Strykersville Fire Co. Inc. Over 100 years of Service
- Organized 1913-June
- The local church bells were rung when a fire erupted within the community
- The first fire was at the home of Charles Hyman
- The first fire truck (Engine 10) was purchased February 9, 1917 for $300.00
- Incorporated 1917
- The Main Street Fire Station was built on land purchased from Frank Brass — 1921
- August 1930 – Hosted Wyo. Co. Firemen’s convention
- January 1931 – Eats committee was started
- August 1936 – Hosted Wyo. Co. Firemen’s convention
- June 1935 – Signal siren purchased for hall
- August 1940 – Mrs. Andrew Winch donated banner
- August 1945 – Bingo started for a few years
- March 1946—2 ½” hose purchased @ 1.10/ft.
- November 1947 – brown uniforms purchased (41 @ 26.34)
- March 1948 – question first arose concerning tax monies
- February 1949 – meeting with towns regarding tax money
- August 1949 – Hosted Wyo. Co. Firemen’s convention
- March 1950 – 1st portable pump purchased ($409.00)
- November 1950 – hall was locked and overhead doors hooked to siren
- February 1951 – both towns discussion on fire contracts
- June 1951 – prior 3 blackballs to reject membership to company
- September 1951 – contracts and tax money would be levied
- January 1953 – roll call book started
- July 1954 – truck to be purchased-17 Ford, 12 GMC at cost of $11,730.00 to be delivered February 1955
- 1956—the rescue squad was formed and purchased an ambulance
- In years to come and engine, tanker and ambulance were housed @ the Main Street station
- March 1957 – gavel purchased
- December 1957 – phone/alarm system was put in place
- August 1958 – Hosted Wyo. Co. Firemen’s convention
- July 1959 – parade banner donated by Mrs. Bernice Polanski
- August 1960 – annual fund drive was started
- July 1960 – Hosted Wyo. Co. Firemen’s Convention
- December 1963 – last secretary’s raise ($10.00/year)
- November 1965 – building and planning committee (Francis Simons, Don Simons, Lyman Henry, Laurence Lefort, Ken Lefort and Bernard George)—station #1 would be built at current location on Minkel Road
- February 1967 – additional sirens and monitor
- Late 1967-early 1968 moved into new hall on Minkel Road
- June 1968 – 5 monitors @ 118.00 ea.
- November 1968 – color code set by county (ours-orange)
- January 1969 – radio and phone messages taped at county control center
- March 1969 – 5 more monitors purchased
- April 1970 – 10 monitor purchased
- May 1970 – smoke ejector purchased @ $235.00
- August 1970 –donation of $250.00 to Dick Simons re: house fire
- September 1970 – 2 monitors purchased
- May 1971 – 6 monitors purchased
- August 1972 – 8 monitors purchased (no more fire phone system)
- 1971 hay crop – $100.00
- 1972 hay crop – $125.00
- September 1973 – 5 monitors and battery paks purchased
- 1974—Curriers substation was completed
- July 1974 – 350’ of 2 ½” hose purchased @ 1.97/ft.
