The year was 1853. Lutherville was just a tiny village north of Baltimore where protecting one’s home or business from fire was left up to the individual homeowner or businessperson; however, in 1909, when Lutherville constructed its first water main, the method of fire protection changed forever. James P. Reese, a respected Baltimore insurance broker and resident of Lutherville, saw how this water main could be instrumental in protecting the community. With the help of members of the Lutherville Community Association, he converted his carriage house, located at the corner of Morris and Francke, into a fire house. A pumper truck with hose reel was purchased and the Lutherville Volunteer Fire Company was founded.

There is something in the spirit of volunteerism that speaks to the essence of the word community. Associations, clubs, churches, and schools need volunteers, yet it often seems there are too few people and hours left at the end of a day to give back. Perhaps that is what makes the Lutherville Volunteer Fire Company so unique. LVFC volunteer men and women fire fighters typically work a regular job during the day. They may be a senior analyst for a major investment firm, a salesperson for a construction company, an orthopedic surgeon, a school teacher, a mechanic, or work in any number of different careers. But when the individual pagers are alerted, or the fire siren is sounded, they come together as one, to face whatever community emergency there may be with ONE overriding mission…to save property and lives even though their own lives may be on the line as well.

Today, new types of emergencies are requiring extensive types of training never before needed. Before being allowed to respond to an emergency, every member is required to have hazardous materials training, classes in blood-borne pathogens, be certified in CPR and complete the specified fire fighting course either through the Maryland Fire Rescue Institute of the University of Maryland or the Baltimore County Fire Rescue Academy. When it comes to training and professionalism there is no difference between a career and a volunteer firefighter. The major difference is that a career firefighter works for the County in County owned fire stations. The volunteer fire companies own their own stations and equipment, saving the County taxpayers on average $3 million per year, and are responsible for all operating expenses up front. The County does, however, subsidize fuel, electric and some maintenance costs,which account for approximately 25% of the operating expenses of a volunteer company.The balance of the costs must be covered by money raised through annual fund drives and other fundraising activities.

It has been nearly 100 years since LVFC’s founding and the communities protected by the fire company has grown by leaps and bounds. Today, the area served encompasses 45 square miles made up of 34 communities over 30,000 residents and hundreds of businesses. In 2001 the fire company responded to 1,642 emergency calls. In 2005 the number of calls increased to 1,904. It is estimated that each year the number of emergency calls will increase by approximately 10%.

Faced with these statistics, the Company’s administrative leadership recognizes the need to address the issues of: Acquiring the most up-to-date emergency equipment to serve the communities we protect…Provide proper facilities to house all our emergency equipment. Set aside an on site area for required continuous weekly fire training…Construct ample storage and recreational facilities, and make available bunk and locker rooms for the volunteer men and women members that need an appropriate place to sleep while at the station and away from their families. Construction costs to accomplish these basic, needed and necessary renovations and construction projects have been estimated at approximately $2,400,000.