For the first time in the department’s 66-year history, every Spring Fire Department station will be manned 24/7 following a badge-pinning ceremony Aug. 3, according to an Aug. 2 news release.

Since its founding in 1953, the Spring Fire Department has grown from humble beginnings to include nine fire stations providing fire protection across 62 square miles in unincorporated northwest Harris County. The department hired its first part-time firefighters in 1997 and its first full-time firefighters in 2013.

Following the badge-pinning ceremony for 11 new firefighters Aug. 3, the department will include 87 full-time firefighters in addition to dozens of part-time and volunteer firefighters.

“This is an exciting time for everyone that lives, visits, works or invests in the Spring area,” Spring Fire Chief Scott Seifert said in a statement. “This milestone is being achieved several months ahead of schedule because this fire department believes in exceeding the needs of our community.”

The Spring Fire Department has been working to ramp up its staffing over the past several years to keep up with increasing needs associated with a rapidly growing community. The Harris County Emergency Services District 7 board was instrumental in providing financial support throughout the process, according to the release.

“Within the last five years the plan was to progressively hire people over time to have all of the stations staffed,” Spring Assistant Fire Chief Robert Logan said in a statement. “The original plan to fully staff Station 77 was 2020, so we’re several months ahead of schedule in staffing our ninth and final station.”

The badge-pinning ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3, at Station 71, located at 645 E. Louetta Road, Spring. When the new firefighters begin their first shifts Aug. 5, the Spring Fire Department will be fully staffed 24/7 for the first time in six decades.

“On Saturday several more volunteers are receiving their firefighter badges, and this community is blessed to have their service,” Seifert said in a statement. “Together, our full-time, part-time and volunteer firefighters step up every day with the ‘desire to serve, the courage to act and the ability to perform’ because that’s what this community deserves.”

For more information about the Spring Fire Department, click here.