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History
of the West Falls Fire Company
The West Falls Fire Company was born in the year 1909
with a founding membership of 12. Their goal was to provide fire
suppression to their growing town. At the April, 1920 meeting of the
members, they approved the purchase of 6 - 14 quart pails to better
their cause.
At the June 1921 company meeting, they purchased their first motorized
chassis to mount the horse-drawn chemical unit. In May 1932, they
purchased another truck for a price of $2000.00 for better protection of
the ever-growing community.
The year 1945 turned out to be a very destructive year for West Falls in
regards to property lost to fires. November and December brought
significant dollar loss to the community from large fires. Throughout
the next several years the fire company purchased and traded equipment
to continue upgrading their abilities.
In May 1950, West Falls hosted their first Red Cross First Aid Course.
Giving them yet another addition to the growing company. February 1951
brought the first Mutual Aid plan with the surrounding communities.
Giving West Falls, more resources to handle emergencies. In May 1955,
West Falls purchased the first ambulance for the town. It was a 1955
Cadillac for the price of $5000.00.
Years progressed and the town continued to grow rapidly. Fund raisers,
dances and a lot of hard work by the members bought new and more
advanced equipment. 1965 brought the first "Brand New" pumper/tanker. It
had a pumping capacity of 750 gallons of water per minute and carried
1000 gallons of water.
The fire service as a whole, found itself undergoing radical
changes-gone were the days of horse drawn pumps and leather buckets. It
was obvious that the means by which firemen were alerted to calls also
needed change. Consequently, at the April 1971 meeting of the company,
they went on record as supporting the hiring of full-time dispatchers at
East Aurora Fire Control.
January 1977 brought the Blizzard of 77. Numerous people were stranded
at the fire hall. Several members of the company took these stranded
people into their own homes to take care and feed them until the storm
subsided. Moreover, numerous snowmobile teams were organized to assist
in delivering medication and food to those who were trapped in their own
homes. Again, the residents of West Falls could sleep soundly knowing
their volunteers were there to help.
December 1978 the fire company elected their very first female
firefighters into the company. They were the first female firefighters
in the area. 1979 brought the first fire hydrants to the community. That
bought a whole new change to the way fires were fought in the areas
where the hydrants were placed. The fire company was accustom to
drafting from ponds, pools, streams and creeks. 1979 also brought the
"Jaws of Life" Extrication Tool. This tool is very critical for saving
lives in automobile accidents. 1982 brought Advanced Life Support for
the ambulance. Giving the fire company yet another step in providing the
best possible care to the residents of the community.
The years to follow brought many awards and accomplishments to both the
fire company and its members. 1998 brought the first computer to the
fire hall. 1992, the first automated defibrillator was purchased. 1993
the fire company adopted and is to this day, fully compliant with
Federal OSHA Requirements.
1999 gave the fire company a new home. The truck hall was completely
renovated at 1864 Davis Road and a second floor was added. The old
meeting hall at 1863 Davis Road was sold, making all of the fire company
operations under one roof at 1864. In addition, in 1999, the West Falls
Fire Company took another giant step in their strive to provide the best
possible care to the community. The ambulance became Paramedic
certified. The highest possible care you can provide in the State of New
York.
Today, the fire company is managed by 5 Board Of Fire Commissioners. The
Board of Fire Commissioner's, which was formed in 1936, is made up of a
group of five people, elected by the tax payers. These five are
responsible for not only the fire hall itself, but the fire trucks
inside of it. They are the people responsible to the tax payers for
providing the services the fire company provides. The person in charge
of that operation is the District Fire Chief. The Chief is elected by
the members of the fire company and is responsible for the overall
operations and training of the fire company members. There are 44 active
members, which include a junior firefighter squad a fire police squad.
To date, there are about 15 females in the company who are just as, if
not more active in both EMS and Fire then some of the men.
The company operates 2 - 1000 gallon/1500 GPM Engines, 1 Heavy Rescue
and 1 Ambulance.
In addition, a silent, but intricate part of the fire company is the
Ladies Auxiliary. This is a group of wonderful women who have take the
time from their busy schedules to provide refreshments/support to the
firefighters when providing prolonged services to the community. They
were formed in 1933 and have continued their support since their
inception. They provided support to the men and their families years
ago, when the country was at war and to date, they are still providing
support (and Food) when the fire company is at war, fighting a disaster.
What a relief it is to see them with the hot coffee and sandwiches when
its 10 degrees below zero. There is not doubt, without all of the
wonderful ladies and their underlying devotion, The West Falls Fire
Company could never have become the respected organization that it is
today.
To this date, the members of the West Falls Fire Company continue
striving to provide the best they can offer to the wonderful community
in which they live. No one can predict what the future will bring, but
the residents of the community can guarantee the fire company will be on
top of what comes their way.
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