Since its organization in 1925, the Blacksburg Volunteer Fire Department has been headed by seven Fire Chiefs. Frank F. Groseclose was the first Chief and he was succeeded by the late Sgt. M. J. Bresnahan, Vernon Thompson, James S. Scaeffer, Melvin Fund and Irvin S. Howard. Mr. Howard held the post for 10 years and preceded the present Chief, Atlee Frazier.
Howard, also a fireman at the Radford Arsenal where he has been employed for 22 years, is one of the few charter members of the Blacksburg Fire Department.
"I believe that Jim Hoge and Clyde Camper are the only two other than myself, now living in Blacksburg," he says.
"If I recall correctly, there were only about 10 or 12 of us in the original town fire department. At that time, the VPI students helped. I never will forget when the Charles Hutton home burned. Mr. Hutton was County Sheriff at the time and when the house caught fire, no one was at home.
"The house was located on Lee Street at the top of a long hill. When we were about halfway up the hill, the Model T Ford died on us because it just didn't have enough power. It was loaded with all of the fire fighting equipment we had, plus men and students. Everyone started pushing and we reached the top of the hill, but then there wasn't any water. We couldn't do anything to save the house. We all fought the fire in the grass and bushes so it would not spread by beating and stomping it out."
After the Model T gave up the ghost, a Studebaker took its place, Howard says.
"The town replaced the Model T with a Studebaker that had been used as a taxi. The body was cut off and replaced with the chemical tank. This was the local fire truck until a 1929 Model Chevrolet truck with 300 gallon pump was bought. This gave way to a 1941 Model Chevy with a 500 gallon pump."
Over the years the different fire trucks were housed in various places, according to Howard. The first was in Argagbrite Brothers Livery Stable (which stood in the building back of the Veterans Cab Stand at 208 N. Main Street). From there the quarters were moved to the Blacksburg Motor Company; the Town Hall (where the present Police Department is located); and now the new Fire House on Progress Street.
"When the Blacksburg Motor Company caught fire, our truck was housed on the premises," Howard remarks, with a touch of irony.