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Nixa Fire History

Around 1832

The last of the Indian tribes leave and settlers from Tennessee and Kentucky move into the area.

June 1902

The Village of Nixa incorporates.

Mid 1922

The Farmers Mutual Fire Insurance Company is established.

March 1939

The Village records its first discussion of firefighting equipment.

March 1947

Nixa contracts fire service with Ozark Fire at $200/year with a maximum of five calls per year.

December 1947

The City purchases three fire hydrants from Harry Cooper Supply for $250.

February 1947

The City appoints John O’Neil as fire watchman.

March 1948

The City purchases a 1947 Willy’s Jeep, Howe Fire Apparatus and supports four volunteer firefighters.

September 1951

The City appoints Leonard Hannah as fire night watchman.

April 1955

The City of Nixa formally establishes the fire department and appoints Eugene Haworth as Fire Chief.

January 1959

The American Legion, led by Finis Gold, formally establishes the Nixa Rural Fire Department. Mr. Gold later became a Nixa Fire Protection District Board of Director.

February 1959

The City of Nixa appoints Leonard Martin as the Fire Chief/Water Superintendant/and Town Marshal for $290/month.

Early 1964

The City builds its first water tower, 100,000 gallon capacity. The City purchases a new American LaFrance fire engine.

June 1964

The City of Nixa appoints Leonard Hannah as the first dedicated full time Fire Chief at $100/month.

January 1972

Leonard Hannah resigns and the City appoints Jack Savage to Fire Chief at $50/month.

April 1972

The City re-hires Leonard Hannah as Fire Chief at $150/month, and he completes 10 years of service.

January 1974

The City of Nixa appoints William Blevins as Fire Chief and the American Legion appoints Gene Blevins as Fire Chief.

March 1976

The American Legion appoints Steve Russell as Fire Chief of the rural department.

September 1977

The City of Nixa receives an ISO (Insurance Services Office) 8 and the rural is an ISO 10 (the lower the number the better the rating).

January 1980

The City appoints Gene Blevins and Dale Reynolds as Co-Fire Chiefs.

November 1982

The City appoints Bob Lutgen to Fire Chief.

September 1985

The City adopts the BOCA Fire Codes.

September 1986

The Nixa Fire Protection District is established under Missouri Statute 321. The District is governed by a three member board, with a tax levy of $.30, and covers 50 square miles around the City of Nixa with fifteen volunteer firefighters. Steve Russell is appointed as the District’s first Fire Chief.

June 1987

The District opens its first fire station at 711 N Main. The District has eight fire apparatus. The new station is dedicated to the City of Nixa’s first full time Chief, Mr. Leonard Hannah.

November 1990

The E911 District is established within the boundaries of the fire district. The E911/Dispatch Center is housed within the police department.

January 1991

The District hires their first full time employee, Chief Steve Russell.

May 1992

The River Fork Ranch Subdivision (approximately three square miles in Stone County) petitions into the fire district, increasing the fire district to 53 square miles.

February 1994

The fire district board increases from three to five directors.

August 1994

The District passes a $.10 levy increase, raising the tax levy to $.40 and builds station #2 (1773 S M Hwy) and station #3 (1752 W Tracker Rd). The District supports 10 apparatus, a full time chief, and 50 volunteers.

December 1994

The District hires three additional personnel, for a total of four full time employees and builds a training burn building for live fire training at 1773 S M Hwy.

September 1996

The District adopts the BOCA Fire Codes. The District receives an ISO 5 throughout.

February 1999

The District, in conjunction with E911, installs eight storm warning sirens.

April 1999

The District institutes a 24/48 hour shift schedule for the full time firefighters.

July 2001

The District builds a new Administration/Fire Station at 301 S Nicholas Rd (M Hwy). The Districts supported 10 apparatus, 10 full time employees, and 25 volunteers.

August 2001

The District adopts the ICC Fire Code, which aligns the District with the City Code Enforcement.

March 2002

The District’s Fire Chief and first full time employee, Chief Steve Russell retires after 28 years of service.

September 2002

The District appoints Jimmy Sebree as Fire Chief. The District restructures and establishes four Divisions; Administration, Prevention, Training and Operations.

