Fiery Milepost – Fire department marks 90th anniversary in Valley
• Granby's Lost Acres FD Observes 90th Birthday as US Celebrates 250th
Special to Today Magazine
Editor's Note
• The Lost Acres Fire Department (LAFD) in Granby is observing its 90th anniversary in 2026, in the same year the United States is celebrating its 250th birthday — conversely, the LAFD is celebrating its 90th birthday as the USA is observing its 250th anniversary, since in this context the terms "anniversary" and "birthday" are essentially interchangeable.
Magna PT website – click this ad
• Historically, linguistically and mathematically, those nine decades of volunteer fire-and-rescue service to the Granby community translate and compute to 36% of U.S. history in the two-and-a-half centuries since the fateful Declaration of Independence was signed on the Fourth of July in 1776.
• Established in June 1936, the all-volunteer LAFD was founded by longtime town resident Horace B. Clark, according to the Granby-CT.gov website — he was a fire commissioner for the city of Hartford and established the Granby department with 11 members.
• The name Lost Acres is derived from the name of the Clark estate that was located in East Hartland and Granby, per Granby-CT.gov — the department's first fire truck was parked in Clark's barn.
• Prior to 1936, the Ensign Bickford Fire Department in Simsbury provided fire protection for the town of Granby — in February 1941, the department was incorporated with 31 members.
Christopher Bryant website – click this ad
• Granby is one of the five core towns that comprise Connecticut's Farmington Valley — and by the way, here's a recommendation: If you need fire-rescue service in Granby and use artificial intelligence to request help from the LAFD, be careful and beware — why, you ask?
• Here's why — because a Google search in AI mode conducted in conjunction with this feature spit back information about the Los Angeles Fire Department — and it's safe to say that if AI sends help to a Granby resident from the Los Angeles Fire Department, the response time will be deficient.
• If you think 21st-century AI is incapable of making such a mistake, think again — remember the disclaimer that appears after many Google AI Mode searches: "AI can make mistakes, so double-check responses" — and my experience as a journalist and human being who values accuracy and prefers truth is that this disclaimer is an understatement.
• Metaphorically speaking, this AI disclaimer is only the tip of the iceberg, as far as I can see — and when humans make mistakes, pre-computer or post-computer, those mistakes are sometimes Titanic — but if you choose to trust AI carte blanche, hey, more power to you ... and whatever floats your boat.
— Today Magazine editor-in-chief Bruce William Deckert
• Longtime fire chief John Horr Jr. has answered the following exclusive Q&A on behalf of the Lost Acres Fire Department
• Horr joined the LAFD in 1980 and retired in 2025, serving as chief for the final 17 years of his 45-year tenure, according to a Facebook post by the Lost Acres Fire Department in July 2025
• Tim Weber is the new chief — the LAFD fire chief is an elected role
Lost Acres Fire Department — Granby CT
Routine phone calls — 860-653-6668
Emergency calls — 911
Email — info@lostacresfd. com
Website — www.lostacresfd.com
Facebook — @lostacaresfd
• Year Established — June 1 • 1936
• Mission — Provide fire and emergency services to the residents of the town of Granby
• Most fulfilling aspect of your work?
Helping others in their time of greatest need. Our mission has us responding to calls for help when someone is undergoing one of the worst events of their lives. With our training and experience, we can stop the event and any further damage/problems from continuing to occur. We bring peace of mind that when called, we can help.
Maher's website – click this ad
• Your biggest obstacle, and how you overcome it?
Resources — people, equipment and money. On the people side, we have a dedicated membership, but our numbers are dwindling, as is the case with most volunteer organizations. We are always looking for new people to join.
We provide all the training. We instituted a cadet program for young men and women from ages 14 to 18. Over half of our new members were former cadets. We have a tax abatement program where those who meet minimum standards get a discount off their property taxes.
On the equipment side, we invest in great equipment that gives us value for years. Most of our trucks are between 12 and 30 years old but are all in great condition. We keep them well-maintained, and they are thoroughly tested and inspected each year. But there is always a limit and new equipment is expensive.
On the money side, we get a tax allotment from the town of Granby. This helps to keep our operational and capital funds with sufficient cash to fulfill our needs. When there is a shortfall, the town of Granby has stepped up to help us, such as with the replacement of our station generators and paying for our Center Station when it was built in 1987.
