Historical

The first fire apparatus purchased by Sparks Fire Department in 1917, an American LaFrance 75 horsepower 300 gallon-per-minute pumper.

The City of Sparks

There may not be another city in the land that came to life in quite the unique way Sparks did. It's the custom-made town, tailored and ordered by the Southern Pacific Railway Company. In 1902, there was nothing but swampland and ranches four miles east of Reno.

When Southern Pacific succeeded Central Pacific as the new owner of the main line across Northern Nevada, one of the first decisions made was to straighten the road and cut a few miles off the distance. The new route bypassed Wadsworth, which for 40 years had ruled the roundhouse and maintenance shops of Central Pacific.

Southern Pacific made a startling offer to its Wadsworth employees; a tract of land would be laid out next to the roundhouse, and the railroad would give everyone clear deed to a lot 50' X 140' in size, and to add to the miracle, the railroad offered to pack up every house in Wadsworth and ship it to the new town, free of charge. Sometime during the summer of 1903 a drawing was held—the employees names in one hat, lot numbers in another—and everyone got what they got. Sixty-seven lots changed title that day, at a price of $1 per lot.
Sparks was born.

The Sparks Fire Department

The Sparks Fire Department was formed in May of 1905, when Fred W. Steiner placed an ad in the local newspaper, “The Headlight,” seeking men interested in forming a volunteer fire department.  Attendees to this meeting included Steiner, Richard Cook, N. Stewart, James Raine, and Henry W. Fiege.  Henry Fiege, once proprietor of the Sparks Drug Co., was originally given the position of First Assistant Chief, as Frank Malay, by reason of his position as the City’s Police Chief, was also designated the Fire Chief.  This arrangement was short-lived, however, as the volunteers won approval from the City Council to select their own Fire Chief. 

1905-1917 Fiege, Henry Henry Fiege thus became the Volunteer Fire Chief and served in this capacity from 1905 to 1917.  The first firefighting equipment purchased were buckets so that a bucket brigade could be formed.  The cost of these buckets was $42.50, a considerable amount in those days, especially considering the money came directly from the volunteers. A couple of years later, four hand-pulled hose carts, each with 400’ of hose, were purchased and strategically placed around the City.  The number of volunteers soon swelled to over 60 men.

1917-1939 Shaber, William
In 1917, the Department started its evolution into a paid/career organization.  William R. Shaber became the first paid Fire Chief, serving in that capacity from 1917 to 1939.  Chief Shaber had been connected with the Sparks fire department, serving as a volunteer since it was organized.  It was under his supervision as Fire Chief that the Sparks fire apparatus was motorized.  He placed the order for the first mechanical fire engine in Sparks in March of 1917, an American LaFrance 75 horsepower, 300 gallon-per-minute pumper.  

Later that year, a brick building on the corner of 12th and C Streets was purchased and became the City’s first fire station.  Although volunteers were still used, they were now paid a small sum based on the number of fires they responded to.

In 1924, the Department purchased its second firefighting apparatus, a 1924 American LaFrance 600 gallon-per-minute pumper.  This engine was designated as Engine 2 and was in-service until 1961.  It is currently on display at Fire Station 1 at 1605 Victorian Avenue.  Also in 1924, the City installed its first fire alarm system, consisting of street-located pull boxes and an alarm receiving device at the fire station.  By 1960, this system had grown to include over 17 miles of wire, 34 street-located pull boxes, and 21 buildings with auxiliary pull boxes.  This system was in service until 1978.

In 1927, the Sparks Firemen’s Association was founded, a group that is still in existence today.  During their history they have supported many beneficial projects, the first of which was improvements to the City’s fire alarm system, including bell alarms in each firefighter’s home.  The Sparks Association also played an instrumental role in the formation of a state association, working as early as 1928 to contact other fire departments in Nevada and urging them to participate in this effort.   In 1936 the Nevada State Firemen’s Association was formed, and SFD’s Chief Shaber was elected as the Association’s first President.  Chief Shaber died on October 14, 1939, following a heart attack.  He had spent the previous day conducting fire drills in all of the Sparks schools and speaking before the high school student body in connection with Fire Prevention Week.

1939-1948 Hobson, FrankFrank Hobson was the Department's third Fire Chief. Chief Hobson joined the Department in 1920 and served as Fire Chief from 1939 until his death in the line of duty.  Chief Hobson was appointed to the National Defense Commission for the State of Nevada by Nevada Governor Edward Carville.  During 1941, while serving this post, Chief Hobson coordinated fire services throughout the State, setting up a record of all fire equipment in Nevada.  He also organized a mutual aid program for fire emergencies in the State.

