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HISTORY
Empire City marked the
centennial year, 1876, by organizing the Empire Volunteer Fire
Department and building a fire house on Main Street to shelter the
shining new hook and ladder wagon complete with a pump cart. The 18
charter members, wearing brightly colored caps and wide leather belts
appropriately inscribed Empire Fire Department practiced rigorously with
their new trappings. Fire calls were few and far between. The hook and ladder
wagon is still existent in a remarkable state of preservation. |
In 1989, the Empire Volunteer Fire Department signed
an intergovernmental agreement with the Clear Creek Emergency Services
General Improvement District (ESD), which was formed in 1988 by the
voters in the unincorporated areas of Clear Creek County. As a
participant with the ESD, Empire contributed to the consolidated fire
protection effort in Clear Creek County through intergovernmental
agreements with Idaho Springs, Georgetown, and Silver Plume.
In 1998 Empire became part of the Clear Creek Fire Authority, which is presently the governmental entity responsible for providing fire protection in Clear Creek County.
As of 2007 the Empire Station houses Engine 3. Engine
3 is a 1974 MAC Pumper with a 1250 gpm pump and a 750 gallon tank and is
currently being used as a backup pumper for the west end of the
district.
All apparatus at Station 3 (Empire Fire Department)
is compliant with all ISO recommended equipment.