Rossville Fire Department
360 Morrison Rd
Rossville, TN 38066
(901) 853-3976 (901)-854-3976 fax
Fire Chief E-mail: sammy602@msn.com

The Rossville Fire Department is a volunteer department serving the town of Rossville and outside the city limits of Rossville. We also run a mutual aid agreement with surrounding towns when needed. An example of “mutual aid” is when we have a house fire we would have to call two other departments. All surrounding departments would also do this because of having volunteer departments also. As Rossville continues to grow our department makes more calls. In 2010 we made 310 calls. In 2009 we made 245 calls. In 2008 we made 255 calls.

Mission Statement

The Rossville Fire Department is a service that is provided to the community of Rossville and surrounding areas, with fire and medical emergency services, to the scope of our care.

We believe in:

Teamwork
Having an attitude of professionalism 
Keeping up with the latest training
Listening and learning from others

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Fire Chief Sammy DeVore

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chief DeVore joined the Rossville Fire Department in 1998 just to give the fire department some help for a little while. At the time there were only two people making calls on the Fire Department. After Chief DeVore’s first call he was hooked on the “rush” he got when the fire tones went off. Chief DeVore worked his way up on the roster and in 2005 he was made Chief of the Rossville Fire Department. Chief DeVore is married to Angie DeVore who is also on the Rossville Fire Department. They have been married for 12 years and have one son nine years old. Chief DeVore and Angie also run their own company when they not participating in Fire Department Activities.

 

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Frequently Asked Questions:

During a fire or medical emergency who do I call?

In the event of any emergency call 911!

Can I burn in the city limits of Rossville?

No, open burning in the City Limits of Rossville.
Town code#

How can I talk with the Fire Chief?

You can call our direct line and leave a message for Chief DeVore at (901) 853-3976 due to the fact that Chief DeVore is volunteer he may or may not be at the station at all hours of the business day.

Can I burn in my outside fireplace?

Yes, as long as it is covered and watched.

Do I need a Fire Report for Insurance?

Yes, if you are going to claim any damage done by a fire to your insurance you must have a fire report. You will need to request a report to Chief DeVore or the Fire Department secretary. It usually takes Chief DeVore two-three days to do a report, depending how busy the department is with paper work.

 

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History of the Rossville Fire Department

On June 22, 1956 a special call meeting was held with the Mayor and the board of aldermen in the Bank. The meeting was called for the purchase of buying a new fire truck. This had been discussed in other meetings. Mr. Murray brought up in a proposal to purchase a new engine from Darley and Co of Chicago.  Figures for the truck were approximately $5000.00 plus a chassis. A motion was made by A.K. Morrison to get low bids on the chassis. In 1956 The Rossville Fire Department received their first engine. 
It was a night in 1956 when the Rossville Fire Department was alerted by a siren on the water tower that there was a fire call. They did not have any type of radio system then.  A house on Main St. having three floors was on fire. (Mayor Waller, who was also on the fire department lived across the street from the house that was on fire) Mayor Waller went and got the new engine from the fire department. The firefighters that night fought the fire in their pajamas. The firemen that night saved the house minus the third floor. Today this house is still in Rossville’s Historic District known as the Bowling-Spencer House. The engine was a great investment Rossville made that night at the town meeting.   Rossville does not have an exact date of this fire due to the Fayette County Court house having a fire and records being destroyed. The current firefighters still here stories today about how these firemen fought that fire that night with the new engine. This story is combined from former firemen who fought the fire that night and a records book that was salvaged from the Fayette County Court house.
The 1956 Engine that was purchased by Darley and Company in 1956 is still housed at The Rossville Fire Department. The 1956 engine has been replaced over the years by updated engines. The Rossville Fire Department honors the engine as its first engine. The 1956 engine currently is used as a parade truck and shown during The Historic Home Tour. It is currently Rossville’s oldest truck.