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| Franklin Park Volunteer Fire Company No.1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 1 9 2 2-1 9 9 7 75th Anniversary |
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| 1960s | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| These were busy years. Perhaps of greatest importance was the birth of the company's Ladies Auxiliary. During the daytime hours, they operated the base radio, and
many time when the fire fighters were out long hours, they brought refreshments. All of this was in addition to their much-needed fund raising activities on the company's behalf. The old Fire Hall property on West Ingomar Road was returned to the company by the VFW for lack of payments. (It was eventually sold in 1962.) The cornerstone and the World War I Memorial Plaque were removed from the old building. The cornerstone could not be saved, but the plaque was moved to the World War 11 Memorial at the Franklin Elementary School. In the fall of 1961, the company started weekly bingo games. The company had always worked to be self-supporting through carnivals, turkey shoots, raffles, subscriptions, and donations. In November 1961, the Township changed its name, so the company became the Franklin Park Volunteer Fire Company No. 1. That was not easily done. Members had to repaint and reletter all of the trucks and equipment, get a new sign for the building, reprint the stationery, fix the charter, and perform a host of other things too numerous to mention. In January 1962 a new group in the company was formed: "The Franklin Park Fire Police." That same month a new International Truck Chassis was purchased and the company authorized Young Brothers of Buffalo, NY, to build the body and install a 1,000 GPM Hale Pump. The total cost was $23,085, including all of the extras. |
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| 1962 INTERNATIONAL/ YOUNG BROTHERS PUMPER -1,000 GPM PUMP |
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| In February, the company received approval to conduct the first state fire school in Western Pennsylvania -- 54 hours of training by Al Weiss of Millvale, a state
certified instructor. The first class had 30 graduates, several of whom were from Wexford and Ohio Township. In 1962, the company celebrated its 40th anniversary with a banquet honoring the contributions of early firemen and awarded certificates to those who completed the state fire school. Also that year, major improvements were made to the upstairs hall: a new sound system, lighting fixtures and a new drop ceiling. Fortunately, much of the electrical work was done by the firemen which saved the company a significant amount of money. In 1963, the practice was begun of presenting small gold badges to past presidents and past chiefs in recognition of their service. In November 1964, a point system was established to govern active firemen: annually, members had to have 60 points by September 30 to be eligible to vote for officers and board members, and 80 points by December 3l, to remain active in the company for the following year. There were three significant events in 1965: a radio was authorized for the chief's car, the old Mack Pumper was moved to the Borough Building substation, and a committee was appointed to work up specs for a new 1,000 GPM pumper. In 1967, the directors recommended, and the membership approved, the purchase of l.3 acres on Wexford Bayne Road at a cost of $5,000 for a future substation. The company signed a contract to purchase a Ward LaFrance triple combination 1,000 GPM pumper for $31,436 in July, 1968. Six months later, the bell froth the 1946 Mack pumper was placed back in service -- on the Ward LaFrance. (Eventually the Mack was sold for $1,500 to the fire company in Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania.) |
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| 1969 WARD LAFRANCE PUMPER - 1,000 GPM PUMP |
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Email me at:
mark33@nauticom.net
