Fire Department

The Aransas Pass Fire Department is a Fire and Rescue Department that responds to over 350 Fire Department related emergencies a year. The staff includes 10 employees: a Fire Chief, a Captain, 2 Lieutenants, and 6 Firefighters. The Captain, Lieutenants and the firefighters work three shifts of 24 hours on duty and then 48 hours off.

Mission Statement

The Mission Statement of the Aransas Pass Fire Department is to save life and property and teach our children and citizens about "Fire Prevention and Fire Safety.”

Our guiding principle is that “Fire prevention in our daily lives will make a difference in our community.”

The Aransas Pass Volunteer Fire Department was established in 1929 and became a paid department in 1956.

Ride Along with the Aransas Pass Fire Department

If you would like to ride along with the Aransas Pass Fire Department, please download and complete the Citizen Observer packet (PDF).

History of the Aransas Pass Fire Department

1929 Aransas Pass Volunteer Fire Department
Active Members: C. C. Tedford, H. A. Thomas, Frank Belken, Joe A. Payne, Ted Bigelow, Frank Clendening, Ted Burke, Rob Roy Rice, Nunc Snyder, King Custer, Wm. T. Kopperl, Arlin Yeager, Ira H. Cundiff, J. M. Barnwell, J. M. Crenshaw, Red Fricke, Q. D. Hughes, Sam Kaufman.

The First Fire Department Pumper
The Aransas Pass Fire Department was start 1929 by volunteers and Fire Chief Charles C. Tedford it was volunteer Fire Department until 1954 became a pay Fire Chief and drivers and the volunteer did the fighting and 1982 were two fighters per shift in 2002 went from two fighters to three fighters per shift fire department until now.

The Aransas Pass Fire Station
The old Fire Station at 338 S Arch
The Fire Department on Arch is where Retired Fire Chief Martinez, Fire Chief Gilbert Ritz and CaptainRickie Kilgore, several other paid andvolunteers started their fire service career.

The Fire Department also had a “Mascot”. The dog, whose name was Sam, was also Chief Pete Martinez’s dancing partner during Fire Prevention Week.

Aransas Pass Fire Department Fire Chiefs
1929 - Volunteer Fire Chief Charles C. Tedford

1932 - Aransas Pass Fire Chief Ted Bigelow

1954 - First paid Fire Chief Ray B. Crinklow (left) with City Manager Fred Robbins

1959-1968 - Fire Chief Allen Berna

1955-1989 - Pete M. Martinez. Councilman for 12 years.
Pete Martinez served as Fire Chief for 34 years before he retired. He is the only Fire Chief to retire from the department. Over the years, Chief Martinez was promoted from Volunteer fireman, to paid fire fighter, truck captain, Assistant Fire Chief/Assistant Fire Marshal. At his retirement he was holding the following positions: Fire Chief/Fire Marshal/ Arson Investigator. Ray B. Crinklow was the chief who hired Martinez as a paid firefighter.

Annual Events

• The Aransas Pass Fire Department does Fire Prevention programs for over 2000 student in the Aransas Pass School District which are given Fire prevention material which consisted of coloring books, fire prevention logo pencils, Fire Safety Video, Fire Helmets and programs with our Robot Pluggie the talking hydrant.
• Hands-On Fire Extinguisher Training for Hospital and Nursing Home staff. Foster home inspections.

Community Events

• The Aransas Pass Fire Department with the help of The Aransas Pass Volunteer and The Aransas Pass Ladies Auxiliary whole an Annual Haunted Fire Station on October 31 during Halloween for a Save area for our children of our community.
• The Aransas Pass Fire Department, Aransas Pass Volunteer Fire Department and Aransas Pass Ladies Auxiliary buys the candy, apple and oranges for Santa Claus Arrival on the fire truck into town.