Old
CHESTER
in Delaware County, PA
OldChesterPa.com: Fire Department
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Felton
| Franklin | Good Will | Hanley
Moyamensing
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SEARCH the website - Thousands of pages of Chester History!
Chester Fire Alarm System and list of Fire Box Locations
Chester Times article about December 4, 1945 Rotary Award for Outstanding Service
Plaque on the exterior of Chester's 1724 Courthouse
"Dedicated to the Chester Fire Department
in appreciation of loyal service rendered in the World War" (WWI)
(Photo taken October 2001)
Chester's Fire Department has been a staffed by full time paid fire fighters operating out of 2 new fire stations since 1989. The main headquarters is at Station 82 at 320 East 14th Street and the second station, 81, is located at 1501 West Third Street.
Prior to the full time paid department, there were 5 Fire Companies in the city. The only "paid" staff were the drivers. The rest were all volunteers. The Assistant Chief and Fire Chief received nominal salaries and the Chief had the use of the "red car". Chiefs first served 4 years as 2nd Assistant, 4 years as 1st Assistant and then 4 years as Chief.
Two of the Chester Fire Departments (Felton and Hanley) were sent by Chief Samuel J. Palmer to assist in the great Baltimore (MD) fire of February 7, 1904. In spite of some members spending over 24 hours on the fire line, none of the Chester firefighters was injured. They did not, however, return to Chester for nearly a week.
Chief Palmer, son of Samuel P. Palmer who operated a brick yard in the West End, once authored and published a history of the Chester Fire Department. In later life he worked at the A. H. Wirz Company, and died on January 23, 1923 at age 71.
See also: Historical Summary of the Chester Fire Department in 1902
| Picture | Name | Dates | Fire Company | Recollections/Comments |
| KERLIN, John | 1869-1871 | |||
| STORY, Charles A. | 1871-1873 | |||
| KERSHAW, Jonathan | 1873-1875 | |||
| HORNING, George L. | 1875-1877 | |||
| BOWERS, Andrew J | 1877-1879 | |||
| McMONIGAL, John | 1879-1881 | |||
| DOLTON, William Sr. | 1881-1883 | |||
| EWING, William | 1883-1885 | |||
| HARGREAVES, Thomas | 1885-1888 | |||
| McCLURE, Andrew | 1888-1892 | |||
| BROOKS, Thomas N | 1892-1893 | |||
| BOOTH, John W | 1893-1896 | |||
| KELLY, James | 1896-1899 | |||
| CREAGAN, William | 1899-1899 | |||
| ROBINSON, Thomas J | 1899-1902 | |||
| PALMER, Samuel J. | 1902-1904 | |||
| McCAREY, Edward | 1904-1908 | |||
| MAHON, Oliver | 1908-1912 | |||
| SLATER, Lincoln | 1912-1916 | |||
| BURKE, Taylor C | 1916-1920 | |||
| HEILIGAS, Allen | 1920-1924 | |||
| BAUER, John F. | 1924-1928 | Thanks to Joseph E. Bauer, Sr., grandson |
||
| BERRY, Thomas C | 1928-1932 | |||
| CALHOUN, Alexander | 1932-1936 | |||
 Thomas R. Canavan Photo courtesy of Florence (Smalley) Knott, granddaughter |
CANAVAN, Thomas R | 1936-1940 | Good Will | "My Grandfather,
Thomas R. Canavan, was a master mechanic. He worked for the city of
Chester in the big garage that used to be downtown. He also was a master carpenter a very good
house builder. He was a great Grandfather."
-Florence (Smalley) Knott |
| PIERCE, Joseph | 1940-1944 | Felton | ||
Photo courtesy of Bob Weigand, grandson, BnMWEIGAND@aol.com |
WEIGAND, Elmer | January 1944 - 1948 | Franklin | "My grandfather
Elmer [Weigand] was the city fire chief and the city electrician who installed the first
traffic light in the city." - 6 First assistant (1944) was Ellwood Webster Second Assistant (1944) was James A. Devlin |
 Ellwood Webster Photo courtesy of Bob Weigand, BnMWEIGAND@aol.com |
WEBSTER, Elwood | 1948-1952 | Hanley | |
 James Devlin Photo courtesy of Bob Weigand, BnMWEIGAND@aol.com |
DEVLIN, James | 1952-1954 | Moyamensing | In January 1944 Devlin was Second Assistant Chief. He was also the city's building inspector. |
| CALHOUN, John | 1954-1956 | |||
 Harry Bomberger Photo courtesy of Leigh Allvord, ldamm3usn@comcast.net, from the Felton Fire Co. 100th Anniversary book, 1982 |
BOMBERGER, Harry A. | 1956-1960 | Good Will | |
 Lewis Harper Photo courtesy of Leigh Allvord, ldamm3usn@comcast.net, from the Felton Fire Co. 100th Anniversary book, 1982 |
HARPER, Lewis | Felton | ||
 Thomas O. McClelland Photo courtesy of Leigh Allvord, ldamm3usn@comcast.net, from the Felton Fire Co. 100th Anniversary book, 1982 |
McCLELLAND, Thomas O. | Franklin | ||
 Joseph Landino Photo courtesy of Leigh Allvord, ldamm3usn@comcast.net, from the Felton Fire Co. 100th Anniversary book, 1982 |
LANDINO,
Joseph
[Obituary] |
Hanley | ||
