In order to understand the beginning
of the Hauppauge Fire Department, we must go back a few years before
its organization.
 ROUTE 111 / WHEELERS RD ( L ) & TOWNLINE
RD. ( R ) CIRC 1922
- LOOKING SOUTH;
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In the late 1920's, Hauppauge was one of the most
satisfying rural communities on Long Island. The total population was
less than 500 and several estates helped supply work and income for residents.
The estates were beautifully wooded, having their own natural streams
and ponds. In 1926 practically all of the wooded area now known as The
Pines, was burned over in one day, leaving nothing but dead trees. The
dead trees were later logged off, leaving the scorched earth to grow
scrub pine that soon covered the area.
The threat of forest fires began to increase noticeably
as travel by automobile increased, making it evident that some way of
controlling forest fires would be necessary if the natural forest area
was to be
preserved.
 Central
L.I. Forest Protective Assoc. Inc patrol
vehicle & crew
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In 1928 - 29 the estate owners of Hauppauge and adjoining
properties, assisted by owners of smaller parcels of land, organized
the Central North Shore Forest Fire Protective Association. The cost
of operating this group was met by assessing the members according to
the number of acres protected.
The object of this group was to patrol
the area from Commack to East Hauppauge so as to prevent and report fires
during dry spells when forest fires were most likely to occur. The protection
area was bounded on the North by Jericho Turnpike, on the West by Babylon
- Commack Road, on the South by the Long Island Motor Parkway and on
the East by the cement road known as Carleton Avenue or Wheeler's Road.
It was later extended as far East as Terry Road. The men, hired as Forest
Rangers, were given police powers to patrol the designated area. They
used a Ford Model A touring
cars equipped with firefighting equipment.
 C.L.I.F.P.A
Patrol Vehicle
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The one weakness of the plan was that
after a fire was discovered, the time necessary to assemble a fire fighting
force often defeated the efforts made in trying to prevent it. The fire
would be reported to the local forest ranger or his representative who
would then go from farm to farm enlisting help. Needless to say, the
forest fires were well under
way by the time sufficient help was assembled.
The Hauppauge area always supplied a
good percentage of men for fighting forest fires, all of whom were becoming
more annoyed at the time loss involved from the reporting of the fire
until help
could be summoned.
Early in 1931 the idea of building some
kind of truck for more efficient fighting of forest fire was started.
One salient fact must be brought out at this point. The depression was
well underway and was seriously affecting small communities which had
depended on farms, estate work and construction work as a source of income
for residents. It was decided to start a volunteer fire company, except
that there was no truck, no money and very little know how. On May 11,
1931 the Hauppauge Volunteer Fire Company was duly organized by 14 men.
These are the minutes from the organizational meeting
:
 HAUPPAUGE FIRE COMPANY - AUGUST 13, 1932
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A
meeting was called at the Old Schoolhouse, May 11, 1931 for the purpose
of organizing a volunteer fire
department in the village of Hauppauge.
The following are the names of persons who were thought to
be
agreeable in joining said organization: William M. Hauss; George Berliner;
L.C. Scholl; J.A. Wilson; William Berliner; David R. Billard; Donald T.
Scholl; A.O. Oberglock; Richard K. Brush; Harry F. Griffin; Harry R. Griffin;
Daniel Hahn Jr.; William Arns; J. Schroeder.
After considerable discussion, the motion was made and seconded
and carried that the constitution & by-laws governing the Smithtown Volunteer
Fire Company be adopted for this organization, which is to be known as the Hauppauge
Volunteer Fire Company.
Motion made and seconded that Harry F. Griffin be elected
Chief.
Motion made and seconded that Richard K. Brush be elected
Assistant Chief.
Motion made and seconded that Andrew O. Oberglock be elected
Secretary.
Motion made and seconded that William M. Haus be elected
Treasurer.
