Who founded our department and why? In 1914, spurred by two major disasters, a 7-store business district blaze and the Erie Railroad station fire, township residents decided to form their own formal fire department. Instigators in this movement were Warren Ackerman, Walter Finch, and Millard Cooper (pictured) who met formally with 10 other men December 28th 1914. Some semblance of a local organization was in in existence about 1910 but it was not until May, 1 1915 that 25 men chartered the first official department. Three years later the department came under township jurisdiction. -***information obtained the 50th Anniversary program of the MFD