History of the Enfield Fire Department
Legend has it that during the early part of 1896, the Village of Enfield was experiencing a rash of deliberately set fires. These fires were started on properties that abutted the trolley tracks that ran along Enfield Street from the Connecticut state line, south through the Village of Enfield to the Warehouse Point section of East Windsor. It was discovered later that year that an employee of the Hartford-Springfield Street Railway Company was responsible.
With their only means of fire fighting being buckets of water, shovels of dirt and an occasional call for the Thompsonville Fire Department, the people living in the Village of Enfield realized there was a serious need for organized fire protection.
In the summer of 1896, a few spirited citizens, then residing on lower Enfield Street, conducted an investigation of public acts pertaining to organized fire protection and fire fighting groups.
These visionary residents discovered that Chapter No. 57 of the public acts of 1893 allowed the establishment of organized fire fighting groups with the right to tax. Inspired by this knowledge, a meeting of the citizens was called for the purpose of organizing a firefighting force.
At this first meeting, held on October 15, 1896, Enfield Fire District No. 1 was legally established. The boundaries included the major portion of the properties on each side of Enfield Street from Hazard Avenue south to the junction of Oliver Road and Enfield Street. George T. Mathewson was elected Chairman and Allen B. Hathaway was elected Clerk of Enfield Fire District No. 1.
By late October 1896, the Fire District's Board of Directors went about the business of organizing a fire department. They adopted a taxable grand list of $205,813.00. They deemed the number of water hydrants necessary for adequate fire protection to be seventeen, at a cost of $40.00 each and fire hose rated at 70 p.s.i. The first hose lines were to be charged directly from hydrants. The Fire District also took possession of a horse drawn wagon to carry hose, which was donated by Mr. George E. Baker.
In November, the Board of Directors looked into the purchase of various equipment needed by the Fire District. The Board voted to lay a 5 mill tax on the grand list. They debated motions to purchase a hand engine with an additional 1 mill tax or a steam engine with an additional 5 mill tax. Apparently, both motions were tabled and neither engine was ever purchased.
In the spring of 1897, the Fire District began to acquire the equipment needed to fight fires. One thousand feet of hose, axes, lanterns, couplers, spanners, wrenches and nozzles were mounted on two horse drawn wagons. On May 3, 1897, Mr. George E. Baker was appointed Foreman of the South End Hose Company. The hose wagons were stationed at each of the Foreman's residences. At this time, it is believed that the firemen were alerted for a fire by the bell ringing at the South Congregational Church on Enfield Street.
During the spring and summer of 1898, the Fire District took on responsibilities other than fighting fires. In March, it was decided that the Fire District be empowered to plant and care for shade and ornamental trees and be allowed to build and maintain sidewalks and crosswalks. In June, the Fire District purchased a pump and assorted equipment to spray the elm trees in the District against ravages of the Elm Tree Beetle. This activity apparently ceased during the year of 1914.
The year of 1899 brought some leadership changes to the Fire District's hose companies. On February 1st, Mr. Harry Woodward took over as temporary "Custodian" of the South End Hose Company following the passing of Mr. George E. Baker. At the Fire District's annual meeting on October 25th, Mr. John Pease was appointed Foreman of the North End Hose Company and Mr. Ernest Woodward was made Foreman of the South End Hose Company.
The South End Hose Company remained at the Woodward residence, after having been relocated there earlier in the year. The North End Hose Company remained stationed at the residence of Newell A. Parsons.
In 1903, a serious fire damaged the Murray residence on Enfield Street. The firemens' difficult task of controlling the blaze was compounded when a trolley car from the Hartford-Springfield Street Railway Co. damaged the fire hose laying across Enfield Street. The blaze was extinguished and the trolley company was billed for the equipment damaged.
