CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF

THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OF THE

VILLAGE OF SALEM

1803 – 2O15

 

Compiled by William A. Cormier
Village Historian
Salem, NY

The Salem Volunteer Fire Department has begun it fund raising campaign for a new fire house on South Main Street. The plans have been approved and the above drawing shows the front elevation of the new building.  The building will hold all the fire trucks, office space, meeting room, kitchen, and storage.  The floor layout will allow multiple use of the space for fire trucks and removal of the trucks will allow large group gatherings. The need for a new building is reflected in the history of the fire department.  Since September 11, 2001, the department has modernized its fire-fighting equipment with $800,000 worth of grants from FEMA.  Much needed new firefighting turn out gear and trucks over the last 10 years have greatly enhanced local and mutual aide fire-fighting.

In addition to 9/11, the fire department and its volunteers have been faced with other daunting challenges, such as the unexpected loss of Fire Chief Guy Capuano in 2008, and a fire in the old Chamber’s Feed Mill on McDougall Street in 2009. In 2011, major catastrophes included the flood waters of Hurricane Irene in the village of Salem and the rescuing of people from their homes. Devastating to the fire department and the community was the deadly house propane gas explosion on State Route 29 in 2011.

In 2003, a major improvement to fire-fighting was the creation of a village water district with fire hydrants, making the old dug fire wells obsolete.  In 2012, the addition of the Pierce Engine Rescue ER 443 gave the department additional fire-fighting abilities.

The evolution of the 212 year-old fire department’s fire-fighting ability is revealed in the official minutes, starting in 1803 when fires were first fought with buckets of water manned by bucket brigades.  All the men in the village were required to turn out for a fire—sometimes the women were called upon to relieve the men at the hand pumper tubs. More efficient methods of fire-fighting came about with the invention of new equipment, pulled either by hand or by horses:  hand pumps, hose trucks, ladder trucks, and steam fire engines. Soon developed expressly for fire-fighting were axes, helmets, boots, and rubber coats among other gear.  Eventually gasoline powered fire trucks, better ladders, pikes, hoses, and better personal fire gear were developed, resulting in a better equipped fire company with better protected and better trained firemen and firewomen that we know  today.

The following chronology was developed in part from the minutes of the Salem Village Board of Trustees, the Union Engine and Hose Company # 1, Osoma Steamer and Marion Hose Company #2, Salem Volunteer Fire Department, and Fire Department of the Village of Salem. Other sources were the History of Washington County 1878, the Salem Press, and the Robert Thompson Collection.

May 2, 1803—Appointed the first Fire Wardens.

August 2, 1803—Raised $200 for fire equipment.

May 12, 1804—Purchased six ladders and 24 leather fire buckets.

May 26, 1804—Paid $12 for four ladders.

July 31, 1804–Deposited the fire buckets at the stores of James Harvey, J. Hawley and Ebenezer Proudfit.

October 6, 1806—Appointed the first fire company consisting of seven men, including Col. John Williams and James Harvey, a former member of a New York City fire company, who owned a small tub fire engine.

January 10, 1810—Directed Foreman James Harvey to present a list of the names of the firemen to the Trustees.  The list contained twenty names.  Purchased Engine No. I.  Secured a building, located on the lot next north of the old Courthouse, for the engine shelter.  This building would serve until 1842 when a new engine house was built.

May 7, 1811—Raised $200 to build an engine house and to repay individuals who last year paid for the purchase of hand tub Engine No. 1.  A brief description of the Engine noted, “It has iron wheels, eighteen inches in diameter; length of box, five and a half feet; width, twenty-two inches; depth, fourteen inches.  There were originally two brakes, one at each end of the engine, each brake only long enough for five men to work on.  It had a brass air chamber, which extended some five or six inches above its tip. The fire buckets were used in feeding it with water.  Having no suction pipe, it could not be fed from wells or reservoirs like modern engines.” Years later in 1877, this hand-tub engine would be still capable of throwing a stream over 100 feet.

May 17, 1820—Adopted the first official fireman’s uniform: “a short coat of blue woolen cloth and a leather hat such as is usually worn by a fireman.”

March 1833—Raised by tax, $250 for improving the fire department.

July 1833—Appointed Alonzo Gray to purchase the first fire ax for use by the engine company.

July 1833–Passed an ordinance setting the Fire Warden’s duties, “to attend strictly every alarm of fire in the village, and to form the lines to carry water to the engine with all possible dispatch.”  Fire Wardens were elected annually.

