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Leesburg Fire Department marks 150 years of service
Summary
Fire Chief Joe Mirra recounts the Leesburg Fire Department's evolution from 1875 bucket brigades to a modern agency, highlighting early ambulance service, expansion of coverage and a family tragedy recorded in century-old logbooks.
The Leesburg Fire Department is celebrating its 150th anniversary, a milestone that Fire Chief Joe Mirra framed as a story of community service and technological change. "For the last hundred and 50 years, men and women from Leesburg stood by day and night ready to answer the call," said Fire Chief Joe Mirra.
Established in 1875, the department began as a volunteer, neighbor-run operation that used bucket brigades to fight fires. Mirra said early responders faced major operational limits, notably communications: "Time is our enemy," he said, noting that telephone and radio systems did not exist in the earliest era.
Mirra traced later milestones including the department's role running ambulance service in the 1970s and 1980s and said the department "was the first fire department in this county to start providing advanced life support," though he did not specify a date for that change. He also described how the city grew from a compact downtown with two early stations to a department that now serves a broader urban and mutual-aid area.
Looking ahead, Mirra said the department plans to build on training, technology and culture to protect residents and property into the next generation.
