It all started in 1909, shortly after the succession from Verona Township
(now Cedar Grove Township) the Verona Borough Council passed an ordinance on May
7, a meeting of interested Verona citizens was held in the old Heider building
on Bloomfield Ave., between the point of Claremont Ave. and Cumberland Ave. and
the fire department was organized on May 12. Three companies were formed: Hook
and Ladder Company 1, Hose Company 1, and Hose Company 2. There were thirty
volunteer members in the entire department, ten members in each company. All
members had to be residents of the Borough of Verona. An earlier attempt to
organize in 1903-04, after a disastrous fire, failed when the voters of old
Verona Township rejected funding.
Hook and Ladder Company 1 and Hose Company 1 were housed in a barn at the rear
of the old Methodist Church Parsonage on Grove Avenue until 1910. That year the
borough acquired The Old Methodist Church at the northeast corner of Bloomfield
Avenue and Grove Avenue. Hose Company 2 was housed in Mr. Charles Coleman's barn
located on Bloomfield Avenue, where Miscia's Service Station is today. Mr.
Coleman was one of the first members of the department.
In 1909 the mayor and council passed an ordinance that $1500.00 be appropriated
for equipment. Three Fire wagons were purchased; two hose wagons and, one hook
and Ladder wagon. All the wagons could be pulled by hand or by horses. The
horses were borrowed from local businessmen, primarily from William P. Johnson,
Mayor David H. Slayback, Charles Bahr, Adam Wiessmann (a Verona butcher) and
Charles Coleman. The Fire Department members drew up a set of by-laws to follow
and elected their first Chief, Mr. Theodore S. Farrand, who was a member of Hook
and Ladder Company 1. The funding to hire horses when necessary for calls or
drills was passed by resolution on June 3, 1910.
During bad winter weather, the horse would be tied to a sleigh instead of a
wagon. The first fire was the ice shed at the hotel operated by the Lichtenbergs
on Bloomfield Ave. opposite Lakeside Avenue. There were eleven fire hydrants
installed in 1909.
In
1917, the firefighters raised funds to purchase land and build Firehouse 2 at
209 Bloomfield Avenue, where the current Firehouse 2 is today.
The Verona Fire Department eventually gave this land and building to the
Borough.
In 1915 the Borough purchased a
Brockway Fire Engine, its first motor driven
apparatus, which was housed with Hose Company 1. The Brockway was equipped with
a 40 gallon chemical tank, 250 feet of chemical hose, 1000 feet of 2.5 inch
hose, two short ladders, two play pipes (one with shut off nozzle) and two 2.5
gallon chemical extinguishers.
On April 3, 1917, Hook and Ladder Company 1 was merged into Hose Company 1 and
its members joined either Hose Company 1 or Hose Company 2. Prior to 1918 the
members of Hose Company 2 retired its horse drawn hose wagon by mounting the
hose wagon body on a Ford model T automobile chassis. A map of 1918 shows
Firehouse 2 located at 129 Bloomfield Avenue. The Model T fire engine was
equipped with 750 feet of 2.5-inch hose, two short ladders, two play pipes (one
with shut off nozzle) and two 2.5 gallon chemical extinguishers.
In 1919 the model T chassis was replaced with a Pierce Arrow automobile chassis
equipped with an air starter. In 1922 with Bill Graham as Chief a Packard Fire
Engine was purchased and operated by Hose Company 2. In 1923 Hose Company 1 was
moved to the Gould Street side of the New Municipal Building. The original
firehouse 1, the old Methodist Church built in 1833, had burned to the ground in
January but the apparatus had been saved. The Montclair Golf Club Clubhouse,
then located in Verona, was destroyed by fire in 1925. In 1927 with Les Requa
Chief an American La France 1000-gallon pumper was purchased for Hose Company 1.
In 1927 Hose Company 2 created The Verona #2 Rescue Squad and consisted of
Company 2 members. The members raised funds to purchase a Pierce Arrow truck and
firehouse 2 was remodeled to accommodate the new truck. The truck was loaded
with a first aid kit and a Clark inhalator.
In 1931 with Emil Schmick Chief a used REO hook and ladder truck was purchased
and was operated by Company 1.
