From the Matagorda County History & Genealogy page and BCVFD website
The Bay City Volunteer Fire Department was established in 1906 - 118 years of service to Bay City and the surrounding areas.
William Walker Sr. was the first fire chief when the only equipment in the city was a two-wheeled, hand-drawn chemical cart.
Later two hand-drawn hose carts were added, but these were meager beginnings for an organization that was to become of the best all-all volunteer fire departments in the instate.
It was not until 1915 that the group purchased its first equipment that did not rely on a “strong back” for power.
A Crawford truck was purchased and converted into a hose truck.
Originally, the fire station was located where the municipal court building now stands on Sixth Street.
That iron-cclad, two-story firehouse also served as business place for city affairs.
For a time equipment was housed in a building south of Cottonwood Creek between Sixth and Seventh streets. That building was restored in 1983.
The present station at the intersection of Sixth Street and Avenue I was authorized by a bond issue in 1948.
The buildiing was completed in in February 1950 at a cost of $56,000 and was dedicated in April of that year.
The department - with about 35 members - belongs to the Texas State Fireman's and Fire Marshal's Association.
Training and drills are conducted under their guidelines.
The department holds two-hour practices on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month and conducts a business meeting on the third Wednesday of every month.
Eight to ten firefighters attend the annual week-long training session at the Texas A&M fire field in College Station.