Florence Fire Protection District History
1890 | Florence Fire Department was formed.
1951 | Fundraising efforts began for a Penrose Fire Department and the first apparatus was a donated tank on a trailer. The members of the department purchased a portable pump to get the water out of the tank. They say they never had to use it on a fire before they upgraded.
1952 | The Penrose Fire Department was formed. Later that year, the county donated a 1941 Chevy truck with a bad engine. The department rebuilt the engine and transferred their tank and portable pump to the new truck.
1953 | The Penrose Fire Department, the City of Florence, and the towns of Coal Creek, Rockvale, and Williamsburg combined to form the Florence Fire Protection District. Since its inception, the District has proved all of the fire apparatus and equipment through property taxes.
1971 | A need for an ambulance and Emergency Medical Services became apparent. At first, the District used a loaner ambulance from a local EMS company in canon City.
1972 | The Ladies Auxiliary was formed to help with fundraising to purchase an ambulance of their own. The first vehicle they bought was a 1969 Pontiac. Through the years, the department continued to upgrade ambulances, always having a first out and a backup unit. Presently, the Penrose Department has two ambulances that they rotate as first out.
2009 | The Penrose Department began charging for transport with the ambulance, allowing the ambulances to be self-sufficient and no longer relying on donations from the community for support.
2013 | The District built a second 30x60 building directly behind the original Penrose Fire Department building to house the ladder truck and the tanker truck. The Penrose station has had many additions in the past years.
2014 | The Penrose Department began paying staff to man the station during the weekdays. The department is professionally staffed by volunteers.
2015 | The Fire District received an ISO rating of 4 and 4Y in extremely rural areas. The Penrose Department joined the majority of other emergency agencies in the county in forming a county-wide regional communications center, allowing all agencies to receive the latest technology in dispatching.
1951 | Fundraising efforts began for a Penrose Fire Department and the first apparatus was a donated tank on a trailer. The members of the department purchased a portable pump to get the water out of the tank. They say they never had to use it on a fire before they upgraded.
1952 | The Penrose Fire Department was formed. Later that year, the county donated a 1941 Chevy truck with a bad engine. The department rebuilt the engine and transferred their tank and portable pump to the new truck.
1953 | The Penrose Fire Department, the City of Florence, and the towns of Coal Creek, Rockvale, and Williamsburg combined to form the Florence Fire Protection District. Since its inception, the District has proved all of the fire apparatus and equipment through property taxes.
1971 | A need for an ambulance and Emergency Medical Services became apparent. At first, the District used a loaner ambulance from a local EMS company in canon City.
1972 | The Ladies Auxiliary was formed to help with fundraising to purchase an ambulance of their own. The first vehicle they bought was a 1969 Pontiac. Through the years, the department continued to upgrade ambulances, always having a first out and a backup unit. Presently, the Penrose Department has two ambulances that they rotate as first out.
2009 | The Penrose Department began charging for transport with the ambulance, allowing the ambulances to be self-sufficient and no longer relying on donations from the community for support.
2013 | The District built a second 30x60 building directly behind the original Penrose Fire Department building to house the ladder truck and the tanker truck. The Penrose station has had many additions in the past years.
2014 | The Penrose Department began paying staff to man the station during the weekdays. The department is professionally staffed by volunteers.
2015 | The Fire District received an ISO rating of 4 and 4Y in extremely rural areas. The Penrose Department joined the majority of other emergency agencies in the county in forming a county-wide regional communications center, allowing all agencies to receive the latest technology in dispatching.