History

In 2014, the Sloatsburg Fire Department celebrates its 90th year of dedicated service to the residents and visitors of the Village of Sloatsburg. In those 90 years the department has grown from a single fire engine to a fleet of eight state-of-the-art modern fire apparatus.

Excerpt from the "Bicentennial History of Sloatsburg, New York 1776-1976":

The first meeting was held on November 27, 1923, in the Henry Club Auditorium, the building adjacent to the Sloatsburg Pharmacy.  Charles I. Allen was chairman and Patrick J. Donnely, Secretary. The thirty-three others present were: Charles Burroughs, Carlton Waldron, Albert Mather, Andrew Doyle, Stanley Waldron, Frank Heddy, Stewart Douglas, George Whriteneur, Ed­win Higinson, Daniel Whitmore, Mallick Gillchrist, James Callaghan. George Bennett, Arthur Taylor, Michael Doyle, W. S. Fitz-Randolph, George Waldron, Charles Gilcrest, E. J. Ward, A. J. Leemon, Mac G. Wooldock, A. B. Taylor, Frank Conklin, John Kortright, Sutherland Lent, Oscar J. Brentnall, William E. Kelly, William Decker, James Miele, Irving Gannon, Muriel Heddy, J. Nichols and Edwin E. Symons.

Our first fire truck was purchased by a bond approved by the Village, June 29, 1931, for $6,500, and the actual purchase of the truck was for $5,000, delivery to be made in 30 days. The officers first in charge were: Chief Firma Moffatt, First Assistant Chief George Russell, Foremen William F. Conklin and Elwood Fredericks.

This truck, bought in 1931 from the American LaFrance Company, for sentimental reasons and historical value, is still kept in running order. The maintenance expenses are paid by the Fire Department Fund, not Village taxes. The department now owns a 1973 quad, a 1964 one thousand gallon pumper and a 1970 Chevrolet emergency van. The original garaging facilities were located in the building now occupied by Brown-D'Avanzo and Dr. Benedetto. The meeting room was upstairs and the pumper downstairs.  The Fire Department moved from the original quarters to the new municipal building in the 1960’s.  The general alarm which is the initial alert is still used on the new building and an additional siren is located along the east side of Route 17.

The first president was John Douglas, elected on March 26, 1931; the current president is Robert Pasquale.

Firemen are required to complete a six-month probationary period, at which time they may be given a certification for satisfactory completion of fire service.Over the years since 1923, a total of 791 calls have been answered, although possibly only 12 were house fires of serious nature.  Other than fires, the department responded to more than one hundred emergency calls and participated in over two hundred drills.

Sloatsburg is exceedingly proud of its Volunteer Fire Department, and the dedication of these men over the past fifty years has contributed greatly to the sense of security of each household in the village.