In 1942, a used 1941 Chevrolet ambulance was purchased through funds raised by the Firemen’s Association Annual Ball and by a loan from Harry Foote, Assistant Chief and long-time volunteer.  This purchase represents the beginning of the first ambulance service for the Truckee Meadows – the Sparks Ambulance Service.  The ambulance fleet was expanded in 1946 with the purchase of a new Buick ambulance.  Sparks ambulances served the Truckee Meadows well into the 1970s, and the service was also financially beneficial to Sparks firefighters, as they were paid the extra amount of $2 for every ambulance call they responded on.  On a good month, a firefighter could supplement his base salary by up to $200.


lakestreetfire hobson news

       Reno Gazette-Journal (Reno, Nevada) · 15 Aug 1948, Sat · Page 14

On August 15, 1948, the Department suffered its first line-of-duty death.  This happened at the Lake Street Disaster, a multiple-building fire on Lake Street in Reno between Commercial Row and Second Street.  SFD personnel had responded on a mutual aid request to assist the Reno Fire Department.  During the fire an explosion occurred, leveling several businesses in the area.  Discovered later under the debris were Sparks Fire Chief Frank Hobson, Reno Fire Captain Glen Davis, Reno Firefighter Earl Platt, and two civilians. No cause for this fire was ever determined.
1948-1951 Monday, Lowell
Succeeding Hobson and becoming the City’s fourth Fire Chief was Lowell Monday. Chief Monday joined the department in 1938 and served as Fire Chief from 1948 to 1951. Chief Monday originally served as both a firefighter and an ambulance driver for the Department. Appointed to Assistant Fire Chief by Chief Hobson, Chief Monday was with Chief Hobson at the Lake Street Fire. Chief Monday was badly injured and required hospitalization following the explosion at the Lake Street Fire that killed Chief Hobson.
 

The Department's fifth Fire Chief was Francis William “Bill” Farr. Chief Farr joined the Department in 1947 and served as Fire Chief from 1951 to 1976. His 25 year tenure as the Fire Chief is the 1951-1976 Farr, William 'Francis'longest in the Department's history. A well-respected professional in the fire service, Chief Farr also served the community in other ways. From 1966 to 1970, for example, Chief Farr was a State Senator for the Sparks State Senate District. During his time in the State Senate, Chief Farr helped pass 26 public safety bills. Furthermore, in 1980 he was appointed by the Nevada State Governor to serve on the Governor's Commission to investigate codes and ordinances following the tragic MGM Grand fire in Las Vegas, Nevada.

On March 12, 1953, Captain Fred Steiner became the second line-of-duty death for the Sparks Fire Department, when he died while getting into his car to respond to a fire call from his home.  Captain Steiner, whose original efforts in 1905 had arguably been the catalyst in the formation of the Department, had been responding to calls for almost 48 years.  On December 25, 1949, Captain Steiner had been awarded the “Lifetime Member” badge for his years of service.  He remains the only Sparks firefighter to ever receive this award.

Hobson Station built 1954 Public Works
On March 2, 1954, the Department built its second fire station, located at South 21st Street and Frazier Avenue.  This resolved an on-going problem of delayed responses to the south half of the City, as there often was no way to cross the railroad tracks when trains were rolling through town.  Chief Farr dedicated this station in honor of late Fire Chief Frank Hobson, who had died in the Lake Street fire in 1948.  The station has forever been known as Hobson Station.  Land and funding for this station was appropriated by the State of Nevada in order to provide better fire protection for the Nevada Mental Health Institute.  The station still stands today, but is used by the City’s Public Works department.

vintage prev truck

In 1956, the Fire Prevention Bureau (FPB) was formed, although it operated under the Suppression Division, with Captain Robert Young assuming the title of Captain in Charge of Prevention.    In 1962 the first full-time position within the bureau occurred with the creation of a fire inspector position.  In 1963 the Captain in Charge of Prevention position also became a dedicated FPB position, and Floyd Johnson assumed this position, succeeding Captain Young.  In 1971, Bill Tapia assumed the Captain in Charge of Prevention duties and was in this position when, four years later, the title was changed to Fire Marshal.  To bolster ranks in the Bureau, firefighter/inspector positions were created in 1973 and were in existence until the late 1990’s.  The FPB would eventually grow to consist of 14 personnel by 2005.

