|
The History of Station 39 In the summer of 1953, there was talk of a fire company in Marshallton since there had been a good number of losses in town due to fire. In August, Shippen Willings called a number of people to meet at his store, because he had suffered a great loss by fire. They planned to have another meeting in Marshallton. On Tuesday, September 23, another meeting was called in the I.O.O.F. Lodge hall with Shippen Willings acting as chairman. The next meeting was called on December 2, 1953 when the Charter was drawn up and officers were elected: Shippen Willings as President, Gedney Godwin as Vice President, Tom Yerkes as Secretary, and John Roming as Treasurer. The Marshallton Grange donated $50.00 to the newly-formed West Bradford Fire Company. On January 18, 1954 an International fire truck was purchased and house on February 27, 1954 by the Alert Fire Company of Downingtown. 21 fire trucks were in the line of march which paraded through West Bradford Township. The first fire house was a garage in the alley on the south side of Marshallton. The garage was owned by Mr. Cathcart and rented to the fire company. The first fire alarm for the fire company was a woods and grass fire at the Hadden Farm on Sawmill Rd. on March 22, 1954. On May 15, 1954 the West Bradford Fire Company went to its first parade in Oxford. On June 1, 1954 the West Bradford Fire Company was dispatched for an alarm. While responding the truck was involved in an accident. Fire Chief Austin Fowler was injured and firefighter Everett Russell died at Memorial Hospital. The fire company then purchased a 1947 White truck which was used until the new Seagrave arrived in September of 1954. In 1961, the West Bradford Fire Company moved to its present location at 1305 W. Strasburg Road. In August of 1989, the West Bradford Fire Company Sub-Station opened as a pilot program. It was located at the old Township Building site on Poorhouse Road. In July of 1994, a ground-breaking ceremony was held for a new building. That December the current West Bradford Fire Company Sub-Station opened on the West Bradford Township Campus. In 1997, the West Bradford Fire Company responded to 516 alarms. With 9 pieces of apparatus and volunteer force of 65 members, the company continues its rich tradition of service, honor, and integrity.
|
Adobe PDF reader required.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
