West End Fire Company #1

HISTORY

People of the community realized Stowe needed a Fire Company, and took the initial steps in February of 1910, when they held a meeting at the Bramcote Hotel in order to start the process of organizing their Fire Company.

West End Fire Company of Stowe was chartered May 16, 1910. Stanley Flagg 3rd was the first president of the company. The first piece of apparatus the company owned was a hand drawn Hose Cart that was donated by Empire Hook and Ladder of Pottstown. The cart was initially housed in a garage on Glasgow St., owned by Adam Roth.

1912 saw the first firehouse built in Stowe. Built on the present property, the first firehouse was an imposing 2-story structure.

Two years later, in 1914, West End Fire Company acquired the first piece of motorized apparatus. A 500-gallon, Boyd pumper truck was housed at West End.

The Boyd pumper was replaced in 1925, with a brand new 1925 Hahn, 600-gallon pumper.

The firehouse was getting too small for all of the equipment, so in 1936, the building was enlarged the first time.

The next truck to become property of the firemen of West End was a 1941 GMC Auxiliary Truck, which carried portable equipment such as pumps, lights, and “Indian tanks” for field fires.

1947 saw the firehouse enlarged a second time in preparation for future equipment. The volunteers of Westend Fire Company then purchased a brand new custom built 1948 Brewster Buffalo 750 gpm pumper. The truck was ahead of its time with a fully enclosed cab, with 2 bench seats capable of carrying 7 or 8 men.

It was 1958 when West End got its next new truck, a Chevrolet Tanker that carried 1,050 gallons of water, and was capable of pumping 250 gpm. There was a long time between the purchase of the Chevy tanker and the next new truck. In 1973 a Ward Lafrance pumper was purchased. It carried 1,000 gallons of water, and could pump 1250 gpm.

Sixteen years later, 1989, saw the replacement of West End’s Tanker, with the purchase of a 2,500-gallon Hahn, which was capable of pumping 1,250 gpm. West End’s Fire Police members were in need of a vehicle, so in 1998 the company purchased a 1987 Ford box type ambulance and converted it into Traffic 57. The 1948 Buffalo was showing its age, so in 2002 a brand new state of the art Ferrara pumper truck was purchased. This truck can carry 1,000 gallons of water, and pump 1,500 gpm. The truck was paid for by West Pottsgrove Township, and given to the men and women of West End Fire Company. The truck has a built in light tower, and a PTO driven generator, which makes it an incredibly useful platform. 2003 saw yet another donation from West Pottsgrove Township. A 1988 Chevrolet Caprice was donated for use as a Chiefs Responder vehicle.

January, 2005 shows West End to be a fire company growing in both knowledge and members. There are about 25 active members involved in both Fire/Rescue, and Fire Police duties. These members train several times a year, (mostly on Thursday nights), to learn new skills, and hone the skills they already know. The current roster of active apparatus is the 1948 Buffalo pumper, the 1973 Ward pumper, the 1987 Traffic unit, the 1988 Caprice Chiefs car, the 1989 Hahn tanker, and the 2002 Ferrara pumper.

Last Updated 2005