A brief history of White Plains Firefighters By Barbara Carlson, White Plains Historical Society

A White Plains fire engine speeds by, sirens blazing, responding to a call. This scene is always an exciting one, as the spotless engine and the outfitted firemen inside convey rapid response, efficiency and professionalism. An emergency is being handled with confidence and care.

Fires have always occurred, so one would assume that fire departments, in some form, have always been around. This, however, is not always the case, and White Plains is no exception.

The first volunteer company in the White Plains Fire Department was organized on

December 2, 1851, after a disastrous fire at “Crawford’s Hotel” which stood on South Broadway in the vicinity of the Court House (the present day Armory); this was the Hope Engine Company

No. 1 . In 1854, after a fire destroyed the “Orawaupum House,” donations were collected to purchase the first engine for the Village. Known as “Old Hope” it was custom made and cost

$1200.00, an expensive sum at the time. The Company eventually disbanded in 1874 but was reorganized in 1883. Information from 1886 describes this Company occupying a building at the corner of Hamilton and Lexington Avenues; the building “has a fire tower, seventy feet high, in which twelve lengths of hose can be dried at once. In this tower is the fire bell which is used to alarm the people in case of fire. The company numbers about thirty-eight members.” Also, shortly after 1886, the water supply system and fire hydrants were installed.

The Union Hook and Ladder Company No. 1 was organized in May, 1861. It disbanded in May, 1876 but was reorganized in 1883; it had about fifty members. Independent Engine

No. 2 was organized in 1884, and this company numbered about forty members. White Plains Firefighters Barbara Carlson Page 2

Fire Patrol No. 1 was formed in December, 1895 with 10 members, to control and protect property at fire scenes.

Three additional companies were formed and are still in existence, consisting of East

Side Hose (Engine) Company No. 3 organized in December, 1897; South Side Engine Company

No. 4 in October, 1906; and Chatterton Hose (Engine) Company No. 5 in October, 1907.

Between 1907 and 1917, a number of “disastrous” fires took place in the city, in which buildings were destroyed and firemen were injured or killed. These fires, together with the fact that many of the volunteer firemen were leaving to serve in World War One, and White Plains officially becoming a city, resulted in the hiring of the first paid firemen. From the first hired in

April, 1917 to April, 1927, forty-four paid firemen were appointed under civil service. Several paid firemen were each assigned to the volunteer companies. H. Abbott Griffen, head of the volunteers since 1914, was appointed chief of the paid department; he would serve until his retirement in July, 1950. And two years after the first paid men were in the department, the

Firemen’s Pension Fund was started, with all members of the department participating. In

1929, the Uniformed Firemen’s Benevolent Association was organized for the purpose of taking care of members and their families in times of sickness or death.

On September 20, 1924, the Gedney Farms Hotel caught on fire and was destroyed;

White Plains “suffered its first million-dollar fire”. This disaster was largely due to an inadequate water supply, and the city then installed a new and extremely well-regarded water supply system.

White Plains Firefighters Barbara Carlson Page 3

Modern equipment meant motorized trucks and thus horses were replaced. One article reported that “… we regretted to lose our horses -- they meant so much to us. ‘Nip’ and ‘Tuck’ found new homes which we carefully chose where their treatment would always be of the best.”

In 1927, White Plains built a new fire station headquarters at Mamaroneck Avenue and

Maple Avenue where it still is today. The continued growth of the city necessitated a second paid company, which was placed in service as Engine Company No. 6 in January, 1932; the department had now grown to 75 paid men and officers. The department continued to grow until World War II started in 1941. Then, firemen left to serve in the military, and the volunteers filled in. They augmented the paid firemen at night by “sleeping in” at the various fire houses.

After the war, the growth of the city in the southeastern areas required more protection, and in 1950, a new station was built at the corner of North Street and Ridgeway, housing Engine Company No. 7. It is still in use today.

As White Plains has continued to expand its population, the need for volunteer firefighters has also continued. Currently there are six companies in the Volunteer Fire Division:

Hope Engine, Union Hook & Ladder, Fire Patrol, East Side Engine, South Side Engine and

Chatterton Engine; with a combined total of approximately 100 members. The primary role of the Division is to support the Fire Department in an ancillary/supplementary capacity. They are trained in fire safety, search and rescue, emergency preparedness, basic first aid and emergency sheltering. White Plains Firefighters Barbara Carlson Page 4

The Volunteer Division is headquartered at Fire Station 5, at the corner of Robertson and Harding Avenues, just off Central Avenue. Members of the Division undergo training as and are members of CERT (Community Emergency Response Teams), a component of FEMA.

The goal is to increase local neighborhood self-sufficiency during emergencies. The Volunteer

Division played a significant role during Hurricanes Irene and Sandy. During Sandy they staffed and ran an emergency shelter for 12 days and in addition canvassed neighborhoods throughout the city to ascertain the condition of and communicate information to residents who were without power. They also assisted in staffing a shelter for 45 individuals who were displaced as the result of the YMCA fire in September, 2013. Last March, during the major snow storm, the

Volunteer’s ran the city’s warming center for 9 days and assisted manning a fire watch at 86

Dekalb Ave., when the building was without power.

White Plains is grateful for this group of dedicated volunteer firefighters. Look for them marching in our city’s parades and if you are interested in participating in the volunteer fire service, please contact the office of the Chief of the Fire Department, or 1st Assistant Chief

Robert Amadio at [email protected].

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Thanks to Ben Himmelfarb of the White Plains Public Library, Bob Amadio of the White Plains

Fire Department – Volunteer Division and Elaine Massena, City Archivist for their assistance with this article.