In 1959, the Department replaced their first motorized engine with a new American LaFrance pumper and in that year boasted nineteen firefighters, five pumper trucks, two ambulances, a tanker truck, and a system of 198 hydrants throughout the city.  The new apparatus purchase came in at the then unheard of price of $19,750.  This was the department’s first pumper with the engine mounted behind the operator.  It was also designed with seats for the firefighters, who previously had ridden on the apparatus tailboard.  On December 15, 1960, this pumper was totaled in a collision with a semi-truck while responding to a call.  To replace this pumper, a new American LaFrance was purchased in January of 1961.  The 1959 LaFrance was eventually restored by students from the Sparks High School auto shop and returned back to service in the department.  This pumper is still owned by the department and is often used in parades.

WASHOE 1 - A 192 AMERICAN LAFRANCEAlthough many observers might think it is a current issue, fire consolidation was actually first identified in 1965.  On January 21 of that year, Fire Chief Farr suggested the possibility of a “metropolitan” fire department.  The reasons for him to address this was that the budget for the Department, at the time $302,000, was getting too big for the City to handle, and also because SFD was responding to numerous calls in Washoe County.  That year, for example, saw SFD respond into the County 252 times.  In January of 1966, Chief Farr warned that unless the County came up with $30,000 to help defray costs within the Department’s budget, the City would get out of “the County firefighting business.”  SFD would continue to respond to calls in the County until 1972, the year that the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District (TMFPD) was formed.  John B. Irwin, former Sparks Assistant Chief, was named the first Fire Chief of the new County department.  The County’s fire engine, Washoe 1, responded to calls from Sparks Station 2 (Hobson Station) until 1974.

By 1970, Sparks began receiving spillover development from Reno, with the height of buildings like casino hotels increasing downtown.  In response, in 1971, the Department expanded its fleet of apparatus with the purchase of a Pierce “Snorkel,” a 65-foot articulating boom platform aerial ladder truck, at the cost of $70,420.  The Department now had a vehicle dedicated solely for tasks such as heavy rescue, high rise operations, and elevated master streams.  This was the first vehicle purchased with the color scheme of white with a blue stripe.  It was said that white was the preferred color because it was proven to absorb less radiation and heat than darker colors during above-ground atomic explosive testing, a fact witnessed by Chief Farr while attending these tests.  This color scheme was used until 2005.  The snorkel was eventually sold to the Storey County Fire Department in the 1996 and served in Virginia City for numerous years.

1996 fleet

On May 18, 1975, the new Fire Station 2 was opened at 2900 North Truckee Lane.  This station was built to address the rapid growth in north Sparks.  In October of that same year, Hobson Station was closed and converted to a training and fire prevention building.  The primary reason for building Hobson Station, that of delayed response times because of the railroad tracks, had become irrelevant due to the construction of the Rock Street underpass in 1969.  Hobson Station is still a City property to this day, but is used as an office building for the Public Works Department.

1976-1990 Young, Donald 'Don'On September 17, 1976, Chief Farr retired, ending more than 25 years of service as the Department’s Fire Chief.  On November 22, Don Young was named the Department’s sixth Fire Chief.  Chief Young began his career as a volunteer Firefighter/Engineer in 1957.  Early in 1977, Chief Young eliminated the Department’s volunteer firefighters and created in their place an Auxiliary force.  The volunteer force had served the City for over 72 years, from 1905 to 1977.  The Auxiliary group remained in existence only until 1983 when all non-career positions were eliminated.  Also in 1977, the Department formed a Training Division and hired Ron Johnson as the Division’s full-time Training Coordinator.  For a period of time this position was actually “shared” between SFD and TMFPD, as both departments contributed in the costs and benefits for this position.  During Chief Young’s tenure as Fire Chief, the Department adopted a computer-aided dispatch system, initiation of the fire incident reporting system, development of certification programs, and participation in the development of a Regional Hazardous Materials Response Team. Chief Young also helped plan the design of the Headquarters’ Fire Station on Victorian Avenue and Fire Station 3. 

In 1981, the Department began construction on a new fire station to replace the station at 12th and C Streets.  This station was located at 1605 B Street (which later became Victorian Avenue).  The station was dedicated on June 16, 1982, and remains the Department’s headquarters station to this day.  The cost for this station was $2.5 million.

