Leesburg Fire Department marks 150 years with focus on service, technology and community

The Leesburg Fire Department is celebrating 150 years of service to the community, Fire Chief Joe Mirra said during an interview on Inside Leesburg. The department, established in 1875, began as a grassroots volunteer force that relied on bucket brigades and has grown into a modern emergency-response agency serving a large and varied area.

“Men and women from Leesburg stood by day and night ready to answer the call,” Mirra said, summing up the department’s century-and-a-half legacy. He noted that the city limits now exceed 25 square miles and, through agreements with the county and other agencies, the department assists across almost 100 square miles.

Mirra highlighted several milestones: in the 1970s and 1980s the fire station operated ambulance service out of modified station wagons and vans, and at one point Leesburg became the first department in the county to provide advanced life support, a service now provided by all local agencies. He said those changes reflected an expanding role for firefighters as medical first responders.

Technology has also transformed operations. “Thermal imaging cameras…are very, very portable,” Mirra said, contrasting today’s handheld devices with earlier, bulky units. He added that hydraulic rescue tools once gasoline-powered are now transitioning to battery-electric models, improving ergonomics and deployment but posing new logistics and training considerations.

The chief credited longstanding departmental values — service, honor, bravery and a sense of brotherhood — for helping the department adapt to growth and new responsibilities. He thanked residents for their support and said the department aims to pass its traditions to the next generation of firefighters.

The host said she would continue the conversation with Deputy Chief Ryan Henry in a later segment to discuss current priorities and recruitment.