A Tradition of Protecting Life and Property
The Fulshear Fire Department was founded in 1963 after a fatal house fire in the community. Roy Helwig served as the first fire chief, elected by members of the department. At the time, firefighting equipment was limited to a cattle sprayer owned by a local rancher. The first single bay fire station was built in downtown Fulshear and the first fire truck was purchased from the City of Rosenberg with funds raised by oyster suppers. W.W. “Ug”Dozier was the second fire chief elected. This was the Fulshear Fire Department’s humble beginning.
In 1973, Lee John Bentley Sr. was elected fire chief after a rash of hay barns burned. The department built a 1,000 gallon tank truck with an auxiliary pump to fight fires which replaced the truck purchased from the City of Rosenberg.
In 1974, Lee John Bentley Sr. and Gilbert “Herc” Meier Jr. were the first in the department to attend the Texas Fireman’s Training School at Texas A&M in College Station, TX. This school provided structured training programs to firefighters across the nation. The department was funded through fundraisers such as dances, barbeques, bake sales, and private contributions.
In the summer of 1975, our current fire chief, Gilbert “Herc” Meier Jr. was elected at the age of 17. At this time, the department changed their name to the Fulshear-Simonton Fire Department to reflect the support received from the Simonton area.
FSFD began assisting Fort Bend County E.M.S. as first responders in 1980. At this time, the need for a new fire station arose due to the expansion of the department. The current Station No. 1 located on Fifth St. was built in 1983 on land donated by Lloyd W. Nott and his sister, lifelong resident, Sethora West.
After the Meier’s Fulshear Farms meat market burnt to the ground in the summer of 1984, the department sought more advanced firefighting apparatus. A 1967 1,000 gpm pumper and a 1973 2,000 gallon tanker were purchased by the City of Fulshear to better protect the community.
In 1984, the department assisted in the creation of the Fort Bend County Rural Fire Prevention District No. 1 in order to secure stable funding. This is now the Fort Bend County ESD No. 4.
In 1989 ageing equipment was replaced with a new 1,500 gpm pumper and a new 2,000 gallon tanker.
The second station was built in 1990 in Simonton as part of their City Hall.
In 1993 the volunteer fire department started staffing with part time paid firefighters during the day due to the increase of emergency calls and the lack of availability of volunteers during the work day.
In 2005 the paid staff was increased to two part-time firefighters, 24 hours a day.
In 2010, Station No. 3 located on Fulshear-Gaston road was opened with two firefighters on duty.
Today, the department operates from three fire stations with three 1,500 gpm pumpers, one ladder tower and support vehicles consisting of two 3,500 gallon pumper tankers, one 2,000 gpm pumper tanker, one heavy rescue truck, two 4×4 brush trucks, two high water vehicles, one command vehicle and two reserve pumpers. Our department currently operates with 20 full-time firefighters, 20 part-time firefighters and is in the hiring process to add additional full time staff. There are 5 life member volunteers within the department.
We proudly serve the Cities of Fulshear, Simonton, Weston Lakes and outlying areas of Katy and Richmond.