Headquarters


One of the most publicized fires in SFD’s history occurred on September 2, 1985 - the Greg Street Fire.  This fire was actually started from a lightning strike on a plating shop and quickly spread through the entire industrial complex.  Estimated damage was $2.3 million.  Because of problems encountered in dealing with the hazardous materials stored in the complex, a task force was later formed to study the problem of controlling hazardous material incidents.  The recommendations from this task force eventually led to the creation of the Regional Hazardous Material Response Team.  This became the first team that combined resources and manpower from the region’s three largest fire departments – Reno, Sparks, and Truckee Meadows.  The team officially formed on January 23, 1987, when members graduated from a 160-hour hazmat technician school.  This team continues to serve the region to this day.  The Sparks Hazmat Team currently responds out of Fire Station 3, which was dedicated on May 5, 1988 as the third fire station at 1750 E. Gregg Street.

In October of 1989, an event was created in conjunction with Fire Prevention Week that continues to this day, the annual Pancake Breakfast.  Fire Station 1 is opened to the public and breakfast is served in the engine room.  Fire safety presentations are made; fire suppression, rescue, and vehicle extrications are demonstrated; station tours are given; and usually a raffle occurs.  This event raises money to purchase fire safety educational materials and in recent years to promote the department’s Project SAFE smoke detector installation program.  Except for one year during the recession, the Pancake Breakfast has occurred every October for 26 years.

1990-2000 Irwin, Ronald 'Ron'The Department’s seventh Fire Chief was Ron Irwin. He joined the Department in 1962 as a Firefighter and became Fire Chief in 1990. He oversaw the construction of Fire Station 4 and the initial planning for Fire Station 5. Chief Irwin also increased staffing, put into service additional pumpers and ladder trucks, and increased emergency rescue resources to deal with hazardous materials, EMS, river rescue, and confined space rescues.  He was also instrumental in changing the radio communications to a more sophisticated public safety system for the Fire Department and other city departments.

In 1992 the gender barrier was broken as Carole Billau became the first uniformed female in the Department by becoming a fire inspector.  In 1994, the first female firefighter was hired, and since then many other women have also become Sparks firefighters.



On July 25, 1995, a daring river rescue was performed by members of C Battalion.  Three members of the battalion - Captain Gary Wright, FAO Rick Corron, and Firefighter Richard Aquilar, received Medals of Merit for their heroic actions.  This rescue was also significant because it demonstrated that the safety equipment and specialized training necessary to safely perform these types of rescues was lacking in the Department.  This situation directly led to the formation of a Swift Water Rescue Team in October of 1995.  In the late 1990s, the lack of training and equipment was also identified for technical rescue events – confined space, trench, and high-angle rescues, and in 1999 a Technical Rescue Team was formed.  Both teams are still in operation to this day.

The Sparks Fire Departme2000-2004 Leighton, Ralph 'Lee'nt added a fourth station in 1996 at 1450 Disc Drive.

The Department’s eighth Fire Chief was Ralph "Lee" Leighton. Chief Leighton was hired in 1969 as a Firefighter and became Fire Chief in 2000. While Fire Chief, he oversaw the final planning and initial construction of Fire Station 5, and was active in the design and construction of the Truckee Meadows Regional Public Safety Training Center. Chief Leighton also oversaw the construction of the Sparks Fire Department’s Firefighter Memorial and the implementation of the 48/96 schedule for suppression employees.

2004-2007 Clewell, Thomas 'Tom'

The Department's ninth Fire Chief was Tom Clewell. Chief Clewell joined the Department in 1971 and was promoted to Fire Chief in 2004. In the first year of his administration, the Department re-organized management staff to handle increased workloads. In 2005 he also oversaw the construction and opening of Fire Station 5. During his tenure, the Department was awarded about $1 million in grants.


2007-2013 Flock, Andreas 'Andy'
The Department's tenth Fire Chief was Andreas Flock. Chief Flock joined the Department in 1983 as a volunteer/auxiliary firefighter and became Fire Chief in 2008.  His first three years as Fire Chief were also three consecutive years of budget and personnel reductions.  Under his leadership, the Department maintained the same high service levels the community has come to expect.  All fire stations remained open, there were been no ‘brown-outs.’  Chief Flock also made certain that all Divisions: Administration, Operations, Training, and Prevention, continued to meet the goals and objectives outlined in the Department’s Business Plan.


2013-2016 Garrison, Thomas 'Tom'

The Department’s eleventh Fire Chief was Tom Garrison.  Chief Garrison joined the Department in June 1987 as a firefighter and became Fire Chief in 2013.  During his tenure as Fire Chief he converted the Department's apparatus lease program into a self-sufficient apparatus replacement program, now managed by the City and Fire Department.  The first new fire engines were received in 2015 and by the end of 2022, all front line apparatus will have been replaced.  Chief Garrison was also instrumental in researching and proposing the provision of paramedic level emergency service which would finally begin in 2017   , two years after his retirement from SFD.

