Surprise Fire-Medical Department

The Surprise Fire Department, all volunteer, was originally organized in 1960. The Town of Surprise was incorporated into a 1 square mile area bordered by El Mirage Road on the East, Bell Road on the North, Dysart Road on the West and Greenway Road on the South.

The original volunteers responded from the Town Hall on Grand Ave. When there was a fire, the Police Department dispatcher would set off a Civil Defense siren alerting volunteer firefighters. The siren would wale and the volunteers would report to the Town Hall/Fire Station and take the fire engine to the scene. This occurred until 1986 when the Fire Department hired full-time personnel and became radio dispatched.