125 Years of Fire Protection
For 125 years, the Northbrook Fire Department has been there when the community needed it.
The department’s history began in 1901, when the Shermerville Volunteer Fire Department was organized. Its equipment included a horse-drawn wagon and a hand-pumper, with four firefighters on each side pumping water from wells and cisterns. Despite a limited water supply, the volunteers were praised for their courage and dedication to the community.
During the department’s first 22 years, volunteers responded to 37 fires, while approximately $2,500 was raised through public donations and benefits to support the department.
As Northbrook grew, so did its fire service. The first full-time firefighters were hired in 1964, and by July 1968, the department had become fully paid. When the fire station at 740 Dundee Road was completed in 1971, 12 additional firefighters were hired to provide 24-hour service. The volunteer unit continued serving the community until 1980, marking 79 years of volunteer service.
When Northbrook celebrated its centennial in 2001, the Fire Department was also recognized for a century of fire protection service.
That year also brought a moment that connected Northbrook firefighters with fire departments across the country. Following the September 11 attacks, Northbrook firefighters were unable to travel to New York to assist with the immediate response. Instead, over the following six to eight weeks, groups of Northbrook firefighters traveled to New York to attend as many firefighters’ funerals as they could. They also visited firehouses and Ground Zero, standing alongside their fellow firefighters during an incredibly difficult time.
Today, the Northbrook Fire Department continues its tradition of service. As the department looks toward the future with a new Fire Station #11 under construction and plans for a new police station and fire headquarters, it also carries forward 125 years of history, dedication, and service to the community.
125 years of protecting Northbrook, and counting.