July 1833—Appointed a committee to procure four ladders, two twenty-four feet long, and two sixteen feet in length.

August 1833—Paid $9.40 for the ladders for the hook and ladder company.

August 15, 1833—Proposed to sell Engine No. 1 and purchase a new one.  No decision was made.

August 1835—Proposal to move the engine house to the Salem Hotel Lot at no expense to the village.  The proposal died.

August 15, 1835—Raised money for a new engine and appointed a committee of John Williams Jr., John W. Proudfit, and John Willard to “inquire into the expense of the new engine.”  (The committee would not complete its task until three years later.)

January 1, 1837—The fire company now consisted of 23 men.

January 7, 1837—Raised $250 by tax for a second new hand tub engine and hose.

January 1838—Proposed again to move the engine house, but no change was made.

January 28, 1838—Rescinded the July 7, 1837 resolution dealing with the purchase of an engine and adopted a new resolution “to raise $250 to pay John Williams, Jr. for a fire engine, heretofore furnished said village by him.”  The Lord Brothers, considered to be the best mechanics in the area, had built the hand tub engine in the Williams’ Manufactory on South Main Street.  This was the second engine in the village.

June 25, 1838—Paid $231.50 to John Williams for the new engine.

1840—Repaired the old engine house.

August 1840—Awarded a contract to George R. Lakin to build two fire wells for $17.50 each—one in front of the courthouse and one at the junction of Main Street and West Broadway.

September 1840—In September and October of 1840 two “great fires“ occurred on Main Street.  Over twenty buildings were destroyed. Firemen at that time were John Williams, Jr., James H. Seymour, Marvin Freeman, A. M. Proudfit, Wm. H. Reab, Loraness Clark, Warren Tanner, W. W. Freeman, Alonzo Gray, Wm. McLelland, Cyrus Atwood, David Rider, David Bowen, B. F. Robinson, Ebenezer Beaty, Rufus Fox, Thomas M. Hopkins, Abner C. Barnard, Robert McMurray.  Also all able body men were required turn out to help man the pumps.

May 1842—Resolved to spend $250 to erect a new engine house in the rear the Salem

hotel, and fronting West Broadway.  The building was leased from the village for ten years.

Early 1843–The fire room was “fitted up” by the Trustees at the expense of the village.

1849—Resolved to purchase a third hand tub fire engine to replace the second engine in operation since 1837.

1850—Paid Samuel Lord $305 for building the third hand tub engine.  This engine, like the second engine, was built in Salem.

May 1, 1847—Tabled a petition to form a new fire company.

May 7, 1847—Placed on file a second petition to reorganize the fire company, this time

signed by the members of the fire company.

June 2, 1847—Dissolved the exiting fire company and installed a new company for the village.

July 4, 1856—The second fire company paraded for the last time.

November 28, 1856—Officially disbanded the second fire company.

July 1856 to 1861—During this period of time, the village had no organized fire company protection.

December 9, 1861—Appointed a committee to purchase another fire engine and hose.

December 18, 1861—“Purchased Cataract Engine, No. 8 of Troy, for eight hundred dollars, and four hundred feet of hose for two hundred dollars.”  The Class A tub, now called the Union # 1, was built by Van Ness in 1850. The new fire company was called Union Engine and Hose Company # 1 and its officers were approved at this meeting.  John M. Williams was chosen Foreman of the Union Engine. Joseph Kelly was chose Foreman of the Hose Co. # 1. The new engine was stored in a building near White Creek, in the rear of the present Union Engine House, where it was kept until 1866, when the new brick building was erected.

September, 1861—Borrowed $600 to purchase hose for the fire engine and to dig wells.  Applied to the New York State Legislature to amend the Village Charter of 1851 to allow 60 members on the fire company roster instead of only 34, in order “to better manage the fire engine and hose.”

April 1865—Agreed to “purchase or lease a suitable site for an engine house, and erect thereon, a suitable building, the total expense not to exceed three thousand dollars.” For this purpose, John M. Williams gave land on the southeast side of White Creek, and D. B. Parks constructed the building on the site.  [The brick structure continues to be used and contains three rooms on the upper floor, and one room, the size of the building on the lower floor.]

May 19, 1866—Accepted the new engine house, and placed the first fire bell on the new engine house.

