Town of Wilbraham, MA - Fire Department History

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Fire Department History

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The Town of Wilbraham was incorporated in 1763, but it was not until the early 20th Century that the need for a fire department was realized. The year was 1919 and in that year, the Town Meeting voted to purchase a chemical engine and hose cart. The Town purchased a 1919 REO Speedwagon and also appointed a Board of Fire Commissioners. The Town Meeting that year appointed J.M. Perry, C.C. Stewart and F.A. Warren. The Town Meeting also voted to construct a one-stall firehouse near the site of the present-day fire headquarters on Boston Road. The first firehouse was dedicated to the memory of George M. Kingdon, the only Wilbraham soldier to be killed in action during World War I. He is buried at Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery in Romagne, France.

The "George M. Kingdon Fire Company" sign now hangs in the present-day headquarters on Boston Road.

In the days prior to the "George M. Kingdon Fire Company," fires in Wilbraham were fought using whatever was available to include buckets and extinguishers.

The Department has changed a great deal since those early days, and below is a chronological history of that transformation.

	1919 The Department was organized as the George M. Kingdon Fire Company.
	1921 $500 was appropriated to pay all the active members of the department.
	1922 Emergency medical responses began with the purchase of a first-aid kit from the Winchester Square Pharmacy in Springfield.
	1927 The Town purchased its first pumper to be able to utilize the towns new hydrant system.
	1938 Purchase of a new 1938 REO Speedwagon fire truck. The hurricane of 1938 causes damage to New England. Damaged fire equipment cost the Town $300.
	1941 The auxillary department was formed due to a national crisis.
	1945 Addition of fog nozzles and foam gear as a result of World War II Army and Navy testing.
	1952 Present-day fire headquarters was built, and the first ambulance in the Department was donated by the Wilbraham Grange.
	1957 Appointment of the first full-time firefighter and fire chief.
	1958 Station 2 was built on Woodland Dell Road.
	1962 The Town purchases a new Cadillac ambulance, and the old ambulance is converted to a rescue.
	1968 By now, the Department has 11 full-time members, including the chief and two acting lieutenants, giving the Town protection from 7AM to 8PM. A new radio alerting system is installed to improve the callback of off-duty firefighters for major incidents.
	1971 The REO Speedwagon is retired and replaced by a new 1970 brush truck (Forestry 9).
	1975 All full-time firefighters become Emergency Medical Technicians, and the new Jaws of Life are put into service.
	1979 The Department goes to 24-hour coverage and now has 22 members including 1 chief, 1 deputy, 4 lieutenants and 16 firefighters.
	1980 Central Communications are instituted resulting in one phone number to cover all emergency needs of the Town.
	1988 The Department acquired a new ladder truck, a new Chief's car and a rescue.
	1989 Developed series of landing sites for medical rescue helicopters.
	1991 A new ambulance is aquired by public donation.
	1994 Two defibrllators aquired by public donation, increasing the emergency protection for the Town.
	1995 The first female firefighter is appointed, and the SAFE program is in place.
	1996 "Rescue Alive" ice rescue sled is donated and placed in service. Two of the department EMTs successfully complete EMT-I training, and currently 5 more are attending this advanced training.
	1997 Department's first paramedic is hired.
	1998 Three more paramedics are hired.

Town of Wilbraham

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