The department’s first station was housed in the lower level of city hall at Second Avenue and Lewis Street. Early firefighters were all volunteers, and most were either business owners or City Council members. Minimal pay of $0.25 per hour was added later, and today (2005) that amount has grown to $14 per hour.
1955 – Shakopee’s fire station moved to Second Avenue and Scott Street.
1959 – The Fire Department fought the Schesso-Hughes Auto Dealership fire, where Shakopee suffered its first and only firefighter line-of-duty death, Max Wermerskirchen.
1973 – On July 4, 1973, the Shakopee Fire Department fought a fire that broke out at Pollution Control Inc. Hundreds of 55-gallon barrels exploded during the 10-hour inferno.
1998 – The Shakopee Fire Department opened its second station (now Station 1) at 2700 Vierling Drive E. to support the growing community.
2005 – In August 2005, the Shakopee Fire Department was joined by more than a dozen neighboring departments as they fought to save historic St. Mark’s Church from fire.
2008 - A career Fire Chief position is added.
2012 – After 57 years at the Second Avenue station, fire station 2 moved to a newly constructed building at 1001 Vierling Drive W. The city continued to have two fire stations, Station 1 at 2700 Vierling Drive E. and Station 2 at 1001 Vierling Drive W.
2012 - Fallen Firefighter Max Wermerskirchen's name was added to the list of Minnesota line-of-duty deaths on the Minnesota Fire Service Memorial at the State Capitol.
2013 – Four career Firefighter position are added to staff daytime shifts Monday through Friday to assist with emergency responses, general operations, and maintenance.
2020 - A new staffing model is adopted to provide coverage to residents and visitors 24/7/365 greatly reducing response times to emergency calls. Temporary sleeping quarters are installed at Station 1. ISO PPC rating improves from a 4 to a 3.
2023 - Fire Chief Mike Scott is hired July 10, 2023.
2024 - Fire Department administration is restructured to include a Deputy Chief of Administration & Fire Operations and a Deputy Chief of Training & EMS Operations. Three career Captains and two career firefighters are added for 24-hour shifts. Station 1 remodel started in May and administration offices moved to the Station 1 training room and operations move to Fire Station 2 with temporary sleeping quarters established in the conference room.
Fire Chief Mike Nelson is hired June 4, 2024.
The Station 1 remodel was completed in September which added four dorm rooms and updated the fire administration office area.