Over the next decade, things remained business as usual. The Fire District continued to purchase new equipment and spray the elm trees. In 1906, they bought four sections of ladders to be placed on the hose wagons. During the year of 1909, the District placed into service 600 feet of new fire hose and new chemical extinguishers were purchased from the Ajax Fire Engine Company. The purchase of a hose reel was investigated later that year, but due to the excessive cost it was not acquired. 1910 saw the passing of North End Hose Company Foreman John Pease, who had served the Fire District admirably during his eleven years as Foreman. Mr. Nelson W. Dalton was appointed Foreman of the North End Hose Company.
During the year of 1912, Mr. Newel A. Parsons, after many years of faithful service as keeper and caretaker of the North End Hose Company wagon, asked the Fire District Board of Directors to be relieved of his duties. The North End Hose Company wagon was then relocated to the residence of Mr. George A. Smyth, who allowed the Fire District the use of one of his sheds.
By the mid 1910's, the Fire District realized the need for better facilities for the fire equipment. In early 1914, a committee was formed to approach the town authorities to secure a site on the school grounds and erect a suitable building for the Fire District's equipment. By late October, the Fire District was offered space in the Old Town Hall to house their equipment and hold their meetings.
In the months to follow into 1915, it is believed that the Fire District purchased its first piece of mechanical fire apparatus. It was described as an "automobile hose wagon" and was stationed inside the Old Town Hall in the southeast corner, partitioned off from the meeting hall, with the apparatus doors facing Enfield Street. It carried hose and small tools. At about this time, it is also believed that the North End and South End Hose Companies were merged together and the horse drawn hose wagons were removed from service. By October, the Fire District Board of Directors appointed Mr. Ernest W. Woodward Fire Chief of the Enfield Fire Department. His tenure would last thirty years until 1945.
The next five years saw the passing of two of the Fire District's Board of Directors. President Mr. George T. Mathewson, who served 25 years, died in 1917. And Mr. William M. Lasbury died in 1919.
In early 1919, Chief Woodward informed the Fire District's Board of Directors of the need to replace the current fire apparatus. The vehicle was found to be in unsatisfactory condition and was not capable of handling the weight of all the equipment being carried on it. By the spring of 1920, Chief Woodward and a committee of four began to secure data and dates for demonstration of new fire apparatus. In mid-October, the Fire District took delivery of a 1920 Maxwell fire truck from the Norcross Cameron Company of Springfield, Massachusetts. The truck arrived fully equipped and had a top speed of nine m.p.h. Inventory of the 1920 Maxwell was as follows: 1400 feet of hose, 100 feet of chemical hose, 2 ladders, 4 axes, 2 crow bars, 6 lanterns, 2 hand extinguishers, 3 nozzles, 12 rubber coats, and a siren.
During the era of the early 1920's, the Fire District concentrated on modernizing its facilities and alerting systems. The Board of Directors approved a private telephone line to be installed at Chief Woodward's house. This would cost the District $1,300 compared to the estimate they had received for a Gamewell Alerting System with eight pull boxes for $2,220. A committee went to the Town of Suffield to hear and investigate the possible purchase of a siren for alerting the Firemen.
In 1924, the Fire District realized that it was time to find larger apparatus housing and office space for the Fire Department. At a June 24th meeting, the Board of Directors voted to secure a building site, have plans drawn and spend upwards of $3,500 for a new hose house.
On September 8, 1924, Mr. William A. Woodward was awarded the contract to build the new hose house. The white building with green trim was two stories high, had two apparatus bays and an upstairs meeting hall. The building was erected on the land that is today the north driveway of the Enfield Street School. The hose house was occupied in December, with its official dedication in January 1925.
In 1927, for the second time in a decade, the Enfield Fire Department's fire fighting efforts were frustrated by another trolley car. The Ryan residence, at 2 Parsons Road, caught fire and was burning out of control. The burning embers ignited a barn and horse shed owned by Charles Miskal, located on the south side of Old King Street at Parsons Road. Hose was laid from Oliver Road and Enfield Street to the fire. With these small fires nearly under control, a trolley car traveling around the corner on Enfield Street, severed the fire hoses. The Firemen then spent most of their time keeping the teams of horses from running back into the burning barns. The structures were eventually consumed by the fire. In April, the Fire District's Board of Directors voted to install a siren on top of the Enfield Street Hose House for a means of alerting the Firemen.
