History

Ocean City ~ Wright Fire Control District Fire Chiefs past to present;

Chief Maurice Sansom – 1966 - 1982

Chief James Cobb- 1982 - 1993

 Chief Guy Wills- 1993 - 2003

 Chief Randy Brown- 2003 - 2008

 Chief Billy Lord- 2008 - Present

In 1961, citizens on the north side of Ft. Walton Beach realized the need for a fire department to serve their area.  At that time the only fire department in town was located in the City of Fort Walton Beach.  After much planning, these citizens were successful in their efforts and the Ocean City ~ Wright Fire Control District was established in July of 1962. 

The department’s first apparatus was an engine/tanker which was constructed from an old converted gas tanker.  They placed a homemade piston pump onto the tanker for the department’s first fire pump.  This engine/tanker was housed at the corner of Racetrack Rd. and Eglin Pkwy at Vern’s Shell Gas Station.  The district was manned solely by volunteers working out of Vern’s gas station for the next few years. 

The department’s original dispatch mode was comprised of a tier system.  Until the 80’s, every department had its own seven digit number for taking emergency calls.  The emergency calls for the Ocean City-Wright Fire District would go to Vern’s family home located in the rear of the gas station.   Once the call came in, the family would call four other volunteers.  Then the wives of those volunteers would call four others until all of the volunteers were contacted.  This system worked well for the department which was funded only by donations from citizens of the district.    

In 1985, after the 911 system was adopted in the area, the department started to dispatch for themselves as well as the Okaloosa Island Fire District.  By 1991, the department was handling the dispatching for Okaloosa Island, Mary Esther, Florosa, Destin, Fort Walton Beach, North Bay, and Niceville fire departments.  The original dispatch center was housed out of the main station on Racetrack Rd. until 1989 when the center was moved into Fort Walton Beach station 7 on Lewis Turner Blvd.  From 1989-2000 the department continued to control dispatch until it was taken over by Okaloosa county and moved to Crestview, Florida.     

In the Mid 60’s the department purchased its first certified fire engine, a Jayco engine out of Mobile, AL.  When the department was looking into the specs for the engine, NFPA and the Federal DOT were thinking of changing the color of Fire apparatus from red to white because white was more visible in traffic.  With the possible changing of the apparatus color to white, the department decided to go ahead and change the truck to white now instead of having to paint a new engine later.  When the truck was completed and en-route from Mobile, Fire Chief Sansom and Capt. John Johnston went to meet the truck when it got to Mary Esther.  The Chief jumped into the new truck and started to drive to the station when they received a structure fire call at the intersection of Thornhill Rd. and Newcastle Dr. The Fire Chief immediately responded to the fire in the new engine. 

In 1966 the growth of the community mandated that the district have its own fire station.  On August 6, 1966, the department moved into the new main station at the intersection of Racetrack Rd. and Mooney Rd.  After moving into the new headquarters station, the department placed the first full time employee on duty, Chief Moe Sansom.  After moving into the new station, the department needed to establish manning of dispatch 24/7.  The department decided to offer a deal to any couple that was willing to live at the station for free in exchange for working dispatch.  The department had a few couples that stayed at the station until dispatch became a paid position for the south end of Okaloosa County.

In October 1975 the department transitioned into a combination paid/volunteer department when its first full-time firefighters were placed on-line manning station one with two firefighters per shift.  Ten years after the completion of station one in 1966, station two was completed on Eglin Pkwy in Shalimar in 1976.  The department manned only station one until 1980 when additional firefighters were placed on-line to man station two with two firefighters.

In the late 70’s the department wanted to improve its rescue capabilities by trying to purchase a Jaws of Life unit, but the department didn’t have the funds available.  The department members went to the community for donations.  After a few months of hard work the department received enough money to buy the unit.  Ocean City ~ Wright was the first department in the area to have the new life saving extrication equipment.  After two months of having the Jaws of Life, the department received its first extrication call.  Fort Walton FD had a motor vehicle accident at the intersection of Eglin Pkwy and Walter Martin where the vehicle hit and wrapped itself around a power pole.  When Fort Walton arrived on scene they immediately called for the Jaws of Life.  The department still has its original Jaws unit and it is still in operation today on engine three.

Around 1980 the department continued to add personnel until the department transitioned into a fully paid department in 1985 under the leadership of Fire Chief James Cobb.  From 1975 to 1985 the firefighters worked on a 24 on/24 off schedule with a Kelly day.  Ten years after the completion of station two in 1976 the department needed to expand its coverage to the west side of town due to the large expansion in the Wright area of town.  In 1986 the department opened its third station on Oak St.  Chief Cobb was instrumental in the opening of station three.  The department now had three stations with three firefighters per station working on a 24 on/48 off schedule.

In 1982 the firefighters organized and established the International Association of Fire Fighters Union Local 2879.   

In 1983 the department purchased its first aerial ladder truck from Sutphen Company in Columbus, Ohio.  This new 100 foot ladder truck was top of the line in the 1980’s and the department kept this truck in service until 2007 when the department received a grant to replace the 24 year old apparatus under the leadership of Chief Randy Brown with another Sutphen 100 foot aerial ladder.

Chief Guy Wills made major improvements to the stations by upgrading kitchen appliances, installing new flooring, and hanging wall decorations, with many of the frames hand made by Chief Wills himself.  He also installed three large glass showcases in the training room which displays a large collection of fire department patches from the world over.  Under Chief Wills leadership, the district was awarded an ISO rating of three.

With the death of Chief Wills in 2003, the departments Honor Guard team was formed under the direction of Fire Chief Randy Brown.  The Honor Guard team is still active today and performs in many functions like flag ceremonies and funerals of past and present firefighters around the area.

In 2006 Capt. Daniel Friel became the first firefighter to retire from the department’s retirement plan.  Capt. Friel was one of the first line firefighters hired in 1975.  Two years later in 2008, Ocean City ~ Wright saw eight more firefighters retire from all different ranks within the department. 

On October 1, 2008, under the direction of Chief William Lord, the Ocean City ~ Wright Fire Department increased their level of service by offering Advanced Life Support services to the citizens of the fire district.  The ALS program provides a Paramedic on the fire apparatus as well as advanced life support on life threatening emergency medical calls.    

February 3, 2010, The department expanded its ALS services from only one engine to two apparatus.  The expansion to Shalimar increased the departments medical capabilities for the citizens of the district. 

At the present time the department operates out of the same three stations with 1 Fire Chief, 1 ALS Division Chief, 3 Battalion Chiefs,  1 Fire Marshall/Inspector, 1 Fire Inspector, 1 Financial Manager, 1 Office Administrator, and 33 on-line fire personnel.    

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