City of Hazard Fire Department

02/02/2020

It's okay, we sighed a little too.

01/12/2020

Those who prepared us as firefighters and protected our city.

WSGS Flashback: Hazard Fire Department (1982) Chief Ray Merrill, Alvin Caudill, Earl Smith, Joe Turner, Larry Sizemore, John Fitzpatrick, Sam Caldwell, Bob Williams, David Pierce, Scotty McAllister, Logan Fields, Fred Delph, Kenny Fitzpatrick, C W Begley Mike Hogan Charles Mercer, Rat Bolin, Alvin Caudill Jr.

12/05/2019

It’s the season of giving, get involved and help those in our community that need a little Christmas cheer.

10/19/2019

07/28/2019

Part of the Mountain Firefighter’s Association regional fire school. It’s new and it’s free, get signed up.

This eight-hour awareness-level course is designed to increase the knowledge of first responders in recognizing and characterizing the different types of rail cars, potential leaks, and courses of action to be taken based on initial site assessment. The course will increase participants' knowledge o...

07/21/2019

Heads up, be prepared and please be patient.

05/19/2019

More of the history of our department and our Main Street.

WSGS Flashback: May 19, 1979 - A fire destroyed some historic businesses in Hazard including Stiles Jewelry, which opened in 1915, and Davis Brothers, that was in operation since 1946. The blaze started in the Royal Bar that was sandwiched in between. A greater loss of property was averted with the aid of a snorkel unit supplied by the Whitesburg Fire Department. "I think the fire would have wiped out the entire city block without that snorkel," Hazard Fire Chief Ray Merrill told the Courier Journal. He was referring to the fire truck's bucket that was attached onto a mechanically bending arm (or "snorkel") "We put up every ladder that we had, but they weren't doing any good. The snorkel saved us," he said.

05/19/2019

More history.

Today - WSGS marks the 40th anniversary of a major fire in Hazard, KY., that damaged or destroyed several businesses on May 19, 1979. City Hall and the Hazard Police Department were also gutted by the blaze. View photos of the disaster throughout the day on WSGS Facebook. All images were captured by Paul Gordon and are on the Internet for the first time. The fire broke out at the Royal Bar and quickly spread to Stiles Jewelry and Davis Brother's Kenyon Auto Store, owned by Roscoe and Bill Davis.

03/20/2019

WSGS with another great piece of history.

WSGS Flasback: January 25, 1940 – An explosion, traced to an accumulation of natural gas in a basement well, wrecked the three-story Masonic Building in Hazard, killing Joe Curtis, 21, and injuring many others. Curtis was an employee of the Kentucky and West Virginia Power Company, whose offices occupied the first two floors of the building.

Fire raged through the shattered structure after the blast. Firemen were handicapped by near zero degree weather. (Notice the snow and ice on the street and the steps of the 1st Baptist Church).

Ruby Dagly, 21, another employee, and Hope Harmon, 44, bowling alley manager, were taken to the hospital in critical condition. Others that were injured included Roy Ison, Guin Stidham, Randolph Adams, Doug Barrows, Jacqueline Bullard, and Charles Ison.

Many buildings on both sides of Main Street in Hazard were damaged including the First Baptist Church, the Family Theater, Hazard Gas & Electric, and the Hurst Hotel.

Notice the smoke coming from the windows of the Masonic Building in the photo. You can also see the Hazard Fire Department’s 1924 model Seagrave fire engine was still being utilized in 1940. Believe it or not – this classic vehicle survives today.

03/09/2019

Just a reminder, As daylight savings time comes in and you change your clocks that we recommend you change the battery in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. If they are 10 years old or older, replace them completely. Contact the fire station if you need A new smoke detector and we will even install it for you.

03/01/2019

WSGS Flashback for today

WSGS Flashback: Hazard Firemen Eugene Droopy Grey and Bucky Reynolds in 1958.

11/11/2018

Christmas in a Small town dates.