History of Fairchild Fire Company
Part 1 - The Early Years
THE BIRTH OF A FIRE COMPANY:
The Fairchild Fire
Company was organized on December 6th, 1927,
becoming the fifth company of the Morris Township Fire Department. The first meeting was held
at the home of Holloway Sanders, who lived on Delmar Avenue. The name for the
Fairchild Fire Company was derived from the Fairchild family who owned
all of the land from Speedwell Avenue to beyond Burnham Road.
In early 1928,
representatives of the fire company attended a meeting of the Morris
Township Committee and requested a fire apparatus; their request was
granted pending the locating of a suitable site on which to build a
firehouse.
FIREHOUSE:
After a site was located,
the company sold imaginary bricks for $5.00 each (a lot of money in
1928) to raise money to buy the land.
On May 14th, 1928, the
company purchased a lot at the corner of Sherman Avenue and Raymond
Road. Two months
later, on July 13th, the land was deeded to the
Township of Morris and a two-story brick building with three bays was
constructed. Dedicated
on June 15th, 1929, that firehouse was home to
the Fairchild Fire Company for 55 years, from 1929 until November 1984. From 1929 until 1956, the
Fairchild firehouse was home to the Township of Morris Fire and Police
Headquarters. As
Headquarters, a fire alarm system was installed.
This system used small cogwheels with notches,
which were placed on a board to activate a siren with appropriate
“box” numbers.
Upon completion of the new Fire and Police
Headquarters on Woodland Avenue in 1956, the alarm system was
transferred from the Fairchild firehouse.
The police took over the handling of fire
dispatching.
APPARATUS:
In 1928 the Fairchild
Fire Company members purchased an old second hand auto truck, a
“Sterns”, from a contracting firm.
A year later the truck was discarded, as
replacement parts could not be purchased.
In 1929
a new Ford chassis was purchased from Laurie Motors and equipped, by
the members, with lights and other equipment from the
“Sterns”. This
Ford truck became known as the “Pup” and was used
by the company until 1955. Also
in 1929, the Township of Morris purchased a Mack 750 gallon pumper for
the Fairchild Fire Company, which was delivered on June 15th,
1929 -- The same day as the dedication of the firehouse. The company’s
apparatus became known as “the big Mack and little
Pup”. In
1951 the Fairchild Fire Company received a new Mack 750 gallon pumper
from the Township replacing the 1929 Mack.
In 1955 the “Pup” was sold
to Mrs. Thomas Streeter. She
later donated this truck back to the fire company.
In 1957 the Fairchild Fire Company received a
new Ford Emergency truck, which was known as ‘Unit
1’.
FAIRCHILD FIRST
AID SQUAD:
In 1932 the Fairchild
First Aid Squad was formed with seven members and three nurses. This squad handled first
aid calls in Morris Township until 1942 when the Morris Minute Men were
formed and took over first aid duties.
MORE TO FOLLOW....
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FAIRCHILD FIRE COMPANY PAST LINE
OFFICERS
|
Year
|
Captain
|
1st Lieutenant
|
2nd Lieutenant
|
|
1929
|
William Dodge
|
William Struble
|
|
|
1930
|
Martin Franks
|
George Allen
|
|
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1931
|
George Allen
|
William Dugan
|
|
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1932
|
William Dugan
|
Alex Green
|
|
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1933
|
Alex Green
|
William Doswell
|
|
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1934
|
William Doswell
|
Floyd Fredricks
|
|
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1935
|
Floyd Fredricks
|
Arthur Warmington
|
|
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1936
|
Arthur Warmington
|
Nelson Miller
|
|
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1937
|
Nelson Miller
|
George Miller
|
|
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1938
|
George Miller
|
Frank Rochford
|
|
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1939
|
Frank Rochford
|
Raymond Snudden
|
|
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1940
|
Raymond Snudden
|
Harry Pengilly
|
|
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1941
|
William Doswell
|
Frank Pendergast
|
|
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1942
|
Frank Pendergast
|
Harry Pengilly
|
|
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1943
|
Harry Pengilly
|
Johnston Stewart
|
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1944
|
Johnston Stewart
|
George Nunn
|
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1945
|
George Nunn
|
John J. Duschek
|
|
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1946
