With the sad passing of past chief Jack Sullivan, I thought it would be good to showcase the past Fire Chiefs that have served the Loveland Volunteer Fire department since the merger of the Hose Company and the Hook and Ladder in 1911. These men served the community faithfully with no compensation for their time other than knowing that they had served their community and the department with all they had. In 1991 Loveland hired its first paid fire chief, Dick Minor, from Orange County CA. While it was the inevitable sign of the times, with the city growing and the number of emergency calls the department was running, it was still a sad end to a wonderful chapter of the fire department’s history.
Chief J.D. Leas, 1911 and 1912. Worked as the Water Commissioner for the City of Loveland.
Chief F.M Karns, 1913. Post Office employee.
Chief John Putney, 1914. Police Officer for City of Loveland
Chief L.R. Rinker, 1915. Public Service Company
Chief C.C. Irwin, 1916. Owned a Furniture Store in Loveland
Chief Elmer Ivers, 1917,1918, 1920, and 1921. Worked as a Electrical Contractor during his term of office. Late Loveland’s Postmaster for 21 years and served as Mayor of Loveland several times.
Chief Harry Ross, 1919. Employed as a Laborer.
Chief O.P. Kelly, 1922, 1923, and 1924. While chief, Kelly was part owner in the Kelly and Schaulty grocery store in Loveland. From 1925 until 1933 he was with the Larimer County Sheriff’s department, serving as the Sheriff for 3 years. He then went to the Ft. Collins Police department for 25 years, retiring as the Chief of Police.
Chief L.C. Puett, 1925, 1926, 1927, and 1928. Worked for and eventually owned Bonnel Buick in Loveland. Also owned a car dealership in Fort Morgan.
Chief Fred Schroder, 1929 and 1930. Worked as a salesman for Bonnel Buick.
Chief Harold Allsup, 1931 and 1932. Employed by the City of Loveland Electric dept. Worked at Rocky Mountain Arsenal in Denver for 13 years.
Chief Lawrence Benson, 1933. Worked as an Electrician while chief. Later was a Engineer with the Fire Department.
Chief Ed Specht, 1934 and 1935. Post Office employee.
Chief Phil Berg, 1936 and 1937. Was Editor of the Loveland Reporter Herald.
Chief C.C. Chaney, 1938, 1939, and 1940. part owner of Chaney Niclson Cadillac in Loveland.
Chief Don Ramsey, served during the war years of 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, and 1945. Was a farmer at the time and later worked for Bonnel Buick.
Chief Charles Chiappini, 1946, 1947, and 1955. Worked as Assistant Manager Boyce Payette Lumber.
Chief Lou Gibbs, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, and 1952. post Office Employee. Past President of the Colorado Firemen’s Ass. and also helped to organize the Northern Colorado Firemen’s Ass.
Chief Bill Simpson, 1953 and 1954. owner of Simpson’s Cattle Feeding. Later to be employed as a Captain Engineer with the department.
Chief Darrell Chambers, 1956 and 1957. Owned Chamber’s Plumbing.
Chief John Askey, 1958 and 1959. Part owner Loveland Upholstery Shop.
Chief Arthur Moskal, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, and 1964. Owned the Loveland Packing Plant.
Chief Alf Hougen, 1965, 1966, 1967, and 1968. Worked as a Masonry Contractor.
Chief James Edwards, 1969, 1970, and 1971. Worked for Public Service Company. Became the Chief for Western Hills Fire Protection District in January of 1975.
Chief Alford Woll, 1972, 1973, and 1974. Owner of the Dreamland Motel.
Chief Erv Weinmister, 1975, 1976, and 1982 thru 1984. Owner of Super Vac Fire.
Dick Ward, 1977 and 1978. Co Owner of Ward Construction.
Everett Roberts, 1979. managed Loveland Lumber.
Andy Anderson, 1980, and 1981. Owner of Anderson Plumbing and Heating.
Jack Sullivan, 1984, 1985, and 1986. Worked for Loveland Excavating.
Larry Heckel, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1991. Owner of Heckel Construction.
I had the privilege of knowing many of the men in the later years who served as Chief of the Department. My Father Duane Stauffer joined in 1962, and I entered the Fire service in 1981. They were men who believed in serving the community they lived in. They rose through the ranks to become leaders, giving of themselves unselfishly. But like many things, time stands still for no one. As the department grew along with the city, and the call load ever increased, the time came when a full time paid chief was needed. These gentlemen paved the way from the earliest days of the department and built the foundation on which the organization of today now stands.
Loveland Fire Exhibit Inc. 