The Department was organized in December 1944, after a tragic loss of two lives by fire, in order to protect Morningside and neighboring areas from fires and the resultant loss of life and property through concerted organized fire fighting.

The first truck, a 1929 model A Ford, was purchased from the Oxon Hill Volunteer Fire Department. In order to get further protection and assistance, the Department joined the Prince George's Volunteer Fireman's Association in 1945.

A firehouse was built in 1945 and after many enlargements and revamping it was decided in 1955 that we needed a new and modern building to house the increased number of pieces of apparatus which we owned. Work was commenced on the new building and it was completed in 1956.

The first pumper a 1935 Brockway was purchased from the Mt. Vernon (VA) Volunteer Fire Department. The second pumper, a 1942 Ford, was purchased from Army Surplus.

Realizing the need of a squad truck in lower Prince George's County, our next purchase was a used 1941 Ford Telephone Company truck, which was made usable for rescue work by the members of the department.

In 1951 we purchased our first brand new piece of equipment, a 1950 Ford F-8 and equipped by the American Fire Apparatus Company. For fighting brush fires we purchased from Army Surplus a 1943 Ford.

Our next brand new piece of equipment was purchased in 1954, a GMC chassis with a John Bean combination 750 gallons per minute pumper with high pressure

Due to obsolescence, the telephone squad truck was retired in 1954 and we purchased a 1954 GMC chassis and had an up to the minute squad truck body built on it by the Gichener Iron Works.