Our History

The Sykesville-Freedom District Fire Department has been serving the residents of South Carroll for more than 90 years, and has undergone many changes as its members adapted to the changing community and emergency services needs.

The department traces its roots to July 22, 1933, when a massive fire on the Howard County side of the Patapsco River destroyed the Hugg Mansion, a century-old landmark in the area. At the time, there was no organized fire protection service in Sykesville, and by the time that the nearest company, Ellicott City, arrived, the mansion was destroyed.

The community recognized that it had a significant problem. Sykesville was growing quickly, and the Hugg Mansion fire proved that the town could no longer afford to rely on fire companies from outside of the area to protect it.

In September, 1933, several residents met with the intention of starting a local volunteer fire department that town could depend on.

The first hurdle to be faced: money. Five thousand dollars was needed to start the department. The first Firemen's Carnival was planned for the summer of 1933. The carnival was a success, raising $350. Minstrel shows were performed and the Ladies Auxiliary was formed around this time too to help raise money. The Auxiliary was a key factor in the early development of the fire department and the organization is still actively supporting the fire department today.

On September 18, the fire department elected their first officer slate: J. Marion Harris, President; H. Lester Phelps, Vice President; Celius L. Brown, Secretary; J. Nevin Ports, Treasurer; and Leo F. Chrobot, Fire Chief.

An old store on lower South Main Street (now Firehouse Creamery) was purchased to be the new fire house and a 1933 American LaFrance fire engine was purchased to serve the community. The engine had a 500 gallon a minute pump plus a 100 gallon booster tank. The department started out with 52 members. The department responded to 42 calls in the first 13 months of its existence.

In May, 1935, the Sykesville Fire Department joined the Carroll County Firemen's Association, allowing its members to participate in the University of Maryland's Fire Service Extension (now the Maryland Fire And Rescue Institute) educational programs.

In 1939, plans were made to acquire new apparatus. The current fire station was too small so the station moved to across the street to the 'old stone store' (now Patapsco Distillery). This building was used until 1949 when it was sold to St. Barnabas Church.

During World War II, the fire department struggled to stay in service. There wasn't much money available and manpower suffered as members served in the military. A few faithful members, along with a lot of help from wives and families, kept the department afloat.

With World War II over and the men returning to Sykesville, plans were in the works to purchase a new fire station. On May 14, 1949, a new station on Main Street was placed into service and during the dedication ceremony, the station received its first call.

Up until now, the Sykesville Fire Department had focused its efforts solely on fire protection. Ambulance services at the time were provided by the local funeral director. The nearest hospitals to the area were in the city of Baltimore. In the mid 1950s, members began to discuss the feasibility of expanding its mission to include emergency medical services. In 1957, a Pontiac ambulance was placed into service, giving South Carroll dedicated EMS service. 

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the Liberty Road corridor was beginning to develop. The Sykesville Fire Department realized that it needed to adjust to cover the Flohrville-Eldersburg area adequately. In 1967, land was acquired in the Flohrville area at the intersection of Sykesville Road and Freedom Avenue to serve as a permanent carnival site and a future fire station.

In 1969, a major setback occurred for the department when a fire tore through the Main Street station. The fire was contained in the engine bay but all the fire apparatus was destroyed except for one.The ambulance also made it through with minor damage. The community immediately rallied behind the fire department and with the contributions they provided along with the insurance money, the station was able to restore the Main Street station and to purchase three new pieces of equipment.

Dennis Beard (left), fire company president, Dave Walters (on ladder) and Jamie Keene work on the new South Carroll fire station.

Once renovations were completed at the Main Street location following the fire, development of the new Flohrville site became a high priority. A permanent carnival structure and sports area was established. Construction of the new fire station was started in 1971. The formation of the structure was contracted out. The interior finishing was all completed by the department and by the community.

The station was finished and placed into service in late 1972. With the addition of this station along with the Main Street station, the department, now known as the Sykesville-Freedom District Fire Department, had decreased response time and improved services to a growing area.

Elizabeth (Libby) Luebberman, one of Sykesville's female firefighters, responded to the most calls in 1978 - 161.  She accepts an award from fire chief Edgar Holman.

