Union Bridge Volunteer Fire Co Inc

Volunteer firemen keep equipment in proper working order and up to date. Provide emergency fire and ems service to the Union Bridge community.

HISTORY of the UNION BRIDGE FIRE COMPANY, INC.

The town of Union Bridge suffered its first major fire loss on December 3, 1868, when the Western Maryland Railroad Shops burned with a total loss of buildings and contents. This was a major setback for the town of 1000, since it was the main employer for the towns citizens. Over the next few years, the town purchased two extension ladders, two hooks and fifteen rubber buckets, which were kept in a shed in the Western Maryland Railroad yards.

On March 10, 1887, thirty men pledged themselves to the duties as firemen to organized a volunteer fire company and the Union Bridge Fire Company was formed. This was also the first year that the members held a festival during the first week of June, to raise funds for the fire company. We continue that tradition today, by holding the annual firemen's carnival for one week, starting on Memorial Day, the last Monday of May.

After the company's organization, the town furnished two hose reels and a hook & ladder wagon. This equipment was kept in the town hall on E. Broadway and meetings were held on the second floor. Members were delegated specific positions, that they would be responsible for during fires.

In 1889, the fire company purchased the hardware store belonging to William H. Wood, a member of the company, on Main Street. The company also became incorporated and changed its name to the Union Bridge Fire Company, Incorporated. Many renovations were made so that there was a meeting room and a place to store the hose reels and the hook & ladder wagon. In 1891, a tower and bell were built on the roof to summon the firemen when help was needed.

Then, in 1893, a meeting was held by several fire companies from across Maryland, in Frederick. The Union Bridge Fire Company, Inc., became a Charter Member of the Maryland State Firemen's Association, along with eleven other fire companies from across the state. We are still a member of this Association and have had many members serve in various positions within the MSFA.

The Fire Company remained on Main Street until January of 1925, when the building was sold and the town hall on E. Broadway was purchased for $3,500.00. This was done so that the fire company had room for it's first piece of motorized equipment, a 1925 Stutz pumper. A bell tower was added and the bell from the Main Street firehouse was placed into the tower. This bell is now located in our 'Fire Service Memorial' near the front of our current fire station. In 1926, a Packard car was converted into a Service Truck to carry extra equipment and ladders.

Though a group of women, mainly the firemen's wives, had been helping to raise funds for the fire company since the late 19th Century, there was no official organization until 1939, when the "Ladies Auxiliary to the Union Bridge Fire Company" was organized. Today, women and men are part of this organization that financially support the fire company through various fundraisers.

In 1947, the company took on a new role, a service that the local funeral home had provided for many years. An ambulance was donated by D. D. Hartzler & Sons Funeral Home so that injured or ill people could be taken to the hospital in Frederick. The donated ambulance was soon replaced by a brand new Buick ambulance in 1948. Since the early days of ambulance service in Union Bridge, our company has been a training leader in Emergency Medical Services. In 1972, the first Emergency Medical Technician class was held in Baltimore County, Maryland and several of our members were in that class. By the mid-70's, Union Bridge had more than half of the EMT's in the Carroll County.

The first official "Junior Auxiliary Department of the Union Bridge Fire Company" was organized in 1901. There are few records as to how this group continued as the years past, however, another junior organization was fostered in 1962 and the "Union Bridge Junior Fire Company" was organized by company members. Young men, ages 15 to 17, joined the group with hopes to become firemen as they got older. Since then, many of our members and Officers, who were once 'Juniors', have been and continue to lead our company.

In 1965, the "Union Bridge Fire Police" was organized. Deputized by the Carroll County Sheriff, these men were responsible for everything from traffic control to crowd control. Though they had no arrest privileges, they provided the extra manpower needed to take care of non-emergency police duties.

The town hall was the home of the fire company for forty-two years, but again, the size of new apparatus and a need to add more apparatus to our fleet, required us to move our company into a larger building. In March of 1967, with many devoted hours of construction by our members, the company moved to the carnival grounds located on West Locust Street, which is the present location of the fire station and carnival grounds. In 1985, an addition was added to create a social hall for fundraising events. Until this time, the apparatus bays were used to hold fundraising events and the apparatus would be stored in buildings across the street from the fire station during the events.

Many changes and technological innovations in the fire service have occurred over the years. We have proudly maintained a high level of training and state-of-the-art apparatus, including an engine, an engine/tanker, a rescue squad, a brush unit, a command/personnel transport utility, a work/personnel transport utility with a snow plow and an ambulance with ALS capabilities; to insure that our citizens receive the best service possible. Though our ambulance service uses paid EMS providers 24/7 and we have a part-time day shift fire apparatus driver/operator on the weekdays, we are still primarily a volunteer fire company. Our members still believe in our motto,

"Proudly We Serve"

Union Bridge Volunteer Fire Co Inc is a Department participating in the Maryland Firefighter 50/50—Draw 33 a 50/50 Raffle event, presented by Maryland Firefighter.

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