The annual department dinner in 1931 was held in the Montclair Hotel located on
Bloomfield Avenue opposite Sunset Avenue and Bill Coerper, a probationary member
of Hose Company 2, arranged for the affair. In 1933 with Howard DeCamp chief the
Congregational Church was heavily damaged by fire.
Numbered badges were issued to the firefighters during August 1933, with badge
#1 being given to Silias Voorhees and badge #2 to John Williams, both were
charter members. Charter Members are the original Verona firefighters who were
responsible for creating the Verona Fire Department. Today, badge numbers are
issued to firefighters who complete necessary training and go through their
probationary period. Once a badge number is issued, it will never be re-issued
again.
In 1935 with Fred Ingold chief Hose Company 1 changed its name to Engine Company
1.
In 1936 an American La France "City Service" Hook and Ladder Truck was purchased
and operated by Company 2. In 1939 with George Dollmair chief the
buildings on
the southeast corner of Bloomfield Ave. and Montrose Avenue, including Ace
Hardware, burned during a snowstorm.
In 1942 the Verona Auxiliary Fire Department was created as a Civilian Defense
measure, in the event of an enemy attack, and an aid to the Fire Department. In
1944 with Arthur Schmick chief, the
bowling alley at the corner of Bloomfield
Avenue and Fairview was gutted by fire.
A fire heavily damaged firehouse 2, in 1949 and the borough, on the same site,
erected a new building. During 1949, while Bill Coerper was Chief, the members
of the fire department build a fire engine on a Ford truck chassis and parts of
a World War II civil defense trailer pump. This small fire engine with a five
hundred gallon pump and tank, affectionately called the "Mudder" was extremely
successful in putting out brush fires for decades with Company 1. In 1953 with
Jack Coerper chief a V-12 cylinder
Seagrave 1000 gallon Pumper replaced the
1927
American La France.
In 1958, the Acme Supermarket, 420 Bloomfield Ave, burned. In 1959 with Merle
Burdett Chief, the first aerial ladder truck, an
85-foot Maxim "Quint" was
purchased for Company 2 to replace the 1936 American La France. In 1960 a used
1939 Mack 500 gallon pumper was purchased from the Cedar Grove Fire Department
to equip the Verona Auxiliary Fire Department. This group of young Firefighters
had been aiding and assisting since World War II. In 1960 Engine Company 1 moved
to a new firehouse, facing Bloomfield Avenue, in a municipal building addition.
In 1964 with Walt McKenna chief, a Ford 750 pumper with a high-pressure pump,
built by the TASC Co. was purchased and operated by Company 1.
The Tradition of numbering the apparatus began in the 1970's.
In 1973, with Walt Trapp chief, the first diesel powered apparatus and first
automatic transmission, an American La France 1500 gallon pumper and
high-pressure pump was purchased for Company 2 as Engine 14.
The middle of 1973, the wives of company #1 members formed the Ladies Auxiliary.
These ladies would provide support to the department during any fire or for
events. At fires, the Ladies Auxiliary would get coffee, water, food or anything
that would be needed at the scene. In September of 1980, the wives of Company #2
joined the wives of Company #1 to form today’s Ladies Auxiliary.
In 1975 with Sandy Weinberg chief, a
Ford Young 1500-gallon pumper was purchased
for Company 1 as Engine 10 and the Mudder was assigned to the Auxiliary Fire Department.
At the same time, New Jersey State Legislation was in the talks of making all
fire apparatus more visible. To comply with the expected law, and to save the
taxpayers money down the line for improvements, the Ford Young was painted
yellow. The law was never passed, but company 1 adopted the new color as their
color scheme.
In 1976 the Verona Fire Department Training Center, located on Commerce Court,
was built by the firefighters on Township property with funds from generous
residents and businesses. Also, The Borough of Verona changed its name to "The
Township of Borough of Verona". Today, it is more commonly known unofficially as
"The Township of Verona".
