Mission Statement

The Belgium Fire Department’s mission is to protect life and property from loss, suffering, and damage due to fire, medical, and environmental emergencies within the community through public education, code management, and incident response.

Belgium Fire Deptartment History

The Belgium Volunteer Fire Department was organized in May of 1907. The first officers were: President Nic Reiter, Vice President A. Antoine, Secretary/Treasurer C.J. Hanes, and Fire Chief Peter Thomas.

The members purchased the bell and a 50-gallon horse-drawn hand pumper after the first meeting on May 25, 1907. This pumper is still in possession of the fire department today. The bell tolled for fire calls and is now a monument at Community Park in the Village of Belgium.

The first fire house was 15’ x 20’ shed on Elevator Lane in Belgium built in 1910. In 1936 a new fire house was built on Main Street in the Village of Belgium and still stands today. The current firehouse was built in 1979 and is located at 195 Commerce Street.

The Belgium Fire Department serves approximately a 36 square mile area consisting of the Village and Town of Belgium. The “Mutual Aid Box Alarm System” also known as MABAS, has been a great asset to small communities like Belgium. MABAS is a pre- planned system for calling in neighboring departments to any department that needs assistance. Mutual Aid is called when a major fire or event would require more manpower or additional equipment to help control the fire or event. Surrounding communities respond to the community needing assistance and will stay as long as needed.

Equipment changes have been a steady, ongoing process. A horse-drawn hand pumper was purchased in 1907. A horse-drawn gas engine pumper was added in 1917.

In 1928, a chemical truck was purchased with money donated by the residents of the Village and Town of Belgium.

Through the years additional equipment was purchased. The village acquired a new pumper in 1936 with 1,000’ of 2 ½” hose.

The town added a new high-pressure pumper in 1947. The new pumper could supply 800psi of water pressure and enabled firemen to utilize new fogging techniques which conserved water and reduced water damage.

A new high- and low-pressure pumper was purchased in 1966 which supplied 500gpm (gallons per minute).

A 3,000-gallon tanker replaced a 1,100-gallon tanker in 1970.

A utility truck was purchased in 1964 and was used as the first rescue squad.

Through the years, the Village and Town of Belgium have purchased apparatus to keep the Fire and EMS fleet in top condition.

The most memorable fire in department history was January 20, 1984, when Allen Edmonds Shoe Factory burned down. The subzero temperatures froze up the fire hoses as soon as water entered them. The fire hoses that were frozen had to be transported from the fire scene to the firehouse via a flatbed semi-trailer because they could not be thawed at the scene. The fire destroyed $14 million in equipment and approximately 50,000 pairs of shoes. Despite promises to rebuild on the same site in Belgium, Allen Edmonds eventually rebuilt and moved their operations to Port Washington, Wisconsin.