History
The Collinsville Fire Department has it’s roots in the Collins company. Formed before the turn of the century to provide fire protection to the axe factory and the many company owned houses as well as the rest of Canton. It survived until the company doors closed in 1966. The Canton Memorial Ambulance was formed in 1950 by employees of the Collins company. The Canton memorial ambulance was established as living memorial to U.S. war veterans. The ambulance operated as an independent organization from 1950 till 1963 when it merged with the Collins Company Fire Department. The Collinsville Fire Department started up in 1966 after the Collins Company plant closed and they donated the firefighting equipment, ambulance and firehouse to the town. The Fire department for many years was across the street from the Collins Company main office building. When the building could not house the growing department the town built a new firehouse in 1972 on river road.
The ambulance Corp now boasts a service that responds to over 600 calls a year. A generous donor gave the department the field off of ramp road by the river. The whole fire department uses the field to drill using the pond for recreation in the summer and Ice rescue drills in the winter. The Collinsville fire department holds the annual jamboree on their field the revenues of which have been used to purchase equipment for the fire department as well as funding part of the upkeep of the field. The Collinsville station houses Engine 3, engine 4, Rescue 9 and car 10 the ambulance. Also at the station is the water rescue trailer.
Fundraising
Fundraising for the Collinsville Station and Canton Memorial Ambulance are provided by Collinsville Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. The annual Jamboree is hosted by the CVFD.