Station 17 serves Texas and the surrounding communities in Baltimore County, Maryland. It houses the county's Advanced Tactical Rescue team.
Station #17 is located on York Road at Galloway Avenue, between Timonium and Cockeysville. The name "Texas" came from the nearby community of Texas, which housed many of the workers from the Texas Quarry. The quarry was one of the larger employers in the area, known for the limestone that was quarried and mined at the facility.
The station opened in November 1967 under Fire Chief Winfield Wineholt and County Executive Dale Anderson. It was equipped with a 1967 C-85 Mack Pumper, with a 750 gpm pump, and 500 gallons of water; and a 1967 Kaiser Jeep with 10 gpm pump and 60 gallons.
Three battalion chiefs were assigned to the station: Battalion Chief Emory E. Leight, A Shift; Battalion Chief Charles L. Naylor, B Shift; and Battalion Chief Horace E. Warren, C Shift. These chiefs responded to much of the central area of Baltimore County, from the Baltimore City line, north to the Maryland state line, west from Falls Road and east to Belair Road.
In
its first two months of operation at the end of 1967, Engine 17 responded to 76 calls with 15 fires.
In 1968, Engine 17 responded to 536 calls with 129 fires.
In 1969, Ambulance 17 was placed in service and answered 333 calls.
Officials place a ladder truck in service in 1973. The first ladder truck was one that had been seen in service around the County: a 1949 Seagraves Ladder Truck with a mid-ship 65’ ladder. In 1974, the county replaced it with a 1974 Seagraves rear-mount ladder truck with a 100’ ladder and 150-gallon water tank. In 1977, a new pumper replaced the Mack. This was an American La France pumper with 1000 gallons of water and a 1,250-gallon pump. The larger tank was added to handle the many responses Engine 17 answers north, east and west of the station -- areas not serviced by the metropolitan water supply and fire hydrants.
Two large fires occurred in area served by Station 17. In January 1977, a four-alarm grocery warehouse fire occurred on Greenspring Drive, south of Timonium Road. The fire occurred during bitter cold. It lasted late into the night and many of the hoses were frozen into the ice that had formed. Several days later, the hose was chopped out and hauled a back to the station to thaw out.
In October 1983, at 1:30 a.m., a six-alarm fire broke out at the Drug Fair in the Padonia Village Shopping Center. The very smoky fire was difficult to fight due to the roof collapsing. Two firefighters received minor injuries.
As the years passed, the district grew with the development of single-family homes, apartment complexes, shopping centers, light industry and nursing and assisted living facilities.
In 1989, an LTI 100’ ladder tower was placed in service -- the first ladder tower for Baltimore County.
In 2005, an additional medic unit, Medic 117, was placed in service to handle the increasing volume of medical calls.
In 2006, a new Emergency One 95’ Ladder Tower was placed in service.
In 2007, the county added an additional apparatus bay to accommodate the new USAR 17, a tractor-trailer rescue vehicle.
During the late 1980s and 1990s, Station 17 became one of the three hazardous material satellite companies assisting the Brooklandville Station's hazmat team.
In 1997, the Advanced Tactical Rescue Team (ATR) was located at Station 17. All the personnel assigned to Station 17 were trained
to the operation
and technician levels in these disciplines. This team handles all technical rescues in Baltimore County. These include trench collapse, building collapse, swiftwater rescues, confined space rescues, high-angle rescues, and helicopter rescues.
Several station members are part of FEMA's Urban Search and Rescue Team responded on September 11, 2001 to the World Trade Center in New York City.
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Engine 17 | Tower 17 |
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Medic 17 | Brush 17 |
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Advanced Tactical Rescue 17 | EMS 7 |
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Battalion Chief 1 | Battalion Chief 11 |
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USAR 17 | Medic 117 |
Revised August 22, 2007
Courthouse 