History of firefighting in Cambridge
The City of Cambridge was incorporated in 1973 when the three municipalities of Galt, Preston and Hespeler, along with parts of Waterloo and North Dumfries Townships, were amalgamated into a single city with a new name. Each of the communities possesses a long and proud history in their fire departments that has, since 1973, been embodied in the Cambridge Fire Department.
For a more complete history of the Cambridge Fire Department and its predecessor Departments, see The History of the Cambridge Fire Department by Jim Quantrell, published by Uni-Grafx/Ditner Printing in 1992.
 Architect Frederick Mellish
The Building
The Museum’s largest artifact is the Fire Hall itself. Architect Frederick Mellish (1860-1928) would be proud to know that the fire hall he designed in 1898 for the Town of Galt lives on today as the Fire Hall Museum & Education Centre. In 1984 the Fire Hall was designated under the Ontario Heritage Act as a property of architectural and historical significance. Mellish, born in Galt, Ontario, was educated at private schools and at Galt Collegiate Institute. He received training as a carpenter and builder, opening an architectural design office in Galt in 1888. During the next 20 years, Mellish received several commissions for institutional and commercial buildings in Galt. In 1909 Mellish moved to British Columbia and relocated his architectural business to Vancouver. (From the Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada, 1850-1950). This Fire Hall was the community’s primary fire station until it closed in 1979. The building adapted and changed over the years, often to accommodate changes in technology and the growing city – for example, its original arched doors were replaced by a single garage door to make way for bigger fire trucks. Since 2013, the City of Cambridge has restored the exterior and interior of the Fire Hall – including reinstating the two arched vehicle doors facing Dickson Street. The ground floor has seen many changes since the days when horse-drawn hose reels first occupied this space. It’s now the Museum’s main gallery featuring vintage fire equipment and displays. The second floor was the firefighters’ living quarters. This space is now the fire safety education centre, including a library and archives, collections storage and a meeting room. A brass fire pole, connecting the two floors and allowing fast response to a fire alarm, has been reinstalled although its location has changed several times in the life of the building. |
Galt Fire Department (1842-1972)
The first fire company organized in Cambridge was the Galt Fire Company No. 1, established on June 9, 1842. For generations, buckets passed from hand to hand was the primary method of firefighting. When the all-volunteer Galt Fire Company was organized, they bought a used hand-operated pumper from New York. The pumper, which had been paid for by public subscription, was described by a later commentator as "a rather poor affair.” (from Quantrell) Preston Fire Department (1844-1972) The early years of the Preston Fire Department are obscured somewhat by the mists of time, but it appears that the Preston Fire Brigade originated in 1844 when several residents formed a Hook and Ladder Company. In 1850, this company was more formally organized into a proper fire brigade – the Preston Fire Company – consisting of an Engine Company and a Hook and Ladder Company. They obtained a hand-operated fire engine which was housed in the engine house provided by the villagers through public subscription. While the villagers supplied the equipment, the members of the Preston Fire Company remained responsible for buying their own uniforms, which included the “Red Coats” by which the company was popularly known. (from Quantrell) Hespeler Fire Department (1858-1972) Firefighting got its start in Hespeler when the village was still known as New Hope. In 1856 the townspeople bought a hand-operated pumper that was reportedly capable of pumping up to 100 gallons with 60 men operating the pumps in shifts. However, while the labour appeared to be available, the village apparently lacked the funds to organize a formal fire company. It was two years later, in 1858, that the New Hope Fire Company was formally organized. (from Quantrell) Cambridge Fire Department (1973-) On January 1, 1973, the City of Cambridge Fire Department came into being, built from the Galt, Preston and Hespeler Fire Departments. How did this happen? In 1973, the cities of Galt, Kitchener, and Waterloo, which were previously independent single tier municipalities, and the 15 towns and five townships in Waterloo County, were reduced to seven municipalities in the newly created Region of Waterloo. One of those municipalities was the new City of Cambridge, created through the amalgamation of the City of Galt, and the Towns of Preston and Hespeler. |
Fire Chiefs
Just as the City of Cambridge has evolved since the early 1800s, so too have the roles and responsibilities of Fire Chiefs.
Today the key responsibilities of a Fire Chief include strategic planning for the fire department and a community's emergency preparedness; operational oversight of the department itself; community engagement to ensure that the public has access to public safety information; management of the fire department's budget; and team building - because the people who work in the fire service work together!
Here is a list of the Fire Chiefs who have served Galt, Preston, Hespeler and Cambridge - beginning in the 1840s through today.
Today the key responsibilities of a Fire Chief include strategic planning for the fire department and a community's emergency preparedness; operational oversight of the department itself; community engagement to ensure that the public has access to public safety information; management of the fire department's budget; and team building - because the people who work in the fire service work together!
Here is a list of the Fire Chiefs who have served Galt, Preston, Hespeler and Cambridge - beginning in the 1840s through today.
