OUR ROOTS

MARCH 5, 1953 till JANUARY 26, 1985

 

I hope you have enjoyed your evening this night.  Our FAMILY has had a fine dinner, we have seen awards from a serious side...and...we have seen awards from a funnier side.  We have a lot to be proud of and happy about.

 

But, you know, often times we forget where we really came from and who was responsible for getting us here.  Many of us are not aware of how our company really began.  We've talked about it.  We've even said someone should write a history of our company.  Maybe if we all listen to a brief story of yester-year, we can look at our Charter and Life Members in a different light.  Maybe we can really begin giving them the respect they so rightfully deserve.

 

It was March 5, 1953 when a group of residents met at the Balls Mills Community Hall.  Their concern was a lack of fire protection for their homes and the homes of their friends.  Our company was conceived that night.  They organized what they called a "FIRE PATROL".  The only fire protection that existed at that time was outside of Hepburn Township in Eldred, Old Lycoming, Loyalsock, and Lewis Townships.  But these companies were unfamiliar with our area and requested that we provide lights and a form of fire police to be available to direct them to fire scenes.

 

With the assistance of these companies and Williamsport Fire Chief Michael Clark, the foundation of our company was laid.  Chief Clark, who by the way was Leon Bair's grandfather, along with Loyalsock Chief Edgar Eschenbach, is said to have been very influential in getting our company organized.  He suggested the necessary equipment and, perhaps, was some motivation to buy a two-man operational pumper, the Dodge.  He was also the one who may have been responsible for us to use National Standard threads rather than Williamsport threads.  Williamsport was concerned about continually losing a lot of their hose.

 

At that meeting of March 1953, they adopted our company's first name - The HEPBURN AUXILLARY FIRE COMPANY.  Our first Fire Chief was Dale Snyder.  Elected President was Glenn Snyder, Vice President Clyde Ludwig, and Secretary Orville Fullmer.  The Treasurer was Alvin Manning.  The Directors were named from three different areas of the Township.  Albert Brucklacher - Long Run and North; Stanley Wright - Hepburnville; and, Paul Heim - Balls Mills.  Ardon Mutchler was appointed Auxillary Police Chief.  He had 14 men under his wing including Delos Lehman, Karl Ely, Herman Harris, Lester Hyde, and James Harris.

 

Membership fee was $1.00 and those who applied for membership by May 4, 1953 would be Charter Members.  Meeting night was established to be the first Monday of the month.  The first major hurdle was to have the company chartered.  The committee which drew up our original By-Laws included all the Directors as well as Franklin T. Courter and Eugene Mutchler.  Paul Holmes was a local Justice of the Peace.  He took care of the legal end of incorporating.  Finally after a lot of time wording and re-wording the By-Laws and getting approval of the members, on June 7, 1954 Mr. Holmes reported that the State of Pennsylvania had approved their Articles of Incorporation.  Finally - we were legal!  Our new name was the Hepburn Township Volunteer Fire Company.  This allowed us to join the West Branch Fireman's Association. 

 

When you get a chance sometime take a look at the Charter which hangs over in the meeting room.  Read the names.  You may get a surprise or two.  Often times we forget our roots and don't pay the respect due to those who got us here in the first place.

 

Well, to go on, they were not only pencil pushers in those days.  They did worry about training to control fires.  Chief Snyder really had NO EQUIPMENT to work with for training.  He encouraged the guys to attend a fire school scheduled one night a week for 18 weeks at Old Lycoming.  Also, several companies volunteered to bring their equipment to Hepburnville to acquaint the future firemen with their trucks and tools.  It is said that the first fire suppression device our firemen had was a quart-sized fire extinguisher to carry in their vehicles.  Our first "real" piece of equipment was a portable power pump which was to be used to draft water and, perhaps, assist in relaying water to tankers.  It pumped 300 gpm through approximately 300 feet of 2-1/2in. hose.  Boots Ludwig said that later they expanded this system with a gated-Y that reduced into two 2in. lines. 

 

Bob Eckard recalls that they planned to use a "tank wagon" to haul water to fire scenes, but because there was no way to pump the water, the plans never materialized.  Instead, they turned their thoughts toward getting a truck in the near future.

 

During this time of uncertainty, dreaming, and goal-making, many persons from other fire companies, insurance companies, forestry, and police, stressed the importance of training and use of proper equipment for their various fields of interest.  With the pump and hose available, the Saturday of December 18, 1954 at 2 p.m. was set for the first practice test for members of the company.  Karl Ely's pond was the suggested place.  Chief Snyder later reported "that 300 g.p.m. can be pumped at a fair distance."  Apparently the training time was effective because the Chief remarked after a fire at the Baker residence that "Hepburn Township had the fire controlled when Old Lycoming Volunteer Fire Co. arrived."

 

To assist the funding of this seemingly insurmountable task of purchasing "EVERYTHING!", the members planned various activities and worked together toward their common goal.  They personally canvassed the township seeking financial aid and moral support from fellow residents; they had Pancake and Sausage Suppers at the Balls Mills Community hall; some members starred in a Variety show at the Hepburnville School; there was also a Festival at the school which featured a dunk-tank.  It was May 21, 1955 that the first Chicken Bar-B-Que was held at Lycova Grange Hall.  It netted a profit of $266.09.  Then on August 1, 1955, the famous Hepburn Township French Fryer was purchased.  The first Carnival was June 18-23, 1956 on a 50/50 basis with the Lions Club.  It is said that community response to the Fire Company was better then than now --- and, there were less people.

