PHOTO BY AMY WENDT / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
AFD 150TH ANNIVERSARY … Assistant Fire Chief and EMS Supervisor Kyle Brodbeck, a 28-year veteran of the Archbold Fire Department, shared a presentation with the Archbold Village Council in honor of the department’s 150th anniversary celebration.
PHOTO PROVIDED / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
THE EARLY DAYS … This vintage photo features some of the village’s earliest firefighters gathered in front of a barn owned by Jacob Storrer, believed to have served as the fire department’s first home.
By: Amy Wendt
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
amy@thevillagereporter.com
The Archbold Village Council held its first regular meeting of the month Monday, May 4, with council members Gary Dominique, Mike Evans, Aaron Babcock, Chad Kern and Karla Ball at the table. Councilor Kevin Eicher was absent.
Mayor Brad Grime, Village Administrator Aaron Alt and Clerk Cassie Storrer were also present.
AFD 150TH ANNIVERSARY PRESENTATION
Council members welcomed Assistant Fire Chief and EMS Supervisor Kyle Brodbeck, a 28-year veteran of the Archbold Fire Department, who shared a presentation in honor of the department’s upcoming 150th anniversary celebration.
Brodbeck began, “Today, our purpose is simple but meaningful. To honor the men and women, past and present, whose dedication has protected this community for generations.”
The department, established in 1876, began operations with a used hand-pumped Phoenix fire engine purchased from the city of Toledo. Eventually, 15 cisterns were built in locations around the village as water sources, along with seven area ponds.
A partnership between the Village of Archbold and German Township began in 1923 when trustees purchased a new motorized chemical fire truck.
In its 150-year history, the department recorded one line-of-duty fatality. Firefighter Ora Nofzinger was struck by a collapsing chimney while battling a residential fire in 1933.
The department’s leadership from 1876 to 1900 is undocumented and remains unclear. Subsequent leaders include Henry Dimke (1900-1913), August Fraas (1913-1923), Henry Nofzinger (1923-1937), Art Fagley (1937-1969), Willard Degroff (1969-1977), Richard Erbskorn (1977-1995) and Andy Brodbeck (1995-2017).
The current fire chief, Dave Davis, joined the department in 1992 and served as lieutenant and assistant chief before being promoted to chief in 2017.
During the Prohibition era in 1923, Chief Henry Nofzinger also served as police marshal, street laborer and health officer. While on duty, he spotted a “booze runner” and pursued the vehicle.
The chase continued to Lockport Road in Williams County, where the driver abandoned his vehicle, a 1923 REO truck, and fled into a cornfield. The man was later captured and arrested. The REO was converted into a hose truck, becoming the department’s first piece of motorized equipment.
In the past, alerting the fire department was much less efficient than it is today. Brodbeck recounted that while Art Fagley served as fire chief, Brodbeck’s grandmother, Hattie, served as a switchboard operator for the telephone company.
“When a fire call came in, it was the operators who activated the fire bell to alert the firefighters.
“She recalls that their very next call was often to the local bar just down from the old Farmers and Merchants State Bank, owned by Paul and Flossie Niece, where more than a few firefighters could usually be found. Those men would drop everything and respond to the call,” Brodbeck shared.
One of the most notable fires in Archbold history was a 1913 downtown blaze that destroyed 20 buildings. Fire departments from Wauseon, Bryan and Toledo responded via the T&I and Lakeshore rail systems. Following the disaster, the village constructed a waterworks system with 32 hydrants.
In 1934, another significant fire occurred during renovations at the building that served as the village hall and fire station.
At the time, fire trucks were temporarily housed at Homer Christy’s garage, as several of his staff also served on the fire department. When the garage caught fire, both of the village’s fire trucks were destroyed.
The department battled several other significant blazes, including the Sauder Woodworking fires of 1936 and 1945 and the 1972 Scott Theater fire.
More recently, in 2001, firefighters responded to a fire at the Dum Dum Sucker warehouse and an arson spree. In 2004, a sawdust explosion at Sauder injured three firefighters.
While undocumented, some believe the first home of the Archbold Fire Department was Jacob Storrer’s barn. By 1911, the department was officially housed in the town and township hall at the site of today’s village municipal building.
In 1961, a dedicated facility was constructed on Mechanic Street south of the railroad tracks, and that location was expanded in 1972 and 1993.
Growth continued in 1995 with construction of the Richard A. Erbskorn Northside Fire Station on Franklin Street north of the tracks. Today, the AFD operates out of three separate buildings.
The AFD began offering EMS service in 1955 when it acquired its first ambulance. Before that, patients were transported in funeral home hearses.
In 2004, the village hired its first full-time paramedics, bringing advanced life support services to Archbold and German Township.
Today, the department has 41 members — nine full-time employees and 32 volunteer or paid-on-call members. Brodbeck emphasized that volunteers serve as the “backbone” of operations, and the department is currently facing difficulties with recruitment and retention of new personnel as numerous veteran members near retirement.
In 2025, the department responded to 1,019 calls, including 895 EMS responses and 124 fire runs. That reflects a steady increase from 966 runs in 2024 and 935 in 2023.
