As the Cochrane Fire Dept. celebrates 107 years in service, Fire Chief David Humphrey is searching for pieces of Cochrane firefighter history.
“If anyone has family members that were firefighters in the past, and they have photos or newspaper clippings, please contact the station,” Humphrey said.
The local station is working on a small museum, collecting pieces of the fire-service history. Feb. 3 marked Cochrane Fire Dept.’s 107th anniversary of when Cochrane’s fire volunteer firefighter team came together in 1909. The risk of a house catching fire was much higher with wooden houses heated by wood or coal-burning stoves and coal-oil lamps for light – and lack of building and fire codes made for high-risk situations, when town council made the call out for volunteers to risk their lives to fight fires with no pay.
The original fire hall was built by Cochrane carpenter Robert Chapman, on April 15, 1909, for the Cochrane Fire Brigade, consisting of the fire chief and 12 volunteers. Chapman later became fire chief for $5 a month, while also acting as constable and sanitary inspector, as the job description required in those days. The hall housed two fire engines, a room for the night watchman and a tiny meeting hall for town council.
“Many members are just learning the history now, we have quite a few younger members here and that was the push behind the museum – to get a few artifacts and pieces of equipment,” Humphrey explained.
“We’ve got quite a bit of stuff but I am constantly searching to find the deep history.”
Another piece of Cochrane firefighter history can also be found at Heritage Park in Calgary, where the original fire hall has been on display since the Town of Cochrane donated the hall in 1964.
“It is important to show and make people aware that there were volunteer firefighter departments – it is very important in the early days of communities because these men weren’t being paid, they were doing it for the public good,” said Sylvia Harnden, Heritage Park curator.
If anyone has any information or has photos or pieces of Cochrane Fire Services history, contact the local department at 403-851-2540 or e-mail Cochrane Fire Chief at [email protected]