 

But behind the "good men" were the WOMEN!  On October 5, 1953, 11 women attended an open company meeting, including Mrs. Lester Hyde, Mrs. Karl Ely, and Mrs. Harris Metzger.  These ladies formed what could perhaps be called the first Ladies Auxillary and began to plan events to financially aid the men.  They had Bake Sales, a Strawberry Festival and similar events.  However, it is said that the women just helped at suppers --- the men planned them!

 

The monies acquired from these various projects helped to obtain the companies first truck that was reported to be painted and ready for equipment mounting on December 6, 1954.  This truck was originally a car-carrier cab that was cleaned, painted, and restructured to hold a tank by some members.  They planned the tank for it, drew up the specs, then ordered pre-cut steel to have welded together into a finished product.  After the truck was completed, the fire at Harrison's Slaughter House was the first fire to which it responded in November 1956.  That fire was a real challenge because it turned into a cattle round-up too!

 

The acquistion of a pump, hose, truck and other equipment presented still another problem for these men...  where to house everything!  After the Dodge was put in service, Fred Bair said it was housed in the Wagon Shed where his workshop is located now.  He chuckled and said that they drained the tank, to keep the tank from freezing up, and if the phone rang "we had to fill it in a hurry!"  This led the members to seek a building site, and on May 22, 1955 they voted to purchase a piece of the Robert Miller farm along Route 973 East. 

 

The Executive Board disclosed, on July 5, 1955, that:

 

1.     They recommend purchase of a front-mounted high pressure pump for $1,233.35 for installation on the new truck.

2.     The architect's estimated cost of a building 32x40, allowing ample room for trucks and drying racks would be $3.50 per sq. ft. or approximately $4500. 

3.     That preliminary arrangements have been made for the loan

4.     That the bank will advance an $8,000 loan with individual endorsements until the building is completed.

 

With these recommendations, the motion was made to let the bids to the various contractors, and arrange for the septic system and well.

 

By January 3, 1956 the building had progressed to the point that the heating system could be used.  One month later, at their meeting, Boots Ludwig, Chief Engineer, announced that the fire truck is in the building and filled with water, ready to go!!  On September 4, 1956, Stanley Wright made a motion that all meetings be held at the Fire House.

 

Yet another problem arose --- the CALL SYSTEM had been functioning, more or less.  But the need for improvement was apparent.  Boots and Fred recall that Fire Calls were telephoned to Bair's Truck Stop.  The cashier then activated the siren on the Hoffman and Wright Dry Kiln roof  and proceeded to call Chief Snyder, Joe Almwood, and Karl Ely.  These three men were responsible to notify five others, and those five each were to call five more.  Problems grew --- sometimes a phone line was busy, or someone was not at home, or maybe calls were just not made and the result was a broken line of communication.  So, another siren was placed on a pole at the Ely farm.  There was already a Ground Observer Corp and Civil Defense Building there which was manned 24 hours a day, so it seemed to be an ideal location for alerting firemen in that area.  However, Mr. Ely amusingly recalls receiving a fire call and running outside to push the siren button to alert, as he put it, all of Warrensville that Hepburnville had a fire!  Mother Nature and her wind currents prevented most of our firemen in that area from hearing the siren.  This necessitated the removal of the siren from Ely's to the Hepburnville area and eventually to the fire station.  The system then was connected by telephone lines to activate the siren when a fire call was received.

 

By September 1958, radio equipment was installed in the truck and a walkie-talkie was obtained.  Boots commented that the walkie-talkie was on a long strap, bulky and heavy to carry and didn't get out very well.  Chief Snyder reported that an average of 19 men answered alarms during 1958.

 

The gear used by the men was spotty --- few and far between.  Apparently, Williamsport Fire Department had donated some equipment to the men, but there was not enough to go around.  So November 2, 1959 a motion was made to buy six complete outfits for the firemen.  This consisted of the black rubber coats, black helmets, and day boots.  With concern for the fire fighters safety, in January 1960 there was a motion to purchase oxygen containers for each piece of equipment.  This oxygen was to be used in case of smoke inhalation, but fortunately it was never used as Boots recalls.  There were several instances during the formative years when a first aid crew or rescue squad was suggested.  But after the interested persons met, nothing ever developed until our present EMT's first trained in 1978.

 

1953 to 1960 ...... those were the "building years." A lot of good, hard-working men and women put in a lot of time and effort with hopes that their company would grow bigger and better.  They are a real inspiration and need to be acknowledged with a hearty "THANK YOU" for giving us such a great beginning.

 

Since then we have continued to make forward strides.  You need only to look around you as you tour our complex to appreciate what happened after 1960.  Why, we have even changed from fireMEN to fire PERSONS.  And, we cannot stop growing and improving.  That is our charge --- To give both our townships the best fire and emergency medical protection possible within our own limits. 

 

As you look around this group gathered tonight you see a lot of dedicated individuals --- Individuals who will not let our founders of the 1950's era down --- We will progress, but, we must do it together.  That is the only way it will work.

 

Your banquet committee has prepared for you a special presentation featuring "YOU". 

 

 

Speech delivered by Clement L. Tempesco

at the Sixth Annual Banquet

January 26, 1985

Prepared by Sharon A. Tempesco and Clement L. Tempesco