Culver - Union Township Fire Department 1964 - Present

1974 - Fund Drive Progresses For Fire Department Radio - Jul 18

ANTIQUE RADIO-This old tube radio is still in regular use by the Culver-Union Township Fire Department, despite problems with intelligibility and emergency power consumption. Community businesses and individuals are raising funds for a new transistorized radio because the new high pressure fire truck will use all available funds from the department's equipment budget. Shown operating the radio during the fire call Saturday night {is Donald Mikesell}, when Virgil Reinholt's tractor burned

1974 - Aug 1 - Culver Fire Station Has New Voice
NEW RADI0 INSTALLED

CALLING ALL TRUCKS! James Bonine, of Culver's Bonine funeral Home, Richard Sytsma of Al's TV and Appliances, and Donovan Overmyer, chief of the Culver Union Township fire Department participate in a short ceremony, that heralded the acquisition of a new Fire Department Base Radio. Nearly $500 was donated by interested communilty groups and members to enable the fire department to aequite this new reliable radio.

1975 - Dec. - Verl 'Mac" McFeely retired after 25 years service on the department.

1976 - Glenn Whitmarsh joins the department.

1980's roster of members from an article on the history on CUTFD that appeared in the Plymouth Pilot.

1984, January - Don Mikesell dies - The Mikesell family had served he department continuously from 1905 to 1983. The last being Donald Mikesell who joined ca. 1936, having 47 years of service. Besides him his father Claude and brothers C. C. and Arthur served the department A plaque was given in his honor to the fire depatartment and town. Warner Williams designed and made the mold for the plaque.

1986 - At this point in time the department has - 3 pumpers; 1000 gal. tanker; a grass truck; a van equipped with emergency equipment; and a motorized boat for water rescue and dragging.

Members in 1986.

1990 Aug 23 David Burns former fire Chief dies. To this day I remember Jim Bonine coming through the Emergency Room doors and upon seeing me announced Lance Overymyer was already preparing for "the last ride" on the fire truck given to deceased members both current and former of the department - - takes his last ride 27 Aug. 1990; setting out from Grace Church and across from where the old fire station was and ridding down Main Street past the house he had resided in from 1942 to his final resting place with the heart shaped field stone monument he had built himself. On Left: ? Bill Snyder (Partial side view) right: Bill Martin & Bud Cartwright; on back Robert "Bob" Adler & Tony Wakefield

1990 - Dec. Plaque given in memory of David Burns

1991 - September 11 – The first woman firefighter in Marshall County, Mary Hinderlider, began training with the Culver -Union Township Volunteer Fire Department; NOTE said to have served 8+ years …

1993 - February 2 - Fire Chief Donavan "Dewey" Overmyer died. Lance Overmyer becomes fire chief.

1996 May 13 - J Dicke & Co deeded the lot at 610 Lake Shore over to the town of Culver and it is now used as a parking lot for the Culver Fire Department

2005 Nov 7- Purchased the Homer Kemple property next door owned by his daughter Marjory Ann Kemple which consisted of two lots for expansion in the Fire departments name

2005 - Have started to build new structure of the old Homer Kemple property.

The new structure is all trough donate funds of various types, with the firemen doing most of the work themselves.

After years of frustration and futile attempts for the fire department to get a new building; dealing the controversy of location, type and funding. The firemen took matters into their own hands devising a plan - first came the purchase of the lot. The project is about half way complete. The next phase will be to tear the old building now to make way for the next new section.

2006 - 22 July Dedication of the new section of the fire department. Pictured left to right are: Dave Cooper, Bobby Cooper Jr.; Jim Bonine, Jim Grover, Lance Overmyer (fire Chief), Ralph Winters (town board member), Glen Whitmarsh, Ed Pinder Sr. (town board member), Jerry Siler, Mike Grover (Assistant Fire Chief), Tim Mc Carthy, Mark Rogers, Dave Allen and Pete Peterson (Secretary-Treasurer).

2006 October 4 A veteran member of the Culver Union Township fire department was hurt battling an early morning blaze.

Fire Chief Lance overmyer retires.

2007 - Fire Chief: Mike Grover and Assistant Chief: Ken Van De Putte

The building went up in six months.


2007 - 27 Sep - Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company is awarding a $30,000 grant to the Culver Volunteer Fire Department for the purchase of a new air compressor.

