In 1951, Jacob Burkhart came up with an idea to form a fire department to service High Park and to provide assistance to surrounding communities. The fire department was first built on land donated by the Amadio Lepidi family, and was located at 417 Cyrus Street. It was built by hand by the volunteer firefighters and with help of the community. The building was finished and started in 1952. It consisted of a truck room, dance hall and a social hall.

      The first truck that they used was a used 1925 Boyer engine that was donated from our friends from the Penn Volunteer Fire Department. The next apparatus was a used 1946 Rio engine that was purchased from Irwin Fire Department. In 1957, the High Park VFD bought its first new fire engine which was a GMC pumper that carried 500 gallons of water. They named it Josephine after Tino Bertolino's mother.

      In 1974, High Park members purchased a Ford rescue truck. High park has the honor of being the first fire department in the area to operate the Hurst "Jaws of Life". The rescue truck traveled over 40 miles including US Route 30 to the North Versasilles line east to Latrobe providing the tool to assist in the extrication of victims trapped in their vehicles. High Park was well known in the area for its fast and efficient extrications of the critically injured patients.

      In 1975 the fire department moved out of the Cyrus St. location and moved to 400 Baughman Ave. which is our current Social Hall. High Park purchased its second new engine in 1979. It was a Seagrave that carried 750 gallons of water. In 1987 they purchased a new rescue truck. It was a Ford F-350 4x4 which was used until 2000.

      On January 31st 1991, High Park firefighters battled a blaze that was their own Social Hall and Dance Hall. It was a complete loss. It burnt completely to the ground. It was ruled an electrical fire.

      In 1992, the fire department was moved to its current location and the old truck room was remolded into the current Social Hall.