Over a dozen volunteers man the Carmi Fire Department, led by Chief Larry Hite. Our fire fighting force is active in putting on safety demonstrations for the local school children at many times of the school year.
CFD provides the Citizens of Carmi with firefighters that are dedicated to protecting their families during fires, natural disasters and medical emergencies.
The Carmi Fire Department started in the early 1880s as the Carmi Volunteer Fire Company. In 1884, a bell was purchased from Rumsey Mfg. Co. in St. Louis, MO. as a way of alert the firemen. It was used until the middle of the 20th century when a telephone system was devised and the fire department was dispatched by Veterans Cab with a speaker in each fireman’s house. When a fire was reported, it was dispatched to the houses of firemen and the siren was blown for any firefighter away from their house to alert them there was a call.
In the early 1960s, a Plectron System was installed and dispatched through the Carmi Police Department, while the siren was still sounded. In 1990, the firemen received pagers, and those can operate to notify a firefighter as far away as Mt. Vernon, IL, Evansville, Harrisburg and Olney. The siren is still used as a standby measure.
CFD has 18 firemen, including six FFIII, five reaching FFII status and seven in training. FFII requires 240 hours, while FFIII requires an additional 180 hours.
The CFD is made up of four pumpers, two tankers, an equipment, an antique 1926 pumper and a 1951 International pumper.
- Chief – Larry D. Hite
- Asst. Chief – Michael P. Jones
- Capt. – Troy Weber
- Capt. – Daniel Ballard
- Sec/Treas. – Bill O. Arnold
- Training Officer – James Totten
- Firefighters – Gene Usery, Mark Blake, Tony Walters, Danny Robinson, Jason Belford, Roger Little II, Mike Boren, Shannon Gwaltney, John Carroll, Kenny Jordan, Ron Pretzsch and Mathew McCandlish.