November 2002

The District receives a Fire Act Grant for 35 new SCBA (Self Contained Breathing Apparatus).

February 2003

The District receives a Community Foundation Grant to install Knox Box Key Safes on the schools and community buildings.

November 2003

The District passes a $.35 levy increase, raising the district levy to $.75. This increase is used to support staffing of a second station and replace aging apparatus and equipment. The District supports 15 apparatus, 12 full time employees and 25 volunteers.

December 2003

The District receives a State Interoperability Grant to construct a backup dispatch center for the County, mobile radios, and portable radios.

May 2004

The District receives a Department of Homeland Security Grant to obtain Hazardous Material Operational items.

October 2004

The District receives a Fire Prevention Grant for a 32' All Hazard Safety Training Trailer that also functions as a large scale Command Post.

November 2004

The District receives a Fire Act Grant for new hose, adapters, appliances, and nozzles.

February 2005

The District receives a Community Foundation Grant to install weather alert radios in the schools and community buildings.

April 2005

In support of the tax increase of 2003 the District hires 13 firefighters to increase the staffing of two stations, supporting 25 full time employees.

May 2005

The District, in conjunction with the Safe Kids Foundation, receives a Fire Prevention Grant to purchase a fire safety training prop.

October 2005

The District hires three battalion chiefs (mid-level supervisors). This provides the staffing of three shifts and two stations with a full time staff of 28 employees.

November 2005

The District receives a Fire Act Grant to install station exhaust removal systems in four fire stations.

January 2006

The District receives a Department of Homeland Security Grant for a GIS mapping system.

February 2006

The District receives a Community Foundation Grant to install 911 direct line call boxes on the exterior of the fire stations.

March 2006

The District receives a Rural Community Development Grant to install ten dry hydrants on rural water systems.

August 2006

The District receives an ISO 3 rating within the city limits of Nixa and an ISO 5 rating in the remainder of the District.

March 2007

The District receives a Target Safety Grant for web based training.

November 2007

The District receives a Fire Prevention Grant to install a fire alarm system in fire station 2.

February 2008

The District receives a Community Foundation Grant to install rural addressing signs.

March 2009

The District receives a SAFER Grant and hires six firefighters increasing the full time staff to 34. These additional personnel support the National Standard (NFPA 1710) of four personnel per fire truck and 13 personnel on a working structure fire. Since November 2002 the district has received $1.3 million in federal, state, and local grants for the purchase of new firefighting equipment and personnel.

June 2009

Christian County passes a ¼ cent sales tax to combine 2 E911 Centers. The District hosts and receives a Regional Fire Act Grant to overhaul the entire County radio system. The project will combine all emergency services within the county into a trunked radio system in the new Christian County Emergency Services E911 Center.

September 2009

The District puts 2 American LaFrance Engines in service. The trucks were purchased through Brindlee Mountain Fire Apparatus.

March 2010

The District remodels station 1, the original station from 1986, and rededicates the station to Leonard Hannah.

February 2011

The District receives a Community Foundation Grant to install a SMART Interactive Training Board in the community/training room at fire station 1.

April 2011

The District receives a Fire Act Grant to purchase a Class A Live Fire Training Trailer.

June 2011

The District celebrates its 25 anniversary with a community bash at station 1, unveiling a new District logo, patch, mission, vision, values, and organizational structure.

2012

First brand new Tanker apparatus is unveiled.

February 2012

Jon Trent was promoted to Chief.

 

April 2016

Nixa Station 5 opens at 1295 W Guin Rd. 

 

 

April 2016

Nixa Fire District's 30th Anniversary

 

August 2017

Ladder 21 is placed in service.  2016 KME 109" Straight Stick Ladder Truck.

                                                              

March 2018

Nixa Fire District released our new application for mobile devices. 

                          

September 2018

Nixa Fire District awarded over $274,000 for 3 additional firefighters under FEMA’s Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program 

December 2019

Fire Chief Jon Trent Retires ~ 26 Years of Service 

January 2020

Lloyd Walles Promoted to Fire Chief

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