History

"I could only stop and watch from a distance, but I observed men taking chances with their lives or the chance of being injured in the dirty and rough work they were doing. I thought, as I watched: What a wonderful contribution you men are making toward the safety of all people whom you fight fires… This is a tremendous job…" - C.M. McAllister after observing the Garden City Fire Department extinguishing a fire that had consumed large parts of his building in downtown Garden City.

From Humble Beginnings

In 1886, a fire broke out in a restaurant on the 100 block of N Main Street in the new city of Garden City.

Citizens arrived armed with buckets to extinguish the blaze. The owners of a hardware store up the street enlisted the help of others, and within 20 minutes had a pipe laid from a hand pumped well to the scene of the fire.

Despite their incredible efforts, the south half block burned to the ground. Often, as in the case above, water was pumped from the ground by hand, using nearby wells, or taken from the horse troughs that lined the street.

After this fire, the City of Garden City invested heavily in a public water supply system, and by 1887 the city had a sophisticated system of sewer and water pipes throughout the city, a well as a standpipe that could provide 1.5 million gallons of water for public and firefighting use. After the waterworks system was in place the City purchased two hose carts and a hook and ladder cart. The Garden City Fire Department was then formally organized, with 54 men signing up as volunteers.

Three companies were formed, two hose companies and one hook and ladder company, the early firefighters had 1000 feet of hose, which very quickly proved useful. The Garden City Fire Department responded to three major fires on Main Street in 1887 alone.

The first motorized fire apparatus came to Garden City in the 1920s, when the City purchased two American La France Fire Engines. An American La France 500 series would be acquired in the 1930s. These vehicles would serve the City until the 1960s.

The Fire Department would remain a volunteer organization for nearly 100 years. The Fire Department was housed in the old City Hall, located at 116 E Chestnut Street, they would then move into an old lumberyard adjacent to the building. Then, in 1978, the Labrador Fire Station was opened, and served as the sole fire station, until the Central Fire Station was opened in 1982.

These courageous and dedicated volunteers would operate a combined fire department and rescue squad and fought many large blazes and mitigated many emergencies. During this time period are several locally significant fires. Including the Lincoln School fire in 1909, the McAllister Building in 1974, and Garfield School fire in 1975 to name a few.

A growing city, and a growing number of Fire Department responses, led the City to transition the department to a combination fire department in 1984 with three full time firefighters, and many volunteers.

As the City continued to grow, investments were also made in the Fire Department's ability to respond to emergencies. Staffing levels continued to grow, more fire apparatus was purchased, and the safety and education of firefighters became one of the priorities of the organization. From its humble beginnings as a volunteer fire department to its present status as a professional all-hazards emergency response agency, many things have changed. Some things remain the same, among those is the courageous and dedicated service of the members of the Garden City Fire Department.

The first full-time firefighter in Garden City was Fire Chief Allen Shelton. Shelton began his service to the City as a Volunteer Firefighter in 1975, he became Assistant Chief in 1978, and Volunteer Fire Chief in 1982. As Fire Chief, he would lead the Garden City Fire Department, from an all-volunteer organization, to a Department with 39 full time employees - 27 Firefighters, six Lieutenants, three Battalion Chiefs, a Fire Marshal, an Administrative Assistant, and the Fire Chief. In 2019, Shelton retired, after having served Garden City for 44 years. In December 2022 Fire Chief Jon Irsik became the 29th Chief of the Garden City Fire Department.

Over the years the City of Garden City has been served by many dedicated individuals who have taken an oath to protect the lives and property of the people of Finney County as a firefighter, everyday placing the needs of the civilian above the needs of their own, and often taking extraordinary risks for extraordinary benefits.

In February 2015, the Garden City Fire Department laid to rest Firefighter Ronnie Peek, who made the ultimate sacrifice while on duty at the Labrador Fire Station. Peek was a veteran member of the department. Peek held and shared his extensive knowledge of the fire apparatus and the history of the Fire Department with anyone who crossed the threshold of the station's apparatus bay. He was a friend to all, and a personification of the brotherhood firefighters share.

After more than 20 years in the making, Fire Station 3 officially opened in 2025 as a symbol of progress, partnership, and preparedness. The final project funded by the 2017 sales tax initiative, this state-of-the-art facility strengthens emergency response to Garden City’s rapidly growing east side. More than just brick and mortar, Station 3 represents a unified front in public safety – anchoring our partnership with Finney County and equipping both Garden City Fire Department and Finney County EMS with the resources needed to serve our community for decades to come. This collaboration of City and County services allows for a strengthened emergency response to Garden City’s growing east side and reflects our community’s ongoing commitment to safety and support for those who serve.