History of the Hollywood Park Fire Department
Original Volunteer HPFD Logo and Patch
Hollywood Park celebrates the brave men who served on our Hollywood Park Volunteer Fire Department, prior to it being an established full-time unit. To honor their efforts and dedication, a committee has documented the following history for preservation of the Town’s fire department. The timeline below lists the progression of the department’s history up until the dedication of the memorial in 2025.
1951: First home built in Hollywood Park.
1955: The Town of Hollywood Park incorporated.
1951-1958: Water hoses stayed connected at each residence and ready for use in case of fire.
1958: The beginning of an established fire department started when a group of men joined together as volunteers. A couple of the volunteers attended Firefighter School at Texas A&M University. The Town Council held a special meeting September 28th for Ed Plunket to present a telephone warning system that would alert the volunteers of an emergency and call them to action.
1959: January 19th: The council officially appointed Ed Plunkett as Fire Chief and Jay Benedict as Assistant Chief.
September 10th: Approval was given for the purchase of a 17-year-old pickup truck for the fire department at a cost of $66.80.
1964: Fred T. Keepers, Jr. served as Fire Chief; Robert (Bob) Ellison was Assistant Fire Chief.
The first Hollywood Park Volunteer Fire Department Santa Parade was held, establishing a longtime tradition.
1967: June: A siren and tower were installed adjacent to the fire department building.
1968: Volunteers raised funds by selling 746 tickets to a Hollywood Park Volunteer Fire Department Benefit Barbeque, which became an annual event to raise funds for equipment. Volunteers and their wives prepared the food. The first equipment purchase was 20, new, two-way, portable alerting units.
1968: August: The HPFD responded to a grass fire that erupted and burned off 3,000 acres of ranchland, which is now know as Stone Oak.
1969: One pump unit and one “brush buggy” booster unit were purchased to fight fires. The volunteers were provided bright yellow uniforms, but they received no other compensation. Now 18 dedicated volunteers provided protection for 612 homes in Hollywood Park, Hill Country Village, and ranch lands in the northernmost sections of Bexar County, mainly along US Highway 281.
1970: The Hollywood Park Volunteer Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary was formed to provide the firefighter with food after they worked hard fighting a fire.
1973: John Hannah was Fire Chief.
1973: Volunteer firefighters numbered 29. Equipment included a 1,500-gallon brush-fire pumper, 500-gallon pumper, 300-gallon pumper, and a Rescue Unit; all purchased through fundraising and donations. The fully equipped unit cost $10,000. The fire station had the latest in radio equipment, including a citizens ban transmitter-receiver for communications between the station and the volunteers’ radio equipped cars. Volunteers protected 900 homes in Hollywood Park with expansions to ultimately contain the development of 300 more homes. Homes in HP at that time were valued from $40,000 to $100,000.
1974 International with Simms body
1980: HP Fire Department provided service to approximately 4,000 homes, including 13 subdivisions outside of HP.
1982: Feliz Whipple was Fire Chief.
1987: Marve Matter was Fire Chief.
1990: Second HPFD Patch (1990-1999)
1990: Early 1990’s through 2003 Charlie Ivy was Fire Chief.
1984 Ford at Town Hall
2003-2004: Javier Garcia was Fire Chief.
2005-2023: John Butrico was Fire Chief.
2022 Pierce Platform
2023-2024: Todd Morgan became Fire Chief.
Current logo and patch
2025: Eric Burnside became Fire Chief
2024: Today, the Hollywood Park Fire Department is comprised of full-time professionals with 13 EMT/Firefighters including 3 Lieutenants, 3 Engineers, 6 Firefighters, and the Fire Chief. The HPFD fleet includes a 2010 Pierce Velocity Fire engine, a 2022full-time shift firefighters, several part time firefighters, one reserve Peace Officer and one Fire Chief. The Fire Department currently has a 2010 Pierce Velocity Fire Engine, 2022 Pierce Velocity Mid Mount 100′ Platform, Ford Command Pick up, Ford Explorer Squad, and Ford Medium Duty Grass Truck. Each firefighter is provided uniforms, radios, bunker gear and personal protection equipment.
The Hollywood Park Fire Department has vehicle extrication equipment, high angle rescue gear, and swift water rescue gear. It also has two Life Paks, 15 Cardiac Monitors and several EMS response bags.
March 29, 2025 The Town of Hollywood Park held a Dedication Ceremony for the Hollywood Park VFD.
Invitation for the Hollywood Park VFD Dedication
Program for the Hollywood Park VFD Memorial Dedication
Hollywood Park VFD Memorial Site
Memorial Park, Mecca Dr. @ El Cerrito Circle
Hollywood Park, Texas
The names of all 38 original Volunteers are engraved on the bricks to honor their service to Hollywood Park.
Brick platform under the memorial bench
Mayor Chester Drash addresses the guests gathered to explain the importance of the Memorial project.
Hollywood Park VFD Memorial Committee
left to right: Holly McBrayer, Debbie Johnson (Architect), Alverne Halloran, Shannon Sims, and Glenna Pearce (City Council Place 5)
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony | Hollywood Park City Council and the VFD Memorial Committee
left to right: Councilmember Jim Rodriguez (Place 1), Mayor Pro Tem Dale Randol (Place 3), Councilmember Wendy Gonzalez (Place 4), Mayor Chester Drash,
Councilmember Glenna Pearce (Place 5), Alverne Halloran, Shannon Sims, Holly McBrayer, and Debbie Johnson
Lee Vogel | Last living member of the first Hollywood Park VFD
Mr. Vogel is the only surviving honoree. he is pictured above with his wife, Bernice, who is wearing the women’s Auxiliary shirt with the first HPVFD patch.
Alverne Holloran and Robert Oakes (Robert E. “Bob” Oakes’ grandson and namesake)