2007 - Roster of firemen

2009 - The fire department was awarded a $3,500 grant from the Marshall County Community Foundation’s Vonnegut Fund towards costs of new diving suits and equipment for its dive team, which now consists of 10 divers total (six newer divers and four members of the original team from several years back), according to Grover.



2011 - June 6 - Former Culver Fire Department chief Lance overmyer dies.

2011 - Dec 13 - the Culver Town Council meeting the Culver-Union Township Fire Department (CUTFD) received permission to purchase a Neoteric Hover Craft

2012 Ending their terms as fire Chief Mike Grover and Glenn Whitmarsh as captain.

2013 - fire Chief: Terry Wakefield ; assistant Ken VanDePutte; Dave Cooper - secretary; Jerry Siler - training officer; Tim McCarthy - safety officer; Pete Peterson - captain. Jim Grover and Walt Hanselman are maintenance men, and Bryce Lindvall is in charge of cleaning. Equipment is 2 Engine/Pumpers; 1 3,000 Gallon Pumper/Tanker; 1 Resuce Squad; 2 Grass Rigs 1 Pontoon Pumper (boat) and 1 portable rescue John Boat.

The bell itself hung for some six decades in the belfry of the Maxinkuckee Methodist Church on 18B Road near the east shore of Lake Maxinkuckee, and was given a homewith the fire department in the 1970's and the beans were built by Don Williams

2013 The large bell providing the centerpiece for the memorial was transitioned some months ago from the fire station'sraised garden (now removed) across the street to the west. - 8 Aug 2013

2013 - Culver Union Township Fire Department's Honor Wall, established - dedicated July 27 - Culver Firemen’s Honor Wall ready for brick placement on the lot at 610 Lake Shore

2013 - Dec - retiring were Glen Whitmarsh after 50 years (1963) and Mike Grover after 30 years (1983) on the department

2013 - fire Chief: Terry Wakefield was re-elected for 2014 and Brandon Cooper assumes saftery officer; it is assumed the remining officers are the sama as was for 2014: assistant Ken VanDePutte; Dave Cooper - secretary; J Tim McCarthy - safety officer; Pete Peterson - captain. Jim Grover and Walt Hanselman are maintenance men, and Bryce Lindvall is in charge of cleaning. Equipment is 2 Engine/Pumpers;

Engine 1 - 2006 Freightliner M2-106/2007 Seagrave – 1500gpm/1200gal	Engine 2 - 1994 Freightliner FL-80/KME (#2008) – 1250gpm/1000gal
Tanker 3 - 2001 Freightliner FL-120/KME (#4764) – 1250gpm/3000gal	Brush 5 - 1994 Chevy K3500/FD – 250gpm/300gal
Brush 6 - 1972 GMC K2500/Howe/2000 FD – 150gpm/250gal	Cart 9 - Yamaha Special Events Cart
Boat 10 - Hovercraft Rescue Unit	Utility 11 - 2008 Ford F250 4x4 pickup

2013-14 - The Culver-Union Township Fire Department, located in Culver, IN, recently took delivery of this 15' Marion Body Works Rescue. In addition to its all-aluminum alloy extruded body, this rescue squad comes equipped with: Cummins ISL 350 HP Engine 3,000 Watt Light Tower 20 KW Onan PTO Driven Generator 21,000 lb. Front GAWR 33,000 lb. Rear GAWR 54,000 lb. Total GVWR And More! Specifications (PDF)

2014 - The department will be receiving a new walk around resuce truck with Hoosier Fire Equipment coming in at the lowest bid of $301, 455.00.

2016 - Mar 18 - Culver Union Township Fire Department Searching for New Recruits

2014 - Dec 31 - Smoke detectors will soon be handed out to residents of Culver and the surrounding community. Culver-Union Township Fire Chief Terry Wakefield told the town council last night his department is collecting smoke detectors to give out. Their action was prompted by a recent fatal house fire in which the home’s lone occupant died of smoke inhalation because the home lacked a smoke detector.

The Culver-Union Township Fire Department has an authorized strength of 18 (20) personnel

2017 - Jan 3 - Culver Town Council voted Tuesday to encumber the department’s remaining 2016 funds to purchase several items.

$10,000 for a backup generator for the fire station

spreader tools - a set of two of the tools, for a cost of just under $3,000.

A new carbon monoxide detector for just over $1,300.

2017 - Mar 30 - Crisis in Culver: fire department suffering from lack of volunteers, safety concerns arise...

