In September of 1938, 12 residents of the Morton Plan gathered in the home of Richard Lindap, to hold what was to be the first organization meeting of the Mifflin Township’s newest fire company. Monthly meetings were held in the homes of the men until the membership grew to 30 members.

In 1940, the first By-Laws were drawn up and the charter was obtained. The name on our charter was originally titled ‘Lebanon Volunteer Fire Company’… but has since changed.  The company purchased a lot on Fifth Street in the Morton Plan in 1942 to erect the first fire station. In the fall of 1944, the fire company purchased their first fire truck from Versailles Borough.

In August of 1947, the company purchased the lot on Lebanon Church Road. The new building was started in June of 1949, and a new fire truck was also on order. On June 16, 1950, the fire company opened its doors to the public to display the new fire truck and station. The fire company’s building was built by firefighters who donated their time and their labor, free of charge. The cost of the building was $16,000 (what would be approximately $163k by today’s standards). And the truck, presented by the borough, had a cost of $21,000 (what would be approximately $223k by today’s standards).

On Friday, May 8^th, 1953, a very different type of fire was anxiously attended by the members, when the three year mortgage on the building was burned.

By 1965 the membership continued to grow and the needs of the borough had changed.  Under the leadership of Howard Kegler and Jack Dorris, a heavy duty Ford emergency truck was purchased at a cost of $12,000 to replace the CMC.  Under the next two fire chiefs, Vince Carr and Charles Hoit, extra effort was put into updating the equipment which was now becoming more and more obsolete. With all the updates and expansion of equipment, a new addition to the building was in the works, and in 1967 the membership approved an expansion project for the building.

In 1975, under President Bill Drury and Chief Don Brooks, it was decided to build a new building addition. This addition was for our 400 seat Banquet Hall, which is in full operation today.

Over the past 70+ years, many changes and improvements have been made to the original plans set forth by its founding members… our fire trucks are no longer white… the building has changed its shape a few times… and many faces have come and gone as well… and as the dates on our calendars have moved ahead, so too has the ‘Lebanon Fire Company’, now fondly known as West Mifflin Volunteer Fire Company #3.  One thing remains the same, and will never change… that when the sirens and pagers go off, the firefighters from #3 will answer the call.

Here’s to 70 more productive and successful years!