Quakertown Fire Co. No. 1

At the business meeting on July 7th, 2008, exempt member and past chief Paul Schultz brought two items of historical significance to the meeting and presented them to the company.

The first item is a medallion from the first annual convention of the Firemen’s Association of Bucks County, now better known as the Bucks County Firemen’s Parade, held in Quakertown on June 12th and 13th, 1914. Quakertown Fire Company No. 1 most recently hosted this parade, the 88th of its kind, on June 10th, 2006 in celebration of 100 years of incorporation.

The second item is a rubber stamp bearing the name “Good Will Social Club.” The Good Will Social Club, affectionately known as “The Gluepot,” was a social club owned and operated by the company until the 60s. The club was located along Third Street where the shopping center is now located.

Paul Schultz provided over 35 years of active service to Quakertown Fire Company No. 1 and served as chief of the Quakertown Fire Department.

Quakertown Fire Department hosted the traditional Water Battles at Quakertown Borough’s annual Community Day, held in Memorial Park on July 4th.

The Water Battles are a series of competitions between local fire companies in which teams of four firefighters from each company compete to push the rocket - a sliding target suspended on a wire between two telephone poles - to the opposing team’s telephone pole. The team that hits the opposite pole with the target wins the round. Rounds are 90 seconds long; if neither team can hit the opposing pole within those 90 seconds, the round is awarded to the team whose side the rocket is not on.

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The companies that participated were Quakertown Fire Company No. 1, West End Fire Company No. 2 of Quakertown, Richlandtown Fire Company, Haycock Fire Company, Trumbauersville Fire Company, Milford Fire Company, Richland Township Fire and Rescue, and Coopersburg Fire Company.

Three teams of junior firefighters competed against each other as well.  The teams were from Quakertown Fire Company No. 1, West End Fire Company No. 2, and Trumbauersville Fire Company.

Quakertown Fire Company No. 1 took second place in the senior competition, with West End Fire Company taking first place.  Quakertown Fire Company No. 1 took first place in the junior competition, with West End taking second place.

Companies were dispatched on Friday, June 13th at 0919 hours for a dwelling fire on Perkasie Avenue. Bucks County Dispatch informed Engine 17-1 (with Battalion 17 as the officer) that the caller was reporting a window air conditioner to be on fire, spreading to the house. Engine 17-1 informed Dispatch that there was smoke visible from approximately one half mile out and requested that the box be filled. Engine 17-1 arrived on scene and went in service with two 1.75″ handlines. Tower 18 arrived and went in service with ventilation. Battalion 18 had command, reporting heavy fire. Additional companies in service with third handline off of Engine 17-1. A quick knockdown was made.

On Saturday, May 31st, 2008, Engine 17-1, Chemical 17, and Hazmat 17 traveled to Kutztown for a parade held in celebration of the Borough of Kutztown’s 100th anniversary as well as the recent expansion of Kutztown Fire Company’s station and the housing of three of their trucks.

Chemical 17, a 1979 Mack/Swab rescue body, won a second place trophy for “Most Functional Squad/Special Service,” competing against trucks of all ages. Members worked hard to clean the trucks for the parade. Mark Simon, who drove Chemical 17 in the parade, worked especially hard to get it into top shape.

Members who cleaned the trucks and attended the parade were David Reinhart, Linda Reinhart, Collin Reinhart, Mark Simon, Celeste Graziano, Mike Graziano, Chris Erwin, Vince Sakaitis, Brian Kershes, and past Chief Ray Stever, Sr. Several additional members assisted with preparing the trucks but were unable to attend the parade.

Field 17 was dispatched to assist Station 58 (Trumbauersville) with a brush fire on Camp Rock Hill Rd on April 19th at 1630 hours. Station 58 units arrived on scene with a fully involved shed several hundred feet from the road with extension into a travel trailer and multiple exposure problems. Field 17 made its way back to the fire and 58 personnel went in service with two of its lines, performing a quick knockdown.

Engine 58 stretched a 3″ line with a wye up the hill and connected and continued stretching an 1.75″ apartment pack and brought it into service. Field 17’s crew stretched a 1.5″ supply line back to the wye and continued operations. Two additional field trucks and a tanker were added.

On March 30th, 2008 at 0455 Hazmat 17 was dispatched to assist station 49 (Ottsville) with run-off from a building fire. Crews dammed two channels of run-off and treated with skimming pads and filtering pillows for multiple chemicals of varying specific gravities.