Firefighters from throughout Indiana will be in Madison this week for the Indiana Volunteer Firefighter’s Convention, the third time that Madison has hosted the convention in the 79 years for the event.

Nearly 300 firefighters are expected to attend, hosted by the Clifty Inn at Clifty Falls State Park, but also staying at various lodging locations throughout Madison and Jefferson County.

Madison previously hosted the convention in 1958 and 1979.

The week will include training sessions and meetings for the firefighters. There will also be a golf scramble at Sunrise Golf Course, the Miss Flame queen contest, the Junior Firefighter competition, and a fundraiser auction for the Hoosier Burn Camp. Also, on Thursday evening, a memorial service will be held to honor firefighters throughout Indiana who died in the past year. On Friday night, the annual banquet will be held with awards ceremony.

IVFA President Ross Emery made reference in the organization’s May newsletter about Madison’s influence on early firefighting in Indiana. “Madison is a very historic town and has a deep history in the fire service.”

Visitors to the convention will have the opportunity to tour downtown Madison’s historic firehouses that include the Fair Play Fire Company No. 1, the oldest volunteer fire company in the state of Indiana, organized Sept. 15, 1841, and Washington Fire Company No. 2, established Jan. 22, 1846, the oldest active firehouse in Indiana. Western Fire Company No. 3 celebrated its 175th last month, established May 23, 1850. Walnut Street Fire Company No. 4, formed March 17, 1873, moved to its current location at Walnut and Third streets in 1962 with its original firehouse at 808 Walnut Street now converted into the Fire Hall Museum.

The convention has annually moved to different locations in the state since it began but after this year, it will be in Indianapolis the next three years where there will be accommodations for all the firefighters to stay in the same hotel with meeting rooms and vendor space in the same location.

Firefighters have already began arriving in Madison, with events officially beginning Wednesday and ending Friday.

(0) comments

Welcome to the discussion.

Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.