January 1871—Chief Engineer and Assistant Engineer positions were filled at this time.  Even though the village Charter of 1851 provided for the election of these positions, no one had been elected until now when John M. Williams was elected Chief Engineer and John S. Clary was elected Assistant Chief Engineer.

The Charter of 1851 also changed the way in which Fire Wardens were elected under the charter of 1830. Instead of the “freeholders and inhabitants” electing the fire wardens, the board of trustees now appointed the fire wardens.

December 2, 1874—Numerous fires in 1874, including the destruction of the Salem Hotel and out buildings on the corner of South Main Street and West Broadway, prompted the Village Board to improve the fire protection equipment.  A committee was appointed to report at the next meeting on the cost of a steam fire engine and additional hose.  Up to this point in time, only one serviceable hand tub fire engine had been available to fight fires, and it was inadequate protection for the size of the village.

December 9, 1874—Resolved that the trustees of the village of Salem purchase a “steam fire engine [made by Clapp and Jones of Hudson, New York], ladders, truck, hose, reel, and other apparatus, including one thousand feet of hose, suitable for the fire department, not to exceed the sum of four thousand five hundred dollars.”  The trustees also agreed to raise five hundred dollars for fire-wells

April 24, 1875—The trustees, using New York State Legislative authority of April 24,

1875 collected $5,000 by tax in one year to pay off the expense.

January 16, 1875—Chose the Indian name for White Creek, Os-o-ma, as the steamer name, and purchased for $500 a four wheel hose cart from L. Button & Co. of Waterford, New York.

January 23, 1875—Os-o-ma Steamer Company organized.  About this time the D& H Railroad Company “fitted up a room in the roundhouse connected with the railroad works” to keep the steamer and the new hose-cart. This held true until 1876 when most of the railroad shops closed down, and the village trustees dissolved the company, due to a loss of railroad members.  The village trustees then formed another company in its place.

January 23, 1875—A. M. Welles Hook and Ladder Company organized with A. M. Welles as Foreman.  The apparatus was purchased from the Trojan Hook-and-Ladder Company, No. 3 of Troy, New York.  The truck arrived on February 23, 1875 and was 15 feet long and carried seven ladders. When new the original cost of the apparatus was $1,500.  A. M. Welles for whom the company was named presumably paid for the second hand cost of the truck.

March 1875—There being no suitable building in which to store the hook and ladder truck, Judge Gibson, formed an association to advance $500 to put up a building on Railroad Street.  L. P. Copeland and Bro. built the structure. The village agreed to lease the building for a term of 15 years.  Uniforms were white trousers, gray shirts, white leather belts and black caps.

February 3, 1875—The steamer pumper built by Messrs. Clapp and Jones, of Hudson, New York arrived at the railroad yard. John M. Williams provided extras for the steamer and the hose cart at this own expense.

February 5, 1875—Approved George Tefft as Foreman of the Os-o-ma Steamer Company.

February 9, 1875—Tested the steamer at the fire-well in front of the Salem Press Office and threw water 210 feet.  The steamer and 1,000 feet of hose cost $4,000.

May 1, 1875—Marion Hose Company No. 1 organized.  The company elected A. J. Haggart foreman.  The company was named “in honor of the only daughter [Marion] of John M. Williams.”  Uniforms consisted of black trousers, gray shirts, white belts, and black leather caps.

1878—Four fire bells now existed: one each on the buildings of Union Engine, Hook and Ladder, St. Paul’s Church, and the Washington County Courthouse.

January 21, 1885—The Marion Hose Company disbanded and merged with the Osoma Steamer Company.  The company was called the Osoma Steamer and Marion Hose Company # 2.

February 27, 1889—The Fairchild House on the corner of South Main Street and West Broadway burned, displacing the Blashfield Furniture Store, the Crystal Palace roller skating rink and ballroom, the ice cream parlor, and the commercial offices.

1890–On the old Fairchild House site in 1890, the village, using bequests and donations, built the Proudfit Memorial Hall, the Bancroft Library and the Irvin Bell Tower.

November 11, 1895—Completed placing a fire bell and ropes on the Proudfit Building.

June 17, 1896—The Marion Hose Company voted to become an independent company once more.

January 1, 1897—Ordered a new hook and ladder cart for $500.

February 6, 1900—Sent the Osoma Steamer to Seneca Falls to be rebuilt by the American Fire Engine Company at a cost of $1,700. Used a loaned steamer in its absence.