 Robert Ogden Photo courtesy of Leigh Allvord, ldamm3usn@comcast.net, from the Felton Fire Co. 100th Anniversary book, 1982 |
OGDEN, Robert | Moyamensing | ||
 Thomas Edwards Photo courtesy of Leigh Allvord, ldamm3usn@comcast.net, from the Felton Fire Co. 100th Anniversary book, 1982 |
EDWARDS, Thomas | Good Will | First Chief of the new "paid" Chester Fire Department | |
 Robert Grayson Photo courtesy of Leigh Allvord, ldamm3usn@comcast.net, from the Felton Fire Co. 100th Anniversary book, 1982 |
GRAYSON, Robert |
Thanks to William H. Crystle, 3rd, miserabill@aol.com , and to Florence E. O'Bryan FBionicBlonde@aol.com, for adding to our list of Fire Chiefs
| Chester's New Paid Fire Department
The Chester Firefighters Union IAFF Local 1400 Web Site Picture of Chester's new 2002 Pierce 85' Aerial Platform A more complete listing of members of the "New" Paid Fire Department Thomas Edwards
Joe Cliffe
James L. Johnson, Commissioner - 5
Thanks to Raymond (Ray) Lambert, Jr., bluefungus@home.com and to David J. Wojs, Jr., wojs@snip.net, for the following lists of more recent and current members of the Chester Fire Department: AF/F John Albany Jr - 10 "That is a brief list off the top of my head.
All these guys who died could be linked directly to the Wade site fire [February 2, 1978]. All had
some form of cancer which killed them. Those who survive them have had health
problems since. All these guys gave a lot for Old Chester Pa." 1 - Thanks to Mary MacLean Birney, Kitchmagi@aol.com, sister-in-law, for this information. Apprentice Firefighters,
Class of 1977 - 2 "The school was 12 weeks, and included all
aspects of firefighting. Upon completion we were all given assignments to complete
our apprenticeship. We were split up between The Franklin Concord Ave, Moyaminsing 9th and
Potter, Goodwill 23rd and Walnut, Goodwill 400 block of Highland Ave., and the New Station
on 3rd and Tilgman St." Lawarence Archibald This was the second class in the history of Chester fire
department to attend Philadelphia fire academy. We were the 167 Philadelphia fire recruit class, hired in May
1994: - 7 (also one other name removed by request)
Apprentice Firefighters in 1989: Class of 2004:
There are 6 new Apprentice firefighter hires as of March 12th 2007, I myself am one of them. I included you
their names and a picture. I am the son of current F/F Gordon T Pippin, so you
don't think there's duplicate names on the site. |
Became Commissioner in April 2002 after having served as
Deputy Commissioner. James Johnson has been on the force since joining the department as
an apprentice in 1977.
| Neighboring Fire Departments |
Brookhaven Fire
Department The Brookhaven Fire Department assists with calls in the City of Chester. |
| Eddystone Fire Department "The Eddystone Fire Department was backup to Chester Fire and Ambulance for years." -Thanks to John Fusco, JFF21@rcn.com William Watson, brother to George and Harry [Watson], was a member of the Eddystone Fire Department. -Thanks to Lee Bennington, RLBenni@netscape.net Chester
Township Fire Company Click here
to visit the Chester Township Fire Company's web site. Among the known members: Chuck Lentine, President [Email] |
|
| Garden City Fire Department Wallingford, PA The Garden City Fire Department assists with calls in the City of Chester. |
|
| Parkside Fire
Department The Parkside Fire Department assists with calls in the City of Chester. Visit the Parkside Fire Department's web site at: Thanks to Jim Brees, Assistant Chief, for the new link! |
|
| Upland Fire
Department The Upland Fire Department assists with calls in the City of Chester. |
| On the lighter
side...In
April 1900 the Chester Times reported a serious fire at Gartside Mill, Front & Fulton
Streets. During the fire, there was a rebellion and fighting among the firemen from
Hanley & Franklin Fire Companies. Instead of pouring water on the fire, they
were dumping it on each other.
from the Delaware County Daily Times "Other Times" 100 Years Ago by Len Casterline, April 16, 2000 |
Thanks to the following for contributing information for the Chester Fire Department pages:
1 Mary Ann, MBell37505@aol.com
Katherine Diggins
Raymond (Ray) Lambert, Jr.
William H. Crystle, 3rd
2 - Michael Wesley, bucks854@hotmail.com
3 - Jim Owens, son of James
"Porky" Owens, Jr., FIREPFD29@aol.com.
James "Porky" Owens is the son of Chester Police Captain James L. Owens.
4 - Walter Koko Kokoszka's daughter, KDIZZIDEE@aol.com
5 - John (Jack) Gresch, JGresch@aol.com
6 - Bob Weigand, BnMWEIGAND@aol.com
7 - CEvers1893@aol.com
8 - Mark Lewandowski, Markusmc0321@aol.com
9 - Mike Majeski, son, mmajeski@middletowntownship.org
10 - John Albany, Jr.
