100 Years Of Service Celebrated At McLean Volunteer Fire Department

MCLEAN, VA — The McLean Volunteer Fire Department is celebrating its 100-year anniversary of providing service to the community by honoring a culture of volunteerism at the McLean station.

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department partners with the McLean Volunteer Fire Department, at 1455 Laughlin Ave., on providing public safety to the McLean community.

The first career paid firefighter in Fairfax County — Sam Redmond — served at the McLean VFD. The first female volunteer firefighter in the county — Lisa Gillette — served at the fire station.

The first modular ambulance, the first medic unit and the first tower ladder were put into service at the McLean VFD, according to McLean VFD Chief John Hootman.

“The volunteers are truly a reflection of the entire Northern Virginia area, from government and industry executives, school teachers, medical professionals, lawyers, trades, drivers, etc.” Hootman said in a video celebrating the station’s 100-year anniversary.

“So, it really is a blending of the community into the firehouse,” he said. “And that also allows us to bring unique skills that the fire and rescue department doesn’t necessarily have at their fingertips that they can access and help to further supplement the mission of our fire and rescue department.”

The McLean VFD celebrated its centennial with a banquet last weekend that included Chief John Butler of the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, Jeff McKay, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors chairman, and John Foust, Dranesville district supervisor.

In the video celebrating the 100-year anniversary, former McLean VFD Chief Clyde Clarke said when he first started at the station, it handled 7,000 calls a year. Now the station handles about 7,000 calls a month.

“Because volunteers couldn’t handle that workload, they increased the number of career staff,” said Clarke, who stepped down as the McLean department’s chief in 2009.

Gus Sawatzki, assistant chief at the McLean VFD, noted that the station has provided fire service for 100 years. But EMS, or emergency medical services, only started as a profession in the 1970s. “In that sense, it’s still a young and budding profession,” Sawatzki said.

In 1970, the McLean VFD placed into service a Peter Pirsch AT 41 pumper that was equipped with a 750 gallon per minute pump and carried 400 gallons of water. The open cab truck remained in service until 1986.

Today, the fire truck, affectionately called the Pirsch, is used in parades and drives around neighborhoods in McLean in December with Santa and his helpers on top to celebrate Christmas.

R.J. Fogelson, director of EMT at McLean VFD, said the department is “incredibly diverse” and “passionate.”

“It’s an amazing group of people from literally all walks of life who come together in common purpose as a team to provide life-saving services to the community. It is such a great family to be a part of,” Fogelson said.