The first fire house was built in downtown Jeffersonville at the corner of Court and Spring streets , and it was still in operation in the 1960s when VanGilder ' s former battalion chief worked there .
" So you could imagine ... we had a building that was built in the 1800s and still in service in the 1960s ," VanGilder said . " He would tell me stories about how in the winter , the building was so loose and the windows were so leaky , he would wake up in the morning with snow in his bed ."
That station was razed before the end of the 1960s , with a new station built at Eighth and Wall streets , which served as the headquarters for years . The newest station at 2204 E . 10th Street is now the headquarters , with three other stations currently in use — at 2006 Allison Lane , 5311 E . 10th Street and 1603 Truckers Blvd .
THE FUTURE OF FIREFIGHTING Jeffersonville Fire Chief Shawn Grant said he ' s ready to help lead the department into the needs of the future . As the city expands , especially toward the River Ridge Commerce Center and new residential areas , there ' s more need for growth .
" There ' s a couple things I ' d like to see happen ," he said . " I ' d like to add an additional nine firefighters , staff another station at the River Ridge area and also build a new station downtown ," he said . " It ' s a 1958 building and it ' s kind of close quarters for my guys ."
He also wants to get another fire truck in service on the other side of the roundabouts on 10th Street , near River Ridge .
" We make a lot of runs out there and there ' s a lot of people being influxed into the city that ' s a part of the workforce there ," he said . " We ' re providing fire service now , but as they grow we want to grow with them ."
Grant said what he ' d like to see in a new fire house is an open concept space — a place for firefighters to gather .
" The fire service is a little different ," he said . " It ' s not your usual 9-to-5 job ; it ' s more of a family atmosphere here . I just want to make it to where they ' re comfortable . When these guys are happy they give good service . I like to make sure these guys are happy ."
Grant , who came from a family line of public service with several members in the police department , said his 25 years so far have flown by , " and I ' m kind of pumped to see what the future brings ," he said . " I always tell myself , ' I want to leave this place a little better than I got it .’"
14 Jeffersonville Fire Department / 150 years