Ruth Fire Department History
The Ruth Volunteer Fire Department was organized by the first Copper Companies located in the Ruth Area., In the Fall of 1923 The Copper Company, Nevada Consolidated Copper Company employess were formed into a Volunteer Fire Department.
Until 1978, membership required you be an employee of the Copper Company in order to be a Ruth Volunteer. Non company employees were not allowed to be members, nor were women.
In 1978, Kennecott Copper Company closed it mining operations in Ruth, Nevada, as a result of the closure the Ruth Volunteer came under the control of the Ruth Town Council and the White Pine County Commission.
Firefighters were recruited from the citizens of the Community of Ruth, and until reorganized only males could be member of the Department.
It was in 1978 the first non Company fire truck was obtained, by the Ruth Fire Department, it was a 1935 Ford structure truck.
In 1978 Martin J. Sorenson was elected as Chief of the Ruth Volunteer Fire Department, and has served in the position since that day.
Chief Sorenson has been a member for the Department since 1967 and grew up around the fire department as his father Mark J. Sorenson was a member for approximately thirteen years.
In 1978 the Fire Department was incorporated as the Ruth Volunteer Fire Department a non profit organization through the State of Nevada.
Orginal member sof the reorganized Fire Department were, Mark Sorenson, Vern Kissel, Wayne Muir, Mike Marich, Dutch Marich, Joe Marich, Bill Kingston, Loren Robison, Bonnie Robison, Novella Sorenson, Georgia Muir, Nolan Howes, Doyle Howes, Richard Fonger, , and Martin Sorenson.
Throughout the years there have been many citizens of Ruth who have been actively involved in the Department as Volunteers and Supporting roles.
In 1982 a 1957 Ford Fire Truck, belonging to the City of Ely, but which had been purchase through funding from White Pine County, was assigned to Ruth. Former Ely Fire Chief Ed Spear resisted sending the truck to Ruth. But with the full support of the Ely Volunteers, the truck came to Ruth with a full complement of Fire Equipment.
In 1985 a grant was obtained for the construction of the Ruth Community Center and a two bay fire Station.
A building donated to White Pine County to the White Pine County By Kennecott Copper Corporation was modified, and rebuilt into a Community Center/ Fire Training Center. A two bay fire station the housed the Departments two fire trucks the 1935 Ford and the 1957 Ford truck. The remodeling was accomplished by the volunteers from the Department and the Community.
Ruth Fire Station
Ruth Community Center