The fire department had just 18 volunteer firefighters as of Thursday morning, but hours later one firefighter turned in his resignation, after ten years of service with the department, leaving them with 17 on the force.

"We used to turn people away because we had too many, and now we're where we don't get any pplications to join," says Chief Terry Wakefield...>

"We've had three applications in three years," says Wakefield.>

He barely has any volunteers. There are less than 20 firefighters to serve a population of under 4,000...

Although the simple solution is to get more volunteers, it's just not that easy.>

"It's a big commitment. It's not great pay, it's volunteer and you're getting a stipend," explains Leist.

"There's a lot of training involved and you're putting your life at risk."

2017 - June 23 - The department lost another member due to moving out of town - the department down to 17 members from a high of 23. Recieved an application from a former Culver firefighter, Adam Behnke and gained approval from the council for proceeding with training.

2017 - Oct. - Five members of the Culver-Union Township Fire Department were recently recognized for 10 years of service. Pictured from left to right, Indiana Volunteer Firefighter Association presenter John Grolich, and CUTFD members Walt Hanselman, Bob Cooper, Jerry Siler, Taylor Simpson, and Dave McKee.

2017 - Satistics

2018 - Oct- Current Officers include:

Chief - Terry Wakefield
Asst Chief - Ken VanDePutte
Secretary/Treasurer - Dave Cooper
Captain - Pete Peterson
Training Officer - Robert Cooper, III
Safety Officer - Open

2018 - Aug - and early 2019 - Fundraising for Aerial Fire Truck

2019 - Terry Wakfield ends his tenure as Chief as of Dec. 31. but will remain on with the department and finish projects he started.

2020 - Chief: Ken Van De Putte

2020 - Jan 16 - Erik Larson becomes a member of the department.

2020 - Mar 9 - New Sign for the fire department building - dedicated to the memory of Lance Overmyer, Fire Chief 1993-2006. Given by Tim Overmyer, Lance's brother.

2020 - May 18 - Mural on Culver-Union Township Fire House to Begin Monday Inspiration photos provided by the Culver -Union Township Public Library The painting of a Culver history-themed mural will begin today on the eastern exterior wall of the Culver-Union Township Fire Department. Indiana muralists Mike Graves and Dan Thompson will continue to work through the week, depending on the weather. ...

2020 - Oct 25 - Open house for "Ladder Truck 1"

The Culver-Union Township Fire Department’s new aerial truck was officially put into service Monday.

Residents had a chance to take a look at the new ladder truck during a fire department open house. Monday’s celebration followed more than two years of work and fundraising.

Former Fire Chief Terry Wakefield, who spearheaded the fundraising, says the department was scheduled to get a new pumper truck anyway but wanted one with additional capabilities. He notes that the fire department’s budget alone would not have been able to cover the $1,008,000 cost. The Town of Culver, Union Township, Culver Academies, and almost 170 individual donors helped chip in.



Each person, family, business, or organization that donated was recognized on a banner displayed during Monday’s open house.



Wakefield expects the truck to last for 40 years.

2020 - Dec 16 - Ken VanDePutte on his retirement from the Culver-Union Twp. Fire Department! Ken has served with CUTFD for the past 25 years and concluded his last year of service as the Fire Chief.

2021 - Apr. - New turnout gear and helmets that have been placed in service are color coordinated to represent the various ranks of the department. Chiefs wear white helmets, officers wear red helmets, firefighters are in black helmets, and our cadets are in blue. Previous gear was approaching its 10 year life span and needed to be replaced in order to meet industry safety standards.

2023 - CUTFD currently has

• (2) Engine/Pumpers
• (1) 3,000 Gallon Pumper/Tanker
• (1) Resuce squad
• (2) Grass Rigs
• (2) Fire Boats (Pontoon Pumper
• portable rescue John Boat

Culver Fire currently has 18 Members (all volunteers), ranging in age from 18, to "Seventy something". Current Officers include:

• Chief - Terry Wakefield
• Asst Chief - Robert Cooper, III
• Secretary/Treasurer - Anthony Bonine
• Captain- Walt Hanselman
• Training Officer Jerry Siler
• Sa fety Officer - Open

1903-1913 ~~~ 1914-1923 ~~~ 1924-1933 ~~~ 1934-1943 ~~~ 1944-1953 ~~~ 1954-1963 ~~~ 1964-1973 ~~~ 1974-?