Fire department searches records to find its history

PHIL CAMPBELL — The Phil Campbell Volunteer Fire Department is digging into its past as it works to confirm when the town’s first fire service was officially established. What began as a search for historical records has grown into a broader effort to document nearly a century of local firefighting history and preserve a piece of the community’s story.

Fire Chief Andy Marbutt said the department recently located a vintage fire engine believed to be from the early 1950s. The truck, purchased new in either 1953 or 1954, has remained in Phil Campbell since the day it rolled off the line. Today it sits in storage at an offsite location.

As the department began looking into the truck’s background, another question surfaced. No one could say for certain when the fire department itself was founded.

That question soon became its own project.

Marbutt and others turned to archived newspapers to search for early references. They were able to locate an article from the early 1920s encouraging the creation of a fire department in Phil Campbell. The discovery provided one of the earliest documented clues about the department’s origin.

“We finally found an old entry from 1924 that said this would be a great opportunity to establish a fire department,” Marbutt said. “So, we are right at the 100-year mark from what we understand.”

Clayton Davis, historic resources manager for the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area, said efforts like these play a critical role in preserving local identity. Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area works to conserve, interpret and promote the historic and cultural resources of six counties in northwest Alabama.

“It is important to preserve records because we want to provide a voice to the community,” Davis said. “It’s crucial to the understanding of where a community has been and where it is going in the future.”

Davis said research often presents challenges, particularly when dealing with small towns and volunteer organizations.

“Historically, not everything was recorded,” he said. “Sometimes, the only information you can find on a story is an unconventional minor account.”

While searching through newspapers, the fire department also discovered reports on major fires in Phil Campbell’s past, including coverage of a school fire many decades ago. Direct documentation of the department itself remains limited, but Marbutt said each discovery has helped guide the ongoing research.

“It is common for one part of a story to lead us down a rabbit hole to a larger one,” Davis said.

The 1950s fire engine featured in one of the archived stories was purchased new for $10,000. Marbutt noted the price stands in sharp contrast to the cost of modern equipment.

“That would not even start to buy a fire truck nowadays,” he said. “You are looking at half a million dollars for a new one and that is a low estimate.”

The truck is currently stored in a separate location because the department has no space to house it indoors. Marbutt said the department has grown significantly since he became chief in June 2023, adding several newer trucks and filling the station to capacity. Keeping the vintage truck inside is not possible now.

Despite the challenges, Marbutt said the department is committed to preserving both the truck and the memories connected to it. The hope is to compile a more complete record of the department’s story and share it with the community in due time.

“It is something we want to get right,” Marbutt said. “The history of a fire department tells a lot about the history of the town.”

Davis said community involvement is often essential when records are scarce.

“Local people are a great source. People who have been around a while and forged their own connections.”

The department welcomes community input as it works toward documenting its centennial and planning future recognition events.