"We work closely with our surrounding towns, providing and receiving mutual aid when larger emergencies occur" — retired chief John Horr Jr.
• Most satisfying accomplishment?
Continuing the legacy of the LAFD. How we operate and what we are required to do have changed dramatically, and we continue to improve our capabilities. Watching our members learn and grow, each in their own unique way, is a testament to our training and planning. Watching these people from different training, experience, schooling and ages come together during a call to work as one team — that's the most satisfying to me.
• Volunteer opportunities:
Running a fire department takes many hands — healthy men and women willing to learn the trade. We do school visits and other fire prevention and public education activities. We also do fun stuff like the Bunny Run and Santa Ride!
• Motto that provides a window into your ethos:
We carry this in our department emblem: Protection, Always Ready!
• How is the operation funded?
We are paid a portion of the taxes that are collected by the town of Granby — this is our key source of funding for all our operations and capital. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, listed by the IRS. Unless told otherwise by those donating, we put all donations toward supporting our membership: dinners, social events, T-shirts and family picnics.
• Interesting stats and numbers:
• 3 fire stations
• 8 trucks
• We respond to about 200 calls a year
"Running a fire department takes many hands — healthy men and women willing to learn the trade" — John Horr Jr.
• How closely do you work with other agencies/nonprofits?
As we have seen a reduction in our volunteers, we have relied more and more on mutual aid — in other words, help from other towns. The volunteer fire departments from our adjoining towns will come help if we need it, and we will respond to their town as needed.
The LAFD is also unique for this reason: We belong to two different task forces in the state of Connecticut. These are collections of towns, trucks and manpower that have organized to provide services for large-scale emergencies, such as when Brookfield was hit by a tornado or Superstorm Sandy struck the coast.
We provide a tanker to Task Force 52, and we provide an engine or brush truck for Task Force 54. We also work very closely with Granby Police, Granby Ambulance and Granby DPW because large-scale events like storms require all of our services.
• What do you appreciate about the Farmington Valley?
This is where we live. The help and support from our families, neighbors, town and surrounding towns are simply incredible. Everyone is always willing to pitch in to help those in need. We all work well together. You truly feel part of the first responder family.
• What constructive change would you like to see?
With the dwindling volunteer numbers, we will have to move to more of a paid structure. First, we will institute a per-call based system where members are paid for responding to calls. Eventually, we will have to add part-time staff to help with critical maintenance and business functions.
The LAFD bought this REO Speedwagon fire truck from the Ensign Bickford Fire Department nine decades ago
• Further comment and/or info:
• 2026 is not only our 90th birthday but also the 105th birthday for our original and oldest piece of apparatus. When our department started in 1936, we purchased a used engine — a 1921 REO Speedwagon fire truck — from the Ensign Bickford Fire Department that provided fire protection for the town of Simsbury in those days.
We have continued to maintain this truck since it was pulled from active service in 1950. It has since become our pride and joy and can be seen at most parades in Granby and at many fire carnivals/parades in the area. Named LA-1, this fire truck is Simsbury's and Granby's first engine.
• Our membership invests over 2500 combined hours each year in drills and calls — the calls include alarms, motor vehicle accidents, water rescues, high angle rescues and fires. We train or have meetings on Tuesday nights throughout the year, with some training on Saturday and Sunday. We work closely with our surrounding towns, providing and receiving mutual aid when larger emergencies occur. +
• A slightly more comprehensive version of this exclusive interview was originally published in two parts in the August 2021 and September 2021 editions of our monthly Today Magazine — starting on page 13 in each edition — where necessary, info has been updated to reflect the five-year difference from 2021 to 2026
SEO: Fire Department Marks 90th
Related Today News
• Beating the Heat: Firefighters enlist as heat-seeking heroes
• Canton fire chief: 'It's been my heart and soul'
• Firefighting History: Farmington department has 200-year legacy
SEO: Fire Department Marks 90th
Featuring community news that matters nationwide, Today Magazine Online aims to record Connecticut's underreported upside — covering the heart of the Farmington Valley and beyond
SEO: Fire Department Marks 90th
Today Publishing produces Today Magazine Online and Today Magazine
• 5 Farmington Valley Towns • 1 Aim — Exceptional Community Journalism
• Avon • Canton • Farmington • Granby • Simsbury • Connecticut • USA
Comments