Silver Spring Volunteer Fire Department
Following a fire on May 5, 1915, that destroyed the building which housed the post office in Silver Spring, a public meeting was held to discuss fire safety, which led to the establishment of the Silver Spring Volunteer Fire Company.
With nearly 90 members at its founding and with Fred “Ike” Oden serving as its first fire chief, the local fire company was initially housed in a shed that was donated to serve as its temporary headquarters.
After several years of having to rely on a hand-drawn 60-gallon chemical engine to fight fires, the first motor driven fire truck in Montgomery County was acquired in 1918 and placed into service in Silver Spring.
In 1920, water mains and fire hydrants were installed which provided quick access to water and enhanced the department’s firefighting capabilities.
In 1918, the Silver Spring National Guard Armory was purchased and used as a fire station. The fire station located at Georgia and Silver Spring Avenues is currently known as Fire Station 1.
In 1947, a second fire station was built in the Four Corners area, which was replaced in 1968 with a more modern station. A third station was built in 1959 in the Montgomery Hills section of Silver Spring. In 2007, the new Fire Station 1 was opened, which replaced the original station.