Black Township Fire and Rescue
Mt. Vernon Fire Department creates the Mount Vernon Auxillary Fire Department.
Their responsibility is to provide fire protection for the unincorporated parts of
Black Township and assist the Mount Vernon Fire Department.
1952
Mt. Vernon Auxillary Fire Department separates from
Mt. Vernon Fire Deptartment and starts the Posey County Fire and Rescue Civil Defense with a single pumper and four Amphibious Duwks
1956
Posey County Fire and Rescue Civil Defense changes its name to
Mount Vernon Fire and Rescue Civil Defense
1958
Mt. Vernon Fire and Recscue Civil Defense purchases an old gas station at the corner of 3rd and College.
11 acres of land is also purchased
8 miles west of town for
training grounds.
MVFRCD contracts with Black, Lynn, Marrs, and Point Townships to provide fire protection to them.
1960
1961
Mt. Vernon Fire and Recscue Civil Defense hosts its first of many annual festivals. These festivals had carnival ride, booths, and a parade.
The festival was ran by the firefighters.
Proceeds were used to help in equipment and vehicle purchases.
These festivals continued until the last one was held in 1994.
1973
Mount Vernon Fire and Rescue separates from Civil Defense after legislation
changed to where the county would have control of Civil Defense.
MVFR retained its equipment and acreage during the separation.
Mount Vernon Fire and Rescue creates an Explorers program for persons under the age of 18.
1978
1982
Mt. Vernon Fire and Rescue
demolishes the old fire station at
the corner of 3rd and College
after the new station which was built behind it is completed.
Mount Vernon Fire and Rescue
Explorer program transitions into the Cadet Firefighter program.
The goal is to teach highschooler's the skills needed to become future responders which has been the practice for 30+ years.
1990
Mount Vernon Fire and Rescue
builds Station 2 at
4260 E. Copperline Rd.
after residents in the Bufkin area request a fire station closer to them.
1991
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1998
Mount Vernon Fire and Rescue responds to the largest warehouse fire in Indiana at its time. Over 400 firefighters from four states respond to assist with the fire that took four days to fully extinguish.
The fire nearly bankrupted the department but with the help of insurance companies they were slowly able to get back on their feet to continue doing what they did best.
Mount Vernon Fire and Rescue changes its name to
Black Township Fire and Rescue
due to name confusion between
Mount Vernon Fire Department
and MVFR
2001
2006
Black Township Fire and Rescue builds a new Station 1 just north of
Mount Vernon at
5775 Industrial Road with the help of Black Township Trustee Albert Gibbs.
After many years of the city not having an annual parade and the outcry from the citizens of Mount Vernon, BTFR hosted the first parade on the second weekend of September. The River Days Committee was eventually formed the following year and BTFR works alongside the committee to make this event enjoyable for the community.
2008
Black Township Fire and Rescue builds the only multi-level fire training
facility in Posey County.
Firefighters from all over the
tri-state come to train and learn new skills in a realistic and safe way
2016
Black Township Fire and Rescue transitions from a fully volunteer
fire department into a
combination department.
Staffing two paid firefighters working
Monday-Friday from 8am-4pm