A Brief History of the Gardiner Fire Department, Gardiner New York
In 1912, the first fire district was formed in the hamlet of
Gardiner and the first apparatus, a hand pumper was purchased. Lee
McIntosh served as the first Fire Chief.
In 1925, a great fire
destroyed a good portion of the hamlet. It soon became apparent that
better equipment and a larger fire district was a necessity. A
committee was
formed and soon the movement to dissolve the original
small fire district was well under way. It was replaced by a larger
district and by 1926 a new Sanford Engine had
been purchased and put
into service. John Moran was elected to serve both as Chief and also as
President of the Gardiner Fire Company. Chief Moran held this position
until 1946 when Myron Wells was elected as President and Lawson Upright
was elected as Chief.
The original single bay firehouse, located across from the railroad
station on what is now known as Station Square, is the current home of
the Gardiner Library. It was
replaced in 1964 by a new two bay
firehouse that was built by the volunteer firemen and located at 100
Main Street. That station has since seen two building additions,
the
first to add a single bay and the second a larger two bay addition. A
second firehouse (Station #2), was constructed at the West end of the
district on Route 44-55
(Minnewaska Trail) and was dedicated in 1953.
Both firehouses in the district are owned and operated by the
Gardiner Fire Department Inc., a not-for-profit volunteer fire company
incorporated in 1952. The Fire
Department maintains these properties
with funds raised primarily through various fund raising activities and
also by contributions received from the residents of the
township and
the fire district.
In April 1977, the traditional firefighting services were augmented
by the formation of an emergency rescue and first aid squad. All fire
and rescue/first aid apparatus is
owned by the Gardiner Fire District.
The Fire District is comprised of an elected municipal board of
commissioners organized under New York State Law. The Fire
District
currently owns an ambulance, rescue truck, three engines, a tanker, and
a brush truck. All of this apparatus is housed in the two firehouses
and is operated
by volunteer members of the Fire Department.
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