History Of The
Bellmawr Fire & Rescue Squad No. 1
Volunteer Fire Company
By James Burleigh
Bellmawr
is located within minutes of the City of Philadelphia, 35 minutes from the State
Capitol of Trenton, 90 minutes from New York City, via the New Jersey Turnpike
and within 60 minutes of the shore resorts. The Walt Whitman Bridge, gateway to
the Pennsylvania Turnpike, is within minutes reach from anywhere in the Borough
of Bellmawr.
In 1831, a
township was formed including Runnemede, Mount Ephraim and Bellmawr. It was
called Union Township. In 1840, Bellmawr received its original name Hidden. The
Hidden Methodist Episcopal Church, still situated on the Black Horse Pike, was
built at this time. The houses that were built around the Church became known as
the Hidden Community. The name was later changed to Hedding. In 1855, it was
changed to Center Township and still later to the present name, Bellmawr.
The name
Bellmawr started with the establishment of a post office. The name was
associated with the Bell Family, who had purchased a large portion of the Hugg
Estate. The huge Bell Farm was famous for breeding Percheron horses.
Agent
Frederick Collitt of Mount Ephraim, New Jersey filed for incorporation on April
21, 1898. At which time Bellmawr Fire was started in the building on Walnut
Avenue, then in 1940 became the VFW 7410 Hall, and in 1999 became a Walgreen's
Pharmacy. The first piece of equipment on record was a horse-drawn hand pumper
between the years of 1898-1912. The wagon was stationed on Walnut Avenue. Jake
Smith, a farm hand for Mr. Horner on Summit Avenue, would ride a large white
horse down to Walnut Avenue and hitch the horse to the pumper and drive to the
fire; if Jake did not show, the firemen would push and pull the pumper to the
fire.
Around
1920, Ted Bruning had a hupmobile (a form of an automobile), which he turned
into a fire truck. He mounted a box on the rear of the truck containing eight
(8) fire extinguishers. The next piece of equipment was a Packard made into a
fire truck through the efforts of several of the firemen.
During
the depression, the Borough Hall was built with W.P.A. funds and the Fire
Company was moved into the Borough Hall with only limited space for equipment
and recreation. The firemen built a recreation room on the east wing of the
Borough Hall, and later they built a west wing, which more than doubled the
original engine room. At that time our firefighting equipment consisted of a
GMC hose and equipment truck and a Hahn pumper, which carried 600 gallons of
water. The Fire Company remained in the Borough Hall until their new building
was constructed. In 1956, the fire company purchased the baseball field that
was next to the firehouse and town hall. Under the supervision of Jack Benigno
(then Mayor), Neil Devenney, John Sullivan, then Fire Chief Daniel Sullivan, and
then fire company President Ray Kelly, the members got together, along with the
help of many civic-minded persons, and built the new fire station located at 29
Lewis and Chestnut Avenues. the Fire Company will be forever grateful to these
kind and generous friends and neighbors.
We have
traced the Bellmawr Fire Company No. 1 back to the year 1898. In 1919, they
reorganized and renamed the station Bellmawr Fire Company No. 2, and in 1942
they decided to once again use Bellmawr Fire Company No. 1. In 1943, the
company was incorporated under the laws of the State of New Jersey as Bellmawr
Volunteer Fire Company No. 1. Two years later in 1945, a Rescue Squad began and
joined the existing Fire Company to become one unit. In July of 1953 our name
was once again changed to its current name Bellmawr Fire and Rescue Squad No. 1.
For many
years the members were summoned to a call by ringing a large steel hoop erected
on the Southeast corner of the Black Horse Pike and Browning Road. In 1925 Tom
Toomey and his daughter Anna dismantled an old tower in Haddon Heights and
rebuilt it on Walnut Avenue behind the old firehouse. The members took up
collections from motorists along the Black Horse Pike to buy a siren for the top
of the tower. Records indicate that Gustav Bernhardt was the Fire Chief during
this time. In 1999 the old siren that was located at the Rec Center on Creek
and Bell Road was refurbished and reinstalled next to the current firehouse on
Lewis and Chestnut Avenues. The siren currently is mounted on the new cell
tower where it is actively working today.
The
equipment that was used in the early 1900's was purchased by fund drives, fund
raising activities and by periodic cash presentations by the Ladies Auxiliary.
The Ladies Auxiliary worked very hard over the years raising money through
rummage sales, cake sales, raffle drawings, hat sales and dinners held in our
Ballroom. They also sold refreshments Monday nights to our Bingo players. The
Ladies Auxiliary was always on hand to serve hot coffee and refreshments to the
firemen during any lengthy fires or disasters. The firemen will always be
indebted to the Ladies Auxiliary for the wonderful dinners they served to them
while constructing the new firehouse and all their efforts and help in making
the firehouse a success.
Our
ambulance service began in 1945 with a 1933 Cadillac ambulance, purchased by
monies advanced by six members of the Company: Arnold Higgins, Howard Bateman,
William Lyons, John Bofinger, Joseph Anderson, and Henry Delano. Out first
Ambulance Captain was Isadore Rothman. In 1980, the ambulance moved out of the
Fire Company. Today the Bellmawr Volunteer Ambulance operates at a building
that they worked hard to build located on the corner of W. Browning Road and
Lowell Avenue.
This
Fire Company organized a Junior Firemen Membership in 1952 for which the ages
range from 15-18. They are instructed in every phase of fire fighting and
rescue techniques by three counselors who are regular active firemen appointed
to oversee their activities. They work right along with the regular firemen,
but have limited duties during emergencies. After reaching the age of eighteen
they are admitted to the Fire Company as regular firemen. A few Juniors have
gone on to become Chief of the Fire Company.
Our
firemen used to be trained in first aid and rescue techniques by the West Jersey
Hospital and Heavy Rescue classes by the NJ State Troopers in Hammonton. Today
our members attend the Camden County Fire Academy on a regular basis in order to
stay on top of the latest techniques.
Some members members have also taken classes at
Camden County College to help broaden their own horizon. In addition to the
training sessions at the Academy we also drill every Tuesday night.
The Bellmawr
Fire and Rescue Squad No. 1 is always working to improve their skills and
techniques to better serve the residents in the town of Bellmawr.