November 1929 saw the delivery of the Enfield Fire Department's first pumping engine from Suburban Fire Protection Services Company. The 1929 Larabee pumper was equipped with a 150-gallon tank and could pump 300 gallons per minute. This apparatus was designated Engine 1.
In 1935, the Town of Enfield proposed a major change. In a bill before the Connecticut State Legislature, the Town attempted to take control of the various Fire Districts in town. The bill was defeated.
Late in 1945, Fire Chief Ernest W. Woodward decided to step down as Chief after thirty years of dedicated leadership. Mr. Dana K. Miller was then appointed Chief of the Enfield Fire Department. In 1946 Chief Miller informed the District Board of Directors of the need to investigate new fire apparatus and new fire department housing.
By January 1947, the Fire District's Board of Directors authorized the purchase of a pumper. The apparatus delivered later that year was a 1948 Dodge/Maxim pumper and was designated Engine 2. The Fire Department suffered a tragic loss in November 1948 with the sudden passing of Chief Dana K. Miller. Although he only served as Fire Chief for two years, Chief Miller had been a member of the Fire Department since the late 1910's. Mr. Peter A. Crombie was appointed Enfield Fire Department's third Fire Chief.
For a period of ten years, there had been much talk about expanding the Fire District into the King's Corner section of Enfield. In 1948 and 1949, the Fire District expanded its district territory with the annexation of the properties bordering lower Enfield Street, King Street and each side of Weymouth Road for a distance of 2000 feet. By mid-May 1949, the Fire District was installing fire hydrants in the expansion area. It is believed, at this time, that the Fire Department switched its alerting system to the Enfield Police Department. The police dispatcher apparently would receive the emergency telephone call and then sound fire alerting sirens in the Fire District.
On January 5, 1949, one of the largest fires in the Town of Enfield's history struck the St. Patrick's Church in Thompsonville. The general alarm fire brought fire apparatus from Thompsonville, Enfield Fire District No. 1, Hazardville, Bradley Field and Springfield, Massachusetts. The blaze, reported shortly after one o'clock p.m., roared out of control throughout the massive brownstone structure. At about 3:30 p.m., the roof collapsed, destroying everything inside the church including the priceless stained glass windows, three marble alters and the Stations of the Cross. The fire was declared under control several hours later, but Thompsonville Fire personnel remained on the scene for two days maintaining a fire watch.
During the 1950's, the Enfield Fire District experienced tremendous growth, both in the territory and in population. Developer S. Ledger Starr began the development of Southwood Acres. His, now famous, "Starr Ranches" and "Starr Capes" added thousands of homes to the District's responsibility of fire protection. A newly completed Interstate highway through Enfield would draw scores of families to Enfield to live in the new and affordable homes.
In 1951, the Fire District Commission was informed of difficulties that the Town Board of Education Building Committee was having with their site plan in conjunction with the adverse position of the present Hose House. The Fire District worked with the Committee to arrive at a solution. By July, Chief Peter Crombie had submitted preliminary drawings of a new firehouse to the Fire Commission. At the annual meeting, the Fire Commission voted to increase the Fire Department's roster to 40 firemen and purchased the department's first Scott Air Paks. At this meeting, they also voted to take a purchase option on the Laura Chapin property located immediately south of the Old Town Hall for the possible future construction of a new Fire Headquarters.
On July 10, 1952, the Enfield Fire Department suffered its first line-of-duty death. Fireman Samuel Persky died from injuries suffered in an automobile accident while responding to a fire on Mitchell Drive.