June 5, 1900—The rebuilt Osoma Steamer returned to duty with instructions from the manufacturer to test the engine at least once a month.

May 17, 1900—The Marion Hose Company reunited with the Osoma Steamer Company once again.

February 19, 1901—The Osoma Steamer and Marion Hose Co. # 2 moved into the renovated fire rooms of the Proudfit Hall and Bancroft Library Building.

January 6, 1906—Rubber boots, coats and hats became standard fire-fighting gear.

May 1, 1907—The Marion Hose Company voted to hold its first Minstrel Show.

April 11, 1911—Placed electric lights in the Osoma Steamer rooms.

December 2, 1913—Placed three electric lights on the front of the Osoma Steamer rooms.

1916—Removed the Proudfit Building fire bell and placed an electric siren on the roof of the Manhattan Shirt Shop building on Park Place.

December 12, 1917—Hung three Service Flags to honor the three firemen who were serving in the war in France.

May 23, 1920—Fought a disastrous fire in the Odd Fellow Building on the corner of North Main Street and East Broadway.  The building was completely gutted.  Twenty-six women and girls, for the first time in the history of firefighting in Salem, took a turn working the hand pumper to relieve the spent firemen.

February 8, 1921—Organized a new Chemical Fire Company.

March 1921—Installed a new telephone activated fire siren on Proudfit Building.

February 1, 1924—Purchased Salem’s first motor engine pumper from American LaFrance at a cost of $12,500 for the Union Engine Company. This engine was “purchased with public subscription and served the entire town.”

March 2, 1926—Osoma Steamer Company created an Honorary Membership Roll.

September 6, 1927—Disbanded the Chemical Fire Company.

July 27, 1927—Purchased the 1927 Buffalo Pumper, Type 55, from the Buffalo Fire

Apparatus Corporation for the Osoma Steamer Company.  Since village tax payers paid for this engine, the Buffalo was limited to village fires.

July 4, 1928—Paraded the Buffalo Pumper, the American LaFrance, the Osoma Steamer and the Hook and Ladder on this day. The Marion Hose Co. # 2 chose not to participate.

1935—Sold the Osoma Steamer to the City of Albany.

February 8, 1936—Purchased a 1936 American LaFrance, 600 gallon pumper, style 92 for the Union Engine Co. Traded the 1924 American LaFrance.

April 24, 1941—Fire destroyed the Carl Moore Garage, Bob Evan’s Grill, and the Salem Grange Hall all housed in the wooden building located on the corner of South Main Street and East Broadway.

1946—Obtained a 1944 Army surplus Chevrolet fire truck for the Union Engine Company.

1948—The 1924 American LaFrance fire truck died on its way to the Cambridge School

Fire. The truck was put out of service.

January 1950—The two fire companies agreed to merge as a single fire department, kept one set of minutes, but kept separate officers for each company.

June 1, 1950—Purchased a 1949 demonstrator Dodge Chassis, Oren Apparatus Pumper from the Roanoke Corporation, Virginia for the Osoma Steamer and Hose Co. # 2 to operate within the village limits.  Mac MacDonald, sales representative of the Zabec Motor Sales Company of Ware, Massachusetts, handled the deal and took in trade the Marion Hose Co. # 2 Cart and the old militia cannon [once displayed on the Salem Academy lawn].

March 1, 1951—Purchased the second Dodge Chassis, Oren Apparatus Pumper from the Roanoke Corporation for the Union Engine and Hose Co. # 1 to operate within the village and outside the village boundaries for a distance of eight miles. The engine was painted white with traditional red trim.

April 5, 1951—Sold the old hand tub engine, Union No. 1, hand cart and tender for $200 to the Old Fire Engine Shop in Manchester, New Hampshire. The hand tub engine was originally known as Cataract Engine No. 8.

March 7, 1953—Elected for the first time a president, Nathan Cordier, and vice president, Norman Button, to help run the Salem Fire Department.

April 8, 1953—Sold the 1944 Chevrolet Army fire truck for $2,800 to the Malta Ridge Fire Company, New York.

June 2. 1959—Purchased new truck radios.

