History

Lansing’s First Fire Company and the Founding of Company No. 2 in Ludlowville

In May of 1916, a fire sweept through a farmhouse in the Village of Ludlowville, killing a 13-year-old girl. The Village residents got together and organized the first fire company in Lansing. Their equipment was a crude affair drawn by men and eventually by horse, but it saved several buildings. Several years later, the Ludlowville Fire Company was disbanded, and its small firehouse was torn down.

Ludlowville was without a Fire Company until February 23, 1950, when the Almeda Lansing Volunteer Fire Company (named for the girl who perished in 1916) was reorganized as an auxiliary to the Lansing Fire Company at South Lansing. The foundation for the new fire house was started in 1949 and the two-story building was completed in 1950. Built almost entirely by volunteers, the new fire station had a 15,000-gallon reservoir for water in the basement. The first floor housed the equipment, and the second floor was the meeting room. The structure still stands today, serving as a two-car garage for private residents.

In 1951, a new fire truck was purchased, built on the Ford F-800 chassis. It was high-pressure fog pumper of the “Blitz Buggy” class. Light, fast, and compact, it served the community well until 1955 when it was then passed on to the newly organized Lansingville Company. A newer and larger “Blitz Buggy” was purchased later that year. 

In May 1953, the Almeda Lansing Company purchased a late 1930s ambulance which was entirely paid for with money in the company’s treasury following the fire-related death of Mrs. Inez Ellis in late 1952. It was refurbished with new equipment using money placed at the Company’s disposal by the Community Council. The ambulance was for the free use of Lansing residents. It was used in sickness cases, emergencies, and highway accidents. It made trips to transport injured persons as far as Utica. Due to the age of the vehicle, it soon became necessary to replace it in order to maintain ambulance services. Donations were solicited from residents throughout Lansing Township to provide a new 1955 Buick ambulance.

Founding of Company No. 1 at South Lansing

The Lansing Volunteer Fire Company in South Lansing was organized in late 1937 following an early morning fire that destroyed George Bardo’s home and general store. It began operating out of a two-story cinder block fire station capable of storing a thousand barrels of water and a 1938 American LaFrance low-pressure pumper. In the 1950s, the Company acquired a water-tank truck with a portable pump and an equipment truck.

The Lansing Company and the Almeda Company were both part of the Tompkins County Civil Defense Mutual Aid System, a shortwave-radio-controlled service organized to enable the various communities throughout the county to assist each other. More refined versions of the mutual aid system are still in use by most emergency services today.

Founding of Company No. 3 at Lansingville

Organized in November 1955, the Lansingville Company completed a three-point fire protection system of the Lansing Fire District. They were given Almeda-Lansing’s old Blitz Buggy.

Founding of Company No. 4 at North Lansing

Organized in 1958, Company No. 4 in North Lansing converted the district to a four-point system. The Department purchased a 1947 Dodge High-Pressure Fog Truck. In 1962, the North Lansing Fire Department Auxiliary was founded here and continues to participate in charity work throughout the community.

Founding of Company No. 5 in the Village of Lansing

Organized in 1972, the Village of Lansing was founded and Oakcrest Fire Company No. 5 was created to relieve the Cayuga Heights Fire Department from their coverage of the area.

Construction of the present Central Station and Station 3

In 1976, Lansing Fire Company of South Lansing purchased a 1976 Ward LaFrance P80 Ambassador. Upon its arrival, firefighters were surprised to learn that the truck was too large to fit into the station. Fire apparatus were temporarily relocated while the present-day Central Station was constructed.

Central Station includes beds, showers, restrooms, a kitchen/dining/meeting area and a television lounge for bunking personnel. It also includes offices for the District Commissioner, Department Chief, Assistant Chiefs, and line officers. An office and storage facilities are reserved for EMS personnel and supplies.

When construction was completed, Company 1 and Company 2 were integrated (thus the apparent absence of a “Station 2”). In the meantime, a similar building was constructed as the new Station 3. A few renovations and additions have since been made to both stations.

Aided by advancements in technology, today’s Lansing Fire Department operates as a single fire company. Members often choose to respond from different stations depending on the type, severity, and location of each incident.