By 1954, the Fire District was moving ahead with plans for its new firehouse. The land under the Hose House was sold to the Town for $3,000, with the agreement that the Hose House would be sold to the highest bidder and that the new owner would have 90 days following the completion of the Fire Department's new Headquarters to relocate the building.
On November 6, 1955, the Fire Department dedicated its
new Headquarters at 1296 Enfield Street. The second floor of the old Hose
Hose was sold and relocated to Raffia Road, next to the Raffia Shell station and
today is a private residence. Later that year, the Fire District
officially aligned its new boundaries:
A Northern Boundary along Hazard Avenue,
An Eastern Boundary along Glendale Road,
Raffia Road and Simon Road,
A Southern Boundary along the town line of
East Windsor, and
A Western Boundary along the railway bed
adjacent to the Connecticut River.
With the new boundaries came the need for an expanded siren alerting system.
A proposal to install sirens on the poles at Glendale Road, the north end of
Molinski Drive and one near the cemetery on King Street was approved.
In October of 1956, the Fire Commission approved Chief Crombie's recommendation to replace the 1929 Larabee pumper. It allocated $18,000 to purchase a 1957 International/American LaFrance pumper with a 600-gallon tank and a 750 gallon per minute pump. This was placed in service as Engine 3.
In May, 1960, the Fire District purchased a used 1934 Pirsch Junior 65 foot aerial ladder truck from the Thompsonville Fire Department. This was re-designated Enfield Fire Department Ladder 1.
In 1961, with the population growing, the Fire District approved funding of $42,500 and construction plans for an additional fire station. Mr. James M. Richards, Jr., Chairman of the Building Site Committee, proposed to the Fire Commission the purchase of 4.5 acres of land on Weymouth Road as a site to build the new station.
On June 17, 1962, the Enfield Fire District No. 1 officially dedicated its new Fire Station No. 2 located at 199 Weymouth Road. With construction of the new two-bay station complete, Ladder 1, which had been garaged in a barn, had its new home. The new station would also serve as the Department's training school, complete with a 3-story drill tower and fire pit, it was ideal for training drills and exercises. In October, with discussions about expanding the Fire District into the Scantic area of town, the Fire Commission appointed a committee to complete a study of future department needs.
During the late months of 1963 and early 1964, leadership changes and equipment modernization was slated for the Fire Department. The Fire District Commission approved funding for a new aerial truck and completed a study of the Fire Department's alerting system. In October 1963, Chief Peter A. Crombie stepped down as Chief and Commission President William J. Burgess retired after 42 years with the Fire Department, serving as a fireman, fire officer and fire commissioner. Mr. Peter A. Crombie is appointed Fire Commission President and Mr. James M. Richards, Jr. is appointed as the Fire Department's fourth Fire Chief. In November, Chief Richards pressed the Fire Commission on the alerting system issue and to increase the firefighting manpower from 40 to 50 fireman.
By January, 1964, the Fire Commission voted to transfer the fire phone from the police station to Barbara Larensen's "Call Control" Answering Service in Hazardville. Shorly after this, the Fire Department purchased its first electronic alerting system called the "10-10 System". With this, the answering service received the fire call, pressed the tone alert that set off the 10-10 radio receivers at the firemen's residences. The service would also activate the fire sirens in the District through a "PL" telephone line. At that meeting, the Fire Commission approved $55,000 to purchase a combination aerial platform fire truck with a 750 gallon per minute pump. In the spring, the Fire Commission voted to be governed by Sections 7-324 through 7-329 of the Connecticut General Statutes, but without changing its existing form of government.
Delivery of the Fire Department's new aerial truck occurred in April 1965. The "Snorkel", as it was commonly known, was delivered by the Young Fire Apparatus Company. It was designated Truck 4.
In February of 1966, with discussion of expanding into
the Scantic area continuing, the Fire Commission approved funding of
$32,000 for a new pumping apparatus. They also contemplated purchasing
land in the Scantic area for a possible third fire station, but held off until
they could view the Town of Enfield's Master Plan of Development. After
receiving petitions from residents, the Fire Commission approved expansion of
its boundaries in three areas of town.
