About the Fire Department
Updated: Dec 15, 2023
History of The Howick Township Fire Department
![Picture1](https://howick.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/Fire-Department/Photos/_920x920_fit_center-center_none_ns/Picture1.jpg)
The Howick Township Fire Department has been serving Howick Township since 1984. From humble beginnings with about thirteen firefighters and an old fuel truck retrofitted into a fire truck that was stored in local barn. Today we have twenty-two firefighters, a Fire Chief, five fire department vehicles, and a fire station located in Gorrie. The core values have remained the same: “ a dedicated group of people who take pride in serving and helping their community through emergency response, public education and community service.”
A brief timeline of the Howick Township Fire Department
- Prior to Howick having a fire department, Howick was provided fire protection through agreements with Wingham, Listowel, Harriston & Clifford.
- 1984/85 The fire department was formed under a joint fire board between Howick Township & the Town of Wingham forming the Wingham & Area Fire Department.
- In 1987 the fire department took over the former Howick Roads/Public Works building in Gorrie. The firefighters did all the renovations required to the building themselves and it reopened as the Howick Fire Station in 1988.
- October 2009: The Wingham & Area Fire Board was dissolved and the Howick Township Fire Department was created. 2 apparatus were purchased from the fire board by the taxpayers of Howick, Pumper 2-4 and Tanker 2-5, along with existing equipment.
- January 2010: The Howick Fire Department logo and crest were designed by a Howick Firefighter
- January 2010: Howick Township named Bill Doig as Fire Chief of the Howick Fire Department.
- 2011: Howick Fire purchased Rescue 2-7, a used Smeal rescue truck from Pennsylvania. This brought the apparatus roster up to 3 trucks for the first time in the department's history and increased our level of service.
- May 12 2010: the “Creamery Fire” on Fordwich Line
- June 2012: Bill Doig retired from the fire department with 28 years of service. Howick Township named Shawn Edwards as the new Fire Chief.
- Sparky joined the team in 2015 thanks to the generosity of the Howick Optimist club.
- June 2020: Howick Fire took delivery of its first brand new truck, Pumper 2-6 an International with custom body from Metalfab Fire Trucks of New Brunswick. This new truck replaced Rescue 2-7.
- October 2020: Howick Fire took delivery of its second brand new truck, Tanker 2-5, a Freightliner with stock body from Dependable Emergency Vehicles of Ontario. This new truck replaced the former Tanker 2-5.
- October 2022: Fire Chief Shawn Edwards left the fire department after 10 years of service. Howick Township named Josh Kestner as the new Fire Chief.
- April 2023: The fire department purchased the former Huron County Mutual Fire Aid Association safety trailer to be used in public education efforts in Howick Township.
Our Current Apparatus
![Howick Firemens pics July 2020 149](https://howick.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/Fire-Department/Photos/_920x920_fit_center-center_none_ns/39877/Howick-Firemens-pics-July-2020-149_2023-11-07-021846_yubj.jpg)
Pumper 2-6
- 2020 International Chassis
- Metalfab Body
- Cummins L9
- Waterous 1050IPGM Pump
- 1000IPG Tank
![Picture2](https://howick.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/Fire-Department/Photos/_920x920_fit_center-center_none_ns/Picture2_2023-11-07-022839_ialy.jpg)
Tanker 2-5
- 2020 Freightliner Chassis
- Dependable Body
- Cummins L9
- Hale 1500IGPM Pump
- 1800IPG Tank
![20230108 132001](https://howick.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/Fire-Department/Photos/_920x920_fit_center-center_none_ns/20230108_132001.jpg)
Pumper 2-4
- 2000 Freightliner Chassis
- C-Max Body
- Caterpillar Diesel
- 1000IPGM Pump
- 800IPG Tank
![20230309 140905](https://howick.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/Fire-Department/Photos/_920x920_fit_center-center_none_ns/20230309_140905.jpg)
Utility 2-1
- 2014 Ram 1500
![20200827 192808](https://howick.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/Fire-Department/Photos/_920x920_fit_center-center_none_ns/20200827_192808.jpg)
UTV - 2
- 2019 CF-Moto UForce 800
Past Apparatus
![1951 Bickle Seagrave 1](https://howick.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/Fire-Department/Photos/_920x920_fit_center-center_none_ns/1951-Bickle-Seagrave-1.jpg)
![1979 Fuel Truck](https://howick.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/Fire-Department/Photos/_920x920_fit_center-center_none_ns/1979-Fuel-Truck.jpg)
![First Pumper](https://howick.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/Fire-Department/Photos/_920x920_fit_center-center_none_ns/First-Pumper.jpg)
![Pumper](https://howick.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/Fire-Department/Photos/_920x920_fit_center-center_none_ns/Pumper.jpg)
![Original 2 5](https://howick.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/Fire-Department/Photos/_920x920_fit_center-center_none_ns/Original-2-5_2024-01-04-202916_zcqf.jpg)
![IMGP0093](https://howick.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/Fire-Department/Photos/_920x920_fit_center-center_none_ns/45754/IMGP0093_2024-01-04-202910_munr.jpg)