The History Of
The Betsy Layne Fire Department

In 1945, Betsy Layne, Kentucky was a small town with little resources. Telephone service did not exist, cable TV was unheard of, and police and fire departments were few and far between. The post-World War II era left many locations seeing developments in public utilities and services. Rural eastern Kentucky was being left behind – not seeing those developments along with most urban populations. But in September 1948, Earl Hays (an agriculture teacher with Betsy Layne High School) wanted to change that. He gathered up several friends and citizens and created the “Betsy Layne Men’s Club” – an organization to outline goals and objectives to achieve for their community.  

A committee was formed and three objectives were created:

Telecommunication advancements in the area

Natural gas service for residents

And local fire protection 

The current fire protection district at the time consisted of Prestonsburg city fire department, which was nearly 20 miles away, or Pikeville fire department nearly 25 miles away in a different county.  

With obvious concerns for fire protection being a top priority, the Men’s Club raised the money themselves and member Glen Blackburn located a surplus army truck. A tank was donated to the club and was mounted to the pumper by local resident. 

With a truck ready for service, the Betsy Layne Men’s Club needed to find a location to park the truck. With yet another citizen donation, the club located a metal building to keep the self-made fire truck out of the weather and to have a location to respond from. Later that same year, the men's club purchased the location for 1500 dollars.  The Department of Transportation later traded the Men's club the deed to the lot for the current location for the construction of U.S. Hwy 23. 

With one of the first fire departments in Floyd County at the time, the Betsy Layne area now had an apparatus to respond to combat fire. With no way to alert its responding members, the club purchased (from Federal Signal Corporation) an outdoor warning siren to be sounded when citizens report a fire. The members would then report to the station and respond in the truck. The siren was bought on credit and with no income, the men’s club decided to yet again donate $50 to pay half of the $100 note on the siren system. 

In just a few short years, the Betsy Layne Men’s club had accomplished a great feat even by today’s standards – going from limited fire protection and no quarters to a homemade pumper and a building to store it in. The group was very focused and dedicated individuals – pushing the envelope to better serve their fellow citizens. The men’s club was making much advancement in other areas as well. Paul Gearhart had started his communications company and natural gas companies were in the beginning stages of supplying customers with service. With publicly supplied water only in the nearest towns of Prestonsburg and Pikeville, the citizens had well or coal bank water to supply their homes, and the fire department had to draft from streams or ponds to refill. That was about to change as well…. 

On March 27, 1961, the discussions began to supply the area with drinking water by extending the main water line from the Floyd-Pike county line to local residents. Men’s club member Jack Branham and citizen Don Bush urged members to continue to get names for a petition to present to the county court. By 1966, the Sandy Valley Water District was formed and supplied residents with sterilized drinking water. Three years later, in 1969, the fire department was presented with the water supply it needed with the installation of fire hydrants along the district. 

With the turn of a new decade brought the turn of new advancements at Betsy Layne. In July of 1970, fire department member Jim George wrote a letter to the Division of Fire Prevention asking for a donation of just over 300 dollars to be made toward the purchase of a new firehouse. The state highway system was blazing through Floyd county and the construction of the new U.S. 23 would yet again take the fire house. Days later, a letter was received informing Betsy Layne that the funds were approved. In March of 1971, the old fire house was sold to the highway department for $5500. The deed was granted to the fire department for its present location.  Afterwards, a 2-bay 2-story fire house was then constructed.  

With a new firehouse (and an empty bay) Betsy Layne had a slot to fill. Population was increasing and fire runs were on the rise. A telephone system had been installed making notifications of fires and calls for service much easier than before. Finally, purchasing a new fire apparatus had been in the works for a while and, on October 21st, 1973, the Men’s club approved the purchase. A brand new 1974 GMC pumper was purchased from Wells Motor Company for just over $5,000 and was delivered on October 26th. It was transported to W.S. Darley in Chicago, Illinois by Jim George for mounting of the pump. The pumper still serves the fire district today and is in service as Engine 1.  A new Ford Econoline van was later purchased as a rescue/auxiliary unit later in the decade. 