- 1974 hay crop – $250.00
- February 1975 – 5 monitors purchased
- Don Simons $ 100.00 refund for attending National Fire Chiefs Assoc. in Vegas
- 1975 hay crop – $300.00
- December 1975 – dues raised to $10.00/year
- January 1976 – 3 monitor purchased
- October 1976 – portable radio for chief ($776.00)
- 1977 hay crop – $300.00
- June 1977 – donation to Mike Calteaux ($200.00) for house fire
- August 1977 – annual tractor pull ran $600.00 in red
- February 1978 – 5 monitor purchased
- April 1978 – Dodge TEC ambulance purchased $ 18,300.00
- July 1978 – first chiefs light bar purchased
- 1979—new tanker was purchased w/quick dump on it—2250 gal of water
- May 1980 – pond cleaned out
- 1980 hay crop – $400.00
- 1981-refurbish truck #1—1956 Ford to a 1981 Ford –FHA loan
- 1981 hay crop – $500.00
- October 1984—idea of pagers was discussed
- July 1985—log time fire coordinator George Somerhalder announced his retirement
- November 1985 authorized purchase of 10 GE pagers
- November 1985-4 chiefs badges donated in memory of deceased member during the year (Pete Schiltz, Bill Booker and Don Galligan)
- 1986—discussions on the memorial playground, and monument in front of hall were initiated
- January 1986—recommended we host a parade this year with one day carnival
- March 1986-installed chain link fence around pond
- September 1986 – starting of installation dinner
- December 1986-allowed to send chief once during 3 year term to State chiefs convention
- January 1987—discussions on forming a junior fire department(later as explorer post)
- April 1987-voted to purchase our first modular ambulance
- May 1987-purchased portable radios & chargers for chief and assistants
- August 1987-another 6 pagers purchased
- In the late 1980’s the ambulance was upgraded to an intermediate level ambulance from a basic EMT level unit and became the first NYS certified ambulance in the Wyoming County
- November 1988-ems coats to be purchased
- 1989-construction of new food building
- July 1989-hosted Wyo. Co Firemen’s convention and 2 day carnival
- 1989 board meeting-end of year held @ Beaver Hollow
- January 1990-motion to keep 2 day carnival
- February 1990-truck committee to replace tanker #2
- November 1990-approval to purchase 1991 int. 4X4 midi pumper (truck #3) $108910.77
- Purchased LDH for truck #3—1/2 new and ½ used (1200’ total)
- July 1991-started preparing for ISO rating and drill
- Summer 1992 worked on ISO drills—the ISO evaluation would lower the fire rating in the district from a class 9 to class 7. This would reduce the fire insurance premiums for landowners in our district and was accomplished with the help of our mutual aid departments
- 1993 installation of some dry hydrants in district
- 1993-1994 several committee meetings on design and plans for hall expansion
- Seeking FHA loan for hall expansion
- August 1994 formal notification of an ISO class 7 rating for the district
- January 1995 –purchase used rescue truck from Elma
- 1995 also saw an expansion to station #1 by adding another truck bay, while enlarging the dining hall
- At this point we operated 3 Engines, 2 Tankers, 1 Heavy Rescue and an Ambulance
- March 1996-Folsom Trailblazers Snowmobile Club donated rescue sled
- Late summer 1997-truck committee formed to replace an engine
- December 1997-took delivery of a 1995 demo form modular ambulance
- Seeking funding from the revolving low-interest loan program through NYS
- April 1998-took delivery of our 1st 5man cab engine (ST #1)1500 gpm pump, 1000 gal water—fleet was consolidated by selling 2 trucks for this acquisition
- March 1999-used tractor purchased to mow grounds
- July 2000-hosted Wyoming County Firemen’s convention
- May 2000-pay for chief’s room and ticket @ Harrisburg show
- May 2001-seeked bids for blacktopping parking lot
- June 2002-hosted Wyoming Co. Dairy Fest
- September 2003-truck committee looking for rescue truck
- March 2004-put a lawyer on retainer for company use
- June 2004-investigating 503c status (not for profit)
- October 2004-authorized to purchase used rescue truck out of Arlington VA. For $170,000.00
- May 2005-upgraded outdoor bathrooms
- 2009 we received a FEMA grant to purchase a new SCBA air compressor for Station #1 and a fill station for on the Heavy Rescue, along with new light-weight turn out gear for firefighters
- 2010 purchased a new tanker to replace an older unit ($152,900.00)
- 2012 purchased a new ambulance to replace the older one ($121,500.00)
- May 2012 we commissioned our solar panels to help save on energy costs for the main station
- We currently operate 3 Engines, 1 Tanker, 1 Heavy Rescue, 1 Ambulance and 1 off road rescue unit
History Updated by Russell Reisdorf