A lot can change in a century, especially with the Flanders Fire Co. #1 and Rescue Squad — from its home base, growth in members and vehicles and updated technology — but the one spark that remains constant is its non-profit status all these years.
“One-hundred years being 100% volunteer is a big deal because a lot of places have gone the route of being paid even if that is a mix of 50/50 with paid and volunteers,” notes Margaret Miller of Flanders, first lieutenant of the Flanders Rescue Squad, firefighter and EMT. “We have managed to continuously stay 100% volunteer for 100 years through COVID and other hardships.”
To celebrate its centennial, the Flanders Fire Co. #1 and Rescue Squad has planned its 100th Anniversary Block Party. The event is set for Saturday, August 12, from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., at Turkey Brook Park in Budd Lake.
Everyone is invited to attend this free community-wide event.
“This is truly an event for the community and there will be games for kids as well,” stresses Miller who is helping to organize the event.
“There will be a DJ, food, pieces of our history including photos on display and a beer garden,” she describes.
With about 20 sponsors that are helping and are supporting this event, the block party is free and no registration is required.
Besides a 75th celebration and wet downs in between to recognize its milestones, this 100th celebration is monumental.
“This event is being held because we wanted to be able to celebrate this big event with our community,” says Miller who has been a volunteer with the department for almost five years. “If it wasn’t for the community, we would not be here today. They have truly supported us through the last 100 years and we are so grateful to be a part of such a wonderful community.”
Miller is one of 40 active volunteers in the department, with six females and the rest males.
“We have a huge range in age and the youngest people can join is 16,” says Miller. “I was the first in my family to join the fire department and since then my step-father has joined Flanders Fire Department and Rescue Squad and both my siblings have looked into going once they are old enough. We have families that have all joined; one of them is the Dolan family where four members of the family have joined our department.”
History and Growth
Flanders Fire Co. #1 was officially established in June 1923 with seven volunteer members, according to Miller’s research. The founding members were Howard and Ed McLaughlin, William Marvin, E.C. Ted Ashley, George Ericson, Watson McPeek and Augustus Stark.
“Ed McLaughlin was named chief, and meetings were held by the light of oil lamps in Ed’s chicken coup,” describes Miller. “Eventually Ed’s barn was used to store the company’s equipment and his house served as headquarters. October 1923, the first fire truck available to the town, a Brockway Torpedo, was converted from a chemical car into a water carrier. The rim of a steam engine’s wheel was hung up on Main Street and a sledgehammer was used to strike it when help was needed.
“In 1928 we moved into the old schoolhouse and remodeled it to fit the fire equipment,” she adds.
In 1938, “a group of nine women decided that the time had come for a Ladies Auxiliary to be formed in order to aid the firemen,” says Miller. “They elected Hazel Tinc as chairwoman, with Mrs. Erickson as her assistant. Ruth Gray served as secretary and Ruth Clawson was the first treasurer. Their first official act was to solicit food donations from the local farms in order to prepare and serve chicken dinner to the members of the fire company.”
In 1940, the department grew even more with the addition of the rescue squad to the Flanders Fire Co.
As far as the number of fires handled during the past 100 years, Miller could not say but she did share a loss that impacted the entire department: On May 31, 2011 – Asst. Chief Thomas Shields passed away suddenly after a midday call.
“Up to this point, the fire company had never experienced such a loss,” she says. “To this day, a memorial plaque is placed between the bay doors of Engine 95 and Tower 96.”
Its volunteer membership has grown six times since the original seven members and its facilities and equipment followed suit.
“The department has grown in size immensely,” says Miller. “We have added three additions onto what was the original schoolhouse since we have moved into that building. We currently house three ambulances, three different firetrucks, one brush truck, a utility pick-up truck and an ice rescue trailer.”
With such growth, the department has been able to help surrounding towns with fire and rescue services.
“We do go and help other towns with mutual aid,” says Miller. “We go into Budd Lake to help out our other fire department on multiple different occasions and they have come to help us out as well. We respond for mutual aid into Chester, Roxbury, Long Valley, and have gone out to other counties when we are needed.”
As much as it has grown, there is always room and a need for even more volunteers and support.
“We are constantly training and evaluating the needs of our community to stay prepared and we are constantly needing to grow with our community,” says Miller. “We are always in need of volunteers. Feel free to stop by Thursdays at 7 p.m. and there will be someone that can answer any questions and get you an application.” Also visit https://flandersfire.org.
For those who would like to help with the 100th Anniversary event, email 100thanniversary@flandersfire.org.
It’s going to be “fire!”
