About

A Brief History of Our Fire Company

Due to experiencing costly fires which destroyed several Upper Milford business places and having in mind the hazards of World War II, citizens of the township decided to organize a Fire Company for their mutual protection. With a meeting on March 4, 1942 in Zionsville Reformed Church it was decided to have two Fire Companies, one in Vera Cruz and the other at Old Zionsville.

Through the untiring efforts of the Officers and the support and contributions of the Citizens and Neighboring Fire Companies rapid progress was made. The Charter for Upper Milford Western District Fire Company was granted on May 25, 1942. Meetings were held at the Shimerville Hotel for several months until Yoders School House became available. From that time to the present, meetings have been held on the first Thursday Evening of each month.

Our First Truck

Our first truck was a Diamond T, but it was a chassis from an old 1937 coal truck from Irwin Sell. The chassis was purchased at Berman Motors in Pennsburg at the cost of $1400. Even purchasing of this used equipment had to be cleared through the O.P.A. in Washington D.C. Howard Stauffer was to go along with Representative of Special Equipment agency and another person of the Representative’s choice to procure special equipment.

Through it all we procured the 1937 Diamond T chassis. In February of 1943 the chassis was then driven to Indiana by Harold Fegley to get the body and pump placed on it. In October of 1943 the truck was dedicated and housed with appropriate ceremonies. The truck was equipped and placed in Irwin Sell’s garage from 1943 until 1952 when our building was complete.