❖    August 30 1851 - First recorded conflagration in Marysville occurs at night. Originating at a Chinese bath house on High Street, the blaze destroys an estimated eighty structures, causing half a million dollars in damage.

 

❖    September 10 1851 - Second major fire occurs at the Mitchell & Nunes liquor store on First Street. Twenty five buildings are destroyed at an estimated cost of $80,000.

 

❖    September 18 1851 - Marysville citizens band together to formally establish an independent fire company. Mutual Hook & Ladder # 1 became the first formal firefighting force; electing the following positions: Parker H. Pierce, Foreman; William King, First Assistant; D. Buckley, Second Assistant; Colonel Edwards Woodruff, Secretary; Mark Brumagim, Treasurer; and Charles Strokes, Steward. Within several months, Mutual H&L would come under official city control.

 

❖    November 27 1851 - Mutual Hook and Ladder Company #1 of Sacramento visits Marysville for a meeting and banquet of the fire companies. Marysville later visits the company in Sacramento.

 

❖    1852 - The Marysville city council approves and constructs a structure to house Mutual Hook and Ladder #1 at the foot of the D Street Levee for the cost of $1050.

 

❖    January 23 1852 - A fire breaks out in the American Hotel on Maiden Lane (Oak Street), Mutual H&L #1 responds and effectively subdues the flames.

 

❖    June 17 1852 - The Howard Engine Company of San Francisco visits Marysville for a meeting of the fire companies, including a parade through the downtown and a banquet at the Hotel duCommerce.

 

❖     August 17 1853 - Eureka Engine Company #1 is organized with the following positions: Charles Ball, Foreman; William McTurk, First Assistant; Edwin Field, Second Assistant; J.B. Humphrey, Secretary; E.D Foundray, Treasurer; and Charles T. Legate, Steward. At full membership, Eureka Engine employed 65 men.

 

❖    May 25 1854 - A fire which began in a mansion on D Street destroyed the whole block between second and third streets, D and High. Notable buildings destroyed included the Old St. Charles Hotel, a theater, and the Presbyterian Church, at a total estimated loss of $158,000.

 

❖    June 18 1854 - Salamander Hook and Ladder Company is formed.

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❖    July 8 1854 - A fire began in a Chinese house at the corner of 2nd street and Elm. This fire leveled five city blocks and destroyed an estimated 200 structures. The property damage was estimated at $250,000.

 

❖    September 1854 - Eureka Hose Company # 1 is formed to carry hose to incidents.

 

❖    October 11 1854 - An unoccupied house on GB Street caused a fire which destroyed eleven structures, at an estimated value of $11,000.

 

❖    Pre-1855 - Yuba Engine Company #2 is formed.

 

❖    May 8 1856 - Mutual Engine Company #3 is formed and housed at city hall operating with a full membership of fifteen men.

 

❖    August 18 1856 - A stable fire originating of F street between 1st and 2nd Streets caused $145,000 worth of damage to the city’s busy business district. Additionally, two of the hand pumpers tasked with fighting the blaze were destroyed when the ferry boat shuttling them sunk.

 

❖    January 8 1857 - Warren Engine Company #4 is formed and housed on Third Street between E and High. It operated with 116 men at its height. Warren Engine company had its own hose as well.

 

❖    October 15 1858 - Pioneer Engine Company #5 is established and housed at city hall, utilizing the former hand pumper of Mutual Engine Company #3.

 

❖    February 8 1859 -  Salamander Hook and Ladder #1 is disbanded.

 

❖    1861 - Yuba and Mutual Engine companies disband.

 

❖    June 25 1862 - Common Council creates an ordinance disbanding all remaining fire companies with the exception of Eureka Engine #1. A steamer is purchased for the amount of $2500 with the city paying some of the fees, and is shipped from New York.

 

❖    July 26 1862 - Protection Engine Company #2 is established with 31 men, and utilizing the former hand pumper from the Eureka Engine Company.

