In the early days of Barberton, citizens had little protection from the threat of fire. During the winter, homes were heated with coal furnaces, which was a particular source of concern in a city with no formally organized fire department. At the time, the five factories located within the city maintained their own fire departments to protect against major industrial accidents, but also bore the responsibility of protecting residents. Each factory was equipped with hand-drawn hose carts and used water from Lake Anna and the canal to extinguish blazes. In March of 1893, a fire broke out at the Kirkham Art Tile Co. located on Baird Ave., present day Wooster Rd. W., along the canal. A small blaze began over the engine room and within a few hours completely overtook the building. Relief fire fighters from Akron arrived, but the building was a loss. The destruction of Kirkham was a great blow to the city, prompting the formation of the city’s first organized volunteer fire team. Despite the completion of water mains throughout much of the city, fires continued to prove a challenge for the volunteers. A fire at O.C. Barber’s American Strawboard in New Portage in 1894 was more than the firemen could handle. In 1895, an ordinance was passed to organize a fire department with a chief, an assistant and 18 additional men. The first station house was actually a storage building for housing the hand-drawn hose and ladder carts, rather than a place for the men to await an alarm. It was not until 1903 that the mayor signed a resolution for a municipal fire station. The station was constructed in 1904 to accommodate the fire fighters and the two teams of horses purchased to lead the hose carts. This original station still stands on Wooster Rd. W. and is the home of Barberton Printcraft. Motorized trucks were put into commission in 1912 and the teams of horses retired. A fire the previous year threatened much of downtown Barberton, destroying several blocks and exposing the city’s insufficient water supply. Akron firefighters joined the battle against the blaze, along with a salesman who had been demonstrating a new, state of the art water pumper. City Council immediately asked for funds to purchase the new equipment and provide better protection for such widespread fires. Barberton’s rapid growth led to the purchase of more equipment and additional firemen to protect the expanding city. By the mid-1900s, the department had installed telephone switchboards along with radio communication to improve fire reporting and response time. Over the years, improved equipment was purchased as the department continued to grow. Today, the Barberton Fire Department employees more than 40 fulltime employees and operates two fire stations as the second largest department in the city.