The Eastern Shore Fire Department, responsible for fighting fires from Spanish Fort south to Mullet Point, was organized in 1936 under Jack Titus. It became the Fairhope Volunteer Fire Department in 1938 with William S. Funk as the first Chief.

According to Odom, the city's first fire station was downtown on Section Street, at the site of the current city Welcome Center. At the time, the building also housed the police department and the generating plant for the city-owned utilities. Odom says fire fighters were alerted by a siren.

That worked pretty good, the town was small enough then for everyone to hear it, he recalled. But we didn't have very much protective gear in the early days, so the fellows who lived closest to the station got the slickers, and the rest of us just showed up in our regular clothes.

Odom says the department has been good about acquiring equipment and building stations over the years.

A two-bay station was built on Ingleside in the mid-1960s (and enlarged in the 1980s). This station, now Leo Keller Station No. 1, was named after one of the early founders of the department who also served as chief in 1965-1966.

The Roy White Station No. 2 on Thompson Hall Road was built in the early 1990s and is named after a former city councilman who also served for a time as city judge, was on the police reserve force and was a big supporter of the fire department over the years. White's daughter, Debbie Quinn, is a current city council member.

Les Bung Station No. 3 was built in 1999 at the Fairhope Municipal Airport, located on Baldwin County Road 32, just south of Fairhope. Bung served as chief in 1978-1979. According to Odom, Bung was injured during a fire call, but didn't let that stop him. Odom says Bung remained active with the department in a support capacity long after his retirement. His son, Tim Bung, is a current member of the department.

In 2008, improvements were made to all three fire stations. In 2009, plans are being made for a 4th fire station. The department is also working with the state to certify the Thompson Hall Road Station as a training center.