A gasoline tank truck accident near the Cook Cemetery in West Oneonta on July 5, 1943, left a few people quite upset about how the resulting fire caused damage and how long it took firefighters to put it out.
It got residents of West Oneonta thinking about improved fire protection nearly 10 years before the West Oneonta Fire Department was formed.
Ever since 1930, if a fire broke out in West Oneonta, residents called the Oneonta Fire Department, then found at 242 Main St. The town of Oneonta had a fire protection contract with the city at the time. A computer map search on Yahoo.com shows the trip to West Oneonta is a bit longer than four miles and takes 10 minutes, not including the firefighters' preparations to leave the city's fire station.
That tanker fire caused Carlton McLaury's nearby home substantial damage. One can imagine how irate he must have been to later receive a bill for man-hours for those who responded to the fire, in addition to the damage to his home. A barn on Ford Arnold's property also burned, and he was concerned about how long it took the fire-fighting equipment and men to reach the scene.
It took awhile, but residents' opinions seemed to favor the idea of forming at least one volunteer fire department within the town. The advantages were lower rates for fire insurance and quicker response times. By April 1953, the first petition was filed to form a district in West Oneonta and areas to the north.
A public hearing on May 11, 1953, at the West Oneonta Town Hall made a headline the next day in The Oneonta Star, which read, "Zeal for a volunteer fire department caught fire and spread when Oneonta Town Board held a public hearing"¦ ."
By June, the state Department of Audit and Control had given approval for the new fire district. Then, on June 25, Ford Arnold was among several appointees as fire commissioners for the district.
There was no problem getting volunteer firefighters to join the new department. On July 15, the commissioners put out a call for at least 20 volunteers. By the next day, they had gotten 21 to sign up. In fact, the new fire department began with 48 members. A nearby area called Glens Bridge petitioned to join this new district. Before the end of 1953, the new department became official in both the town of Oneonta and the state. John Harrington became the first fire chief.
Also during 1953, the Ladies Auxiliary of the West Oneonta Fire Department formed, "to bring together the wives of the firefighters and all ladies of the district. Also to aid and assist the firemen in duties outside their regular duties."
The West Oneonta Fire Department had formed, but it didn't start with a home or equipment. The corner of state Route 23 and Quaker Street (County Route 8) was a favored site because it was central to the hamlet and convenient for firefighters. At that time a building known as "The Hotel" was on the site. The land was acquired for $3,500, the old building was torn down and the new station was built for $12,000.
During 1954, three volunteer firefighters made a trip out to Battle Creek, Mich., to pick up the department's first pumper. It had to be housed in the town's highway barn until the new station was ready. The department's first call came in December to help Oneonta extinguish a fatal blaze near the Plains Methodist Church in the West End.
By February 1955, the new station was completed and the truck in place. Both the firemen and the Ladies Auxiliary held their first meetings in the new building that month.
On March 28, 1955, the new department rushed to its first bad fire at about 3:45 a.m. at the home of Floyd White. The house was destroyed in heavy winds and bitter cold.
During its 55-year history, the West Oneonta Fire Department has returned the service to the city in aiding some difficult blazes on the former Broad Street, D&H Railroad yards and Hartwick College.
This weekend: We'll observe some activities near downtown Oneonta through the eyes of 1830s residents.
City Historian Mark Simonson's column appears twice weekly. On Saturdays, his column focuses on the area during the Depression and before. His Monday columns address local history after the Depression. If you have feedback or ideas about the column, write to him at The Daily Star, or e-mail him at simmark@stny.rr.com. His website is www.oneontahistorian.com.
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