District
In the 1940's a group of concerned citizens in St. Louis County, Missouri formed the Gardenville Volunteer Fire Protection District with the station at 4990 Seibert Road. The department at its height had two engine companies, a rescue-air cascade unit, and two ambulances. The members of the department formed a Jr. Firefighters program which lead to many members of the program going on to become career firefighters with other departments.
It was this department that I first started my career as a Volunteer Firefighter with. It was this department that lead to my love of firefighting, and it was this department that taught me many things about life.
I first became involved with the Gardenville Volunteer Fire Protection District in the late 1960's early 1970's when my father Ken Butcher joined the department as a volunteer. I can remember my father leaving the house in the evenings to go on duty at the station and I remember sometimes being with my father when he would stop by the Station while we were out. One time my father and I came on an accident at one of the main intersections in the district and my father and I went up to the fire house and he responded with the engine company that went to investigate the accident.
I can also remember the times that he would come home from fires smelling of smoke and looking tired but happy at the fact that he was doing something to help those around him. Latter as I grew into my teens I wanted to join the department and eventually joined as a Junior Firefighter.
I spent four wonderful years with the department as a volunteer and then three years as a firefighter with the department.
It was during this time that my father and I grew at odds with each other. I was during this time that my father once again became involved with the department as a member of the districts Board of Directors, and it was at this time that my father and I fought over the decisions that he made as a member of the Board of Directors.
The one thing that I will always remember and will always cherish is the fact that no matter what people thought of the decisions that my father made he always stuck to his guns and made decisions in ways that were always meant to benefit the citizens of the district and ultimately to try and help the members of the district's firefighting ranks. I will also remember that he was honest in the way that he dealt with the issues.
In the early to mid 1980's things came to a head in the district and most of the members of the district walked out of the station. It was at this time that the members of the department that were left decided to try and get the district merged with the Affton Fire Protection District. This occurred in the Mid 1980's and the Gardenville Volunteer Fire Protection District ceased to exist. It was a good thing for the area and now the area is protected by a fully manned station twenty four hours a day.
The old station was torn down and replaced in 2005 by a more modern and larger station. One of the former Volunteers Captain Roger Ellison of the Black Jack Fire Protection District was able to have the concrete slab above the Engine Bays and has that sitting in he garage. Roger donated a picture of that and some other pictures of the old department to this site. I have a few that were taken at a Parade in the 1970's by my father, and hopefully as I find members from the old department I can add few more pictures to the sight.
Although the Gardenville Volunteer Fire Protection District ceased to exist in the 1980's it still exists today in the memories of the former members of the department. I know that I for one will never forget the those days and the members of the department. It was a time that I will always cherish and a time that I will always love, just like the days that I spent with the City of Scottsbluff Fire Department, and the Bollinger County Fire Department.
Equipment that responded out of the Gardenville Volunteer Fire Protection District in 1983 when I left the department for good is as follows:
Engine Company 71
Engine Company 72
Rescue 7
705 (BLS Ambulance)
706 (BLS Ambulance)
Fire Chief's While I was with the Department:
Chief James Ellison, Sr.
Chief John Kaufman
Chief Jimmy Harrington
The three Career Members of the Department in the 1980's were:
Captain/Chief Jimmy Harrington
Captain/Training Officer John Kriska
Captain Mike Heignel
Pictures of the Gardenville Volunteer Fire Protection District by Ken Butcher.
These pictures were taken in the 1970's by my father Ken Butcher, they are showing some of the equipment and men from the department in a parade for Bayless School District. Pictured are Engine Co. 72, Rescue 7, Chief John Kaufman's Unit (701), and 701 pulling an old Hose Cart.
Engine Company 72 in a Parade in the 1970's.
Rescue 7, the department BLS Rescue Squad and Air Cascade Unit.
This black and white picture shows the rear of Engine Co. 72 and 701.
This picture show 701 pulling a hose cart with one of the Junior Firefighters riding on it. I am not sure which one of the Junior Firefighter's it is. (If you have any information as to who it is please email the webmaster with that information.)