Since its inception, women have played an important role to the fire department. Most of the women were in the Ladies Auxiliary and did not ride the apparatus. In 1972, Elizabeth "Libby" Luebberman changed the women's role at the department. Libby became the very first female to qualify to ride the emergency apparatus in Sykesville. She was the first woman to qualify to do so in the county and one of the first in the state.

During the late 70's, many younger people in the Sykesville area became interested in the volunteer fire service. A junior fire department program was developed to get them involved. The program's first class of junior firefighters went on, over the years, to become senior members of the department. The junior program remains active today in developing the interest of young residents to the fire and emergency services.

In 1978, as the Eldersburg and Sykesville area continued to develop and grow, the idea of consolodating the department's two stations was first brought up. In November of 1981, a unanimous vote was passed to combine the stations at the Flohrville location.

Sykesville Firefighters voted unanimously to close the old Main Street fire station May 15, 1981. (George Welty, Carroll County Times photo)

It was not a popular decision among some residents of the community. One of the more outspoken opponents of the department's move to Flohrville was then-Mayor Lloyd R. Helt, Jr., who believed that the town would suffer if the fire department were no longer located in the heart of downtown. After the move, however, it is reported that the mayor had a change of heart, telling members at the annual fire department banquet, "I guess I'll have to eat crow. I was wrong." The mayor then presented a check for $2,000 from the town to the fire department.

Once the consolidation of the stations had been made, it was obvious that there needed to be more room. On May 5, 1985, a ceremony took place for a 6,662 square foot addition with included a radio room, small meeting room, membership meeting room, hall and kitchen area and some other small rooms for membership use.

In 1987, the fire department realized there were not enough people around during the day to respond to calls. Beginning in 1987, paid members became part of the department to assist during the day when most volunteers were at work.

Since then, the Sykesville-Freedom District Fire Department has aggressively sought to provide first-class fire and emergency services to the South Carroll area. The department prides itself on maintaining and updating a fleet of apparatus, carrying state-of-the-art fire and rescue equipment. Sykesville volunteers are among the best trained in the state, if not the U.S., and continually learn and train to stay proficient in their skills.

In 1999, the department began to plan for an 11,000 square foot addition to the fire station, along with renovations to the existing facility. In 2000, construction began, adding new bunkrooms, a classroom and offices. The new facility was officially dedicated in October, 2001.

Funding for the fire department comes from many sources. A large portion of it comes from community donations through an annual letter drive, and dedicated fundraisers such as the annual carnival. But the operating costs of the department continue to grow, and the department has used grants and loans to keep the equipment it uses updated. In 2004, the department received its first U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Assistance To Firefighters grant. The $130,000 grant was used to purchase new self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and a new thermal imaging camera.

On February 11, 2010, disaster struck the department. A huge snowstorm dumped more than three feet of snow in the area. The roof of the department's social hall could not withstand the load of the snow and collapsed, shearing off the gas line to the building and sparking a fire that brought crews from across Carroll, Baltimore and Howard counties to the scene. 

When the fire was out, the damage to the building was extensive. The only part of the station not damaged was the apparatus bays, which are the only portion of the original Flohrville structure to remain. 

Despite the damage, the department never went out of service, continuing to respond to fire and EMS emergencies without a pause. Trailers served as living space for the paid personnel while department officials quickly launched into plans to rebuild. 

In early 2012, the Sykesville Freedom District Fire Department officially dedicated the newly rebuilt and expanded fire station. Included in the $6-million project included new first floor bunk space for paid crews and volunteers, a dedicated kitchen and crew space, classrooms and meeting spaces. Perhaps the most well-known feature of the new facility is Legacy Hall, one of the premiere banquet facilities in Carroll County and the region.

In June, 2023, the newly-formed Carroll County Department of Fire and Emergency Services (CCDFEMS) went into service across the county. The new agency assumed responsibility for EMS services, and also provides a career driver operator and station lieutenant who are stationed at Sykesville. The Sykesville Freedom District Fire Department welcomed the new agency and personnel and enjoy a strong and productive working relationship, enhancing the level of fire and EMS services to the local community.

Through more than 90 years of service, amid all of the challenges and evolution of time, the Sykesville Freedom District Fire Department has not changed in its dedication to the community. The Sykesville-Eldersburg area can be proud of its fire department, and more importantly, can count on it to be there when needed.

May it ever be so.