With 2026 numbers already on pace to exceed last year’s totals, Brodbeck believes more staffing — and possibly a new fire station — will be needed as the village continues to grow.
“A vital part of our mission is fire prevention and public education, the work that strengthens our community long before an emergency ever happens.
“Over the years, our members have dedicated countless hours to teaching community CPR classes, supporting Friday night football games, and standing by at local events,” Brodbeck shared.
“We’ve helped stage mock accidents for high school students before prom. We’ve assisted with homecoming bonfires and provided coverage at the Fulton County Fair, and that’s only part of the list.”
The department also dedicates the entire month of October to fire prevention, visiting schools and welcoming groups into the fire station for a firsthand look at AFD operations.
The Archbold Fire Department’s 150th anniversary celebration weekend will take place Aug. 7-9, 2026. Festivities begin Friday, Aug. 7, with a private gathering at the Sauder Village Speakeasy for current and past members and their families.
On Saturday, Aug. 8, the entire community is invited to a parade that begins at the high school and concludes at the fire station, where an open house will be held.
The celebration continues at Woodland Park that evening with a free concert and a 200-drone light show.
The festivities wrap up Sunday, Aug. 9, with a joint celebration at Ruihley Park honoring both the department’s anniversary and the Village of Archbold’s 175th anniversary.
In addition to attending the events, Brodbeck said community members and businesses can support the celebration by entering a float in the parade or making a donation.
The department is also seeking two more $5,000 sponsors for Saturday’s drone show.
In closing, Brodbeck explained that firefighting and emergency response often involve situations most people never experience, including serious injuries, death, rescuing victims and supporting families in crisis.
Despite the emotional and physical challenges, the assistant fire chief said firefighters and EMTs continue the work because it’s “a calling.”
“We do this job because we have a genuine desire to serve and help people, not just on their worst days, but in their worst moments.
“We do it to bring comfort where there’s fear, order where there’s chaos, and hope where it feels like none is left. That’s why we serve, that’s why we show up, and that’s why this calling matters,” Brodbeck concluded.
OTHER AGENDA ITEMS
In routine matters, the council approved minutes from the April 20 meeting, authorized the payment of $294,518.07 in expenses and reviewed the April 2026 financial statements.
Administrator Alt noted that while the cash-on-hand balance is currently “healthy,” two upcoming ODWA payments totaling approximately half a million dollars will soon go out.
The village will also begin upcoming water line and sanitary projects, as well as resurfacing work.
On the 2026 income tax report, Alt noted receipts are down 3.28% for the year, with employee withholding down 2.9% in April and decreased business profit returns.
As part of the April Street Fleet Report, the village received approximately $24,000 from the sale of two pieces of equipment: a chipper for about $13,000 and a bucket truck for just over $11,000.
Fire and EMS calls for service were down to 73 for the month, significantly lower than the 97 calls logged in March.
Year to date, the AFD has responded to 333 calls, higher than the same period in 2025. Brodbeck added that the AFD averages 3.5 calls per day.
The Archbold Police Department report for April noted officers completed 152 hours of training. Traffic enforcement included 108 stops resulting in 28 citations for speeding, OVI and other offenses, and 74% of stops ended in warnings. APD also handled 13 arrests, 67 house checks, 75 community service calls and 210 business checks. A total of 167 reports were logged in April.
Council members also reviewed the Annual 2025 Law Enforcement Trust Fund 213 Report. Alt noted that since there were no expenses from that fund last year, the report was submitted late.
Some of the revenue in that account comes from impound fees and the sale of forfeited vehicles. With the impound lot nearly full, Alt anticipates the LET Fund could see “decent revenue” following the sale of some of those vehicles.
MISCELLANEOUS PROJECT UPDATES
The mayor and council members briefly discussed the status of multiple pending projects.
Due to excessive rainfall this spring, the David K. Aeschliman Memorial improvements will not be completed in time for Memorial Day; officials are hoping for completion by the Fourth of July.
On the ongoing zoning project, Alt told the council that he and Planner/Zoning Inspector Grant Schaffner are working through the process and have consulted with multiple attorneys and advisors to decide next steps. Once a direction is finalized, they will develop a complete draft.
“…We don’t want to drag feet, and we want to be able to present something to planning commission, because that’s really the next time you’ll really hear or see anything that’s going to be when a draft is completed, and it’s awaiting the 30-day notice from the planning commission.
“We’re not going to have updates for Council. We normally don’t have updates on any other zoning provisions for Council as we go through this process,” Alt explained.
According to Alt, the State Route 2/Township Road 24 roundabout project is in the right-of-way acquisition process, and “Quite a bit more additional right-of-way will need to be acquired because through this process, we’ve identified that we want to install storm sewers for this area of town.”
Council also discussed concerns about recent flooding near Rosewood Court and Dogwood Court on the southeast edge of town, where water flowed strongly from a nearby field and waterway, creating noticeable currents and standing water.
The village administrator said he and the village engineer have discussed the situation and plan to explore solutions.
The Archbold Village Council will convene for its next regular meeting at 5:30 p.m. Monday, May 18, 2026, in the municipal building.
