Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Barry Copley on December 7, 2010 at 6:24pm

Well our Firehouse in only bout 3 or4 years old..We used to have one about a quarter of a mile above where it is now but it was built "BEFORE MY TIME".lol but any way we have a Jeep,Mini Pumper,and 3 Fire Engines in our station..We also have a Boat because we have a dive team which I haven't certified for yet but plan on doing so in the near future.We also have the jaws of life on 2 of our Fire Engines.Whenever I'm not at work I go to the station and piddle around start the trucks and make sure our equipment works so when we get a call we know we have stuff that works.Since we're volunteers we don't have people constantly at the station we all have Hand Held scanners that we keep on us and some of us take our own vehicle and some of us are close enough to the station to just bust ass and get there.I'm usually the first one at the station when we get a call I've usually got the truck started and my gear on before anyone else shows up.Dedication for ya.

Permalink Reply by FETC on December 7, 2010 at 7:32pm

Mariah,

Well I work as a Lieutenant with the City of Keene, NH Fire Department, we are a combination fire department, 4 paid shifts of 10 firefighters, running approximately 4000 calls per year. Our current Central Fire Station was originally built in 1885. I believe it is the oldest "still active" fire station in New Hampshire. It was originally had a barn, hay loft and wooden floor with a full basement under the apparatus, (the basement still exists today) It has been on fire 3 times in it's history. The station has been expanded over the years but the photo below is the original two bays and they are still incorporated into our current working design.

It was added on and made bigger a few years later. Here is 1903

And again in 1931, for which the third floor is now missing. That was removed after a fire and this configuration remains intact today.

Here is the city link for the history. http://www.ci.keene.nh.us/departments/fire-department/history

Permalink Reply by Mariah Leavitt on December 8, 2010 at 4:10pm

thats really cool! your firehouse has so much history! does your department have a history book? Do you service Keene University?

Permalink Reply by FETC on December 8, 2010 at 9:12pm

Yes it has tons of history. In the first picture from the 1890, I am actually sitting in the room on the left above the steamer while on duty.

If you want to see it though, better come quick as they are starting to build a new fire station directly accross the street. This one has been sold already and we are occupying it until the new one is completed.

Yes we service Keene State, and the KFD history book is just about to go to the printer. A retired Deputy Chief spent last 4 years writing a history book.

Permalink Reply by Mariah Leavitt on December 8, 2010 at 10:08pm

I used to go up to keene all the time, a bunch of my friends went there and the sports teams i worked for played them.

What do they plan to do with the old station? I hope they dont demolish it. I hate it when that happens. But you guys must be excited to have a new station! All new toys to play with, all new kitchen to cook in!

Permalink Reply by Mariah Leavitt on December 8, 2010 at 10:12pm

I'm not even kidding but i think my grandparents have a very old picture of you old station. I'm going to have to dig that out!