LEWISTOWN – The Lewistown Fire Department proudly serves and protects approximately 9,000 people living in the borough and has a rich history.

Over 200 years, since the area was first settled and the first homes were built in Lewistown, there has been organized firefighting in the community.

According to records, it was in 1814 that the first mention of the formation of a fire company was made in local newspapers.

In 1815 the borough council passed an ordinance that read, “every owner of a house shall furnish leather fire buckets, which shall be placed in the entry or other part of the house most easily accessed and mark with the owners initials.”

Mike Force, fire investigator, said this was an attempt to help the departments with flammable materials.

“While not too much is known about fire fighting in the borough prior to this, we do know that this was to help the people protect their homes,” Force said. “At this time there was no organized department until about 100 years later.”

After the 1815 borough ordinance, two fire companies were founded in the 1850s, including Fame Hook and Ladder Co. No. 2 in 1850, and Henderson Fire Co. No. 1 on Dec. 19, 1853.

In 1994 the Fame and Henderson companies merged to become United Fire and Rescue.

Frank Medley Jr., of Brooklyn Hose Co., said the way Henderson got its name was special to those who ran with the company.

“Henderson was formed and named in honor of Doc Joe Henderson,” Medley said.

Henderson was one of the founding members of the company.

On Aug. 16, 1886, Fame Hook and Ladder Co. was reorganized and incorporated. While the company no longer participates in fire or accident calls in the borough, Fame Hook and Ladder is still recognized because of the incorporation that occurred.

To cover the growing south side of town and Kishacoquillas Creek, Brooklyn Hose Co. No. 3 was formed on April 12, 1897.

“Brooklyn got its name because it has similar geographic area to Brooklyn in New York,” Medley said. “It has three creeks nearby, hence the name Brooklyn.”

Records show that, at the turn of the century, the borough of Lewistown was about to experience its greatest periods of growth. To help accommodate this, residents on the east side of town got together to form City Hook and Ladder on Sept. 9, 1904. Medley said it is not known how City Hook and Ladder received its name.

“We know there were some prominent people who had a hand in the discussion,” Medley said.

It was not until 1910 that all the of the borough fire stations were joined into a fire department under the first fire chief, William Eckbert.

“Since 1910, the fire department has only had eight chiefs,” Medley said. “Two of which were interim chiefs.”

Until 1988, Force said elections were held to select chiefs.

“Elections happened every four years,” Force explained. “Every time there was a presidential election the chief election happened.”

Fire department chiefs since 1910 included Eckert from 1910 to 1919, Tom Johnson from 1919 to 1924, O.O. Orner from 1924 to 1931, A. Nelson “HBE” Yearick from 1931 to 1954, Harry Shaeffer from 1954 to 1962, Kenneth Powell from 1962 to 1992, Robert McCaa from 1992 to 2014 and current chief Bob Barlett.

Force said this shows an overwhelming dedication to the fire department.

“After they retired several stuck around to help out,” Force said. “Currently McCaa assists the department in helping as a safety coordinator while at a fire scene.”

Force also said there were many firsts within the county and state regarding changes in equipment and technologies.

“One thing that was new for the area was the motorized vehicles,” he said. “Fame was the first company in the borough to have a motorized piece of equipment.”

Fame was also the first company to inaugurate an ambulance service and, prior to professional ambulance services being offered in the county, Brooklyn operated an ambulance service for several years.

Brooklyn also had the first enclosed cab engine in the borough. The station had a multipurpose vehicle that is believed to have transported firemen and used as an early version of a rescue truck. It is believed to have been in service from about 1939 until the mid-1950s.

Current Interim Fire Chief Bob Barlett said several trucks that used to run in the borough have been restored.

“I, along with my son, own two of City’s old trucks,” Barlett said. “One is the truck that, when I was learning how to drive the equipment, I learned to drive. Restoring it has been a great experience.”

Both Fame and Brooklyn had Ahern Fox trucks. The one owned by Brooklyn still sits at the current Brooklyn Hose Co. station, but Force said the one originally owned by Fame is not so close to home.

“The old Fame Ahern was restored, but to the best of our knowledge is currently owned by someone in Holland,” he said.

Some of the other equipment that used to run in the borough is on loan to the fire museum in Harrisburg, but there is still plenty of equipment at the old Fame fire house located on Valley Street.

Tim Paulic, owns the fire house and said there are plans to create a small museum there.

“The museum would be an asset to, not only the community, but the surrounding area,” Paulic said. “We want people to know what we know and to experience the history of the Lewistown Fire Department for themselves.”

The fire house is home to several antique trucks, not only from Lewistown but other departments in the state, along with various pieces of memorabilia donated by firefighters and their families.

Force said the next step is to sit down with the entire history of the department and create a book.

“With the Central District Firemen’s Convention coming to Lewistown in 2018, we want to have this book ready for people to read while they are here,” Force said. “We want people to be able to learn and appreciate the history of the Lewistown Fire Department.”

For the past firefighters in Lewistown, the history is something they love to talk about.

Firefighters have long dealt with non-police emergencies, or as Medley put it, “if you can’t shoot it, and you can’t handcuff if, call the fire department.”