1. East of Raffia Road to the Scantic River.
2. The area west of Pleasant Road west of King Street.
3. The area between the New Haven Railway bed west to the
Connecticut River.
This expansion would increase the Enfield Fire District's territory to 12 square
miles serving some 20,000 residents.
In March 1967, a large fire at the South Road Shopping Plaza required mutual aid from the Thompsonville, North Thompsonville, Hazardville and Warehouse Point Fire Departments. The plaza, a busy place of commerce for Southwood Acres residents, suffered $185,000 in damage. A few weeks after that fire, the Fire Department took delivery of a new pumper. The 1966 Maxim was equipped with 1000 g.p.m. pump, was designated Engine 6.
The fall of 1968 saw the Fire District approve funding for another new pumping apparatus. The 1957 International/American LaFrance Engine 3 needed $15,000 in repairs and was placed out of service. A "loaner pumper" from the O.B. Maxwell Company, the dealer and service agent for the Maxim Co., was obtained. This loaner American LaFrance pumper was designated Engine 5 and affectionately dubbed "Pinocchio" because of its long nose.
On Friday afternoon, January 3, 1969, what was described as the "most spectacular fire" the Enfield Fire District has ever experienced, occurred.
The Enfield Inn
The 180 year old Enfield Inn was the former home of Col. Augustus Hazard, founder of the Hazard Powder Company, that manufactured gun powder and other munitions during the Civil War. The building was fashioned after the French Colonial pattern of architecture with masonry walls covered with plaster and stucco. The interior of the Greek revival portico was fine craftsmanship. It contained one of the most noted spiral staircase in New England, constructed of solid cherrywood and trimmed with gold leaf. It ran upward from the ground floor to a glass dome located on the roof and had a value by itself of $40,000.
The Fire
At 3:24 p.m., Enfield Fire Chief James Richards, Jr. first learned of the fire. As he traveled up Enfield Street, he saw large columns of black smoke in the sky and flames shooting from the windows. As the Fire Department arrived on scene minutes later, the building was 75 to 80 percent involved in fire. The Inn manager and a tenant had to escape the flames from the second floor by Fire Department ladders. Firemen from the Thompsonville and Hazardville Fire Departments soon arrived to help battle the blaze. At 6:30 p.m., Chief Richards signaled the fire under control though Enfield Fire units remained on scene until Saturday morning. Damage was estimated at nearly $200,000.
In February 1969, the Fire District approved the sale of Engine 3. The 1957 International/American LaFrance was sold for $7,000 to a citizen in Springfield, Massachusetts. On May 1st, the Fire Department accepted delivery of a 1969 Maxim that was designated as Engine 3. Except for a 600-gallon water tank, this Maxim was identical to the 1966 Maxim pumper.
By the summer of 1970, the Fire Department took delivery of its third custom pumper from the Maxim Company. This "S" model Maxim was designated Engine 2. Following this delivery, the Fire District retired the 1948 Dodge/Maxim and the 1934 Pirsch Ladder, donating the ladder truck to the Connecticut Fire Museum in 1972.
During the next few years, the Fire District Commission met with the town officials about possibly selling the Enfield Street Firehouse to the Historical Society or moving the Old Town Hall building off District property. Neither proposal was ever pursued.
On October 19, 1972, Peter A. Crombie retired from the Enfield Fire Commission after 39 years of dedicated service to the Fire District, serving as Fireman, Fire Chief and Fire Commission President.
December 6, 1973, was a somber day for the Fire Department. Fire Marshal/Lieutenant Francis Dwyer died in the line of duty during a fire at Woodgate Apartments on Orlando Drive.
In the mid 70's, with the administrative workload of the Fire Department increasing, the Fire Commission established the positions of Fire Chief (1976) and Fire Marshal (1978) as full time jobs. Chief James Richards, Jr. accepted the job offer and the Fire Commission hired Michael Sinsigalli as Fire Marshal.
