The ETFHS was organized on January 30th, 2016 at Morristown Fire Station #1, Morristown, TN with ten attendees from East Tennessee and Virginia.  Danny Case was elected the first president of the Society. Tommy Herman, Second Vice-President, Society for the Preservation and Appreciation of Antique Motor Fire Apparatus in America (SPAAMFAA), gave a presentation on the history of SPAAMFAA and explained the process for establishing a Regional Chapter. The attendees voted to establish the East Tennessee Fire Historical Society as a chapter of SPAAMFAA. SPAAMFAA members Danny Case, Hal Weeden, Tom Scott, Paul Frutiger, Ron Van Essen, and Bill Killen, were appointed trustees and completed the Application for a SPAAMFAA Regional Chapter.