Salina Post, in partnership with the Smoky Hill Museum, is proud to present Flashback Friday. Enjoy a weekly tidbit of local history from the staff at Salina Post and the Smoky Hill Museum as we present "Salina-Flashback Fridays"
By SALINA POST
This week's Flashback Friday takes us to the heart of the City of Salina-downtown.
Built in 1917 on the southwest corner of 5th and Ash Street, the Fire-Police building was a place all about innovation, action, and keeping Salina safe. The fire department moved into the building in 1918, answering 43 alarms that year.
Following the industrial revolution of the mid to late 1800s fire fighters were graced with new technologies to help them put out fires in an ever-growing city.
Technologies such as the internal combustion engine, the electric pump, call boxes, and geographic addressing helped fire departments in their sworn duty to protect life and property.
Buildings were also being constructed using new materials. Instead of wood, wool, and cotton as fuels, firefighters were faced with new building materials like steel, aluminum, nylon, and artificial rubber.
For more than 30 years the department watched over Salina from this location, answering 473 alarms in 1951, when it moved to W. Elm Street.
The building was remodeled for the Police Department, changes included a photography lab on the first floor and a firing range in the basement. The police began operating out of the building in the early 1950s and turned off the lights for the last time in 1969.
The building was torn down in the early 1970s. The remaining site was one of a few earmarked by the Salina Community Theatre for possible construction of the theatre.
In 2022 the Salina Fire Department answered over 3,000 fire-related emergency calls and 6,799 medical-related emergency calls.
Today, there are four fire stations that service the city of Salina.
Fire Station 1 - 222 W. Elm Street
Fire Station 2 - 1110 S. Santa Fe Ave.
Fire Station 3 - 2633 Belmont Blvd.
Fire Station 4 - 669 Briarcliff Rd.