Firefighting in Lyme traces back to the 1800s, although there was no organized fire department at that time. Incurred expenses were listed in town reports throughout the 1800s and early 1900s, including those for the fire warden and other “men for fighting fires.” By 1915, the town considered purchasing two fire engines, with one to be kept in each village, Lyme Center and Lyme Plain. However, it seems that the plan was never enacted as no further information could be found. In 1922 and 1923 the town fundraised money to purchase its first American LaFrance fire engine, which they acquired in 1924. The town also built a fire station at an unknown location.

In 1934-1935, town reports mentioned increasing debt for a “fire truck,” but no specifics as to the manufacturer or what type of apparatus it was. In 1936, the town did sell a fire truck, but it’s unknown if it was the 1924 American LaFrance or another unknown truck the town had acquired in the decade between. A 1940 report by the forest fire warden listed a single pump truck on the roster.

During the 21 years after purchasing its first truck, Lyme wasn’t operating an officially incorporated fire department. It wasn’t until 1945 when the Lyme Voluntary Fire Department was officially established, with 60 charter members. They promptly purchased a 500 GPM trailer pump from government surplus, along with three discarded oil tanks that could be placed on trucks and shuttled to fires as needed. These each held between 500-600 gallons of water.

The following year, the department built a new station at an unknown location, and in 1954 they bought a new fire engine. Unfortunately, no information has been found about this. Three years later in 1957 the department built a tanker truck with a 1000 gallon tank on an unknown chassis.

In 1960, the 1934 engine, along with a “junk truck” (possibly the department-built tanker truck) were sold, with money from the sales being put towards the in-house construction of another tanker truck. This apparatus was completed and in service in 1962. In 1965, they bought an International/Thibault engine with unknown specs for Engine 1. And during this time period the town started utilizing the Upper Valley Regional Ambulance Service. For medical calls in town, an ambulance would respond along with trained attendants from Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital (now Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center), as well as members of the Hanover fire and police departments.

In 1972, a joint public safety building was constructed at 44 High Street for both the fire and police departments to occupy. Two years later, the department bought another Thibault pumper, this time on a GMC chassis, for Engine 2. In 1976, a used 1970 four-wheel drive utility vehicle was purchased and used as Rescue 1 for both the fire department and FAST Squad, the 1965 International/Thibault of Engine 1 was refurbished, and the 1962 chassis on their tanker was replaced with a 1972 Ford chassis.

In 1984, the department purchased an unknown make engine (possibly a Ford C chassis) with 1000 GPM pump and 1000 gallon tank. If this was the Ford C engine, it would have been assigned to Engine 3. The following year they replaced Rescue 1 with a new GMC dual-cab. And in 1988, they joined the Thetford Area Fire and Rescue Training Corp., Inc. which had built a training facility in Post Mills for local fire departments to use in training.

The 1990s brought about a number of changes for the department. The tank on Engine 2’s 1974 GMC/Thibault was replaced in 1990. In 1994, a new International/3D pumper with 1000 GPM pump and 1000 gallon tank replaced the 1965 International/Thibault of Engine 1. That same year they constructed an addition to the fire station. In 1996, the department became the official municipal fire department for the town of Lyme. And in 1999, they refurbished the 1985 utility of Rescue 1 so it included a 350 GPM pump and a 150 gallon tank.

In 2004, Engine 2 was replaced with a new E-One Typhoon with 1250 GPM pump, 1000 gallon tank, and 30 gallons of foam. The GMC/Thibault was donated to an unknown town in Ecuador. Three years later in 2007, a new Rescue 1 was delivered, a GMC/E-One with four-wheel drive capabilities and 500 GPM pump. The 1985 GMC was disposed. In 2008, the 1984 pumper at Engine 3 was put out of service. It was officially replaced in 2009 with the delivery of an International/E-One tanker with 1000 GPM pump and 2000 gallon tank. This was assigned to Tanker 1. And in 2016, a citizen donated an inflatable rescue boat for use on the river and local ponds.

With the increase in size of apparatus and the lack of space in the fire station, the town tore down and rebuilt the structure in 2021. While construction was ongoing, a timber building located at 7 Britton Lane in the Lyme Business Park served as the department’s station.

In addition to the new station opening in 2021, a new Engine 1 was delivered to the department. A 2020 E-One Typhoon with 1500 GPM pump, 1000 gallon tank, and 30 gallons of foam, it replaced both the 1994 International pumper and 2007 GMC rescue. These were traded in. To give the FAST squad something to use on medical calls, the department took possession of a 2013 Ford Police Interceptor Utility from the police department and outfitted it with EMS equipment.

In 2022, the department took delivery of a 2018 Polaris/Kimtek UTV paid for with a grant. It was paired with a Proline trailer to move it to scenes.

Lyme NH Fire Department website
Lyme Fire Department Facebook page

Much of this history relies on town records, fire buff websites, and community memory. If you have photos, documents, or personal recollections related to the Lyme Fire Department—especially from prior to 2000—we’d be grateful to hear from you. Please feel free to email nhfirehistory (at) gmail (dot) com with any information you’d like to share.