Before it became Apple Valley in 1969, the area between Eagan, Rosemount, Burnsville, and Lakeville was known as Lebanon Township. With a need to provide fire protection for the homes and businesses that were rapidly growing around the County Road 42 and Hayes Road intersection, the Lebanon Fire Department was created in 1966. Ordinance 33 took effect in November of that year, creating a formal fire department with 43 charter members. When Lebanon became Apple Valley in 1967, those first firefighters shared 16 black rubber fire coats, pull-up rubber boots, rubber gloves, and plastic helmets. The fire station was not much more than an extra garage stall in the existing town hall and there was one fire truck, a General Safety Equipment 1966 Ford pumper. Two firefighters sat in the cab and the rest of the crew rode on the tailboard. Fire calls were made through a multi-ring telephone system, there was one stationary siren in town, and less than 22 calls for fire response were made that first year.
