station 8
Prior to the Incorporation of Middletown Township Fire Co #1, The following Fire Companies protected Middletown Township. Navesink Hook & Ladder Co #1, Brevet Park & Leonardo Fire Co, Belford Chemical Engine Co 1, Ocean View Fire Co ( Community Fire Co) , East Keansburg Fire Co #1, Port Monmouth Fire Co #1, and the Belford Independent Fire Co. These Fire companies provided fire protection for area known today as the Bayshore. Though Middletown was primarily Farm Land , The Bayshore area was Booming with Businesses, Residential homes, A Ferry and Rail shipping Terminal, Shore and Beach Resorts, Trolley Services and The Long Branch and Seashore Railroad. But the Area South was still populated with mostly Farm Land, Small Villages and Plantations with populations starting to rise. Protection from Fire was provided by the residents in these areas, Mostly utilizing leather and wooden buckets and shovels to fight fires while awaiting help from the Bayshore area of Middletown and or from neighboring towns like Red Bank , Colts Neck or Holmdel. Wealthy residents of the area where able to purchase their own Fire Fighting equipment, Most where that of hand pulled Chemical Engines like the one currently displayed inside the current Fire House. Unfortunately, most Fires during this time resulted costly loses to the wood structures and homes.
The need for a greater Fire Protection was recognized and residents formed a Committee, These committee men where Edward Meisler, Thomas Conner, and Frank Scott. Over the last 95 Years of the Fire Co, We have operated 18 Pieces of Apparatus. Each Piece was specifically designed by a committee of the Fire Co who’s though process was to purchase apparatus with the forsight of future needs. This has allowed Middletown Fire Co #1 to excel in Fire Fighting , Rescue and become one of the most well respected Fire Co’s in Middletown Township and In Monmouth County.
The First News was published in March 19th 1924 in Red Bank register.
Titled "A Fire company is about to be formed at this place." Several meetings have been held recently at George Browers store to form a fire company. The organization is nearly perfected and a delegation of the fireman will attend the next township committee meeting to get official recognition for the company.
Public Notice was Published On April 9, 1924 in The Red Bank Register notifying All Residents of the area that local residents in the Hedden’s Corner, Fairfield Gardens And Vicinity of Township Of Middletown intend to Associate themselves together for the purpose of forming a Fire Company for the purpose of Protecting Life and Property from Fire and that a meeting is tobe held at Brower’s Store at Heddens Corner on State Hwy on Wednesday evening April 23rd at 8 o’clock. On This date The Fire Company Was Organized and Formed and where as their volunteer Act and Deed has been signed, Sealed and Delivered before a Master Chancery of NJ.
The Fire Company over the next couple years would operate out of a Shed on the Property Of Brower’s Store at the Corner of Hedden’s Corner. Today the Location would be Hwy 35 and Chapel Hill Road at the Current Gas Station. The Fire Company Business Meetings would take place on Wednesday Nights inside of the store. The Fire Company received donations of Buckets and a Extension Ladder to start with. A Horse drawn wagon was loaned to the Fire Company to respond with from George Brower’s.
In 1925 The Fire Company received a Piece of Property located now at 340 State Hwy 35 and Depauw St., This would be the Location of our 1st Fire House Built, We occupied this building uptil 1951 Until we moved to our current building. Later in 1925 The Fire Company received a piece of Fire Fighting Apparatus that was donated by the Red Bank Fire Department. The type of apparatus is unknow but from meeting minutes it was noted to purchase chemical charges. Chemical charges where mostly used with Hand Pulled Chemical Wagons. The Chemical Charge where that of a Sulphuric Acid in a Glass Bottle that would be placed inside the vessel, when charge was fired or released the Sulphuric Acid would mix with a Sodium Bicarbonate and create Carbon Dioxide, The Carbon Dioxide would then pressurize the vessel.. With the vessel now pressured , The Chemical Liquid Water and or Carbon Tet chloride inside could now be discharged, and could reach twenty to thirty feet in distance from nozzle.
In 1926 the Fire Company held it First Election where a Title Of Fire Chief was used, Prior to Chief the Fire Company had the position Forman and Assistant Forman. The First Chief in Middletown Fire Co # 1 was William Scott and served as Chief from 1926 – 1931. In 1926 the Fire Co purchased a American Lafrance Fire Engine and in 1930 the Fire Co Operated a Stevens Duryea Car that was donated and made into a Chemical Truck. The Fire Company progressed and with the help of local fund raising and raffles the Fire Co Purchased a American Lafrance Ladder Quad with a 200 gallon Tank in 1938.
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