History
OUR HISTORY
Founding the Port Monmouth Fire Company
During the summer of 1922, the following men endeavored to form a volunteer fire company in Port Monmouth: Henry Pulsch, Ernest Rutt, Percy De Grote, Lloyd Carhardt, Charles Meyers and George Burlew. It was through the inspiration of Ed Oakes and Tom Williams of Red Bank, NJ that this meeting was held as they spoke of the need and advantages of a volunteer fire company in the community. That November, a meeting was held at the Port Monmouth School to incorporate the Port Monmouth Fire Co. No.1. Marcus Moller was elected President by acclamation and one ballot cast by the acting secretary, Louis Jensen. The Fire Company Charter was promtly drawn up and signed by the following men: M. Moller, L. Jensen, H. DeGrote, Walter DeGrote, John Dowens, Charles Rutt, Sr., C. Meyers, Ben Mills, Arthur Aker and Jim Hepburn.
Various fundraising drives were undertaken and from the results of these the first fire truck was purchased at a cost of $2,500 and housed in a frame garage built by the men on a site purchased for $300.00 from the Cowalton Realty Company. The Ford truck was delivered in July of 1923.
In 1926, it was decided a larger truck was needed and a Buffalo 500 gpm pumper was purchased and housed in Walter Walling’s barn until an addition to the firehouse was completed.
The next event of note was the purchase of property, for site for a new firehouse. The lots on which the present firehouse stands were purchased from William Coe, in 1928. Construction on the firehouse was started in the fall of 1932, with a total cost of $11,900. By spring of 1933, the new firehouse was completed and occupied.
The 1940's - 1960's:
In 1940, Port Monmouth Fire Company purchased a third piece of apparatus, a GMC. The new truck was equipped with a 250 gpm pump, 750 ft. house bed, and floodlights. Six years later the company decided to purchase it’s first 1,000 gpm pumper, an Ahrens-Fox Model HT. The vehicle was purchased in 1946 for $15,500 (Equal to roughly $211,000 USD in 2018).
Twelve years later, in 1958, the company purchased an American LaFrance Pumper, with a 750 gpm pump. This truck would become the heart of Port Monmouth's firefighting operation for decades to come
Unexpectedly, on December 18, 1960, Port Monmouth Fire Company suffered a tragic loss. In the early morning hours, a fire started in the upstairs hall. Before the fire was discovered and could be brought under control, damages of approximately $30,000 had been sustained. The building was renovated in 1961 at a cost of $50,000.00.
In 1965 construction was started for a new air-conditioned addition which was used as an entertainment and bingo hall. By Mid-February of 1967 the Company held its first $1,000.00 Bingo in the new hall. At somepoint, the hall was dubbed "The Colonial Room" and it became the center of fundraising operations for the fire company.
The 1970's - 1990's: A Need For Expansion
With two of the three trucks in excess of 25 years of age and demands increasing significantly, a truck committee was formed in 1970 for the purpose of selecting an optimum vehicle to meet firefighting needs for the next decade.
The selection was a 1,000 gpm Seagrave pumper, with a 500 gpm deluge set, 2000 foot hose bed, high pressure booster unit and self- contained electrical generator system for exhaust fan and emergency lighting system. Seagrave Corporation was awarded the contract at a cost of $47,000 and the truck was delivered seventeen months later in March of 1973. This was the company’s new Engine 164.
During the fall of 1980, the company added a 500 gpm mini-attack pumper manufactured by Pierce on a Dodge chassis (unit 160). This vehicle was extensively used primarily in support of our two Class A pumpers as well as for vehicle and brush fires.
The company now had five fire apparatus in active service and they were running out of room in the engine bay. It was during this time that a group of members took the initiative to expand the truck room so that all of the vehicles could be housed under one roof. Hundreds of man hours were put into the revitalization effort and in late 1980 the project was complete.
During late 1988 a truck committee was formed for the purpose of deciding the feasibility of acquiring a new class A pumper to replace our aging American la France pumper. After several months of deliberations, this committee presented there recommendations to the company for the purchase of a 1989 Hahn 1500 GPM pumper with a seven-man enclosed cab. This new apparatus was to be designated as Engine 161 and it was expected that this unit would now lead the company into the 1990′s, well equipped to handle the needs of the community. During the fall of 1988 the new engine was delivered, and it was at this time that the company decided to “sell” the old LaFrance to the Middletown Fire Academy for $1.00 in order to keep this distinguished piece of fire apparatus in service training the volunteers of the future.