Harold resident Eddie Clark joined the department in 1971 and, just 5 short years later, was elected chief of Betsy Layne Fire Department.  Chief Clark still serves in that same capacity today.  

The term Betsy Layne Men’s Club came to an end in 1976 when they were officially incorporated with the commonwealth of Kentucky as the Betsy Layne Volunteer Fire Department. The old men’s club name was no more but the tradition and value that each member possessed still rings true. This time frame saw a spike in membership. At the end of 1976, the roster had grown to more than 35 members – a number that rivals even today’s membership. 

Things were happening fast. New members, new apparatus. With a population growing faster than ever before, and a department always wanting to take care of each and every citizen, Betsy Layne Fire Department was being put under a financial strain. Donations were appreciated but simply could not support a vastly growing population and department. Firefighting isn’t cheap. On July 26th, 1982, a motion was made and carried to attempt to set up a tax district and expand the current protection district going all the way to Ivel on U.S. 23 and up to and included Hurricane Creek inside Pike County. This expansion nearly doubled the protection district – but also doubled the tax income.  
 

In January of 1983, at the age of 16, Eddie Clark’s son, Edward, would join the fire department. He would gain active membership on his 18th birthday and the next several years would see Edward progressing up the ranks to Asst Fire Chief as well as our training supervisor. 

This new revenue opened up new doors of opportunity. A new engine, which is still used to protect lives and property today, was purchased as Engine 2 in 1987.  With advancements in new firefighting technology, self-contained breathing apparatus, additional fire hoses, nozzles, and many more tools were purchased. This allowed the department to improve its insurance services organization or “ISO” rating from an 8 to a 7. This would mean that all residents in the area would see a decrease in insurance rates. Their investment in tax dollars was already being redeemed.  

The beginning of January of 1986 saw yet again purchases in firefighting equipment. For the total sum of $136,632, a pierce arrow custom 1000 gpm triple combination pumper specifically designed for the department and its response area was purchased. A tremendous leap in communications occurred with the purchase of handheld radios. A unit number system was adopted in October and unit numbers 401 through 413 were issued. 

With the purchase of patient extrication equipment in 1990, the unit number system in the years prior, and several other advancements in training and equipment, the Betsy Layne Fire Department experienced one of the proudest moments in vast history. The insurance rating had climbed to a level 4. This would designate Betsy Layne as the first volunteer fire department in the eastern United States to be honored with such a fantastic rating.  

At the end of 1990, the department would host a 12-hour telethon on local TV station WPRG radio at Harold. Community support shined bright as donations totalling over 10 thousand dollars were raised. 

With new engines, a donated truck from the Division of Forestry and space running out, a vast improvement to the fire station was beginning to get underway. With a true volunteer spirit, several members worked vigorously in an attempt to construct the new station addition. The last business meeting was held in the old station on October 28th. 1991. 

The new station was bigger and better than before complete with a kitchen, two training rooms, conference room, bunk room, separate offices for the chief, dispatcher, and quartermaster, a recreation room, a special room to fill air tanks, plenty of storage closets, and two bathrooms. 

Things were going great for Betsy Layne. New equipment, highly respected status, and pushing to be on the forefront of modern firefighting technology, Betsy Layne had great membership and great leaders. However, all the training, and experience could not prepare the firefighters for the year of 1994. The year that is marked with tragedy. 

Despite quick action and valiant efforts, on January 15th, 83yo William “Bill” Hammonds lost his life in a structure fire at Ivel. With no time to cope with the fire related death, on March 11th (just 2 months later), the department was faced again with fire deaths with the loss of 3yo Travis Eugene Caudill and 2yo Cody Nathaniel Jarrell from a structure fire yet again in the Ivel area. Desperation overcome the department. In over 50 years, the department had never had a fire-related death and in the short 2-month time frame, three innocent lives were taken by fire. As any team would, the members stuck together to push onward for better things to come. Better things were not to come however, at least not yet.    

