^{Macedonia Fire Department's 100th anniversary video [1921-2021]}

The Beginning

The Macedonia Fire Department was formed in 1921, when a group of 12 residents organized Macedonia’s first volunteer fire department and elected George Johnson as its first chief. Although the Macedonia Fire Department had officially opened its doors to helping neighbors in need, the department was homeless without an actual fire station.

For the next 10 years, the volunteer firefighters kept their only piece of fire equipment — a 40-gallon soda-acid tank on a high-wheeled buggy — in one of the members’ barns next to a coal stove. They would light the stove to keep the tank from freezing in cold weather, and members used their personal vehicles to tow the buggy around town when they needed it at a fire.

1930s

The first fire station in Macedonia was built in 1931 at the corner of North Road (now 

North Bedford Road) and State Route 82. A bond issue of $18,000 was used to finance the building and to purchase the first fire truck — a 1931 Seagraves pumper — for $5,500 dollars.

In 1935, the total number of calls recorded for the year was seven. There were four grass fires and three building fires. The average number of firefighters that responded to a call was seven, and the total cost of fighting fire that year was $60.25.

1940s-1960s

The department’s call volume continued to grow through the 1940s. On average, the department responded to 35 calls a year, and the roster still consisted of 12 men. Between 1930 and 1960, Macedonia’s population exploded from only 734 residents to 6,374. As the population grew, so did the number of fire calls.

During the early 60s, the City built a three-bay fire station on property acquired on Valley View Road. The thought back then was to eventually build a new city hall next to the fire station on the property. In 1963, Macedonia passed legislation that the position of fire chief and assistant fire chief were to be appointed by the mayor.

1970s

In the early 1970s, the City added office space, two additional truck bays with higher entrance doors, and space allowing the police department and dispatch center to move into the south side of the building. In 1979, Macedonia hired its first full-time firefighters: Henry “Skip” Gerstenberger and Daniel Gagliardi. Both men would go on to serve long careers with the department with Gerstenberger as chief and Gagliardi as captain.

1980s

The 1980s brought a change to the types of calls the fire department responded to. In 1982, the department responded to 313 calls, with 246 of them being rescue squad calls — 79% of all calls. On Feb. 26, 1985, smoke and flames consumed the building the fire department once called home in the ‘30s and ‘40s. The structure was severely damaged by the fire and eventually torn down. In 1989, the department hired its first full-time paramedic.

1990s

As the City continued to grow, the department needed to look to the future. In the early 1990s, planning started for the new safety center. The building would become a reality in 1996, when construction began for the large, three-story City Center that houses Macedonia’s government offices, police department, dispatch center, and fire department.

In October 1997, the fire department moved into its new building. By mid-November, the department was able to start staffing the station 24-7. The Boston Heights Fire Department, needing help staffing its EMS and fire calls, contracted services with the Macedonia Fire Department that would allow them to co-respond to assist or handle Boston Heights’ emergency calls.

2000s

As the department entered the new millennium, the number of calls more than doubled — from 501 calls in 1990 to 1,237 calls in 2000. By the end of the decade, the number of emergency calls topped 1,500.

2010s

On Oct. 1, 2013, Boston Heights ended its 16-year EMS and fire coverage contract with Macedonia. Interestingly, even with their departure, the number of calls the department responded to remain the same.

On Sept. 14, 2016, the Macedonia Fire Department began providing EMS and fire services for Northfield Center and Sagamore Hills townships under a five-year contract. The service agreement expanded the department’s coverage area from 9.5 square miles to approximately 26 square miles. The department went from delivering services from one fire station to three fire stations. The contract allowed for an increase of nine additional full-time firefighters and as many as six additional part-time members. During the first year of the contract in 2017, the department saw an increase in service calls from 1,750 to 3,450.

2020-Present

In September 2021, the City of Macedonia renewed its agreements with Northfield Center and Sagamore Hills by signing 15-year contracts for EMS and fire services with both townships.

Today, the Macedonia Fire Department is staffed with 30 full-time and 23 part-time members. The fleet of vehicles consists of seven fully stocked ACLS ambulances, four engines, one mid-mount aerial tower, one all-terrain four-wheel-drive rescue vehicle, two inflatable rescue boats, two pickup trucks, and four staff vehicles. The number of fire calls for 2020 was 3,830 calls. The department now surpasses the 4,000-call mark, responding to 4,394 incidents in 2022 and 4,367 in 2023.