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It all started on a cold night in February 1927, when a small group of individuals gathered together to discuss a great need in the community - the need for a fire department. Up to that point, the towns of Gates and Chili were not protected by any fire organization. All they could rely on were neighbors with buckets. But with the growing population in these towns, it was obvious that a fire department was necessary and this gathering was the beginning. Within a week of that first meeting, an official department was established with a membership of 26 volunteers. A horse drawn chemical truck and a horse drawn hose cart were donated by local farmers. They even placed a siren on top of the barn where they stored the horses to call the volunteers. So was the birth of the Gates-Chili Volunteer Fire Department.

In 1929, Gates purchased it's first motorized truck, but had to keep it in a shed on the side of a grocery store for lack of a firehouse. It wasn't until two years later that an old schoolhouse was purchased and remodeled by the volunteers to become the first official fire station in the Town of Gates.

From those modest beginnings, the Gates-Chili Fire Department has grown to become the epitome of a modern firefighting unit. With three stations, (Station #1 at 2355 Chili Avenue, Station #2 at 2215 Long Pond Road and Station # 3 at 22 Coldwater Road), 11 trucks and up to 150 volunteer members, our department is not only one of the busiest, it also handles the largest variety of calls in the area. Calls ranging from car accidents to water rescue, industrial fires to airport emergencies, are all in a day's work. The Fire Department is also a back up for the 911 Emergency Response Center.  That's not to mention fire prevention and suppression in the homes, schools and businesses of the district in which we serve.

The Gates Fire District has a career fire chief, 16 career firefighters and 4 career Lieutenants.  Station 1 has career fire fighters on duty 24 hours a day.  Station 3 has career fire fighters on duty from 6AM until 6PM every day.  The rest of the time we are staffed by volunteers.  Personnel at the fire hall maintain property, equipment and dispatch apparatus.

It is the community which created this department seventy-five years ago.  It is your neighbors who volunteer their time and efforts to make it work. Please remember that it is only with help from the community that we may continue for another seventy-five years!