Altamont Fire Department

        When the first passenger train passed through here on September 16, 1863, there were but one-half dozen homes within the area which today comprises the Village of Altamont. Within twenty years that same area was a thriving, growing community boasting most all the important aspects of village life appropriate to the times. The only known fire was in 1884 when "the old hay barn near the depot" was razed. Then, on Friday, April 30, 1886 about 11 p.m. tragedy struck-FIRE! The ALBANY JOURNAL , of May 1, 1886 reported on the fire, in part, as follows:

Almost an entire block destroyed - Seven buildings wiped out - Two lodge rooms and several stores effaced - Inadequate Fire Department - Loss between $15,000 and $20,000. The origin of the fire is in doubt, some think it an incendiary, others think it ignited from the careless throwing of a cigar ... the village owns a hand engine but there are no large cisterns from which to obtain water. Starting in the hallway leading to the Good Templars' lodge room, in the building occupied by Davenport & Frederick Druggists, the fire moved to the sheds in the rear which connect the isolated buildings. Next came the carriage manufactory of Van Benscoten & Warner to the north, and the shoe store of James Ostrander and tin shop of Charles Taber to the south. The carriage works contained the rooms of Noah Masonic lodge on the third floor ... then the blacksmith shop of John Friday, the harness shop of Frank Decker and the woodworking shop of A. H. Wilber with the apartment of Mrs. Frederick succumbed. This was the last structure on the west side of Church St. for some distance, so that the flames stopped here after reducing all to ashes.

        A week later, May 9th, The ENTERPRISE carried an item concerning another fire - about 10 p.m. Mrs. F. Mynderse, who lived in an apartment in the newly erected Pangburn Store, smelled smoke. A lighted candle was found under a buffalo robe in a wooden box in the cellar, the window of which had been forced open. The fire was quickly extinguished. Then, on June 4, 1886, the John Friday house burned to the ground. It was the same John Friday who had lost his Blacksmith shop in the "Great Fire" of April, These events quickly led to a meeting of all concerned citizens at the Knowerville Hotel to propose ways and means of securing water and fire protection. Several options were reviewed. It was decided that wells should be dug, a force pump bought and a hose company formed.

        The citizens soon realized having no legal authority to raise tax levies to cover these costs that they should consider incorporating as a village. On October 18, 1890 the Village of Altamont was incorporated. Mr. Hiram Griggs was the first president (mayor) of Altamont. The first major project of the new village was the construction of a public water system. On March 24, 1893, after the project was completed with 17 double hydrants in operation, the Village Board held a referendum to approve the raising of $850.00 for the purchase of hose and apparatus to extinguish fires. The action was approved 21 to 6.

        Soon thereafter, the Village Board appointed twenty-five citizens to meet and form a hose company. On May 8, 1893 twenty-three of those twenty-five named met at the hall of the Union Hotel and signed the roll. Thus creating the Altamont Hose Company No. 1. The first, and for the next twenty-five years, the only fire company in the Town of Guilderland. Elected as officers were: A.J. Manchester, Foreman(Chief); E. Mynderse, Assistant Foreman; and John Pangburn, SecretaryTreasurer. By May 22nd 1893, a set of by-laws had been adopted and a hose cart and hose selected. A week later the first floor of the Temperance Hall had been secured for $25.00 per year as a "hose house".

        Moving rapidly along, the Village Board, on July 16, 1893, authorized the purchase of a hose cart and 1000 feet of hose from the Fabric Hose Company of New York with other necessities for $595.00. The Board also authorized the expenditure of $40.00 to refurbish the Hose Company room. On August 4, 1893, the Enterprise reported the hose cart had arrived "It is a thing of beauty, has all the necessary equipment, carriers 2 pipes and different size nozzles, 2 torches, an axe and 700 feet of hose." For the next thirty-two years this hose cart remained the sole piece of firefighting apparatus for the village.

        On July 24, 1925, the Enterprise reported that a new fire truck, an American Lafrance Chemical truck on a Brockway Chassis capable of carrying 1000 feet of hoses, 16 men and costing $3850.00 arrived by rail on July 15, 1925.

        In 1932, the hose company pledged $1000.00 of their own funds and took out a $1500.00 construction loan as well as actively canvassing the citizens for donations for the construction of a fire station on Maple Avenue. This building served as the fire station until 1967.

        During the late 1930's there were a number of major fires in Altamont and surrounding areas which prompted the member's to petition the Village Board for a much needed new pumper. On August 11, 1941, the Village Board signed a contract to purchase a white WA-1 8 motor truck chassis for $1800.00, a body and other equipment supplied by Ripley & Harppinger for $1614.00 and an American-March 500 gpm pump for $1225.00. Because of World War 11, delivery of the truck was delayed until July 1942.

        The next piece of equipment acquired by the fire department was a 1948 Ford pumper built and equipped by the firemen. The chassis cost $2354.17, body materials $260.00, Tank $300.00, and a 500 gpm front mount American-March pump $800 00 On May 3, 1948, the Brockway, less ladders, was sold to the newly formed Bethlehem Fire Department.

        In June 1957 a new pumper on an International 190 chassis with Sanford body and equipment was ordered at a cost of $14,315.00. The pumper equipped with a 750 gpm pump was delivered in February 1958.

        A GMC - Sanford equipped 1,000 gpm pumper was custom built to fit the Maple Avenue fire house at a cost of $19,995.00 was delivered in April 1963. This was the first line pumper until 1985.

        The 1957 International pumper was replaced in 1985 with 1500 gpm F.M.C. pumper and a six man cab. Firemen would no longer ride the back step. The tank and pump from the 1957 International was removed and installed on a 1985 International Diesel purchased by the department members.

        In additional to the F.M.C. and International pumpers, the Department is now operating with two Pierce manufactured trucks delivered in 1996, A pumper and Rescue truck, both with eight man heated and air conditioned cabs.

        An extensive remodeling and a large addition to the Main Street fire station was completed in 1996. The entire fire station, addition, village offices and police office are fully sprinklered. The roster now list 38 members including three members - Edward Polland, Charles Armstrong and Benjamin Crupe - who in recent years received FASNY's Fifty year membership certificates. The Department has served the community for more than 106 years.