The independent
fire company
station 7
The Independent Fire Company of Belford was formed in August of 1924. The first fire house was constructed behind Lanford’s store on Main Street in Belford, built with used lumber donated from Saint Mary's Church horse sheds. The first fire truck was a Buffalo pumper with 2 chemical tanks, a booster hose line, and very ornate detailing of gold leafing. In the 1930s, the old school house on Main Street, Belford was purchased and converted into a firehouse where we held dances and bingos to raise money for equipment. A 1934 Diamond T pumper was acquired thru an army surplus program and then a 1951 modern pumper from Tasc Fire Apparatus was built on a Federal chassis.
In 1956 the fire company moved again to the current location at 536 Highway 36, Belford. In 1958, a brand new 75' American LaFrance ladder truck "Aerial No. 1" was received and placed in service. Since then, we have prided ourselves as a Middletown Township Fire Department Truck Company, where 3 more ladder trucks carried the torch; a 1979 Pierce LTI 100 ft. Ladder Tower, replacing it was a 1986 Seagrave straight stick ladder and currently, a 2007 American LaFrance 100 ft. Ladder Tower.