The Ely Fire Department is dedicated to providing emergency fire suppression, emergency medical service, general community support, and fire safety education to the citizens in the city of Ely, College Township (city of Western), and Putnam Townships. The Ely Fire Department maintains a mutual aid agreement to provide additional fire and EMS support with all departments in Linn County Iowa, Eastern Iowa Airport, the Solon Fire Department and Jefferson Monroe Fire Department.
The Ely Fire Department was formed in the year 1932 with just a few guys and a horse drawn hand pumper. Firefighters used leather caps and hand buckets which are still on display at the current fire station. In 1936 the department obtained their first motorized apparatus, built on a 1936 chassis. Throughout the years the fire department has gone through many changes, they’ve had many fire apparatus and multiple stations. Most recently they moved into a new station on Main St. in Ely in 2002. The current station has plenty of room and is something that all of the firefighters are very proud to maintain and show off. The most recent truck purchased by the City of Ely for the fire department was a 200 Freight-liner 2000 gallon tanker.