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There has been a fire department in Franklin since before the turn of the century. After a disastrous Main Street fire in the 1890's a hand drawn pumper was purchased from the City of Portsmouth, Virginia for $325. A Volunteer Fire Department was then created.
Franklin's Fire Department was not well organized until 1937. Up to this point, the department was very small and lacked equipment. When another fire devastated a portion of Franklin, a Model T Fire Truck, the main apparatus for the Franklin Volunteer Fire Department would not start and the tires were flat. The then Franklin Town Council reorganized the department stating that the Fire Chief and the Line Officers would be appointed by the Town Council and that the Fire Chief would be a town employee. The Town Council also stated that the Town of Franklin would furnish all apparatus, equipment, and materials.
A Fire Training School was set up in the fall of 1937 with Chief Farmer of Petersburg, VA conducting the school. C. H. Dougherty, the Franklin Electric Department Superintendent was reappointed as Chief of the Volunteer Fire Department. A used 1935 Ford Pumper was purchased from the Oren Company of Roanoke and a new 1938 Ford Pumper was placed on order.
In 1945 another Oren Pumper was purchased. This truck had some of the first pre-connected 1 1/2" line in the county. An American LaFrance 1000 gpm pumper was purchased in 1958.
Moving through the years, Chief Dougherty was Fire Chief until his retirement in 1963. Jessie B. Harrison was Fire Chief in 1964 and had to take a medical retirement in the fall. Edwin W. Beale served as Acting Fire Chief before and after Chief Harrison.
In 1965 James M. Wagenbach was hired as Fire Chief and Building Inspector. In 1967 when the Federal Government passed the Highway Safety Act, it decreed that anyone responding to an Emergency Medical Emergency had to be First Aid trained. The local funeral homes went out of the ambulance business and Franklin Fire and Rescue was officially born on August 1, 1967.
As time passed, Franklin Fire and Rescue upgrade apparatus and equipment. An American LaFrance 1000 gpm Pioneer was purchased in 1970. Another American LaFrance (our current Engine-3) was added in 1980.
A 1250 gpm Pierce Pumper/Tanker (Engine-5) was added in 1995. A Grumman 95' Aerial Cat 1500 gpm Quint was purchased in 1989. By 1997, Franklin had 4 engines, 1 ladder truck, 1 rescue truck, a brush truck, a boat and 4 ambulances.
James M. Wagenbach retired as Chief of Emergency Services in 1998 and John Daniel Eggleston was hired.
In Septmeber of 1999, Hurricane Floyd hit the southeastern Virginia region and flooded the downtown area of Franklin, destroying Downtown Station 1 (the Public Safety Building). The department, as well as the city, have overcome this event and grown into a professional and modern Fire & Rescue organization.
In April 2002, Chief John Daniel Eggleston resigned from Franklin Fire and Rescue and was hired as the
Albemarle County Chief of Emergency Services. Vince Holt became Chief of Franklin's Emergency Services on June 17, 2002.
At present, the Franklin Fire & Rescue Department employs 12 career staff and approximately
40 active volunteers and junior Fire Cadets. We operate out of Downtown Station 1 and Pretlow Auxiliary Station 1A. We deploy 3 Pumper/Engines, 1 Ladder Truck, 1 Heavy Rescue truck, 1 Technical Rescue/Support trailer, a Rescue Boat,
Brush truck, and
4 Medic/EMS Units. Our department responds to approximately 2500 calls per year.
  
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