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| L-R: Capt. James Strain, Sr., Bud Fitch, and Arthur Pelton. Small boy is James Strain, Jr., who would serve as a career member from 1942 to 1973, retiring as a D/C shift commander. (Photo from the Strain family) |
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At a special meeting of the company's executive officers held on February 7, 1912 at the W.W. Woodruff & Sons Co. at Ives and Broadway, the officers present voted to purchase the company's first equipment:
It was decided at said meeting to order immediately a hose Cart, 500' of hose a chemical aparatus (sic), and such tools such as Axes, Crow-Bars etc. as would be needed in case of a fire, as per instructions in the vote recorded on page 30 of this record.
Attest,
Almon J. Deane, Secy
A Wirt & Knox hose cart, 500' of hose, chemicals and extinguishers were purchased from the Eureka Hose Co. for $693.30. The above photo was probably taken right after the equipment was delivered.
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Originally "Mt. Carmel Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1" - Not "No. 5"
When the Mt. Carmel fire company was incorporated in 1911, the members chose the name "Mount Carmel Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1." The reason? At the time there were two volunteer fire companies in Mt. Carmel. The "No. 5" designation did not come until later, when all of the Hamden volunteer fire companies were brought under the authority of the Hamden Board of Fire Commissioners. The other fire company in Mt. Carmel was further north, and was disbanded by 1920.
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November 8, 1911 - Minutes of the First Business Meeting
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In November 1911, William Howard Taft was President of the United States, there were only 46 stars on the Flag, and the Titanic was still being outfitted for its maiden voyage five months later. The #1 song on Billboard - yes, Billboard was ranking recordings even in 1911 - was Irving Berlin's "Alexander's Ragtime Band," sung by Arthur Collins and Byron Harlan (you don't hear it much on WPLR anymore).
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| President William H. Taft |
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| Us Flag - 1908-1912 |
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| RMS Titanic |
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