In the 1940's, The Town of McCandless was a rural farmland community. Because it was such a sparsely populated area, only 2 fire companies were needed. With the increasing residential growth and anticipated commercial expansion, a third company was needed. This new company would work with her sister companies, Highland and Ingomar, to provide fire service to McCandless. After much debate, The Sisters of Divine Providence granted a lease for land to the company. On April 26, 1944, Allegheny County granted a charter and the Peebles District Volunteer Fire Company was created.
The property that the company was located on was leased for one dollar per year for 99 years from The Sisters of Divine Providence. It had a single barn on site which housed the fire equipment. For several years the company responded to calls without a fire truck. A trailer was purchased to transport the fire equipment. It waited in the barn until needed, and when there was a fire call, it was attached to the back of one of the members' cars and towed to the scene. The trailer served as the company's first fire apparatus.
During the late 1940's the company acquired its first vehicle: a white delivery truck from the Joseph Horne Company, which was later painted red. In 1948 the company received a used 1948 Ford, which had previously served as a World War II vehicle. In 1953, the company purchased a brand new fire truck, the 1953 Mack. The purchasing of the vehicle, instead of acquiring it, exemplified a positive direction for the company.
During the late 1940's the company acquired its first vehicle: a white delivery truck from the Joseph Horne Company, which was later painted red. In 1948 the company received a used 1948 Ford, which had previously served as a World War II vehicle. In 1953, the company purchased a brand new fire truck, the 1953 Mack. The purchasing of the vehicle, instead of acquiring it, exemplified a positive direction for the company.
In the late 1950's, automation had stepped in and the department had a siren system. Any phone call to the station would activate the siren and the firefighters would respond as quickly as possible. This, of course, tended to produce many false alarms.
With the continued growth of the community, the company had out-grown the barn. IN 1960 a fire hall was constructed with a large meeting room, a kitchen, and two bays to house the trucks and equipment. This is the building you see today. The only notable change to the structure was in 1966 when a third bay was added to the structure. The training building was erected behind the hall in 1990.
With the continued growth of the community, the company had out-grown the barn. IN 1960 a fire hall was constructed with a large meeting room, a kitchen, and two bays to house the trucks and equipment. This is the building you see today. The only notable change to the structure was in 1966 when a third bay was added to the structure. The training building was erected behind the hall in 1990.
In the early 1990's the company was facing a dilemma that consisted of aging equipment and a decreasing number of volunteers. The department considered numerous options of what to do with the aging equipment and concluded that a fire sale would solve the problem. With support from The Town of McCandless the plan was put into effect. All current apparatus was put up for sale with the exception of the 1953 Mack, which was kept as a nostalgic tribute to the company. Two state of the art pieces of apparatus where designed, which would replace the entire fleet that was sold off. The Saulisbury twins were placed in service as Engine 11 and Rescue 12. The risky plan was considered a complete success.
With the continued rise in membership and emergency calls, the company found the need for an additional vehicle for transporting manpower and equipment. In 1996, the company purchased an extended cab Ford F-350 and placed it in service as Squad 13. The newly purchased vehicle provided the department with many new and valuable capabilities, such as off-road access in North Park.
With the continued rise in membership and emergency calls, the company found the need for an additional vehicle for transporting manpower and equipment. In 1996, the company purchased an extended cab Ford F-350 and placed it in service as Squad 13. The newly purchased vehicle provided the department with many new and valuable capabilities, such as off-road access in North Park.
In 1998, Allegheny County re-numbered all the fire departments in the area. Peebles was known as Station 11 for many years, but with the renumbering it became Station 188.
During the early 2000's the members realized that the community was growing quicker than the department and an equipment upgrade was in order. In 2007, a water rescue trailer was purchased in order to provide water rescue services in North Park and in surrounding communities. In 2010, the department added a 2010 Polaris Ranger to the fleet to add to our rescue capabilities. In 2013, the company designed and purchased a state-of-the-art Pierce Arrow XT to serve as the Rescue Engine. Between 2013 and 2017, both of the Salisbury Twins were sold. 188 Engine, a 1984 Pierce Arrow, was donated from Avalon Fire Department and was quickly put into service by the company. In 2017, 188 Truck--a Pierce Enforcer Ascendant--was purchased to provide fire protection to our quickly growing commercial areas.
Over the past 75 years, Peebles District Volunteer Fire Department has grown into the organization you see today. It is still the strong and valuable part of the community it was in 1940, but with a new and different approach to fire fighting. We have grown into a technologically advanced company with just under 40 active firefighting members. Although we have dramatically changed since the 1940's, Peebles District Volunteer Fire Company still answers the same siren and provides the necessary fire and rescue services to those in need.