
History from April 1948 to April 1966
After the loss of one more home due to the lack of a local fire department the Murrieta Volunteer Fire Department was founded on April 16th 1947, the founding Fire Chief was Raymond Thompson and the founding Assistant Fire Chief was Victor (Vic) Garrison. With 8 additional volunteers from the community they formed the foundation of what is now Murrieta Fire and Rescue, a Department serving the City of Murrieta out of 5 Fire Station with a response capability of 7 fire companies.
The Departments first year was a busy one. With $1,400.00 donated from the community a fire engine and 300 gallon water trailer was purchased. During the first year the fire engine was stationed at Assistant Chief Vic Garrisons Machine Shop next to the future fire station site. The bell at the Murrieta Methodist Church was rung to alert the volunteers of a fire. The community also petitioned the Riverside County Board of Supervisors for a Tax District designation for the new Volunteer Fire Department which was approved in the fall of 1947. A Board of Commissioners was then appointed to oversee the new Fire District. Today Murrieta Fire and Rescue is still a Fire Protection District overseen by the Murrieta City Council.
Along with community donation for a fire engine the community also banded together to build Murrieta Volunteer Fire Departments first Fire Station. This station was built during the first year on property donated by Assistant Chief Vic Garrison. The station was completed by the Department’s first anniversary in April of 1948. It was decided to hold a BBQ in celebration and a BBQ has been held every April since then.
This fire station was in use until late 1965 when a new station was built on Juniper Street on property donated by Fire Commissioner Albert Edmonds. The new station was dedicated at the BBQ in April 1966.
After the Department moved to the new Station the Board of Commissioners deeded the property back to the Garrison Family who still own the property today. During its time as a fire station this building was also used by many other community groups including scout troops and the Murrieta Ground Observer Corps.
If you look at the front of the Station a few memories remain, between the 2 doors you can still see a faint fire inscription and part of a switch. In the days before 911 the fire number rang at the Fire Chief’s house and at the Assistant Chief’s house and also at the Murrieta Machine shop. They would then go down to the station and flip this switch, it would activate the large fire siren on top of the station to alert the volunteers, and everyone else in the valley, that there was a call out for an emergency, the front apparatus bay doors would also open, There was a chalk board on the wall where the type and location of the call was located and as soon as 1 or 2 more volunteers would show up they would respond the engine to the call with everyone else left to get their on their own.
During the day all the kids around town if not in school would ride out to watch the excitement on their bikes. If no one answered the fire phone you could drive down to the fire station and set off the alarm yourself. Above the doors a red light was always on and above that a sign that said Murrieta Volunteer Fire Dept. St. 1 painted by Volunteer Fire Fighter Ray Vose on the back of a porcelain tire sign, at the top of the station a tower held the fire siren which on a clear night could be heard from Wildomar to Temecula. 2 horns mounted on each front corner of the station would sound when the fire phone rang, you could also hear that all over town so everyone had a heads up about an upcoming incident. Finally on the lower right hand side of the station is a dedication plaque that was obviously welded up at the Machine Shop next door.