Insurance coverage for sickness or injury of the members was initiated on March
3, 1976. In 1981 with Dave Brooks chief, a Pierce Arrow, a 1500 gallon Pumper
equipped with a foam firefighting system, was purchased for Company 1 as Engine
11. In 1984 with Joe Gardener chief, an LTI (Ladder Tower Inc.)
and Conestoga Custom Products ladder truck, with an 85 foot aerial ladder
platform "Quint", was purchased for Company 2 as Truck 12, and firehouse 2 was upgraded with
new heating system, a new apparatus room floor and new doors to allow the new
apparatus in the building.
In 1986 a used, 15 passenger van was donated by Schering-Plough Company and was
put in service by chief Arnold Zipf as a command vehicle equipped with multiple
radios and a breathing air cascade system. In 1990 the command vehicle was
replaced by Chief Jeff Hayes with a Chevrolet, 4 wheel drive,
Suburban and the
cascade system was mounted in the rear hose bed of the
1973 American La France pumper. In 1991 with Rich Luzzi chief, a
BECK 1500-gallon pumper with an
800-gallon water tank was purchased for Company 2 as Engine 14.
The Verona Firefighters Insurance Association was created on July 10, 1991 to
improve and administer the insurance coverage begun in 1976.
On June 24, 1997 with Kevin Gifford chief, the new No. 1 firehouse at 880
Bloomfield Avenue was dedicated and put in service.
On July 17, 1999 with Larry Burdett chief, a
Pierce Lance, a 2000 gallon pumper
equipped with a breathing air cascade system, was put in service for Company 1
as Engine 10, and the fire department celebrated its is 90 years of continuous service.
The Ford Young was put into reserve status as Engine 16.
On September 11, 2001, The Verona Fire Department responded to the World Trade
Center disaster site in New York City for station fill-in duty for a Manhattan
Truck Company.
In 2003, The Fire Department reactivated the Auxiliary Fire Department. The
Auxiliary Department's purpose was to allow people under 18 or a student in
college who could not meet the requirements for membership the opportunity to
take part in the Department's functions. They could not take part in direct
firefighting operations, but assisted the firefighters when need be. The
Department is still active and has been one of the best providers of future
firefighters.
In 2004, with Pat McEvoy chief, a
Pierce Lance, a 2000 gallon pumper was put in
service for Company 1 as Engine 11. This engine was a twin of the 1999 Lance, with very
similar features. The 1981 Pierce Arrow was put into assigned to the Auxiliary
Department.
On July 19th 2006, Verona was hit
with a very severe storm, which was later confirmed as a
microburst. The
Verona Fire Department received and answered over twenty calls for service
in the hour, and an additional twenty the next day, ranging from downed power
lines, to trees in houses and possible house fires, testing nearly all "what ifs" set up
with the Office of Emergency Management. The Verona Fire Department and OEM
proved that night that the VFD is well prepared to protect the town and its
residents, even with the new challenges at hand.
In August 2007, a
2008 Diesel Ford F550 was put in service for Company 2 to replace the 1990 Suburban which was put out of service in 2006. In March
2008, the Fire Department took delivery of a 2008 Diesel Ford F450 brush truck, which was
paid for out of Hilltop Funds. This vehicle was
given the name Brush 19 and put in service for Company 1. Both vehicles were put in service under the command of
Chief Larry Burdett.
Over 320 firefighters have served Verona since 1909. Every new member since 1909
has been provided with equipment, training and leadership. After serving a few
months as a "Probie", the Probie gains the experience and knowledge to become a
regular firefighter.
Beginning with Theodore Farrand, the first chief, Over 40 regular Verona
Firefighters have earned the respect of the members and elected to chief for
two-year terms. An Assistant Chief supports every chief of the department. The
original three companies of ten firefighters each was reduced, in 1917 during
World War I, to two companies and to this day there are just two companies,
Engine Company 1 and Hose Company 2 each with about 30 firefighters. The
companies were lead by a foreman, now called captains and an Assistant Foreman,
now called lieutenants, who were elected by their fellow company members.
