Skip to content
Sloatsburg Fire Department
Menu

Sloatsburg Fire Department

History

Serving the community for generations.

What began as a small group of local residents committed to protecting their village has grown into a modern emergency response organization serving Sloatsburg and surrounding areas in Rockland County. Over the decades, the department has evolved from basic firefighting capabilities to a full-service operation handling structure fires, vehicle extrications, brush fires, and a wide range of emergency incidents.

Charter members

Founding meeting was held on November 27, 1923 in the Henry Club Auditorium. Two officers and thirty-three members recorded as present.

Officers

  • Charles I. Allen — Chairman
  • Patrick J. Donnely — Secretary

Members present

  • George Bennett
  • Oscar J. Brentnall
  • Charles Burroughs
  • James Callaghan
  • Frank Conklin
  • William Decker
  • Stewart Douglas
  • Andrew Doyle
  • Michael Doyle
  • W. S. Fitz-Randolph
  • Irving Gannon
  • Charles Gilcrest
  • Mallick Gillchrist
  • Frank Heddy
  • Muriel Heddy
  • Edwin Higinson
  • William E. Kelly
  • John Kortright
  • A. J. Leemon
  • Sutherland Lent
  • Albert Mather
  • James Miele
  • J. Nichols
  • Edwin E. Symons
  • A. B. Taylor
  • Arthur Taylor
  • Carlton Waldron
  • George Waldron
  • Stanley Waldron
  • E. J. Ward
  • Daniel Whitmore
  • George Whriteneur
  • Mac G. Wooldock
Ex-Chiefs
  • Matthew Swanson(2023–2026) · 43rd Chief
  • Matthew Stritmater(2020–2023) · 42nd Chief
  • Christopher Morse(2017–2020) · 41st Chief
  • Joseph A. Vega(2014–2017) · 40th Chief
  • Aniello Vacchiano(2011–2014) · 39th Chief
  • Kevin Hartnett(2008–2011) · 38th Chief
  • John Johnston(2005–2008) · 37th Chief
  • John Bonkoski(2002–2005) · 36th Chief
  • Michael Arone, Jr.(2000–2002) · 35th Chief
  • Richard Manning(1997–2000) · 34th Chief
  • Anthony Massaro(1994–1997) · 33rd Chief
  • Peter Barba(1993–1994) · 32nd Chief
  • Arnold Reif(1990–1992) · 31st Chief
  • Tom Buckley, Jr.(1988–1990) · 30th Chief
  • Dave Wilcox(1987–1988) · 29th Chief
  • Michael Yorke(1984–1986) · 28th Chief
  • Louis Martin(1982–1984) · 27th Chief
  • John Froland, Sr.(1981–1982) · 26th Chief
  • Robert Stritmater(1979–1981) · 25th Chief
  • William Ward(1977–1979) · 24th Chief
  • Andrew Gulick(1975–1977) · 23rd Chief
  • William McGrady(1973–1975) · 22nd Chief
  • Francis Parker(1971–1973) · 21st Chief
  • James Ventola(1969–1971) · 20th Chief
  • George Heller(1967–1969) · 19th Chief
  • Gilmore Lewis(1967) · 18th Chief
  • Frank Palazzone(1965–1967) · 17th Chief
  • Charles Remo(1963–1965) · 16th Chief
  • John Babcook(1962–1963) · 15th Chief
  • George McDonnell(1960–1962) · 14th Chief
  • Gregorio Gomez(1958–1960) · 13th Chief
  • Alexander Massaro(1956–1958) · 12th Chief
  • Joseph Miele(1951–1956) · 11th Chief
  • Edwin Higinison, Jr.(1951–1952) · 10th Chief
  • Thomas Bollato, Sr.(1949–1951) · 9th Chief
  • Walter Winters(1947–1948) · 8th Chief
  • William Schmarge, Jr.(1946–1948) · 7th Chief
  • Fred Storms(1944–1946) · 6th Chief
  • James DeGraw(1943–1944) · 5th Chief
  • Fred Storms(1941–1943) · 4th Chief
  • George Russell, Sr.(1939–1941) · 3rd Chief
  • Firma Moffatt(1931–1939) · 2nd Chief
  • Frank Conklin(1931) · 1st Chief
Past Presidents
  • John Durkin(2015–2023)
  • Joseph Hardiman(2008–2015)
  • John Bonkoski(2005–2008)
  • Michael Yorke(2002–2005)
  • Anthony Massaro(2000–2002)
  • Peter Barba(1996–2000)
  • Thomas Buckley(1994–1996)
  • Christopher Lynch(1992–1994)
  • Louis LaMendola(1990–1992)
  • Michael Yorke(1986–1990)
  • Lewis Sutherland(1985–1986)
  • Patrick McDonnell(1984–1985)
  • Arnold Reif(1982–1984)
  • Louis LaMendola
  • Robert Drury
  • Robert Spohler
  • James Izzo
  • William Conklin
  • John Izzo
  • Howard Schmarge
  • Forrest Waldron
  • William Schmarge, Jr.
  • Edwin Higinson, Sr.
  • Walter Winters
  • Fred Storms
  • Ellsworth Boston
  • John Douglas
  • Charles Allen

Archives

Photo albums, clippings, and scanned documents can be linked from this section as they become available.