During 1977, the Enfield Fire Department along with the four other Departments in town, became part of the Emergency 911 Communications System operated by the Enfield Police in the Town Hall. This allowed 911 emergency calls to be received by civilian dispatchers who then alerted the Fire Department by activating the "Plectron Tone System" and sounding the Fire District's sirens.
In May, the Fire Commission approved $50,000 for an addition to Station No. 1. This addition provided office space for the Chief and Fire Marshal, as well as two large apparatus bays. With foresight of the future expansion of Station No. 2, the Fire District purchased an additional 2.45 acres of land abutting its Weymouth Road property.
In late May, the Fire Department purchased its first Hurst "Jaws of Life" tool, for automobile accident extrications. The electric-powered hydraulic tool was placed into service on the Chief's vehicle, then Brush 9 until the 1978 delivery of the Fire Department's first Minipumper. This 1978 Chevrolet/Pierce had a 400 g.p.m. pump and a 200-gallon tank, was delivered in August and designated as Engine 1.
Near the end of 1981, the Fire District had completed plans for a $600,000 expansion of Fire Station No. 2. Lawrence Associates and Enfield Builders were hired to design and construct the new building. Though the scope of the original project was reduced by 30%, the station addition nearly tripled the size of the existing facility.
On May 15, 1983, the Fire District officially dedicated its newly expanding Station No. 2. The new facility has 2 drive-thru apparatus bays, increased office space, a dayroom and large meeting hall with a kitchen. To further compliment the Department's Fire Training School, a new drill tower, and an area for automobile extrication training was planned. With a new siren installed on the new station's hose tower, the fire siren on King Street was removed.
With age taking its toll on the fire apparatus, the Fire Department had its 1969 Maxim pumper repaired in 1982. A six-cylinder diesel engine with automatic transmission was installed by Bell Detroit Diesel of Rocky Hill for $20,000.
In June of 1984, after reviewing new fire apparatus from Pierce Manufacturing, Emergency-One and the Peter Pirsch Company, the Fire District selected Pierce to build its new $150,000 pumper. The new piece was delivered in 1985 complete with a 1500 g.p.m. pump, 500 gallon tank and was designated Engine 4. Following the delivery of Engine 4, the Fire Department began the first phase of mounting large diameter supply hose to all of its pumping apparatus.
Also that month, the Fire District purchased 47 personal fire alert pagers from the Rocky Hill Fire Department for the firemen.
On May 22, 1986, an enormous fire at the Broadbrook Mills, in the Broadbrook section of East Windsor, brought mutual aide from nearly a dozen fire departments including Enfield. The fire, sparked by a worker's cutting torch, totally destroyed the old mill building which was being converted into apartments.
In early 1987, the Fire Department was busy with Station No. 1 expansion plans. The Fire Commission looked at the possibility of buying the Tool Kraft building on South Road and reconstructing it into a new Fire Headquarters. Because of the massive size of the manufacturing facility and unavailability of another municipal tenant, the plan was dropped. In February, the Fire District selected Pierce Manufacturing over Emergency-One and Ladder Towers Inc. to build its new aerial truck.
In June 1988, Pierce delivered the $450,000 Tower Ladder. The truck was equipped with a 1500 g.p.m. pump, a 110-foot elevating platform and a seven-man fully enclosed cab, the first of its kind in Enfield. It was designated Truck 2.
During September, the Fire District purchased the properties at 1300/1302 Enfield Street for $377,000 with a vision of expanding Station No. 1. The plan was to relocate or raze the buildings for the purpose of constructing an addition to the existing Fire House.
The 1990's brought many changes to the Enfield Fire Department. During the summer of 1990, Edward N. Richards was hired and promoted to Deputy Chief of Training and Administration and Paul Chapin was hired as Firefighter, a position that eventually evolved into Assistant in charge of the Maintenance Division. In November, the State of Connecticut distributed a 2.0 million dollar grant to be shared by the five Fire Departments in the Town of Enfield. The Fire District received $333,000 and used the funding to purchase new radios, pagers and a Heavy Duty Rescue.
