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A History of the
Brewster Fire Department and some old photographs
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(above)
A department group photo from 1982 Prior
1926, the Town of Brewster did not have an incorporated fire
department as we know it today. The Town Fathers appointed a
"Forest Warden" and it was his job to handle any fires in
Brewster and to maintain the community's fire suppression equipment.
When a fire was discovered, usually trees and grass burning along
the railroad that ran through town (now known as the Cape Cod Rail
Trail), the towns people would extinguish them using shovels
and brooms. If a house fire occurred, or
a brush fire too large for hand tools to extinguish, then help would
be requested from one of our neighboring towns. Town meeting in 1927
approved $2,460.00 to purchase a chemical fire truck from the
American LaFrance Company. Along with this purchase came the
creation of the Brewster Fire Department and the Forest Warden at
the time, Maurice Lee was appointed the first Fire Chief of the Town
of Brewster.  With
no fire station at the time the
truck was stored in a bay at what is now known as the "Wobbly
Barn" on Main Street. In 1931 Charles E. Sears was appointed
Fire Chief. In 1932 The town report listed the first fire
department roster including Chief Charles Sears and Edward C.
Dillingham listed as the "driver".
At this point the fire
truck was stored in Edward Dillingham's garage, located behind what
is now Brewster Mobile gas station at the corner of Main Street and pump
was acquired from Maxim Motor Company. It is believed that this pump
was built onto a 1932 Ford truck chassis by the department members
and became the department's first true pumper.
(at left - picture from left-right) 1949 Ford Engine 2, 57' Ford
Engine 1 and the 1941 "Buffalo", featuring a 600 gpm
rotary-gear pump) |
The town's first "official" fire station was built in 1941
on Main Street, just west of Long Pond Road (Route 137), right next
(at
left)
Brewster's
1932 Ford and 57' Ford-Maxim 750 gpm Engine 1 seen parked in
front of fire headquarters which was built in 41'. Chief Frank H.
Jones is posing next to the 32' Ford, while John McCandless sits in
the driver's seat. This photo was taken on December 31, 1957 as the
department was replacing its first homebuilt pumper with the new
1957 model.
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Sept. 1954,
notice the "Emergency First Aid" sign posted on
the fire station in the background. This vehicle was also radio
equipped (rare for its day), hence the whip antenna by the driver's
door.
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 (left) The "Beach House" fire on Christmas 1991
went to 5 alarms (11 engines and 4 ladders). The aerial of Ladder
237 (52' Maxim) is seen elevated in this photo. The aerial was
damaged by ice buildup during the fire rendering it out of service
permanently although the truck continued service for several more
years until being replaced. |
 (at
left)
Rescue-1 (the ambulance parked on the left), 57' Ford
Engine-1(center bay), and the 1949 Ford Engine
2 with a 500 gpm pump. Rescue 1 became known as Rescue 230 under
the county system of fire apparatus numbering. Engine 1
became Engine 233 and Engine 2 was numbered 235. Engine 233 served
until 1989 when it was replaced by the current Pierce-Lance.
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 The
old Squad-240, a 1976 Dodge Power Wagon
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(left)
The 1941 "Buffalo" engine seen pumping water during a
building fire at Cape Cod Photos in Harwich. |
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click on the thumbnail views to see a larger picture
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