Sept. 2, 1903: BRONX, NY - Firemen raced to the alarm box at the corner of Webster Avenue and 169th Street to find a house fire 100 feet above them on Clay Avenue. A sheer rock wall stood between them and the burning home. Undaunted, firemen began to scale the rock wall only to find they still could not reach the seat of the fire. An impromptu bucket brigade extinguished the flames. The chief realized the only way for these companies to reach that elevated street was to make a one-mile detour via Jerome Avenue. A lack of hydrants only compounded matters.
Sept. 2, 1903: NEWARK, NJ - Six men were injured when a boiler exploded in the rear of a chemical establishment on Market Street. One hundred workers were busy erecting an addition to the structure when the explosion threw them in all directions. It was believed at first that men were trapped beneath collapsed sections of the building. Quick rescue work by firemen proved these areas to be clear.
Sept. 4, 1903: MONTPELIER, IN - An oil tank holding 30,000 barrels of crude petroleum was struck by lightning, igniting the oil. With limited options available, a canon was brought from Lima, OH, and a ball was shot through the tank allowing the oil to empty out.
Sept. 5, 1903: BROOKLYN, NY - A smoky fire broke out in a paint and tarpaper company owned by Johnson-Manville Company. Three firemen from Ladder 64 were overcome by the dense smoke and fumes while searching for the seat of the fire. They stumbled from the blazing structure and were sent home to recover.
Sept. 11, 1903: MORRISTOWN, NJ - Firemen were called to the hospital to help subdue a mentally deranged patient who had climbed out onto the roof and stood on the eave threatening to jump. As firemen prepared to raise a ladder and debated the need for a life-net distracting the man, a pretty young nurse sneaked up behind him and wrestled him from the ledge.
Sept. 12, 1903: EUSTIS, ME - A fire that began on the roof of the Coburn House, presumably from a defective flue, was driven by a strong wind and was soon raging out of control. Two hotels, four general stores, 15 homes and nearly a score of other structures were left in smoldering ruins.
Time Capsule
NEW YORK CITY FIREMEN GET LAST LAUGH AT "FALSE ALARM"
On Sept. 24, 1903, the firemen of Engine Company 37 and several police officers found a slight measure of revenge after the fire company responded to numerous false alarms pulled by celebrating students at Columbia University.
The company had endured hard response after hard response only to find large numbers of students snickering at the firemen's efforts. As the evening wore on students began to collect furniture, paper and virtually anything else that would burn and set a large bonfire, threatening new students with initiation by fire as the upper classmen danced around the leaping flames.
Thirty-seven rolled out to the fire shortly after it was started at 11:30 P.M. Responding firemen and several police officers drawn to the area by the noisy students, were confronted by 50 or so "dapper youths" who heckled their efforts. The enginemen methodically made their hose connections, bled the air from the charged line and turned the hose on the crowd. Within five minutes, order was restored, wet students were deflated and the bonfire was extinguished.
Wethersfield Fire Department Marks Bicentennial
On Sept. 20, 2003, the Connecticut State Firemen's Association will convene for its two-day convention and parade in the Town of Wethersfield. This event will be the highlight of the year-long celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Wethersfield Fire Department - known as "the oldest fully volunteer fire department in continuous existence in New England."
Firefighters from across the state will descend upon the town. An estimated 20,000 people will crowd the parade route and watch modern and antique fire apparatus, marching bands and to cheer their local heroes.
The oldest volunteer fire department in New England, the Wethersfield Volunteer Fire Department protects 26,000 citizens from three firehouses. The department operates nine major pieces of apparatus that include a 100-foot tower aerial, a Snorkel, five pumpers, a heavy rescue truck and a fast-attack pumper. This is a far cry from the state-of-the-art horse, engine and house the First Ecclesiastical Church had appropriated in 1801 (a second pump was purchased shortly thereafter).
In 1803, Connecticut passed the Enabling Act, to allow the formation of organized fire companies. On May 10, 1803, the state granted Wethersfield's application to form a fire company. Sixteen men formed the state's first organized firefighting company, and what ultimately became the Wethersfield Fire Company began protecting the community from the ravages of fire.
A major fire erupted on the east side of High Street (now Main Street) in 1831, and quickly grew to conflagration proportions. The fire drove northward until it reached a drug store, and left a number of homes and Allen's Inn in smoldering ruins. Two years later, a major fire destroyed seed houses and numerous homes.
In 1858, the town purchased Hartford's powerful hand pumper, "The Neptune." This rig, manned by as many as 42 men, could deliver a stream of water 70 feet into the air. This pumper was labor intensive, to say the least, and served until 1872, when Neptune Engine was retired due to age. Its replacement, "New Hope No. 1," a combination hook, ladder and bucket carrier, was pulled to fires by a team of draft horses and served until a Republic pumper was purchased in 1915, bringing Wethersfield into the era of mechanized fire extinguishment.
The Wethersfield Fire Department was created in 1925 with the organization of Company 2. A steady stream of new equipment followed as fire engines became bigger and more powerful. The department also kept pace with the expanding community and began operating an Army surplus DUKW amphibious vehicle known as "The Duck." This eventually gave way to today's Boston Whaler and inflatable boats.
Wooden ladder trucks became 100-foot aerials and Snorkels. A heavy rescue rig with a hydraulic rescue tool went into service in the 1970s. Hazmat operations, ice and water rescue were soon added to Wethersfield's responsibilities.
The century changed for the Wethersfield Fire Department a second time and again found itself with a well-trained, highly motivated and dedicated group of firefighters. Some things never change.
—Paul Hashagen
Paul Hashagen, a Firehouse® contributing editor, is a retired FDNY firefighter who was assigned to Rescue Company 1 in Manhattan. He is also an ex-chief of the Freeport, NY, Fire Department. Hashagen is the author of FDNY 1865-2000: Millennium Book, a history of the New York City Fire Department, and other fire service history books.