Next up is a picture of the new Affton Fire Protection District's Station that is standing on the site where the old Gardenville Fire Protection District Station use to sit.
A friend of mine from the Firepics.net Forums who lives in St. Louis took this picture for me to show me what the new Affton Number 3 Station looks like. Credit for this picture goes to Phil Diven who holds the Copyright to the picture. I am using the picture with his permission.
The new station is a lot bigger and replaces the old one bay station that Affton was using. When I was with the Department the old Station had Two Engine companies, Rescue 7, and 705 in there. The Station at that time was a 3 bay station with a very small bunk hall in the back behind Engine Co. 71.
Behind Rescue 7 sat 705, and 706 sat outside the station at times.
Full credit for this picture goes to Phil Diven. Phil has his own website so please take a few minutes to visit his site. I would like to thank Phil for taking the time to take this picture and for allowing me to use it on the site.
Captain Roger Ellison of the Black Jack Fire Protection District in St. Louis County, Missouri donated these pictures of the old Gardenville Volunteer Fire Protection District to me. I am using these with his permission.
The patch from the old department.
Former Gardenville Volunteer Fire Protection District Chief's Helmet. This helmet was worn by Department Chief James Ellison, Sr. during his time as the Department Chief.
Chief Ellison's badge and business card.
Pictured above are three of the badges worn by members of the Department. They are the Captains Badge, the Lieutenants Badge, and the Fire Explorers Badge (If I remember correctly this one was worn by Roger when he was a member of the Explorers Post at the Department.)
The above picture taken in the late 1970's or early 1980's shows Engine Co. 72 and Rescue 7 in their bays. Sitting in front of the Station from Left to Right are Dan Dyer (now a firefighter with the Riverview Fire Protection District in North St. Louis County, Missouri), Woody Boley, and Matt Siebert (now a firefighter with the Cottlesville Fire Department in St. Charles County, Missouri).
Another picture taken of the old station and it shows Rescue 7 in the bay where Engine Company 71 normally sat.
This picture shows 705 or 706, I don't remember which sitting in the front of the bay next to Engine Co. 72.
Engine Co. 71 and unknown members of the department in a parade in the 1970's.
This was the Concrete piece that was above the Engine Bay Door at the old Station. Roger now has it sitting in his garage at home.
Above are a couple of the plates that were used to identify members of the department as they drove around and to and from calls. The larger of the two is the style that both my father and I had on our cars.
I would like to once again thank Roger Ellison for sending these pictures and for allowing me to share them with everybody.
I was recently in contact with one of the former members of the Gardenville Volunteer Fire Protection District and he has been willing to share some of his pictures with me and with the Website. Firefighter Matt Siebert with the Cottleville Fire Protection District sent the pictures below to me and has given his permission to use them on the site.
Engine Company 71
Engine Company 72
a.jpg)
The two pictures above are of Engine Company 72 after the Affton Fire Protection District took over the Department and had the rigs renumbered and re-lettered. The rig was suppose to have jump seats but instead the Gardenville Board of Directors Decided to have the members of the Department still ride the Back step. That was a cold wet ride during the winter.
Rescue 7 was the department's Basic Life Support Rescue Squad and Air Cascade Unit.
Pictured above are 705(on the Left) and 706(shown marked as 306). These two units were the Departments Basic Life Support Ambulances. 705 sat behind Rescue 7 in the Station. 706 was a unit that the Firefighters Association purchased from the Mehlville Fire Protection District.
Once again I would like to thank Firefighter Matt Siebert for sending me these pictures and for letting me share them with everybody.
That is all that I have for the moment, I will be adding more here shortly. I have a few more pictures to add and I have contacted a couple members of the department to see if they would be willing to share some of their pictures with me and with everybody to see. If you were a member of the department or had family that were members of the department please contact the webmaster so that we can more to the site.
If you have any questions, comments , or concerns with anything on this site please click on one of the links below.
.jpg)
