Ballston Volunteer Fire Department, Inc.

4805 Wilson Boulevard; Arlington County, Virginia

The Ballston Volunteer Fire Department is located in Arlington County, Virginia. The department was organized in 1904 under the name "Ballston Volunteer Fire Company," and became the second Fire Company in Arlington.

In 1914 the BVFCo incorporated as the Ballston Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. The first registered agent of the BVFD was Mr. John Ball, a direct descendent of the John Ball who established a farm on land deeded to him by his cousin, George Washington. The farm was located near a crossroads which became known as Balls Crossroads. This is where tiny Balls Town sprang up. This intersection still exists as the crossing of Wilson Boulevard and Glebe Road.

The BVFD first operated out of a garage belonging to one of the members, where the members would assemble when the bell was sounded, to pull the hand-pumped engine to a fire. The bell was located atop a pole alongside the trolley tracks at the intersection of Ballston Avenue and Fairfax Drive. In 1921 the permanent station was built on Ballston Avenue. When the County renamed streets and numbered houses the station address became 911 North Stuart Street. When Arlington County formally established the Arlington County Fire Department in 1940, the Ballston Fire Station was designated as Arlington County Fire Station No. 2. At that time the seven volunteer companies and the newly formed career department became a combination department.

In 1976, the entire block where Fire Station 2 was located became the site for the new "Glebe Road" Metro Rail station. At that time, only the BVFD and the Ballston Baptist Church still used the Ballston community name. The BVFD's negotiation with Metro and Arlington County provided for the construction of the new Fire Station 2 at 4805 Wilson Boulevard and prevented the County from reducing the number of fire stations from 10 to 9. In addition, the BVFD required the changing of the name of the Metro stop from "Glebe Road Station" to "Ballston Station." This revitalized the Ballston name which is now so widely used.

The members of the BVFD have continued to serve the citizens of the Ballston Community and Arlington County. It's 20 active members provide hundreds of hours each month assisting the Arlington County Fire Department provide firefighting, emergency medical, and fire safety educational services as well as staffing the Arlington-Falls Church Volunteer Rescue Squad's ambulance and the Cherrydale VFD's Light and Air Unit. Members are required to maintain State and National Fire and Emergency Medical Training Certifications.

The BVFD is a long-time member of the National Volunteer Fire Council, the National Fire Protection Association, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the State Fire Chiefs Association of Virginia, and the Arlington County Firemen's Association. BVFD members attended the NVFC's Capitol Hill Rally in support of the Volunteer Firefighter and Rescue Squad Worker Protection Act and Chief Mello recently attended the NVFC/MFRI Seminar, "A Leading Combinations Fire Departments into the 21st Century".

The BVFD is proud of it's more than 90 years of continued service and strives to continually improve the capabilities of the company and the quality of services provided to it's neighbors.

For more information about us or membership opportunities, please contact us at chf182@aol.com.