The first alarm system was a steel rim from a locomotive wheel and a
sledgehammer. The second alarm system, also located near the Old Methodist
Church, was a large bell in a tower. The third and current alarm system,
installed in 1923, is the air horn in the clock tower on top of the municipal
building. A fire alarm directory with street number locations and a Gamewell
fire alarm ticker tape was installed in the firehouses. When the fire alarm
sounds, the location number would be punched out in tape. Arriving firemen who
responded after hearing the horn counted the punches, looked up the number, and
responded to the call. As Verona grew, and with the difficulty in hearing the
horn in inclement weather, a four inch Edwards single stroke bell which was tied
into the alarm system was installed in every firemen’s home. For each time the
horn sounded, the bell would sound. With a fire alarm directory, which was given
to all members, unless he wasn’t a driver, the member could look up the location
and respond to the scene. In 1948, the relay and switch panels were replaced by
Chief Art Schmick and he served as Alarm System Superintendent for 20 years. In
1968, Jay Aloia became Alarm System Superintendent and is still serving.
In the 1980’s, Plectrons were given to every member. These were crystal
controlled alert and monitor receivers on the fire band radio frequency, which
was activated by the police department. A loud
tone would sound and a message
would follow. This system gradually became more portable by replacing the Plectron with
Motorola Minitors, which operated the same way as the Plectrons
did. In 2000, the Minitors were replaced by hand-held two-way radios on the
current EDACS (Enhanced Digital Access Communications System) trunking system.
This current system allows for easy response and communication with the police
desk, other agencies (both in and out of Verona) and firefighting duties. In
January of 2008, The township implemented a system to send
SMS messages
for fire calls to members' cell phones. Each text indicates whether its a fire
or EMS call, the address of the call, and time. The horn and tickertape still
serve as a backup system and for those who are unable to carry a radio, cell
phone or minitor.
The Bell, a rare and unique apparatus bell, has served continuously on Verona
Fire Trucks since 1915, starting with the 1915
Brockway pumper, the 1936
American La France hook and ladder, the 1964
Ford pumper, and now on the front
bumper of the 1991 Beck pumper.
Traditions abound in the Verona Fire Department. Proud of its long service, the
department has hosted anniversary parades, the 25th, 40th, 50th, 60th, and 75th,
inviting the people of Verona and fire departments from New Jersey, to celebrate
its birthdays. Proud of its apparatus, the department hosts "Wet Downs" for each
new apparatus as it is put in service, inviting the citizens and neighboring
fire departments, to inspect and initiate the new machine. Proud of its
accomplishments, awards, trophies and honors of all types are saved and
displayed for all to see.
Some numbers are considered lucky, but number thirteen is not. Badge numbers 13,
113, or 213 have never been issued to a firefighter.
Badge 113 was issued to
Company 2 mascot; "Sarge" a Dalmatian, rode to fires in the front seat
of the hook and ladder truck and then guarded the equipment at the fire
but knew and recognized all the members of the Verona Fire Department. Engine 13
was the number for the reserve engines. The last engine to be called "Engine 13" was the 1973
American LaFrance. 16 is now used to
number the reserve engines.
In
1917, the firefighters raised funds to purchase land and build Firehouse 2 at
209 Bloomfield Avenue, where the current Firehouse 2 is today.
The Verona Fire Department eventually gave this land and building to the
Borough.
In 1915 the Borough purchased a
Montclair Golf Club Clubhouse,
then located in Verona, was destroyed by fire in 1925. In 1927 with Les Requa
Chief an 
A fire heavily damaged firehouse 2, in 1949 and the borough, on the same site,
erected a 
In 1958, the Acme Supermarket, 420 Bloomfield Ave, burned. In 1959 with Merle
Burdett Chief, the first aerial ladder truck, an
In 1973, with Walt Trapp chief, the first diesel powered apparatus and first
automatic transmission, an 
On July 17, 1999 with Larry Burdett chief, a
On September 11, 2001, The Verona Fire Department responded to the World Trade
Center disaster site in New York City for station fill-in duty for a Manhattan
Truck Company.
In 2004, with Pat McEvoy chief, a
The Bell, a rare and unique apparatus bell, has served continuously on Verona
Fire Trucks since 1915, starting with the 1915
firefighter.
Badge 113 was issued to
Company 2 mascot; "Sarge" a Dalmatian, rode to fires in the front seat
of the hook and ladder truck and then guarded the equipment at the fire
but knew and recognized all the members of the Verona Fire Department. Engine 13
was the number for the reserve engines. The last engine to be called "Engine 13" was the 1973