Polk Township Vol. Fire Dept.
The beginning
Prior to the birth of the Polk Township Volunteer Fire Department, we received our fire protection from four surrounding fire departments. Plymouth Fire Department, LaPaz Fire Department, Walkerton Fire Department and Oregon Township Fire Department were all paid tax money to provide fire protection for the township.Clark Dare; Polk Township Trustee 1971-1985, and the Advisory Board members; Ray Jacobson, John Martin and Roland Lichtenbarger studied these costs to the taxpayers. They determined that tax money sent to each of the four departments and their annual increases, could be better spent. They discovered they could provide their own fire protection at a tax savings.
Clark Dare did most of the footwork and background research. He studied the state requirements for volunteer fire departments as well as the usual operating costs.
After many months of preparation, the plan was set into action. The fire department had it's actual beginning on July 26, 1976 when a resolution was passed by the trustee and the advisory board. Now the work began!
The first order of business has a home for the department. The township owned a building in Tyner. The vacant building was previously used as a bus garage for the Polk Township School. It had been vacant for many years. The building was made of glazed brick and only had a dirt floor.
Here are a couple of early photos of our first fire station ----- or bus garage!
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John D. Einhorn