In September 1959 twelve charter members organized the Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department. The charter members were, Ken Griffith, Ray Vice, Ted Stevens, Jack Ryle, Ott Rector, Tom Walton, Theodore Birkle Jr., Eddie Walston, David (Buck) Holdcraft, Herb Houze, Samuel (Bink) Shinkle and Clifford Clemons.

      The first fire truck was a 1941 International pumper with a 500gpm Darley pump and a 600 gallon tank purchased from Iroquois Township fire department in Illinois. It was housed in the red barn as you enter Petersburg until the firehouse was built on a city lot next to the schoolhouse in 1960. Theodore Birkle Jr. was the first fire chief serving from 1959 until 1965, David (Buck) Holdcraft served as chief  from 1965 until 1971, Pete Abdon served as chief from 1971 until 1973, Robert Abdon served as chief from 1973 until 1975, Donnie Story Served as chief from 1975 until 1977 and Bill Birkle the current chief has held that position since 1977.

      The first ambulance was a 1942 Packard ambulance that was housed in Jack Ryle’s garage at the store until the firehouse was built.

      In 1970 the fire department purchased a 1954 open cab Mack with a 750 gpm pump, in 1975,a 1954 Ahrens Fox / GMC 500gpm pumper was purchased along with a new Dodge van that the members of the department modified into an  ambulance. In 1978 an addition was built onto the firehouse to accommodate  the growing fleet of equipment. In 1979 a new Chevrolet cab and chassis was purchased and the members of the department installed the pump and fire body from the 1954 Mack to the new cab and chassis.

     In 1981 the Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department Formed a fire tax district under KRS chapter 75 and became the Petersburg Fire Protection District. The reason for forming the tax district was to give us a stable income base so the department could meet the needs of the community. Prior to forming the tax district the department relied on fund raisers such as Dances, Bingo’s, Fish Fry’s, Turkey Shoots and anything else we could think of to raise money to support the department. We still have occasional events to raise funds for the department but they provide supplemental money and not the money we rely on to operate.

    In 1984 Boone County DES gave the department a 1967 military 5/4 ton truck that the members modified into a brush truck. In 1985 the US Forestry Service loaned us a 1955 GMC truck that had been converted to a tanker changing the way we would fight fires. Prior to this time the only water available to fight fires with was in cisterns, creeks or ponds. We also purchased a used 1979 ambulance from Florence Rescue to replace the van. In 1987 we replaced the 1955 tanker with a 1972 cab and chassis that was able to handle the weight of the tank better than the older truck. In 1988 a 1979 Ford cab and chassis was purchased from Cincinnati Gas and Electric and a 2000 gal tanker was constructed. In 1989 another truck was made available by the Forestry Service and it was converted into a 1500 gal. tanker. With the increase in our fleet of trucks we were out of room to house all of the equipment. With the help of the Boone County Fiscal Court we were able to borrow enough money to purchase a 2500 sq. ft. metal building package that was constructed by the members of the department. In 1991 a 1960 GMC/Sutphen pumper was purchased from the Elsmere Fire Department to replace the 1954 Ahrens Fox pumper. In 1993 a new Horton ambulance was purchased. This was the first new equipment that had been purchased.In 1994 a 1969 Mack pumper was purchased from Newport fire department. In 1998 we purchased a 1985 GMC cab and chassis to replace the 1979 Ford as a tanker. In 2000 a new 2000 gal Mack tanker was purchased  to replace the 1972 GMC tanker and a 1994 Ford four wheel drive truck was purchased to replace the military 5/4 ton truck as a brush truck. In 2001 a new American LaFrance Compressed Air Foam Pumper was purchased to replace the 1979 Chevrolet Pumper. In 2003 a compressed air foam unit was purchased for the brush truck to allow it to be used as an initial attack truck in areas where the American LaFrance couldn’t go and also replaced the 1969 Mack Pumper. In 2003 planning began for construction of a new fire station. That planning eventually led to an alliance with the Boone County Fiscal Court and the beginning of construction in November 2005 of a combined facility that consisted of  a facility that houses the Petersburg Community Center, Chapin Memorial Library and Petersburg Fire Protection District.

   Another improvement for the fire district was the extension of water lines into the district by the Boone County Fiscal Court that will lead to lower insurance rates for the home owners in those areas and provide easier accessibility to water to fight fires with.