October 31, 1960—Certified roster of the Union Engine and Hose Company # 1: Francis Green, Pierce Campbell, Leonard Dillon, Harold Zelie, Ralph Fairley, Roscoe Alexander, Floyd Linendoll, Howard Cleveland, Robert Thompson, Peter Capuano, William Dunigan, Michael Capuano, Leon Conety, Herbert Huller, Ralph D’Amato, Edward Ludd, Leland Sherman, Jr., Robert Payne, Frank Dunigan, Dan Mahoney, Eugene Sherman, James Lewis, James Clark, Jr. T. C. Moore, Jr., Richard Pekins, Norman Button, John Dunigan, Earl Barnes, Ernest Barnes, William Linendoll, Andrew Capuano, George Wever, Frank Pekins, George Roach, Jr., Frank Rogers, Paul Coffinger, Ernest Cleveland, Ensign Johnson, Bert Mohan, Charles E. Cleveland, Jr., Charles Allen, Jr., Gene Bemis, Gerald Ennis, Percy Shaw, Norman Cole, Earl Avery, Raymond Blanchfield, Lawrence Pekins, Charles McNeil, Roy Landers, Earl Beaty, Robert Connors, Delbert Roberson, Fred Sweet, Carl Culver, Adolph Henry Bronkhout, Burton Morris, Jr., Ted Barkley, William Hayes.

October 31, 1960—Certified roster of the Osoma Steamer and Marion Hose Company # 2: William McClarty, George Hansen, Wilbur Gillis, Joseph Finch, John Terry, Nathan Cordier, Charles Dillon, Harley Parrish, Jr., Miller McMorris, James McMorris, Kenneth McMorris, James Stewart, Ernest Tarantino, Richard Tourge, Byron Eaton, Robert Crofut, Jr., Norman Christinsen, John Wayman, Carle Moore, Donald Miner, John Chambers, Jr., Edward Cary, James Clark, Albert Rusack, Lawrence McCauley, Harold Brooks, Gerald Stout, Lloyd Croff, Richard Phaneuf, Jack Abrams, Robert Tourge, Lawrence McKinley, Robert Hunter, James Tomasi, Russell Smith, Jr., Walter Whittaker, Henry Brezinski, Robert Parrish.

December 9, 1961—Became part of the County Mutual Aid System.

December 4, 1962—Connected to the “Quick Call System” for fire alarms.

February 5, 1963—County began testing the fire alarm system every Tuesday night as part of the Civil Defense and Mutual Aid System.

May 7, 1963—Agreed to purchase a new GMC Maxim Tanker Pumper [TP-19] for the Union Engine Company.

April 5, 1968—Sold the first fireman’s Community Calendar.

February 10, 1970—Fire destroyed the Layden Block on the west side of Main Street, displacing owner Rosemary Layden, Mr. And Mrs. LeGrand Frasier, Lander’s Fashion Shop, Parrish’s Barber Shop, and the Salem Pharmacy.

June 9, 1970—The two fire companies decide to merge officially into one, called the Salem Volunteer Fire Department.

September 1, 1970—Elected Fr. James Pritchard of Holy Cross Church to be the fire department Chaplain.

February 1, 1971—Sold the 1927 Buffalo Pumper for $2,000 to the Kingsbury Fire Department, Kingsbury, New York.

1971—The Marion Hose Co. # 2 cart, displayed at the Long Island Fire Museum owned by Nick Dionisio in the 1960’s, was sold when the museum went out of business in 1971.   The Fire Museum of Maryland, owned by Steven Heaver, purchased the hose cart that same year. The Marion Hose cart continues to be on display in the Lutherville, Maryland museum.

August 11, 1972—Purchased a new fully equipped International Maxim Pumper at a cost of $27,784 for the Union Engine No. 1 Company.

June 1973—Heard that the State Education Department purchased the Osoma Steamer from the City of Albany.  The Osoma Steamer was to be restoration and exhibited at the State Museum.

March 14, 1974—Agreed to purchase a ten horn fire siren to be placed at the Proudfit Building.

April 3, 1974—Purchased a one ton Dodge Utility Truck, a 4 wheel drive power

wagon for grass fires. The truck was designated as UT-500 and housed at the  Osoma Steamer rooms.

September 13, 1974—Amended the by-laws to elect a Third Assistant Fire Chief.

April 2, 1975—The Osoma Steamer is completely restored at Rotterdam Industrial

Park and put on display at the State Museum in Albany. [Letter from Geoffrey N. Stein, State Education Department, Albany, NY received].

September 2, 1975—Agreed to paint the Union Engine house red.

