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Visitors since Oct 20, 2000

History of the

Elmira

Fire Department

 

~From 1828~

 

             Elmira installed it's first fire wardens on May 23rd, 1828.  John Arnot, Elisha Briggs and William Dunn were to enforce the fire ordinances and organize the bucket brigades in the event of a fire in the corporate limits.  At the time, all citizens of the Village of Elmira were to assist in fire suppression duties.  In 1830, at the Black Horse Tavern on Water and Lake Streets, Miles Covell and Abraham Riker were added as fire wardens and a list of 23 citizens was compiled to constitute the first organized fire company.  The fire wardens were paid one dollar per day each day they performed their duties.  The business owners of Elmira were required to provide ladders strong enough and tall enough to reach the roofs of their buildings and provide one leather bucket per floor of the building they owned or they would be fined.  Everyone who owned these buckets and ladders were expected to "turn out" with them any time the call went out of fire.  It was said in an 1833 newspaper article by a Mr. Towner that "...both men and women who were physically able, in the saving of property, did not hesitate to do their duty for hours without flinching".

 
              In 1834 the inhabitants of Elmira voted to spend $400 in tax money on a fire pumper and other equipment.  Elmira's first fire pumper, called "Old Gooseneck", was delivered in 1835 for the price of $250.  This led to the organization of The Torrent Hose and Engine Co. No.1, a volunteer fire company made up of twenty of Elmira's most prominent men.  In January 1844 the first Hook and Ladder Co. No. 1 also was formed.  This led to 43 years of various volunteer fire companies organizing, disbanding, re-organizing and sometimes fighting amongst themselves over who got to put out the fires or which companies got the best spot in the parades.  A March 17th, 1862 newspaper report says "A fracas occurred at the Brainard House after the fire, between some of the members of No. 1 (Torrent Engine Co.) and Young American Fire Companies, which came near resulting in a serious general row.  As usual, it grew out of nothing, and was cut short after the prudent retiring of one of the principal actors".  Some of the other names of these companies included Neptune Fire Co. No. 2 (who had Elmira's first Amoskeag steam engine), Red Rover Fire Co. No. 3, The Young America Fire Co. (who never lost a water competition, including at the 1855 State Fair), Eureka Engine Co. No. 5, Citizen's Hose Co. No. 3, Independent Hose Co. No. 3, "Ours 4" Hose Co. (named by Mark Twain...don't ask us), Eldridge Hose Co. No. 6 (who had the city's first American LaFrance steam engine) and many others.

 
               On May 4th, 1878 the last remaining volunteer companies were disbanded and the men had their last parade as all equipment was turned over to the paid department of the City of Elmira.  Elmira had grown to great proportions since it's incorporation in 1828 and the citizens had voted for an all paid, full time fire department.  The volunteer's apparatus was divided into three companies; Engine and Hose Companies 1 and 2 each having two engines and a hose wagon, and Hook and Ladder Co. No.1.  Miles Trout, one of the former volunteers, was hired as the first Fire Chief.  

 
              On May 16, 1907 John H. Espy was appointed Chief of EFD.  He had started in the Fire Department in 1887 as an on call fireman and department plumber and worked his way up the ranks.  Chief Espy is credited even today as starting traditions of improving the department.  He had completely motorized the department by 1922.  In 1929 he started the first fire prevention programs in the schools for this area.  Also in 1929 he started a school for training firefighters in the "Elmira Zone" with 32 local departments responding.  He also tried to start an arson investigating force but was turned down by the City Fathers at the time.  Chief Espy was also an inventor, creating a device that lit the steamer engine fires while the engines were in motion.  John Espy died in 1937 and was followed by Chiefs Daniel P. Collins, Louis J. Moshier, Benjamin F. Prall, Edward Ryan, Edward Hintz, Bernard Jurusik, Donald Harrison, Thomas Murphy and current Chief Gary Blitz.

  Some other notable dates in the history of our department are as follows...

1854- In October, FF William Rutter died of a heart attack while fighting a fire with the "Young America Hose Co."

1884- The first Gamewell Alarm boxes were installed in the city for fire calls.  There were forty-one.

1888- On February 15, FF Charles Bently died when a wall at the "Elmira Advertiser" fire fell on him.

1890- The Market St. Headquarters is built. It had five bays and cost $33,000.

1893- The Equipment roster of the city is listed as having six steamers, three hose wagons, one ladder truck and one  chemical engine. All pulled by a total of sixteen horses.   

1896- The Exempt Fireman's Association is formed. 

1903- The Anchorage House fire, a home for girls that still stands at 955 College Ave. burns, killing three.

1909- November 18, Elmira City Hall burns, collapsing the bell tower.

1913- First motorized fire engine is purchased. Staffing is 45 firemen.

1915- FF William Harrison dies when he is thrown from the sideboard of the first motorized engine in the city during training in nearby Horseheads.

1922- The department is fully motorized now and it is reported that the city has 560 hydrants.

1925- May 10, FF Dynah Monahan dies falling from a ladder at the Elmira Ice Co. fire.

1932- FF John Lee looses his left arm in a fire truck collision on the way to an illegal bon fire.

1939- Capt. Daniel Bermingham dies of a seizure while leading his men at a fire involving the roof of Albee Motor Co. on State St.

1939- FF Henry "Hymie" Hesselson suffers a hernia while working a fire at the NYSEG building at State and Market Sts. He will later die from complications from corrective surgery.

1944- Staffing is at 80 firefighters on a 54 hour work week. Average number of calls is 200-300 per year.

1950- First African-American firefighter hired -- Tom Ried.

1951- Equipment roster reported to be four engines and three ladder trucks.

1954- Firefighters rescue all residents of the Elmira Nursing Home at 418 William St. when it catches fire.

1954- March 12, FF Felix Jankowski dies of a heart attack while strapped to the top of the aerial  ladder at the Pal's Sporting Goods fire, 305 E. Water St. 

1959- July 11, seven children die in an arson fire at 116 Washington St.  The highest death toll to fire in the city's history.

1963- In a collision with a police car, Lt. John Hintz receives injuries that he eventually succumbs to in 1968.

1964- The first organized labor contract with the city.

1966- Staffing is at 115 firefighters at a 48 hour work week.

1972- The area is hit by an enormous flood. Three of the four stations flood and the department handles 936 calls in 60 hours.

1974- Staffing is at 131 with a 40 hour work week. They run four engines, a ladder truck and a Snorkel truck at this time.

1978- City cuts Ladder Co. 3 and reduces staffing to 106.

1981- First female firefighter hired -- Patricia Lynch.

1986- Engine 4 is shut down and Station 4 is closed.

1991- Engine Co. 1 at HQ is shut down leaving no engine downtown.

1994- Staffing is again cut to 80, the same as 1944, with four times the number of calls.

1995- Chemung County installs the 911 telephone system.

2004- Rescue 681 taken off front line duty and staffing reduced to 60. Call volume averages 2800 alarms per year.