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Front Page News:

February 16, 2011


 

Chichester Historical  Society
Chichester Volunteer Fire Department
Submitted By: Walter Sanborn

On January 24 2011, I attended the monthly meeting of the Chichester Volunteer Fire Department.  So what interest does that make concerning Chichester History?


Exactly seventy-five years ago, January 29, 1936 some of the men of Chichester met at the town hall and organized the Chichester Volunteer Fire Department.  At this meeting by-laws were made and accepted and officers were elected with John C. Langmaid as chief of the department.


The by-laws required that you needed to be 18 years of age to join the fire department.  At that time, requirements weren’t very strictly enforced so I helped work on the truck and go to fires.  Therefore, I am not listed as a charter member but when I became 18 years old in 1938, I officially joined the department and today am the oldest living member.


At the 1936 April meeting of the department, Mr. Charles Huckins of Epsom, a Chevrolet Dealer and also owner of Huckins Oil Co, was present to give us a price on a truck chassis for our first fire truck.  He quoted us a price of a new 1936 Chevrolet truck for $628.00 or a used 1934 Chevrolet that had been used as a tank truck for his oil business for $325.00 without tank.  A power takeoff could be $50.00 extra.  The vote was 2 for the new truck and 13 for the used truck.


A used hose body was found for $50.00, an old Army water tank was bought for $12.00, and a new pump for $150.00 was bought.   All these were mounted to the truck and the needed piping done.  With the purchase of a new hose and 2 nozzles, the truck was put in operation in 1936.  All this being accomplished by the volunteer firemen.


All money was raised by having minstrel shows, whist parties, dances and volunteer contributions.


The truck was stored in the barn of Edward Edmunds during this time as we had no fire station.


In August 4, members loaned $100.00 each toward the purchase of the former stone shed of Alfred Jenkins at the center.  This stone shed had been used by Mr. Jenkins in making monuments.


At the 1937 town meeting the town voted to reimburse these four men the money and bought the first fire house for the town.


In 1947 we bought a 1943 Chevrolet government surplus fire truck from Camp Devens, Massachusetts which was our first factory manufactured piece of fire apparatus.  At the same time we purchased a government surplus trailer pumper.


In 1950 we built an 800 gallon tank truck and sold our first homemade 1936 fire truck at sealed bid for $103.00.  By now our old station was crowded with equipment and a committee was appointed to look into building a new fire station.


In 1953 work on building the new firehouse was started by cutting lumber in January and erecting the building during the summer.


The new firehouse was built around the old station in use until the new building was constructed.  Our 1953 August meeting was held in the old firehouse and the September meeting was held in the new firehouse.


The accompanying picture shows our first fire truck in front of our first firehouse.


We bought our first new fire truck in 1964 and a new tank truck in 1974.  By 1994 we had four pieces of apparatus in the fire station and two forestry trucks stored under the town hall.  Again a larger fire station was needed.  The new and now third firehouse was built and dedicated in June 1996 which is the present firehouse on Main Street.


A complete history of the Chichester Volunteer Fire Department was written and published in book form in 2008 and is available at the town office or Historical Society for $10.00.


This year, 2011, marks the 75th anniversary of the Chichester Volunteer Fire Department so watch the paper for celebration activities during the year 2011.




 

 











 
 

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