The Elizabethtown Fire Department, also known as The Friendship Fire & Hose Co. #1, has been serving the residents of the greater Elizabethtown area for over 200 years. While being officially instituted in 1838 as the Union Fire Company, there has been literature found that shows there was some form of fire protection almost 35 years previous to the original institution date. In 1856, the Union fire company was incorporated into the Friendship Fire Company for an unknown reason, but some literature shows that a hand pumper that was delivered from another Friendship Fire Co. could have been a reason for the change. Then in 1878, the department was reincorporated again to the Friendship Fire & Hose Co #1.