2016-2019 Maples, Christopher 'Chris'
Sparks Fire Department’s twelfth Fire Chief was Chris Maples.  Chief Maples joined the Department in November 1995 as a firefighter and became Fire Chief in 2016.Attending his swearing in at the City Council meeting were the seven previous Sparks fire chiefs, Bill Farr, Don Young, Ron Irwin, Lee Leighton, Tom Clewell, Andy Flock, and Tom Garrison, representing 65 years of Sparks fire chiefs from 1951-2016.   

First proposed by Fire Chief Tom Garrison and coordinated by Captain Ed McDonald, a long-range goal of providing paramedic service, the highest level of EMS (Emergency Medical Service), to the community finally started to take shape.  Fire Stations 4 and 5 were staffed with paramedics beginning on April 3, 2017 and Fire Station 2 by May of 2018.  Fire Stations 3 and 1 were staffed with paramedics by the end of 2020 and 2021 respectively.


SFD Chiefs Photo 65 years 2016


Reid, JimThe Department’s thirteenth Fire Chief was Jim Reid.  Chief Reid joined Sparks Fire in November 1995 as a firefighter and became Fire Chief in 2019. 
In late 2019 and early 2020 the world changed with the outbreak of the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19.  On March 12, 2020, Nevada became the 24th state to declare a state of emergency due to the pandemic.  The following day, United States President Donald J. Trump declared a nationwide emergency. With the public facing shutdowns, masking, social distancing and supply shortages, the Department had to adapt to keep staff and community members safe.  This included changes in wildland firefighting operations such as mask requirements, prepackaged meals and the utilization of technology to allow for virtual briefings as well as information delivery via smart devices.  Sparks Fire Department was among the first in the region to begin receiving as well as administering COVID-19 vaccines in late December of 2020.  SFD eventually conducted 49 Point of Distribution (POD)s administering over 5,700 vaccinations. 

To honor the dedication, bravery and service during the devastating fire season that impacted Nevada, California and Lake Tahoe, the Nevada Wolf Pack displayed a Sparks Fire Department decal on their helmets for the 2021-2022 football season.  Sparks deployed more than 50 firefighters to more than 20 separate fires in California, Nevada, Idaho, Utah, Arizona and Colorado in 2021.

Chief White

The Department’s fourteenth Fire Chief is Walt White. Chief White was sworn in in March 2023, marking the first time in the Department’s 117-year history that a Fire Chief was appointed from outside the ranks of the department. Sparks Fire also appointed a new Fire Marshal from outside the organization—another first in Department history. These two positions brought new perspectives to leadership and operations.

During 2022 and 2023, Sparks Fire advanced 18 internal personnel, with several stepping into key leadership positions. The Department prepared for a recruit academy class of 15 firefighters in September 2023 and began planning for the addition of a downtown engine and the construction of a sixth fire station in North Sparks.
To enhance emergency medical services, SFD deployed six LUCAS CPR devices to improve out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival rates. Two new ambulances were added to support ALS transport services, with five firefighters attending paramedic school to expand capabilities.

SFD also modernized its fleet with the purchase of three new Type I engines, one Type V engine, a new aerial truck, two ambulances, and a water tender. The Department worked with regional partners on CAD system upgrades, hazardous materials response, and water rescue efforts. In 2024, Sparks hosted the Firefighter Challenge National Championship, showcasing the profession and supporting the city’s economy.
In previous decades, the Department expanded rapidly to meet the demands of a growing city. Fire Station 4 opened in 1996 and Fire Station 5 in 2005 to serve north Sparks. By 2007, with a population of approximately 89,449, the Department employed 117 full-time personnel, including four firefighters on six engines and one truck, and fourteen staff in the Fire Prevention Bureau. Following staffing reductions during the Great Recession (2007-2009), the Department now operates with three personnel on each main apparatus and six in the Community Risk Reduction Division, formerly the Fire Prevention Bureau. The current fleet includes eight engines, one aerial truck, two quints, four brush trucks, one heavy rescue unit, one water entry unit, one hazardous materials unit, two ambulances, and a water tender. Sparks Fire serves over 110,000 residents across 37 square miles.
Despite fiscal constraints that have impacted staffing and resources for expansion, Sparks Fire Department remains focused on innovation, operational readiness, and regional collaboration. As the city continues to evolve, the Department is committed to SERVING WITH PRIDE in protecting and supporting the Sparks community.