In June 1991, as specifications for the new Rescue were being reviewed from the Saulsbury Fire Rescue Company, the Department accepted delivery of its second custom built Pierce Arrow Pumper. This 1500 g.p.m. unit carried 500 gallons of water and 60 gallons of foam. It was designated as Engine 6. With this, the oldest of the Maxims, the 1966, was retired and placed in storage. By October, the Fire Commission, with the need to consult an architectural firm with expertise in the design of buildings in historical areas, hired the firm Moser, Pilon and Nelson to work with the Fire Department's Building Committee in the planning and design of a new Fire Headquarters.
In December, Engine 3, the 1969 Maxim, was shipped to Emergency-One Corporation in Ocala, Florida to be refurbished at a cost of $145,000.
For the Maintenance Division of the Enfield Fire Department, 1992 was a busy year. In March, Engine 2, the 1970 Maxim and old Engine 6. the 1966 Maxim, were sold to the Milan, New Hampshire Fire Department for $13,000. Later on in April, the newly refurbished Engine 3 was delivered by Emergency-One. This new custom Cyclone pumper had an upgraded 1250 g.p.m. pump and a 500-gallon poly-tank. It continued as Engine 3. October saw the delivery of the Fire Department's first Heavy Duty Rescue from the Saulsbury Fire Rescue Company. The apparatus carries the "Jaws of Life" tool and has a self-contained command center. This unit serves as Rescue 11.
1992 was also a year of change for the Fire Department's administration. Chief James M. Richards, Jr., after twenty-nine years as Fire Chief, retired. In June, the Fire Commission appointed Edward N. Richards as the Fire Department's fifth Fire Chief. In April 1993, Lieutenant Paul Januszewski was hired and promoted to Deputy Chief of Training.
By 1995, after years of rejection by the Town Zoning Board of Appeals and the Historical Commission, the Fire District Commission made the decision to locate its new Fire Headquarters outside of the Historical District. In September, the District purchased 8.3 acres of land for $210,000 on Phoenix Avenue in the town's industrial park.
In 1996, with a new 1.6 million dollar station under construction, the Fire Department made some apparatus changes. Truck 14, the "Snorkel" was sold to the Stafford Springs Fire Department in Stafford, Connecticut for $13,000. The 32 year-old truck served the District well. Later on that year, the Fire Department took delivery of its newest piece of apparatus. The "Telesquirt" was delivered in November from Pierce Manufacturing. It had a 1250 g.p.m. pump and a 65 foot aerial device built by Snorkel. The "quint" was designated as Engine 12.
In January 1997, the Fire Department moved into its new Fire Headquarters at 200 Phoenix Avenue. The building has 4 apparatus bays, 3 of which are drive thru, 5,000 square feet of administrative office space, a dayroom, conference room, classroom, and a second floor firemen's lounge. The building has a key card access system for security and is wired computer ready for the 21st century.
With the Fire Department's grand list topping $500,000,000 and modest fire tax, the Enfield Fire Department is home to some of the finest firefighting apparatus and facilities available.
For over 100 years, the citizens living in the Enfield Fire District No. 1 have depended on volunteers for fire and rescue services. As our District expanded outward from the tiny village in 1896 to what it is today, we see a Fire Department that has grown and met the challenges of ever increasing demands. Firefighting, motor vehicle accident extrications and hazardous material responses are just some of the services provided by the Enfield Fire Department. It is with little doubt that the dedicated and courageous men and women of the Enfield Fire Department will rise to this occasion as they have for more than 100 years of Protecting Life and Property with Pride.
*Please note after 1994 all Apparatus numbers were changed for radio designation purposes. (i.e. Engine 1 to Engine 11, Truck 2 to Truck 12, etc.)
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