The town of Sykesville had a problem. The community was growing too fast. It had out grown the fire service that the town was receiving from other outlying communities. Poor roads and the distance a department had to travel aided in several major fire losses. In 1933, a group of Sykesville residents decided to take it upon themselves to establish Sykesville's first fire department.

The first hurdle to be faced: money. Five thousand dollars was needed to start the department. The first Firemen's Carnival was planned for the summer of 1933. The carnival was a success, raising $350. Minstrel shows were performed and the Ladies Auxiliary was formed around this time too to help raise money. The Auxiliary was a key factor in the early development of the fire department and they still are today.

Finally after many months of planning and fundraising, the time had come to move into the new fire department. December 14, 1933, was the beginning of the Sykesville Fire Department. An old store on lower South Main Street was purchased to be the new fire house and a 1933 American LaFrance fire engine was purchased to serve the community. The engine had a 500 gallon a minute pump plus a 100 gallon booster tank. The department started out with 52 members.

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