HISTORY OF THE KISKI TOWNSHIP VOLUNTEER FIRE AND RESCUE COMPANY

In 1947, The Kiski Township Fire Department was formed. The first meetings were held in a white farmhouse owned by Louis Pellegrino at the corner of Old State Road and the left side of Kings Road , which today stand a four-apartment complex. After organizing, the Frank Shellhammer Family donated the property on Old State Road where the Fire Hall still stands.

The Fire Station had two garage doors and one side door. The station was built between 1947 and 1949 and at that time the Department only had one piece of “Apparatus”; a black Packard Hearse with one bubble light. The fire equipment consisted of regular shovels, rakes, heavy galvanized buckets and four brass Indian tanks.

The hearse was also used as an ambulance, which would transport patients to the hospital, which is nothing like today, where you have Paramedics and Emergency Medical Technician. When it was needed as an ambulance, the equipment would be removed and a gurney would be loaded. After the call, the gurney would be removed and the equipment would be reloaded.

In 1960 or 1951 the Kiski Township Fire Department was either given, or purchased, A 1949 Ford Gasoline Tank truck. The truck was too unsafe to haul gasoline and they had to stop using it, that's how the Fire Department got their first truck.

The tank had four compartments, which held 840 gallons of water. This truck had 9-inch brake shoes on the front. If the brakes were applied more than five times at any one time, the brakes would heat up, it wouldn't stop, and you'd end up passing the fire scene. The tank truck also had a two and a half inch screw type gate valve. They installed a 250 GPM , 9 horsepower Gorman Portable Pump on the tailboard.

The first Fire Chief was Frank Buzzard, who owned a small food store at the corner east on Florida Avenue and southeast on Old State Road . When a fire, or ambulance call came in, Frank or his wife, Pearl , would notify five other firemen and they would use call lists, giving other firemen the location and type of problem. When Frank would go to a fire call, he always carried his dress Firemen's hat, a scarf, and a pouch of Worhman, and never came without it.

Around 1950, the fire department got their first fire whistle from U.S. Steel Corporation in Vandergrift , PA. The siren was mounted on the roof of the fire station. Later, around 1953, Tate Tressler and his son built the tower the siren sits on from bed rails and angle iron. In 1951, the kitchen was added to the fire hall, along with an office and a furnace room. Vern Small from Spring Church dug out for the add-on with his backhoe.

In 1959, two and a half acres of land was purchased from Edna Rupert of Vandergrift , PA for two thousand, five hundred dollars, thanks to Ron Held Sr., who found out the property was for sale. Ron worked with Edna and she mentioned she wanted to sell the land. The fire department responded, and purchased the land.

Also in 1959, the Fire Department purchased their first new fire truck. The cab and chassis was purchased from Guthrie Chevrolet in Apollo, PA. The township supervisors paid thirty-five hundred dollars and the fire department bought the body from Central Fire Manufacturing Co. for five thousand, six hundred dollars. This truck had a 500-gallon tank with a 500 GPM pump.

In 1966, the fire department purchased a new 1600 gallon Ford Tanker from Home Fire Manufacturing Co. Again, the supervisors bought the chassis from Apollo Ford Bales In Apollo, PA for five thousand six hundred dollars and department purchased the body from Home for around eleven thousand dollars. This truck only had a 200 GPM gear type pump.

In 1977, we purchased a new GMC van from Kiski Valley Service In Leechburg, PA. This time the Ladies' Auxiliary gave the fire department two thousand dollars toward the purchase of the van. In 1980, the fire department purchased a Mack Tractor Trailer with a 4200 Gallon Tank from Hershey Fire Department. It also had a 250 GPM portable pump mounted on the back and a 6-Inch dump valve.

In 1982, the Fire Department purchased a 1971 Mack Squirt, 1250 GPM p umper from Alpha Fire Department in State College , PA. After the purchase of the Squirt, the fire department had to extend the front of the fire hall because the squirt was so long the cab stuck out the front of the doors. They added twelve feet to the front of the building and three doors.

In the 90's, the Kiski Township Fire Department purchased a Mack 1500 GPM Pumper from Patton Fire Department, which had to be completely refurbished and painted, which was done so by Ron Baker In house. Also around the same time, a utility box truck was purchased which was a Chevy four-wheel drive unit .

In the year 2001, the Kiski Township Fire Department embarked in a new fundraiser called “The Mudd Boggs” which were held on the Filippini farm on School Road just off Edmond Road . The Mudd Boggs are still held today, during the summer months, at four events per year. Also held are dinners, hoagie sales, and dime Bingo, which is held every Friday, and is gaining popularity with area residents, not just from Kiski Township .

Today, in the year 2003, the Kiski Township Fire Department still has the 1966 tanker, the Mack Squirt, and the Mack Pumper in service. In July, 2003, the Kiski Township Fire Department took possession of a new 2003 Pierce Pumper Tanker.

The Kiski Township Fire Department services the citizens of Kiski Township that encompasses a 48 square mile area. Today, the fire department has 36 active members, and nine junior members. The fire department also has fourth generation members. Jim Clark's great-grandfather, Chuck Egley, was a member, as was his great uncle, Lou Egley, both of whom are now deceased. His mother, Debbie, is also a member of the Kiski Township Fire Department.

The apparatus that was once housed in the fire hall, what is now called the “upper” hall, is housed just down the road on Kings Road. Apparatus in the building include the Squirt, Engine 2, two Brush trucks, the Tanker, the Rescue, and the pumper-tanker (AKA The BEAST). They grew from three doors to four doors. Recently, a new roof was added to the “lower” hall and renovations to the lower hall are still in progress.