Russell Fire Department

The Russell area has an unique arrangement. There is the Russell City Fire Department with Marvin Beaty as Chief and the Russell Rural Volunteer Association with 15 directors and George Relph as president. These organizations are independent but they work in close cooperation. This is one of the ver few of this kind of operation in the state and was organized in 1950.

The city department has always tried to answer rural calls but it was felt that a rural association would be a valuable addition and it has worked successfully. It has 130 members. All their trucks are hooked up with the Sheriff’s office and all rural trucks and the rescue unit have two way radios.

Russell’s biggest fire was in March 1929 when the whole south side of Main Street burned. It stated inside the rear of a restaurant on a Sunday afternoon and was far along when Byron Blanchard and William Phippen noticed it. Albia and Chariton answered the call but all the firemen could do was save the buildings across the street and elsewhere as the fire was jumping as far as the lumber yard a block away.

Practically every building caught some fire during the conflagration, but by close cooperation, they saved the rest of the town which observers say would have been totally destroyed. The fire was so hot that every window on the north side of the street broke out.

Each year the Russell organizations put on a banquet – this year was their 17th. The men cook the food except the salads and dessert. These occasions are the great fellowship events of the year for both the firemen and the general public.