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As of 2021, Hoover Fire Department has eleven fire stations.  The department attempts to keep all homes in Hoover within five miles of a fire station.
As of 2021, Hoover Fire Department has eleven fire stations.  The department attempts to keep all homes in Hoover within five miles of a fire station.


=== Hoover Fire Station No. 1 ===
* [[Hoover Fire Station No. 1]]: 1953 [[Braddock Circle]] in [[Green Valley]] behind [[Hoover Court Shopping Center]] (1965)
Station No. 1 is located at 1953 [[Braddock Circle]] in [[Green Valley]] behind [[Hoover Court]]. This land in [[1962]] was behind the [[Employers Insurance headquarters|headquarters building]] for [[Employers Insurance Companies]] and was donated by owner [[William H. Hoover]] for the Hoover Volunteer Fire Department to store their fire truck and equipment in a temporary structure. The fire district approved the construction of a permanent building in [[1965]], which consisted of two bays, a kitchen area and sleeping area. The original structure has been altered several times, although most of the original building is still in use. This building was used as the city hall and police station shortly after [[Hoover]] was incorporated in [[1967]].


=== Hoover Fire Station No. 2 ===
* [[Hoover Fire Station No. 2]]: 1591 [[Patton Chapel Road]] (original 1976, rebuilt 2007)
Station No. 2 is located at 1591 [[Patton Chapel Road]]. The original Station No. 2 was a 2500-square-foot building built in [[1976]] on [[Chapel Lane]] at Patton Chapel Road.  At the end of April [[2007]], firefighters moved to a new, 6000-square-foot station just 300 feet away from the original station.  The old station was demolished so that [[Preserve Parkway]] could be extended to a new four-way intersection at Patton Chapel Road and Chapel Lane.


As of 2007, twelve firefighters, three per shift, were assigned to the station, which was the maximum capacity of the original station.  The current station can house up to ten firefighters per shift.
* [[Hoover Fire Station No. 3]]: 803 [[Riverchase Parkway West]] in [[Riverchase]] (1981)


=== Hoover Fire Station No. 3 ===
* [[Hoover Fire Station No. 4]]: 800 [[Municipal Drive]] near the [[Hoover City Hall]] (1988)
Station No. 3 is located at 803 [[Riverchase Parkway West]] in [[Riverchase]] and was opened in December [[1981]] on the site of a vacant doctor's office, across from the former fire station for the Riverchase Fire District, which was annexed into Hoover in 1980. The volunteers from Riverchase, as well as eight other firefighters, were hired to man the station. An additional engine company was added to Station No. 3 in [[1987]] while Station No. 4 was being built, and was moved upon the new station's completion.


=== Hoover Fire Station No. 4 ===
* [[Hoover Fire Station No. 5]]: 588 [[Park Avenue (Bluff Park)|Park Avenue]] in [[Bluff Park]]  
Station No. 4 is located at 800 [[Municipal Drive]] near the [[Hoover City Hall]] and was built in [[1988]] to house Engine Company 4, which had previously been housed at Fire Station No. 3.


=== Hoover Fire Station No. 5 ===
* [[Hoover Fire Station No. 6]]: 310 [[Edna Road]] in [[Deer Valley]] (1988)
Station No. 5 is located at 588 [[Park Avenue (Bluff Park)|Park Avenue]] in [[Bluff Park]]. In December [[1985]] the [[Bluff Park Fire District]] was annexed into the city which added a fifth Engine Company and second rescue unit. The Bluff Park Fire District was well established and experienced in firefighting and emergency medical service. When Bluff Park Fire District was annexed, it was the oldest fire district in the State of Alabama. All District employees were brought into Hoover Fire Department carrying with them their full seniority, including future chief [[Chuck Wingate]]. Most members were paramedics as well.


=== Hoover Fire Station No. 6 ===
* [[Hoover Fire Station No. 7]] :100 [[Inverness Parkway]] in [[Inverness]] (1994)
Station No. 6 at 310 [[Edna Road]] in [[Deer Valley]] was opened in July [[1988]] to cover the western end of Hoover, adding eleven personnel to the department at the time. Prior to the [[2021]] opening of Station No. 11, the station covered a 14 square-mile section of western Hoover, with some residences in [[Shelby County]] served by an agreement with [[Helena Fire Department]]; afterwards the area was reduced to seven square-miles, covering communities along [[South Shades Crest Road]], [[Shelby County Highway 93]] and [[Shelby County Highway 13]] (south of [[Shelby County Highway 52]]).


=== Hoover Fire Station No. 7 ===
* [[Hoover Fire Station No. 8]]: 121 [[Village Street]] in [[Lee Branch]]
Station No. 7 is located at 100 [[Inverness Parkway]] in [[Inverness]]. As part of Hoover's [[1990]] annexation agreement of the commercial area of Inverness, a temporary fire station was built off Inverness Parkway near [[Lake Heather]] by using an old trailer and a shed to house Engine Company 7 and Rescue 42. The permanent Station No. 7 was built in [[1994]] at the end of Inverness Parkway and [[Valleydale Road]].


=== Hoover Fire Station No. 8 ===
* [[Hoover Fire Station No. 9]], 1150 [[Legacy Drive]] in [[Greystone]] (2009)
Station No. 8 is located at 121 [[Village Street]] in [[Lee Branch]].