The committee consisting of H.F. Griffin, Jack Wilson, Richard
K. Brush, appointed to solicit members for the Company and report back at the
next meeting.
Mr. G.W. Fowler appointed committee of one to investigate
the
proper procedure and cost for incorporation of said company.
There being no further business, meeting adjourned.
G.W.
Fowler
 HAUPPAUGE'S FIRST
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On credit we were able to obtain a Studebaker
touring car which, through the kindness of neighboring mechanics and
a lot of hard work, was turned into a forest fire truck carrying 6 -
5 gallon Indian cans, 6 - 40 quart milk cans of water, plus shovels,
rakes, etc. The truck was housed in a private garage and the alarm sounded
by hammering on a steel railroad track rim donated by the Commack Fire
District.
In order to pay outstanding bills, the
original members donated the checks they received from the State Conservation
Department for fighting forest fires. From here on, money to run the
Department was raised by card parties, raffles and an occasional kind
donation.
We struggled along as best we could
until 1937 when the residents of the Islip portion of the school district
decided to form a fire district so as to equalize the cost burden for
the Department. The Hauppauge Fire District came into being on March
1, 1937. The first budget was
for $1,000.00. The Board of Fire Commissioners presented a proposed fire
house to the public. It was to be 20 by 40 feet, with a men's room, ladies room
and a kitchen. In April, 1939, the new house was dedicated. All of the Department's
original equipment, including the Studebaker, were sold to the
District for $1.00.
In 1941 the Commissioners were able
to purchase an old American LaFrance pumper carrying 350 gallons of water.
Shortly after this, the Smithtown Fire Department placed their Reo booster
truck up for sale. Since the District was broke, the Department bought
the Reo and donated it
to the District.
During the war years it was a matter
of doing the best we could with what we had. No new equipment could be
obtained and manpower was at a premium. In 1949 the District was extended
to include the Smithtown portion of the school district. Although enlarging
the District was important, no one could foresee that it would one day
include a giant industrial area. Shady or Mobrey Lane was accepted as
the Northern boundary, leaving a large section of the Pines a no - man's
land to be protected by Commack, Smithtown or Hauppauge. A few years
later, by mutual consent of the three fire districts, this no - man's
land was apportioned with each district taking the area most convenient
to their existing districts.
By 1956 homes were being built in the
Pines
area, many almost inaccessible due to poor existing road conditions. The
Commissioners decided to ask the public to approve a bond issue to enlarge fire
headquarters and buy 2 additional trucks. In order to cope with the road conditions
in the Pines, 2 F.W.D. 500 gallon pumpers carrying 500 gallons of water were
purchased. The water tanks were a necessity since there were no hydrants
in the District.
SUB STATION 1 - THE Pines
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The 60's saw the growth pattern of Hauppauge
become established. The 1100 acres of Mackay Radio property was being
subdivided for an industrial park, the Pines was rapidly building up,
to say nothing of the half dozen or so developments that were under construction.
In order to afford better protection for the entire area, the Commissioners
asked the people to approve a sub - station in the Pines, two 1000 GPM
pumpers to adequately supply protection for the growing industrial park,
a smaller 500 GPM pumper and a home alerting system for the firemen.
The Commissioners had purchased the site of sub - station 1 on Ledgewood
Drive and upon approval of the bond issue, construction of the station
began.
SUB STATION 2 - TERRY RD
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Shortly after Station 1 was built, the
Commissioners were successful in obtaining a site for a future sub -
station in the Eastern part of the District. They also purchased an additional
acre from the school district
adjoining the main firehouse on Rt 111.
 MAIN
FIREHOUSE, RT 111 ( WHEELER RD ) THEN
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 MAIN
FIREHOUSE, RT 111 ( WHEELER RD ) NOW
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It should be noted that the 1100 acres
that became the Hauppauge Industrial Park was at one time ( and may still
be ) the largest industrial park in the United States protected by an
all volunteer fire department. |