In 1995, nearly one year after losing 3 innocent lives, tragedy struck again. The department suffered through the loss of 23yo David Whayne Kidd in a structure fire on Harold hill on January 22nd. Following these deaths, some members simply could not handle the stress and emotional toll.  The previous year’s active list of twenty dropped to 16 but that would be only temporary.  New members started to arrive and the others than hang tough together formed a very close brotherhood during what to date has probably been the roughest firefighting times this department has had to deal with. 

By the end of October 1996, the red, white, and blue batallions had been formed causing both a fierce competition between the brother firemen as well as it brought more livelihood and morale into the department at a much-needed time.  Although the battalions would last only a short time, it brought us much closer to each other and helped us all understand exactly what teamwork should be all about.

1997 saw several of the firemen, their families, and other members of our community come together for an open house at the station to commemorate the department's 50th anniversary.  Having added the suburban (Unit 6) to our fleet of apparatus just a year beforehand, the fire department would also place bids on an aerial truck.  The idea first sounded a bit absurd and like it would never happen but what once seemed unrealistic become a reality just a year later when Aerial 7 a.k.a. "Big Ed" arrived at our station.     

It was about this time that some of the firemen also started to organize the Betsy Layne honor guard with the first members selected to be Eddie Clark, Edward Clark, Lonnie Ray Allen, Chris Stanley, Tommy Kidd, and Brian White.  Even though the practices were sometimes frustrating we knew we had to get it down to a routine to make it honorable for our fallen brothers and, in June of 2000, the honor guard was called upon to be the pallbearers for former firefighter and longtime member, Jack Branham Jr.  Since that time, they have helped lay multiple brothers to rest in a most distinguishing manner.

During January 2001, a very heroic act was administered by two of our firemen as firefighters Bobby Slone and Tony Meade rescued a civilian from a house fire in the Stanville community.  The elderly gentleman was almost passed out in his living room when the firemen helped get him out of the burning structure.  Tragedy would again strike our department, this time in the Tram community, when we lost our fifth civilian, Randy Boyd, in a December structure fire.

In 2005, Unit 3 arrived on scene and Fire Chief Eddie Clark along with members of our board of trustees started beginning discussion on instituting a reimbursement pay system for the active firefighters.  By July 1st, 2006, the system had been implemented and is still in effect today.

2007 would see the firemen celebrate the department's 60th anniversary in October in the form of an open house.

In 2008, the board of line officers would begin discussions and later establish the Betsy Layne Fire Department Explorer's Program.  A person in the age range of 14 to their 18th birthday would be allowed to apply for participating in this program with the consent of their parent(s).  Myrl Baker was appointed as the instructor of the program and its first two members were Chase Nelson and Danny Keen.  The annual picnic was held in June and several of the firemen won service awards for their time dedicated to the Betsy Layne Fire Dept.  On a most inspiring note, Freddie the Firetruck made his debut at the station in May and he has been a huge asset to not only Myrl's public relation's duties but also to the other members of our dept. as well.  Several schools have called upon Myrl to bring Freddie to their classes for presentation.  Our open house was held on Saturday, October 4th, and the turnout was great!  Several of the firefighters showed the kids and adults our firefighting equipment, a tour of the station, and we all had a good time.  The kids were introduced to Freddie the Firetruck and they listened as he gave them helpful tips about fire prevention.  Eats and drinks were served and the firemen had an opportunity to meet and associate with community members from all around the surrounding areas.  We appreciate your attendance and support as we also hope the kids had a great time.  We thank you everyday!

Although this organization originated as the Betsy Layne Men's Club so many years ago, their 75+ members would also lay a lot of groundwork for today's fire department throughout the next 30 years.  Since that time, over 125 Betsy Layne firefighters have answered the call and another 25 or so have served on our board of trustees.  Twenty-four hours a day/seven days a week, at one point or another we firefighters have individually put it all on the line and risk our lives to help others in this community.  No matter the time, the weather, or the emergency, we are here for you and we do it because we love it. 

As you can clearly see, Betsy Layne has been and will continue to be all about teamwork and continuing dedication.