=== Hoover Fire Station No. 9 ===
* [[Hoover Fire Station No. 10]]: 3537 [[Market Street]] in [[Ross Bridge]] (2015)
Station No. 9, located on Legacy Drive in [[Greystone]], opened in August [[2009]].  The station is equipped with a natural gas generator, a hose tower for drying hoses, and a cardio and weight room.  It also houses an Advanced Life Support-equipped fire engine.


=== Hoover Fire Station No. 10 ===
* [[Hoover Fire Station No. 11]]: [[Trace Crossings]] (2021)
Station No. 10 is located at 3537 [[Market Street]] in [[Ross Bridge]]. Prior to 2014, a fire truck was stored near the location to service the area. The land for the station was donated to Hoover by Ross Bridge's developer, [[Daniel Ross Bridge LLC]]. The [[Hoover City Council]] allowed a temporary station to be constructed in [[2014]] and it included a 20-by-50-foot bay that houses an aerial ladder truck and a double-wide modular building that served as living quarters and an office for the firefighters. The modular building included three bedrooms, a bathroom and a common area that included a kitchen, living room and desk for a computer. The permanent station was completed in [[2015]].
 
=== Hoover Fire Station No. 11 ===
Station No. 11 was opened in [[2021]] in [[Trace Crossings]]. Due to the growth of western Hoover, the coverage area for Station No. 6 was split in half, with Station No. 11 covering [[Alabama Highway 150]] on the east side of [[Interstate 459]] all the way to [[Hoover Toyota]], including calls in [[Trace Crossings]] and [[Blackridge]].


== External links ==
== External links ==
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* Anderson, Jon (December 9, 2019) "Hoover breaks ground for 11th fire station in Trace Crossings." ''Hoover Sun''
* Anderson, Jon (December 9, 2019) "Hoover breaks ground for 11th fire station in Trace Crossings." ''Hoover Sun''


[[Category:Hoover|Fire Department]]
[[Category:Hoover Fire Department|*]]
[[Category:Fire and rescue]]

Latest revision as of 16:28, 6 November 2023

HooverFD.png

The Hoover Fire Department is responsible for responding to fires, medical, and hazardous material spills in Hoover. The department consists of approximately 150 emergency responders assigned to eleven fire stations throughout the city. In addition to the main department, there is also the Hazardous Material Response Unit and the Fire Prevention Bureau, which consists of 5 personnel who oversee inspections and related matters. The fire chief is Clay Bentley and department headquarters are located at 2020 Valleydale Road at the Hoover Public Safety Center.

History

Hoover's Fire Department began in 1962, almost five years before the city's incorporation, as the Hoover Volunteer Fire Department, with chief Ralph Sheppard and fire district president Del Hyche. Hyche and Sheppard approached William H. Hoover about where to store their first fire truck, a 1944 Mack, purchased from the Birmingham Fire Department, and firefighting equipment. Hoover donated land behind his Employers Insurance Company building off Montgomery Highway in Green Valley, which eventually became part of Hoover Court. Hoover Fire Station No. 1 stands in that location today.

In 1968, Chief Sheppard hired the fire district's first full time firefighters in order to improve the area's insurance rating, which improved to Class 6. By 1972, the department consisted of six paid and 15 volunteer staff. By 1978 the insurance rating had improved to a Class 5, by 1981 improved to Class 4, by 1983 improved to Class 3, and by 1989 improved to Class 2. The department was resurveyed in 1999 and remained Class 2.

In 1976 the city took over the full time operation of the department and its employees and hired the first full-time Fire Chief Tom Bradley, who served until his retirement in 2009. He was replaced by battalion chief Chuck Wingate, who began his firefighting career at age 17 for the Bluff Park Volunteer Fire Department, which transfered to Hoover Fire upon the area's annexation in 1985. During Wingate's tenure as chief, the department achieved a Class 1 insurance rating in May 2017, and Wingate retired that August.

Fire stations

As of 2021, Hoover Fire Department has eleven fire stations. The department attempts to keep all homes in Hoover within five miles of a fire station.

External links

References

  • "OK of 9th Hoover fire station will improve response time." (September 27, 2006) The Birmingham News
  • Batson, Roger, Jr (May 2, 2007) "New fire station opens off Patton Chapel Road." The Birmingham News
  • Batson, Roger, Jr. (May 9, 2007) "Fire department reputation glows with training, assets." The Birmingham News
  • Jones, Amy (August 23, 2009) "Hoover celebrates new Fire Station No. 9." Shelby County Reporter. Accessed August 26, 2009.
  • Staff (February 3, 2014) "Council moves ahead with Ross Bridge fire station plans." Hoover Sun
  • Anderson, Jon (March 11, 2014) "Hoover opens temporary Fire Station No. 10 in Ross Bridge". The Birmingham News
  • Anderson, Jon (May 16, 2017) "Hoover Fire Department earns Class 1 insurance rating." Hoover Sun
  • Anderson, Jon (August 7, 2017) "Hoover fire Chief Chuck Wingate to retire Aug. 31." Hoover Sun
  • Anderson, Jon (December 9, 2019) "Hoover breaks ground for 11th fire station in Trace Crossings." Hoover Sun
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