Lawrence, Kansas Fire Department is home to the Kansas Jayhawks and is 24 miles west of the Kansas City Metro. Lawrence combined with Douglas County Ambulance in 1996 to form Lawrence Douglas County Fire and Medical Department. The department is funded through city and county tax dollars. Prior to the consolidation Lawrence Fire Department did not respond to ems calls and were not emt or paramedic. After the consolidation the firefighters became emt or paramedic and the paramedics from Douglas County Ambulance became firefighters. They operate four 75ft quints, one dry straight 100ft ladder truck, one engine, six ambulances, and one BC from five fire houses in Lawrence and one ems station in Baldwin, Kansas. Lets see what they have...
This fire house served active from 1928-1967. Fire House Two moved ten blocks directly east in 1967. It sat vacant from 1967-1973 when Douglas County Ambulance Service was created and it became their station one. DCAS occupied it from 1973-1996 when it became Batt Chief's station for the Fire and EMS Batt. Chief's. Later it was renumbered Station 5 and continued to house the Fire Batt Chief unitl 2006. In 2006 it became vacant again and was going to be sold when the Fire Department decided to house the command bus inside. Currrenly it also houses the FIB. The orginal brass pole was removed in 1973 by the Fire Department and later in 1982 placed in active service at the new fire house four. DCAS placed a stainless steel pole in the station for their use and it remains currently.
Sorry for the bad pic but this is the 1973 replacment stainless steel fire pole. It was placed in the building when the Fire Department removed the brass pole that is currently at retired fire house four.
Lawrence Fire Acadmey and Equipment Shop at retired fire house two. built 1967
Retired Fire House 2 and Current Fire House 3 opened at the same time in 1967 and are Identical. All three Lawrence Fire Houses in 1967 took delivery of matching 1967 Seagrave Engines. A 1967 Oskgosh Pierce 85ft Snorkel was also delivered for Ladder 1 (17).
Lawrence Fire Department Drill Tower (Fire Facilitys INC) built 1992. This Drill Tower replaced the orignal 1967 concrete drill tower when it was found unsafe in 1991.
The drill yard is layed out with streets and set backs so it is more realistic for the fire companies. Also not photoed is the hugh concrete pad where pump testing, ladder testing, water fight keg are located.
first Lawrence Fire Department Fire House 4 built 1982. Relocated 2006 on bays face Lawrence Drive addressed off Stone Barn Terrace
This is a stone barn used in the under ground rail road during the civil war and is a historical land mark. In 1982 the City of Larwrence obtained premission to convert the building into a fire house. This became fire house four and was one of my favorites. The living quarters were on the first floor with bunkroom and showers on the second. A fire pole was in the bay and had the biggest hole I have ever seen. You had to jump on the pole to slide very unusual. Also two bunkrooms were on the second floor one for the Engine and one for the Squad. This fire house is now used by Lawrence Police and was moved because the new Fire House 5 is only a few blocks away on the KU campus. The new Fire House 4 is five miles north west of this retired fire house.
Also sadly Lawrence's only Line of Duty Death occured at Engine 4 in 1986 due to a celing collapse at an arson house fire. The stone marker was relocated to Fire House 5.
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