The Deer Park Community Volunteer Fire Department was founded in 1950. The need for local fire protection was realized after a structural fire resulted in the complete loss of a Deer Park family residence. The first efforts at creating a local fire department were met with non support from the town politicians ... no equipment, no experience, no money. And so, the ground work for the community fire department was undertaken by six dedicated men and their families who literally "hand built" the department from the ground up. Others joined in the initial efforts and soon, Deer Park had its first Engine and station house. Our first Engine was purchased for the sum of $500. from the nearby town of Frostburg, Maryland. It was a 1928 Studebaker Engine with a 550 gpm midships pump and all essential equipment. The station house was an unused two car garage which was donated by one of the founding members. No heat in the station the first year, nor any other comforts for that matter but, the Deer Park Community Volunteer Fire Department was alive, well and, growing...
In 1971, the corner stone for our present station house was placed and, again, most of the labor and much of the materials were provided by department members and the community at large. We now have heat, reasonable comfort, a three bay Engine room, a meeting room for our approximately 45 members, and a hall, complete with kitchen, located above the Engine room.
We average approximately 250 calls per year, with more than half being Emergency Medical calls. Our first due area covers approximately 75 square miles of basically rural country and we run mutual aid with adjoining area departments. Our Department is staffed by some 30 active volunteers who carry out our mission of protecting the life and property of our community and neighbors.