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Leesburg Fire Department marks 150 years with reflection on service and sacrifice
Summary
Fire Chief Joe Mirra and Inside Leesburg host Katie Sartoris mark the department's 150th anniversary, tracing its evolution from volunteer bucket brigades in 1875 to a modern department serving an expanded region.
The Leesburg Fire Department celebrated its 150th anniversary with an interview on Inside Leesburg, where Fire Chief Joe Mirra reflected on the department's origins and enduring mission. Established in 1875, the department began as a grassroots volunteer effort using bucket brigades to fight fires and has grown into a professional organization that Mirra says remains defined by "service over self."
Mirra described early challenges — notably the lack of communications such as phones and radios — and highlighted milestones including the department’s role operating ambulance service in the 1970s–1980s and later becoming the first department in the county to offer advanced life support. He framed the department's legacy as a continuous commitment by generations of men and women to protect lives and property.
