Reorganized: January 26, 1927

Disbanded: January 25, 1965

Station Location: Secor Rd. just north of Alexis Rd.

Coverage Area Borders: North-State Line, South - City of Toledo border (roughly Laskey Rd.), East- Lewis Ave., West - Sylvania Twp. border

Lieutenant Leonard Guerin, Died of third degree burns sustained in a gasoline tank explosion on August 13, 1938.

Assistant Chief Rolph Pelton received a Carnegie Medal for the rescue of two children from a burning home on March 15, 1943.

Chief William B. Glander and Members of the Trilby Fire Department received a Citation from the Exchange Clubs of West Toledo and Trilby for the rescue of three men trapped in a 24 foot deep sewer on April 24, 1961.

Fire protection for Trilby was first organized under the Trilby Welfare Board on September 17, 1919. Charles Wertz offered to furnish one fire extinguisher and one dozen fire buckets. A bell on the premises of O.B. Pelton was to be used as a fire and burglar alarm. On May 5, 1920, a Deluge Ford Chemical Wagon was delivered and was housed in a garage built on the property of D. T. Carter. The first members of the Trilby Fire Department were: Safety Director D.T. Carter, Fire Chief William Amtsbuechler and Firemen Dorr Johnson, Ora Pelton, Henry Block and George Farmer. By 1926, enthusiasm for the Welfare Board had declined and the Chemical Wagon was in sad condition. The community was practically without fire protection when in 1927, Township Trustee Dr. Carl G. Vollmer decided something had to be done.

On January 26, 1927, Dr. Vollmer called a meeting of all citizens. About 30 citizens attended and unanimously elected Dr. Vollmer as Chairman. He then made a very interesting speech on the fire protection needs of the Village of Trilby and Washington Township. It was then decided to reorganize the Trilby Volunteer Fire Department. The appointment of officers was made as follows: Fire Chief – J. Smith Janney, First Assistant Chief – Lee Janney, Second Assistant Chief – Kellar Nigh. District Captains were also appointed: District 1 (Monroe St.) – Harry Steusloff, District 2 (Trilby) – Neal Davis, District 3 (Westwood Gardens) – Walt Scott, District 4 (North) – Dick Morrill, District 5 (East) – Joe Seguim and District 6 (Wernerts Corners) – Bill Mickens.

In 1928, the fire station was built on Secor Rd. just north of Alexis Rd. and a new Peter Pirsch pumper was delivered. In 1937, Eldon LaFollete was elected Chief, a position he served in for 23 years until semi-retirement in 1958. In 1937, the American Red Cross established the first roadside first aid station at the Trilby Fire Station. In 1938, the department acquired it’s first rescue squad, an old funeral hearse which was converted and equipped by the "fireboys." In 1947, the TFD became the first department in Ohio to be equipped with radio-telephones for communications at fires and emergencies.

In 1949, Assistant Chief and Chairman of the Prevention and Inspection Committee William B. Glander realized that some kind of program would be necessary to reduce the growing number of alarms. He felt that it was children who were responsible for many of the fires which caused damage and grief and subjected the volunteer firemen to needless danger and work. He established the Junior Fire Patrol in the Washington Twp. Schools. Several hundred school children attended these special training classes which taught the importance of fire prevention and how to use fire extinguishers.

In 1950, the Grand Award at the 11^th Annual Field Day of the Ohio-Michigan Firemen’s Association was won by the Trilby VFD.

In 1952, the Silver Anniversary of the department was celebrated. Five members were honored for 25 years of service: J. Smith Janney, Eldon LaFollete, Ray Wisher, Rolph Pelton and Chester Prange. A chief’s car and several other pieces of equipment were added as well as new additions to the building.

In 1962, an 85 foot aerial ladder truck was purchased making the Trilby Fire Department one of the best equipped departments anywhere.

In 1965, the city of Toledo annexed a large portion of Washington Township including Trilby. The Trilby Fire Department was disbanded and the building and much of the equipment including the Aerial Ladder truck was taken over by the Toledo Fire Division.

The Trilby station was used by Toledo as Fire Station 23 for several years until the new 23’s was built on Laskey Road near Wernerts Corners. The building was sold by Toledo and was converted to a Rosie’s Italian Restaurant and operated until late 2004. In early 2005, the building was demolished to make way for a national chain drugstore.