The Fire department goes way back to  the 1870’s when the first bucket brigade was established by a few public spirited men. Later they added a hose cart and a hand pump. Water came from a well in downtown Estherville near the present location of our library.In 1884 they formed the first organized volunteer fire dept.  

They called it the Estherville Fire & Rescue Company #1. The horse drawn hose cart and pump was pulled by the first man's team to get to the fire station. He was paid $1 for the team. They bought their first motorized truck in about 1911. It was a 1910 Wilco Chain Drive Fire truck.