January 11, 1976—Fire destroyed the Proudfit Building, including the Bancroft Library, Proudfit opera hall, Irvin Bell Tower, Osoma Steamer rooms, Frank Pekins’ Antiques, Village Police office, American Legion 812 meeting room, village Trustee’s meeting room, and the Farm Bureau office. Mutual Aid resulted in many fire companies arriving on the scene, and news of the fire was carried by the national news media.

February 10, 1976—The fire siren was relocated to the C. A. Baltz building [old Manhattan Shirt Shop building] on Park Place.]

April 6, 1976—Amended the by-laws to allow organizing a Fire Police unit.

May 5, 1976—Set a committee to look into building a new firehouse.

August 6, 1976—Agreed to repair the hand pulled Salem Hook and Ladder truck.

April 12, 1977—Agreed that the new dress uniforms would include fireman’s blue pants with a gold stripe, and a white shirt.

November 3, 1977—Decided to leave the fire siren on the C. A. Baltz building for now.

April 4, 1977—Heard that automated fire alarm call systems had been installed at the Woody Hill Farm, Chamber’s Farms, and McGuire’s farm.

October 1977—Heard from retired fireman Robert Thompson that the Marion Hose Cart is now displayed at the Fire Museum in Lutherville, Maryland.

September 29, 1977—Heard by letter from the Holyoke Mutual Insurance Company in Salem, Massachusetts that they now owned Salem’s old Union Engine # 1. They wanted historical information.

June 7, 1979—Gave CB [citizen band] channel radios to the Fire Police.

September 2, 1982—Loaned the 1949 Dodge Oren Pumper, E-26, to the Washington County Fair Grounds Association.

October 6, 1982—Held the first Fire Prevention Week program for Grades K-6 at Salem Central School.

August 2, 1983—Agreed to purchase a 1984 Ford Sanford Tanker Pumper for $92,500. Designated as ETA-26.

October 4, 1983—Installed newer radios on all trucks.

January 3, 1984—Assigned Plectron hand pagers to all firemen.  All pagers to be inscribed and numbers recorded.

June 2, 1987—Displayed new turnout gear as now required by OSHA for each fireman.  Informed the firemen that the first required Haz-Mat [hazardous materials] class would be taught in Salem.

April 4, 1989—Sold the Union Engine TP-19, 1963 GMC Maxim Tanker Pumper for $5,000 to Eva and Tory Cofer of Cullway, Alabama.

June 6, 1989—Accepted a $138,973 bid from Pierce Company for a new 1990 Ford Pierce Engine Tanker Pumper.

March 5, 1990—Hooked up the new pole fire siren at the rear of the Proudfit Building.

July 9, 1991—Created two new officer positions with the rank of Lieutenant

October 10, 1991—Brought the E-26, 1949 Dodge Oren Pumper, back from the Washington County Fair Grounds.

November 5, 1991—Sold the E-26, 1949 Dodge Oren Pumper for $500 to Robert Sullivan of Salem.

October 6, 1992—Amended the by-laws to meet OSHA standards.

January 5, 1993—Put new ice rescue equipment into service and trained 14 firemen in ice and cold water rescue techniques.

December 6, 1994—Heard that all chimney fires and structural fires had to be reported to the County Code Enforcement Department.

October 1, 1996—Agreed to purchase for $250,838 a new 1997 Pierce Sabre Engine Tanker Pumper, ETA-442.

March 4, 1997—Purchased two 32 channel mobile radios and six, 16 channel portable Radios from Com-Tech Electronics.

May 6, 1997—Sold the 1984 ETA-444 (formerly E-27) Ford Sanford Tanker Pumper to West Fort Ann Fire Department for $51,000.

September 2, 1997—Agreed to cease blowing the fire whistle at noon.

October 29, 1997—Activated the new countywide 911 emergency telephone service.

September 7, 1999—Agreed to look into purchasing land for a new firehouse.

March 3, 1999—Responded to a fatal manure pit gas accident at the Big Green Farms owned by the Donald Hanks family.

December 7, 1999—Heard that all current and future members would be subject to an arson background check by the Sheriff’s Department.

January 4, 2000—Installed a generator hookup and the town generator at Proudfit Building for emergency purposes.  The building is to be used as the emergency center in times of disaster.

December 12, 2000—Responded to 100 calls for help, including rescues and pump outs, due to serious flooding along White Creek in the village.

September 4, 2001—Changed the term of office for line officers from one year to two years.

