Saint Elmo Police and Fire Departments

Saint Elmo Police Department

The Saint Elmo Police Department is located at 108 W. 4th St., St. Elmo, IL 62458. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, the department provides law enforcement services and patrols throughout Saint Elmo as well as the surrounding communities of Brownstown and Ramsey. Officers are committed to maintaining public safety, responding to emergencies, enforcing local and state laws, and building strong relationships within the community. For non-emergency assistance, residents are encouraged to contact the department directly at (618) 829-5113, or dial 911 in the event of an emergency.

Mission Statement:

The St. Elmo Police Department is committed to providing the highest quality police service to those who live and work in the City of St. Elmo. We work in collaboration with the community and strive to maintain the utmost level of public safety with the goal of maintaining the quality of life expected within the City of St. Elmo. We provide our service with a commitment to cultivating the public trust by respecting individual rights and striving to be fair, just and responsive to the needs and feelings of our community.

Saint Elmo Fire Department

The St. Elmo Fire Protection District is proudly staffed by community volunteers and serves as a local fire department in St Elmo, IL. The fire station is located at 511 North Main Street St. Elmo, IL 62458 and can be contacted directly by calling (618) 829-9701, or 911 in the event of an emergency.

Mission Statement:

The St. Elmo Fire Department's mission is to protect life and property from loss, suffering amd damage due to fire, rescue situations, environmental and other emergencies with in the district, as safe as possible, through public education, and incident response.

Maltese Cross

The Maltese Cross is the symbol for the fire service and represents the ideals of saving lives and extinguishing fires.

The Maltese Cross has its origins going back to the era of the Crusades and is named after the island of Malta which came to be the home of the Knights of St. John which existed during the 11th and 12th centuries. Because of the extensive armor which covered their entire bodies... and faces, the Knights needed a symbol to distinguish friend from foe in battle. They chose the Cross of Calvary, which would later be known as the Maltese Cross, as their symbol because the Crusades were battles fought for a holy cause. During these battles, the enemies of the knights commonly used fire as a weapon. As the Crusaders advanced on the walls of the city, they were struck by glass bombs containing naptha. When they became saturated with the highly flammable liquid, the Sacracens hurled a flaming tree into their midst. Hundreds of Knights were burned alive and it was not uncommon for a Knight to have to risk his own life to extinguish a fire or rescue a comrade. Thus, these men became known as firemen, the first of a long line of courageous firefighters.

Because of their ability to fight fires, and the pride and honor they take in the care of their sick and injured, the Maltese Cross evolved into a fitting symbol of the modern fire service. It's eight points have come to represent the principals of charity, chivalry, loyalty, gallantry, generosity to friend and foe, dexterity of service, and protection of the weak. It is a Firefighters badge of honor, signifying that he/she is willing to lay down their life with the ability to work at death's front door.