Green Mountain Volunteer Fire Department

A History

(Edition of October 2003)

When the Green Mountain Volunteer Fire Department was organized in 1966, Green Mountain was not in the city of Huntsville, only in its police jurisdiction.  The Huntsville Fire Department (HFD) responded to calls on the mountain, but because of their station’s location and the steep road, the engine often took thirty minutes to arrive, and with only 500 gallons of water, the mountain’s fire protection was simply inadequate.

Bill Varnedoe pressed an operating 1921 American La France engine he was restoring into service.  This relic, leased to the GMVFD for one dollar a year, became the nucleus of the department, even though the department fought mostly woods fires with three rakes and two Indian backpack pumps, transported in the volunteers’ vehicles.

The department incorporated in 1967, becoming the GMVFD, Inc., a non-profit corporation.

In 1968, the firefighters overhauled and painted a 1950 fuel oil tanker, purchased a small Barton American pump and created the department’s new engine.  It carried 1100 gallons of water and entered service as Engine 2.  The converted garage that served as the fire station could barely hold the latest engine.  Bill Varnedoe sold the 1921 Engine 1 to a fire museum in Baltimore MD. 

Through the efforts of Civil Defense, an Army surplus Class 530A pumper, replaced Engine 2 in 1972.  Members modified the 400-gallon tank to hold 1100 gallons of water on the Reo 6X6 and added a 500 gpm Champion front mounted pump.  Harry Harless, a fire engine dealer, bought Engine 2 and the proceeds bought hose and equipment for the new truck.

Also in 1972, the Madison County Association of Volunteer Fire Departments (MCAVFD) organized with the GMVFD as a charter member.

Huntsville Fire installed a two-way radio, tuned to their frequency, on Engine 3 in 1974.  Huntsville Dispatch still called in alarms by telephone to the GMVFD, and the firefighters spread the alarm through a telephone tree.

Since organizing, the department supported itself with an annual turkey shoot and other odd fundraisers.  With the MCVFD’s political clout, Madison County began allocating Federal Revenue Sharing funds to the association, which, in turn, allocated money to its members.  In 1974 the lion’s share went to the GMVFD to build a new firehouse.  It was completed in 1975 and the GMVFD moved in.  The Insurance Service Office (ISO) rated the department 9AA on December 15^th 1975. 

In the summer of 1977, GMVFD brought a 4X4, ¾ ton weapons carrier from Civil Defense to the mountain.  After new paint, a 12-volt conversion, a small pump and a 250-gallon tank, Engine 4 was put into service to fight woods fires.

Huntsville City annexed Green Mountain in 1976, but GMVFD continued to operate on the mountain as first responders, although the HFD agreed to send a backup for structure fires.  Huntsville Fire also lent the department Engine 5, a 1943 Dodge-Pirsch 500 gpm pumper.  GMVFD replaced the telephone tree with pagers to dispatch firefighters.

In 1979 Huntsville Fire swapped the “dollar Dodge” for a 1947 Ford that had been repowered in 1972.  It had a 500 gpm front mounted pump and a 700-gallon tank, and became Engine 6.

When Huntsville Fire renumbered their trucks to match station numbers, GMVFD followed their lead.   At the time HFD had 12 stations and were adding a new one on Mountain Gap Road.  They were glad to let GMVFD be Station 13, and the new one became Station 14.  Old Engine 3 became E13B and Engine 4 became 13C.

By 1985, water mains had been run everywhere on the mountain, and ISO reevaluated their rating for the mountain.  The GMVFD became the first all volunteer department in the state to receive an ISO class 3 rating!

Rescue 13, a 1966 Chevrolet van, carried rescue gear and EMT equipment.  When Huntsville Fire lent GMVFD a 100 gpm, fully equipped, diesel 1963 American La France with an automatic transmission, Engine 3 (the Reo 6X6) was given to MCAVFD, who then gave it to Keel Mountain VFD.  The ’63 American La France became 13B.

In 1981, the first nine volunteer firefighters, including three women, to be certified by the state of Alabama came from GMVFD.  Since the volunteer course had not been fully established, these nine volunteers took the same 240-hour course that the city firefighters took.  Since then all active GMVFD firefighters have been certified.

The 1947 Ford pumper and the ¾ ton weapons carrier were sold to the Meridianville VFD, the van sold to Station One, a dealer in Cullman, AL and a 1971 4X4 minipumper was bought from the same dealer.  It carried all that the previous three vehicles had carried.  The ’63 American La France became 13A and the 4X4 became 13B.

The American La France blew its engine in 1990.   A 1962 1000 gpm American La France (diesel, automatic) took its place and became E13A.  The 1962’s transmission went out in 1992, and a 1968 Ward LaFrance took its place as well as its number E13A.  In turn, a 1969 Ward LaFrance took the 13A number in October of 1993.

By 1995, GMVFD had grown to boast three EMT’s, a Doctor and Nurse as well as fifteen certified firefighters.  On June 11, 1995, Bill Varnedoe retired as Chief after thirty years of service, and Russell Rawson was appointed Chief.  Bill remains active as Safety Officer.

Since 1995 Huntsville Fire (now Huntsville Fire and Rescue) has maintained Engine 13A from their reserve fleet.  The specific apparatus has been rotated several times to insure a reliable engine is in Station 13.  Huntsville Fire and Rescue automatically dispatches two or three engine companies to back GMVFD on any structure fire.

The Huntsville airport authority declared a 1974 International ¾ ton dual agent truck surplus and GMVFD obtained it in 1999.  The bed was removed and replaced with a service body, and on November 26, 1999 it was put into service as 13C.  It carried the EMT and rescue equipment as well as a generator and scene lighting equipment.  The 1971 International (13B) continued as a brush truck.

Late in 2002 GMVFD determined that the ’71 International (13B) was no longer structurally sound, and the first direct mail fundraiser was undertaken in 2003 with the intention of replacing 13B and 13C.  The fundraiser was successful enough to fund a 1991 E-one Rescue pumper and a John Deere 4X6 Gator to handle woods fires.  A 1999 GMC W5500 cab forward truck with a beaver tail bed carries Gator13 and woodland firefighting gear to the scene.  The 1971 and the 1974 International trucks were sold by sealed bid.

GMVFD still requires all members to be Alabama certified as a firefighter or EMT or they may hold a degree as a RN or MD.  As of October 1, 2003, GMVFD has twenty full members, fifteen certified firefighters, five certified EMT’s, one MD, and one Nurse.