The Department

The oldest record of the Oskaloosa Fire Department appears to be March 10, 1871.   A group of citizens of Oskaloosa met and agreed to form what they called a Hook and Ladder Company.   The group agreed to organize under the guidelines of the Oskaloosa Fire Department and the City Council of the City of Oskaloosa.

The present fire department building was originally erected in 1909, and was a two-story structure.   Two years later, in 1911, the present City Hall was erected.   At that time the third floor of the fire department building was added to the structure.    The equipment in the Fire Department at that time consisted of horse-drawn hose wagons.   During the early years the department also operated a horse-drawn ambulance service for the City of Oskaloosa.  

The City of Oskaloosa has acquired several pieces of apparatus for the department during the last 20 years.   At the present time the department's mobile equipment consists of the following:   one 2000 Freightliner Pierce-built pumper with a 1250 gallon per minute pump, one 1984 Chevrolet Smeal pumper with a 1240 gallon per minute pump, one 1986 Chevrolet diesel Smeal pumper with a 1250 gallon per minute pump, one 1976 Chevrolet four-wheel drive pickup with a tank and pump built in the unit which has since been replaced with new, more durable, longer-lasting fiberglass tank.   The unit has a wide range of serviceability and is most helpful with grass and field fires.    The department also has one GMC Danko tanker.   This unit carries 2000 gallons of water and is the main supply for water in the rural areas.   The Fire Department also has a van used to transport confined-space rescue equipment.

In addition to the City of Oskaloosa, the Fire Department provides fire protection to University Park, Beacon and Keomah Village.    Prior to 1976 the City of Oskaloosa did not have service contracts with the rural areas, so the department was under no obligation to respond to rural area incidents.   However, the Fire Department, when called upon, sent one engine with 500 gallons of water and two firefighters to rural area fires, and the property owner was charged at a rate of $100.00 for the first hour and $75.00 for every additional hour.  

In 1976 the Iowa Legislature passed a law, which mandated that all counties provide fire protection to rural areas through taxation of property.   Township trustees were to provide the fire protection by contracting with various fire departments in the county for this service.  

At the present time the Fire Department provides protection for all or part of the following townships – Spring Creek, Adams, Jefferson, Harrison, Monroe, Garfield, Lincoln, Madison and Scott.   The usual response to rural incidents is with one engine with 750 gallons of water, a tanker with 2000 gallons of water, and the number of personnel needed for the incident.

In the mid-80's a rural water service was installed in Mahaska County.   However, the rural water flow is not great enough for firefighting purposes.   There area a large number of locations throughout the county where the department can hook up to the water mains to fill the tanker without having to return to Oskaloosa for water.

The department has mutual-aid agreements with Pella, New Sharon, What Cheer, Eddyville, Fremont, Bussey, Knoxville and Ottumwa.