Mutual aid, or one town's fire department assisting another when needed, has always played a big part in fire service operations. No department, regardless how large or well-equipped, can be fully prepared to handle anything that could possibly happen. A good example of this was the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, when even the mighty New York City Fire Department needed assistance from across the country. While September 11 was an exceptional event, small Northeast Texas towns cannot financially afford to buy and maintain enough engines and equipment to fight a fire involving several downtown buildings at once, not to mention the cost of equipping and paying the number of firemen required. Therefore, adjacent departments are always pleased to lend each other a helping hand when needed, fully realizing that they may be the next to need a neighbor's help.
Mutual aid consists of several operations. Sometimes the department requesting aid needs more engines than they have to be able to pump enough water on the fire. Sometimes they have sufficient equipment, but need additional manpower to fight the fire. Other times, they simply need an engine and men from an adjacent department to stand by at their fire station in case another fire is reported while all of their men and equipment are deployed on a large fire.
The mutual aid tradition probably started as soon as there were fire departments and continues today. On April 4, 1961 the City Council approved the Mt. Pleasant Fire Department joining the Northeast Texas Mutual Aid Association and members of the Department voted to join, but mutual aid between area departments was common long before the Northeast Texas Mutual Aid Association was formally established. A few examples of the tradition of providing mutual aid are listed below:
Naples, Texas - April 28, 1928 Henderson Bridge Fire
On Saturday, April 28, 1928 the Mt. Pleasant Volunteer Fire Department responded to a mutual aid call from the Naples Fire Department. About 580 feet of the 2,000 foot long creosoted pine Henderson Bridge over Sulphur River, seven miles northeast of Naples, was on fire. Several members of the Mt. Pleasant department jumped in the Seagraves and made the twenty-seven mile trip in about thirty minutes. In those days, considering the vehicles and road conditions, that was flying. Since the river was flooded, they drove onto the bridge as close to the fire as possible and lowered a hard suction hose in the water. They quickly extinguished the blaze, but the creosoted timber bridge kept re-igniting and it took about three hours to be sure the bridge wouldn't rekindle. People who were at the scene quickly said the bridge had been saturated with gasoline over the main river channel and was set on fire. A car was seen leaving the Bowie County side of the bridge about the time the fire was discovered.
Daingerfield, Texas - February 2, 1929 Business District Fire
The Mt. Pleasant Fire Department also assisted the Daingerfield Fire Department on February 2, 1929 when a large fire damaged around $175,000 in property belonging to E. G. Terrell, T. C. Connor, Jack Jones, John T. Key, Lilly & Connor, Happy Hour Theatre, Dr. L. Y. Turner, Connor Bros., J. C. Heard, Teague Shoe Shop. Daingerfield citizens asked the Mt. Pleasant Fire Department for help, and in a few minutes Mt. Pleasant sent a truck to the scene, leaving the old truck with the engine running and plenty of equipment in town in case of a local fire. They made the run in twenty-eight minutes, but the wind changed and blew flames away from the permanent business buildings before they arrived in Daingerfield. The Pittsburg Fire Department also sent a truck that arrived shortly after Mt. Pleasant. Daingerfield sent the Mt. Pleasant and Pittsburg fire departments a $50 check each in appreciation of their help.