In 1998, a new Pierce Pumper was purchased to replace the aging Seagrave. As new apparatus were now taller than in previous years, the company would need to expand the firehouse to accommodate the new pumper and a decision was made to add two new bays to the left of the building. The new structure would replace the old entryway for the Bingo Hall and the second story of the firehouse. As a major change was being made to the building, the decision was made to close the Bingo Hall due to declining interest from the community and membership. Instead, the decision was made to rent out the space to a local buisness, ending the days of the famed Colonial Room.
Within a year, the work on the addition was complete, just in time for the company's 75th anniversary. The occasion was celebrated with a Wet Down for the new Engine 164 and a building dedication ceremony. The expanded building and new engine would signify the fire company's entry into the new 21st Century.
The 2000's - Today: A New Port Monmouth
After two decades of responding to calls, the 1989 Hahn pumper was up for replacement. Port Monmouth Fire Co. decided to acquired a new KME Pumper, to replace the Hahn. Larger than 164, the new 161 was designed to be a workhorse and would be put the test at some notable big fires. However, this piece of apparatus would have a short lived career with the Port Monmouth Fire Company.
On October 29th 2012, Superstorm Sandy would forever change Port Monmouth. That day members manned the firehouse expecting a rough weather and historic high tides. After responding to various calls throughout the day, members began to notice the firehouse’s parking lot was quickly filling with water around 7 PM. Members were instructed to protect their personal property by moving their personal vehicles to Romeo’s Shopping Plaza on Highway 36. The Fire Company’s bus was then used to ferry people back to the firehouse to grab what they could before being the firehouse flooded.
As the water rose, Members tried to save what they could, but the water was winning the race against time. Some tried to move gear upstairs, save photos and lift raise whatever equipment they could out of harms way, but mother nature was clearly winning. Members were forced to throw what they could in the apparatus and leave before the water level became dangerous. Unfortunately, the 1947 Ahrens Fox was unable to move at the time and had to be left behind, along with many other notable items.
After the water receded, members returned to find the firehouse and community in complete disarray. Nearly everything in the firehouse had been underwater. Members quickly began to asses the damage, but moral was at an all time low. It was decided to regroup in the morning, after everyone got some rest. While some members were fortunate to get to return home, the storm flooded and destroyed the homes of others. Those Members would be forced to spend the night at the firehouse, as they had no where else to go.
The following morning, members immediately began the clean up process. Everything was taken out of the firehouse to dry, including the Fox. While the firehouse was mostly intact, homes right down the road did not fare so well, with many being a total loss. It was quickly realized that the rebuilding effort was going to be a long one, so the priority became getting the firehouse restored and operational again. Within days, the water damaged walls of the firehouse were gutted and the building cleaned. Various organizations stepped in, to assist residents with the rebuilding process and offer supplies. Due to the firehouse's central location and work put in by the membership, the firehouse became the center of the community; a place to get supplies, meals and support.
As Port Monmouth began to rebuild, a new problem arose. Due to the historic flooding, the state of New Jersey required homes in the area to be raised, with some homeowners choosing to raise their houses even higher than the mandated height. This meant that some of the former single-story summer homes transformed into three story tall buildings, altering how the company would need to respond to emergency calls. In 2016, the Middletown Township Fire Department recommended that Port Monmouth Fire Company acquire a ladder truck to assist in fighting potential fires in the new three story dwellings in the area. The matter was presented to the company, which voted to move forward with assuming a truck company role.
A truck committee was formed to review a number of apparatus manufacturers and report back to the company with their findings. On suggestion from the committee, the company decided to go with a proposal from KME. As per the department numbering system, the new truck would be numbered 160. As part of the plan with the department, 160 would be assigned to us and 161 would be handed over to Old Village Fire Company. After only 8 years, all equipment was removed from the former Engine 161 and it turned over to Old Village to be retrofitted. Port Monmouth Fire Company accepted delivery of 160 in August of 2017 and immediately transitioned to a truck company role, with 160 serving as their primary apparatus.
After the arrival of 160, the Fire company's brush was due for replacement. Since Navesink Fire Company was replacing their brush truck with a new urban attack pumper, an agreement was made to give their brush truck to Port Monmouth. Re-lettered and maintained, the new brush truck entered service about a year after 160.
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Our Apparatus