 

❖    January 31 1863 - Pacific Engine Company #3 is formed with 31 men serving the cities 4th ward.

 

❖    January 1864 - Tiger Engine Company #4 is formed.

 

❖    1868 - Eureka Engine Company surrenders its steamer to the City of Marysville, and its men became salary, creating the first paid Marysville Fire Department.

 

❖     July 17, 1871 - A fire which began in Swain’s wood planing and swash factory on Fourth Street, spread north destroying the entire block between 4th, 5th, D, and C streets. The estimated loss was roughly $80,000.

 

❖    October 4, 1898 - The city purchases and installs 15 Gamewell Fire Alarm boxes, a receiver, and repeater throughout town at a cost of $2350.

 

❖    March 10, 1899 - Volunteer Fireman Frank G. Peck became Marysville’s first Line of Duty Death when he became lost in a fire at the Marysville Woolen Mills located at the corner of Second and B streets. Fireman Peck was 19 years old and a recent graduate of Marysville High School.

 

❖    December 18 1906 - A fire broke out at the tin shop of White, Cooley, and Cutts between High Street and E Street. A load of dynamite which was being stored in the building exploded, injuring several fireman and civilians. Fire Chief Joseph J. Bradley and Volunteer Fireman Elmer Moran succumbed to their injuries within the following days becoming Marysville’s second and third line of duty deaths.

 

❖    1917 - The first motorized fire equipment is approved and purchased by the Marysville City Council. A chemical and hose wagon which pumps at 550 GPM and engine which pumps at 1100 GPM are purchased for a total of $15,000 sending the two steam engines to reserve status.

 

❖    July 2 1921 - Boys shooting fireworks behind the Pavilion Stables ignited the stables located at the northwest corner of Sixth  and B streets, under north wind conditions at an estimated  70 miles per hour. This blaze destroyed everything in its path, finally stopping at the A street Levee. When it was all over the blaze claimed an estimated $300,000 in damage and destruction and several dozen structures.

 

❖    1933 (Spring) - A fire on the fifth floor of the Hotel Marysville is the last recorded incident where a Marysville steamer pumped on a fire. It was towed to the fire by truck and could only be operated by Assistant Chief Jack Barrett, as he was the only rostered person licensed as a boiler man to operate it.

 

❖    August 27, 1974 - Llewellyn (Lew) Maly suffers a cardiac event and succumbs to his injuries. His death is attributed to a fire which had occurred days before, making him Marysville’s 4th LODD.

 

❖    1990 - All fire alarm boxes are removed from the city due too many false alarms.

 

❖    June 30 2015 - After seventeen years as a State of California entity, The City of Marysville officially transitions back to a city run fire department. Hired are 3 captains, 3 engineers, and 3 firefighters under the command of Fire Chief Dale Vogelsang.

 

❖     September 2017 - Chief Gerald Hartman is added to the Firefighter’s Memorial Wall in Sacramento at the age of 77. His death is attributed to job-related heart disease. Chief Hartman is the fifth Marysville Fireman enshrined on the State Firefighter’s Memorial.

 

❖    October 2017 - The fire station is flooded during installation of a new roof in preparation of solar panels and is vacated for complete interior remodel.

 

❖    June 30 2018 - Ron Karlen hired as Fire Chief of the Marysville Fire Department after Chief Vogelsang’s retirement.

 

❖    March 2020 - Brush 237 a 2019 Ford F550/Cascade (Medford,OR) is delivered and placed into service to supplement calls.

 

❖    April 1, 2020 - With the acquisition of a three-year SAFER grant, three full-time engineers (Mike Synak, Alex Martinez, and Matt Johnsrud) are hired/promoted, bringing daily staffing to four full-time members.

 

❖    September 11, 2020 - Engine 211 a 2020 Pierce Enforcer (Appleton, WI) is placed in service with a 2000 GPM, 750 gallon tank.