September 11, 2001—The terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in New York City put the fire department and rescue squad on high alert. The fire department was placed on standby.  Some rescue squad members volunteered to help in the city.  Resulting Federal legislation required all fire departments to upgrade their equipment and gear and to send their firemen to extensive training classes dealing with catastrophic events, weapons of mass destruction, and other kinds of terror attacks. The kinds of equipment, gear and training are found in the complete department minutes. Following the September 11 attacks, the fire department would respond to thirteen anthrax calls, all investigated by the appropriate agencies.  All of the anthrax threats would prove to be false.

November 6, 2001—Agreed to purchase two new trucks from Pierce: a Pierce Attack Pumper, A-441, and a Pierce Rescue Truck, R-444, for a total of $282,726.

March 5, 2002—Banned smoking and tobacco use from the firehouses.

May 7, 2002—Heard that the property transfers for the new firehouse land on South Main Street were completed.

July 9, 2002—Sold the 1971 International Maxim Pumper, E-444, to John Goodman for $3,000. Received a $2,000 State Forest 50/50 matching grant.

October 1, 2002—Sold the 1974 Dodge Power Wagon, UT-500, to Ronald Jameson for $4,525.

June 3, 2003—Purchased a Scott Eagle II thermal camera for $18,800.

July 8, 2003—Purchased Bicentennial Badges for the firemen.

September 2, 2003—Filled in the old fire well at X-tra Mart convenient store on the Corner of North Main Street and Blanchard Street.

September 19, 2003—Held a Fire Department Bicentennial Banquet at the Greenwich Elks Club.

September 20, 2003—Celebrated the Fire Department Bicentennial with a parade, carnival and fireworks.

October 7, 2003—Obtained a 501 (c) (3) certificate—not-for-profit status.

November 4, 2003—Heard that all hydrants in the new municipal water system were operational.

December 2, 2003—Heard that the Fire Board of Directors presented the new Fire District Map to the town board at their November meeting.  Directed all firemen to remain at the scene of a fire until the Fire Investigator released them.  Heard that Toby Dusha, County Director of Emergency Services had resigned as of January 1, 2004.

January 1, 2004—Heard that State Senator Betty Little had awarded a $20,000 grant to the fire department for fire equipment.  Heard that William “Billy” Cook was the new County Director of Emergency Services.

May 3, 2004—Heard that the village would now pay for firemen’s physicals.

June 1, 2004—Agreed to have the Kelly Miller Circus perform on July 13 on the school grounds.

July 6, 2004—Purchased a new rescue sled.  Heard that $2,000 was awarded through the State Forestry Grant.

October 5, 2004—Approved the amended department by-laws regarding the use of alcohol and drugs, driving privileges, and voting rights.  Announced that fireman Jared Barber was now on active military duty in Iraq.

January 13, 2005—Held a walk through drill at the new Cargill Plant, formerly the Agway Feed Mill, on State Route 29.

August 2, 2005—Heard that the village had been awarded two New York State Records Management Grants to aid the fire department.  The first grant of $13,378, managed by fireman Joseph Wever, was for purchasing a computer for the fire department office and two lap top computers for two trucks.  The second grant of $16,796, managed by historian William Cormier, assisted by Village Clerk Rebecca Brown, was for organizing, evaluating, indexing and saving the fire department minutes, from 1803 to date, on a computer database.

May 3, 2005—Organized a Support Group of interested citizens for the fire department.

The first seven members are Kimberlee Harrington, Jennifer Wever, Tonya Fifield, Marylou Saunders, Patricia Chadwick, Terri Mayann, and Cindy Miller.

June 6, 2005—Elected Jennifer Frye as the first woman firefighter on the Salem Volunteer Fire Department.

July 5, 2005—State Senator Betty Little awarded the fire department a grant of $15,000 to purchase new fire gear.

September 6, 2005—Heard that the first FEMA grant from Home Security funds to up-grade fire equipment, air packs, and turnout gear now required by the Federal government would range between $176,314 to $188,366. [The final figure released in March 2006 was $188,516.] Announced newly elected members to Fire Department Support Group as Fred and Noreen Russo, Paulette Clark, Karen Andrews, Kayla Autery, Jackie Keren, and Peter Carrolan.

The history of the fire-department shows the dedication and hard work the volunteers put in making Salem and other towns safe.  The building of a new fire house will make their jobs much easier.  Please help them to meet their fire house fund raising goal. Donations can be made to Salem Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 449, Salem, NY  12865.

Compiled and edited by
William A. Cormier
Village Historian
Village of Salem, NY