The Daviess County Fire Department will be ringing in the new year by paying homage to the past. A project spearheaded by Firefighter Stephen Bell, DCFD will be burying a time capsule in front of the brand new airport fire station.
The idea to bury a time capsule has been in Bell’s mind over the years, he said. After noticing Owensboro Police Department’s lobby had a display of firearms from decades past and taking a look at other fire stations that incorporated historical pictures and pieces of equipment, Bell wanted to do the same thing for DCFD.
The time capsule was made possible through a grant DCFD can apply for every 40 years, he said.
“Our fire departments have changed so much, and kind of rapidly,” Bell said. “From the gloves we use, to the technology, there’s been so many changes that are worth remembering.”
Bell plans to put different articles inside the capsule, a set of fire gloves and one of the current radios used by DCFD today.
“I received some handwritten notes from [former] Chief [Dwayne] Smeathers — they talk about things he’s encountered, things to think about, what he’s expecting, and there’s a letter from the new chief going in there too,” Bell said.
Bell will also bury about 180 different pictures taken at scenes DCFD had involvement in, including fires, car wrecks and station life. There’s also a picture of every fire truck DCFD operates right now.
“Stuff that I feel would change in 40 years,” Bell said.
The time capsule was built by members of the fire department and was made of hardened plastic and a 12-inch pipe. Bell will use a vacuum sealer to keep the pictures and articles in good condition. DCFD had to cut the capsule in half, from four feet to two feet. It will be buried below the frost line, between 18 and 36 inches deep.
“It’s going to have plenty of room. After the research I’ve done, I’ve never heard of another fire department burying a time capsule,” he said. “My aspirations are, 40 years from now, they’ll dig ours up and bury their own. Fire departments are all about tradition, and we don’t have a whole lot around here, so I’m starting a legacy cabinet and trying to create new traditions for us.”
