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In 1887, Charles S. Cotting, who was operating a
spindle factory at Elmer, NJ, received at letter from
North Andover, Mass., where he had once been a member of
their fire company, stating for a very nominal sum they
would send him their old hand pumper. The hand pumper
was made by Howard & Davis, of Boston Mass., in 1853 and
was rather large in size. It arrived and was tried out
and found to be in first class condition. It was housed
in a barn on the spindle factory property, but as far as
can be learned, was never used until after the volunteer
company was organized several years later.
Like many other towns, Elmer waited
until after a big fire with the loss of several thousand
dollars before forming a fire company. In the early morning
of January 9, 1901, a fire destroyed two large stores and a
house on the west side of Main Street, between Broad Street
and the Railroad also damaging two store buildings on the
east side on Main Street.
The Borough Council immediately took steps for some
organized fire protection and on February 10, 1901,
appointed the following citizens to institute and organize a
volunteer fire company:
C.P.
Creamer D.C. Christy
W. Foster
Richards C.S. Burroughs
J. Harry Kandle
Len. Lawrence
Charles Kiger
Albert Langley
Adam Kandle
John H. Berry
Charles H. Huges Clem
Fithian
These man met
the next evening, February 11, 1901 and elected the following
officers:
President - D.C. Christy
Secretary - C.S. Burroughs
Treasurer - Adam Kandle
and decided to call
themselves the Elmer Volunteer Fire Company No. 1. The first
regular meeting was held February 25, 1901, at which time W.
Foster Richards was elected Chief, and as an inventory showed
that the borough owned only three pieces of fire equipment : one
roof ladder and two wall ladders. A committee was appointed to
ask the Borough Council to provide $600.00 to purchase a book
and ladder wagon. The council generously responded and the
wagon was procured that year.
The first fire to which the new company was called a chimney
fire on March 12, 1901.
The first gong arrived in March 1901, but owing to their
inability to secure a suitable location for same, it was not
placed in position in December.
February 1902, the company decided to join the New Jersey
Fireman's Association.
On December 29, 1902, Adam Kandle was elected Chief and held
that position until his death, January 2, 1914. Henry T. Bell
who had been assistant, was then appointed Chief by the Borough
Council and held that position for 25 years. He resigned March
1, 1939.
In 1909, a chemical engine of 40 gallons capacity was added to
the company's equipment.
In 1909, the original Borough Hall and Fire House on Broad
Street was erected. This building was demolished in 1967. The
fire company met there for the first time on January 31, 1910.
In 1910m another fire company was
formed under the name of the Independent Fire Company, there
following officers were elected:
President - William Madara
Secretary - Leon Nelson
Treasurer - Charles Nichols
In 1912, the Elmer Water
Company started the construction of a water supply system, and
on February 19, 1913 the pumping engines were started. Six days
later, on February 25, the fire companies were notified that
water was available incase of fire. An official test of the
plant was made on March 1, 1913 by Chief Adam Kandle and the two
fire companies. However, it was two years later, on March 17,
1915 that the two fire companies consolidated, and the new
organization was known as the Elmer Fire Department, and at once
decided that new equipment was necessary for the protection of
the Borough. On August 4, 1925 a triple combination motor truck
was placed in service and in 1926 an electric siren was
installed.
On September 21, 1940, a new 500-gallon pumper was added to the
fire fighting equipment, and the electric siren was replaced
with a federal air horn.
In 1950, the old combination pumper was discarded and a new
500-gallon pumper with a 500-gallon water tank was placed in
service.
In 1953, a utility truck was purchased and
placed into service to carry equipment that would not fit on the
pumper. There were no major developments until 1963 when
Borough Council, faced with the prospect of adding on to the old
school which had been converted to the Borough Hall, realized
the cost to the taxpayers would be quite high. With this in
mind, the Fire Department was approached and asked if they would
build a hall to house the fire fighting equipment. Members of
the department had long dreamed of a building of their own.
They accepted the request and began making plans and conducting
activities to raise the money.
The old gravel hole was purchased from Henry Olsen and a
building was erected by the firemen under the direction of Past
Chief Charles E. Dodge. In August, 1964 the new hall was
dedicated and a new GMC Hahn 750 gallon per minute pumper was
placed in service.
In 1966, Elmer was the first department in Salem County to
implement the use of radio home alarms to alert the firemen to a
fire. The new system greatly reduced the time it took to get
equipment in route to a call. The following year a new utility
van was placed in service. In 1971, a new GMC Hahn 750-gallon
per minute pumper was placed in service. In 1974, an addiction
was started to the present hall for use as a meeting room, and
was completed in 1975.
In 1980, the Fire Department purchased a used utility bucket
truck and converted it into a snorkel which they equipped with
1000-gallon per minute combination nozzle; with this purchase,
Elmer became the first Fire Department in Salem County to be
equipped with a snorkel. Pole Tavern Ruritan Club equipped the
truck with a three-bottle, 3600-pound Cascade Air-System which
has the capability of filling in excess of 20 Scott Air-Pak
bottles at a fire scene.
In 1984, a fourth bay was added to the hall to house the
Snorkel truck; also in 1984, Mr. Clyde Corathers donated the
last surviving fire gong, which stood on his property for many
years, to the Fire Department. It now stands adjacent to the
Fire Hall.
In January 1986 the Department placed in service a Ford Pierce
1000-gallon per minute Pumper with 1000-gallon tank which was
dedicated in honor of Past Chief Robert S. Bell.
In 1989 the Snorkel truck was upgraded with a 1984
International chassis.
In December 1991 the Department placed in service the
International Air, Light, and Support Unit. The three bottle
Cascade System which was on the Snorkel truck was upgraded to a
five bottle system and placed on the new truck. The truck is
also equipped with 16,000 watt power take off generator, with 2-
1500 watt telescopic lights mounted on back and 2- 250 foot
electric rewind cord reels mounted on each side. The truck also
has 4- SCBA's (self contained breathing apparatus) mounted in
the truck and 2 more packs in cases and has room for 12 spare
SCBA bottles. The truck is equipped with a High Band Radio, Low
Band Radio, and a Mobile Telephone so it can serve as a
communication center on a fire scene.
In June of 2001, the department placed in service a 2001 KME
pumper. This pumper has 1500-gallon per minute side mount pump
with a 750-gallon water tank. The truck has a 4 door enclosed
cab capable of holding up to 6 firefighters. The pumper is
equipped with an amps generator that has 2- 1500 watt lights
mounted on the back of the cab and has 2- 1000 watt lights
mounted on the rear of the truck. On the passenger side of the
truck there is a 35 ft. and a 24 ft. extension ladders, and an 8
ft. step ladder. These ladders are mounted on the truck in a
unique horizontal position instead of the traditional vertical
position. The drivers side of the truck has 4 compartments for
holding additional equipment such as nozzles, fittings, and
tools.
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