History
For more than 50 years, the Lee Fire Department has stood ready to assist the citizens of Lee. Ours is a tradition that began in the late 1940s with a group of men dedicated to helping their neighbors in times of need. Those were tumultuous years for a fledgling department beset by enough intrigue to fill a dime store novel. After a while, it became apparent to the members that a new method of operation was essential if the Department was to properly serve the townsfolk. Tired of constantly worrying about resources, they decided to approach the town and ask for help.
During the 1950 Town Meeting, residents voted to accept the Department’s equipment and to fund its operation. Interestingly enough, while the townspeople voted to accept the resources of the Department, the town did not provide funding for a station. Undaunted by this turn of events, members of the Department set about to build their own station with lumber cut from town property. It was this "can do" spirit that laid the foundation for future members.
Since its inception, the primary mission of the Department has been fighting fires. Hundreds of acres of undeveloped land made the town susceptible to forest and wild-land fires, and this - combined with residential and commercial building fires - was of principal concern to the early volunteers. As the town grew and surrounding communities developed, an increase in motor vehicle traffic meant the Department was responding to rising numbers of motor vehicle accidents. For years, these accidents dominated the Department's call volume. Over time, the Department’s mission has expanded further to include hazardous materials mitigation, water rescue, ice rescue, and medical aid.
Today’s Lee Fire & Rescue is technically referred to as a "Call Department." Members are paid annually for the number of calls they respond to over the course of the year. But if you were to ask any member of the Department why he or she is willing to stand in harm's way, the answer would have nothing to do with financial gain - it would center on the desire to help others in their times of greatest need.
