the Fire Department that they would be cutting into an 11,000-gallon tank car that was recently wrecked. During the Fire Department investigation, they discovered explosive chemicals and were able to avert an explosion.
Grandview Heights Fire Truck No. 1 was restored by Carl and Babs Horton. They spent over 2,300 hours restoring the truck with the original equipment except for the bell in which a replica was cast.
Charles “Todd” Hovermale became Fire Chief. He was the youngest Chief in Franklin County at the age of 32. He retired in 1988.
Fire Laws Appeal Board established by City Council.
Hovermale created the system to number township fire departments. The City of Columbus had allocated numbers 1 -49. Hovermale numbered the townships starting with the number 50 and spiraling out in a clockwise direction so Grandview Heights is 51. Clinton Township is 61 and City of Upper Arlington is 71.
Coronary equipment was added to the emergency squad so the squad man could become a complete paramedic emergency response team.
Grandy served as a Dalmatian mascot for the Grandview Heights Fire Department.
A fire at Kingswood Lumber Company caused an estimated $500,000 in damage. Two guard dogs kept firemen from entering the lumber yard until police removed the dogs.
Fire Chief Charles Hovermale contacted Battelle Memorial Institute after hearing researchers were studying the effectiveness of sprinklers. He had sprinklers installed in his home.
Grandview Heights Fire Department introduced its latest educational device, Pluggy to students. Students were a bit nervous until they figured out Pluggy would squirt them.
One hundred firefighters from four fire departments battled a three-alarm fire at Summit Chase. The fire started on the sixth floor of the 23-story building. Senator John Glenn lived in the luxury high-rise however, he was not home at the time of the fire.
Emergency phone service for 911 began.
Robert Tittel was appointed Fire Chief.
Grandview Heights Fire Chief Robert Tittel, 55, died in a traffic accident in Licking County.
A new fire engine was purchased and memorialized Tittel who passed away.
Hank Kauffman was appointed Fire Chief. He was the youngest firefighter ever hired at the age of 18. He became chief in 1991 and served until 2009.
Grandview Heights Fire Department relinquished its dispatching to Columbus to save a considerable amount of money.
The National Fire Protection Association set a standard for departments to get to a fire within six minutes 90% of the time. Only two of the 84 departments in the region, Grandview Heights and Lancaster, met this standard.
Steve Shaner was promoted to Grandview Heights Fire Chief.
On January 17, 2009 the Wagenbrenner Building/Windsor Place/The Candle Lab were destroyed when a fire tore through six businesses on Grandview Avenue. Approximately 135 firefighters from Grandview Heights and Columbus worked to put out the blaze.
May 11 was current Fire Chief Greg Eisenacher’s first day on the job
The Fire Department placed two new pieces of equipment into service in August to enhance patient care and safety as well as firefighter safety on emergency medical runs. The LUCAS Chest Compression System performs compressions when CPR is needed. The second piece of equipment is the Stryker Power Cot. This cot system, which can be raised and lowered with the push of a button to meet the height of the rails in the medic unit, increases stability for the patient as well as eliminates the need for firefighters to manually raise, lower, and lift the cot into the back of the medic.
Captain James Beckett is promoted to Assistant Fire Chief and Chris Evrard became the Fire Marshal.
A new apartment building located on First Avenue called The Edington caught fire.
A new 2024 Navistar Horton Medic was purchased.
Staffing increased to six Fire Medics per day allowing for the engine and medic (E-51 and M-51) to both be staffed 24 hours per day.
Grandview Heights Fire Station is the oldest one operating in Franklin County.
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