|
John J. Duschek
|
Albert Klinger
|
|
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1947
|
Albert Klinger
|
Harry Tiger
|
|
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1948
|
Harry Tiger
|
Ralph Curry
|
|
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1949
|
Ralph Curry
|
Harold Valleau
|
|
|
1950
|
Harold Valleau
|
Kenneth Trevena
|
|
|
1951
|
Kenneth Trevena
|
John Swinson
|
|
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1952
|
John Swinson
|
Henry Parsons
|
|
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1953
|
Henry Parsons
|
Paul Scherzer
|
|
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1954
|
Paul Scherzer
|
Howard Mericle
|
Richard Bobbe
|
|
1955
|
Howard Mericle
|
Richard Bobbe
|
Augustus Wilson
|
|
1956
|
Richard Bobbe
|
Augustus Wilson
|
James Gibney
|
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1957
|
Augustus Wilson
|
James Gibney
|
Henry Reed
|
|
1958
|
James Gibney
|
Henry Reed
|
Donald Havens
|
|
1959
|
Henry Reed
|
Donald Havens
|
William Prior
|
|
1960
|
Donald Havens
|
William Prior
|
Theodore Clarke
|
|
1961
|
William Prior
|
Theodore Clarke
|
George Prentiss
|
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1962
|
Theodore Clarke
|
George Prentiss
|
Joseph Polise
|
|
1963
|
George Prentiss
|
Joseph Polise
|
Charles Schwarz
|
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1964
|
Joseph Polise
|
Charles Schwarz
|
Thomas France
|
|
1965
|
Charles Schwarz
|
Thomas France
|
Samuel Barratt
|
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1966
|
Thomas France
|
Samuel Barratt
|
Edward Duffy
|
|
1967
|
Samuel Barratt
|
Edward Duffy
|
Charles Warner
|
|
1968
|
Edward Duffy
|
Charles Warner
|
Richard Ryerson
|
|
1969
|
Charles Warner
|
Richard Ryerson
|
Arnold Kelshaw
|
|
1970
|
Richard Ryerson
|
Arnold Kelshaw
|
Andrew Wurzer
|
|
1971
|
Arnold Kelshaw
|
Andrew Wurzer
|
Richard Tiger
|
|
1972
|
Andrew Wurzer
|
Richard Tiger
|
Robert Wolsky
|
|
1973
|
Thomas France
|
Robert Wolsky
|
Edward Duffy
|
|
1974
|
Robert Wolsky
|
Edward Duffy
|
William Coleman
|
|
1975
|
Edward Duffy
|
William Coleman
|
Gerald Correale
|
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1976
|
William Coleman
|
James Boyson
|
Jesse S. Kaar
|
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1977
|
Samuel Barratt
|
George Nunn
|
Richard Lynch, Sr.
|
|
1978
|
George Nunn
|
Richard Lynch, Sr.
|
James Young
|
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1979
|
Richard Lynch, Sr.
|
George Nunn
|
William Kenny
|
|
1980
|
George Nunn
|
William Kenny
|
Thomas Phillips
|
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1981
|
George Nunn
|
Thomas Phillips
|
John Sanders
|
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1982
|
Thomas Phillips
|
John Sanders
|
Fred Strelec
|
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1983
|
John Sanders
|
Fred Strelec
|
Curtis Rideout
|
|
1984
|
John Sanders
|
Fred Strelec
|
Curtis Rideout
|
|
1985
|
Curtis Rideout
|
Daniel Borrillo
|
James Hendrickson
|
|
1986
|
Curtis Rideout
|
James Hendrickson
|
William E. Duffy
|
|
|
|
Daniel Nunn
|
|
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1987
|
Curtis Rideout
|
William E. Duffy
|
Robert C. Duffy
|
|
1988
|
William E. Duffy
|
Robert C. Duffy
|
Robert Cavanaugh
|
|
1989
|
William E. Duffy
|
Robert C. Duffy
|
Jesse T. Kaar
|
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1990
|
Robert C. Duffy
|
Jesse T. Kaar
|
Mark Belles
|
|
1991
|
Robert C. Duffy
|
Jesse T. Kaar
|
Mark Belles
|
|
1992
|
Jesse T. Kaar
|
Mark Belles
|
Daniel Nunn
|
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1993
|
Jesse T. Kaar
|
Mark Belles
|
Daniel Nunn
|
|
1994
|
Mark Belles
|
Daniel Nunn
|
William E. Duffy
|
|
1995
|
Daniel Nunn
|
William E. Duffy
|
Robert C. Duffy
|
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1996
|
William E. Duffy
|
Robert C. Duffy
|
Robert Cavanaugh
|
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1997
|
Robert C. Duffy
|
Robert Cavanaugh
|
Paul Lupini
|
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1998
|
Robert C. Duffy
|
Robert Cavanaugh
|
Paul Lupini
|
|
1999
|
Robert Cavanaugh
|
Paul Lupini
|
Richard Lynch, Jr.
|
|
2000
|
Daniel Nunn
|
Mark Belles
|
Michael Nunn
|
|
2001
|
Michael Nunn
|
Richard Lynch, Jr.
|
David Seligson
|
|
|
Robert Cavanaugh
|
David Seligson
|
Thomas Nunn, Jr.
|
|
2002
|
Robert C. Duffy
|
David Seligson
|
Thomas Nunn, Jr.
|
|
2003
|
David Seligson
|
James Correale
|
Andrew Cattano
|
|
2004
|
James Correale
|
Robert C. Duffy
|
Robert Cavanaugh
|
|
2005
|
James Correale
|
Robert C. Duffy
|
Marshall Babbington
|
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