Pottstown Fire Department

The Pottstown Fire Department is a combination volunteer/career fire and rescue service operated by the Borough of Pottstown, Pennsylvania. It consists of four volunteer fire departments with career paid firefighter/drivers at each station to reduce response times. The Pottstown Fire Department has been serving the borough of Pottstown, and the surrounding area since 1871. The PFD operates six engines, one ladder, one quint, one heavy rescue, one air unit, one squirt truck, four special service trucks, as well as five ALS ambulances.

History

The Pottstown Fire Department's earliest history goes back to a disastrous fire that occurred in June 1868. The nail plate mill and nail factory of the Pottstown Iron Company were completely gutted by flames. Later in July of that same year, Several farm houses that stood on High Street in the borough were burned to the ground. Residents decided that more effective methods of fire protection than bucket brigades were needed. In 1870, the Pottstown Gas and Water Company began installing a borough wide water system with numerous fire hydrants. In late 1870, the hose carriage of Philadelphia Fire Co. No. 18 was purchased along with a lot of copper rivated hose to serve the citizens, but no official fire company was formed. By January 3rd, 1871, the decision had been reached to officially form a fire company. An argument soon arose as to what the name of the company should be, many argued that since the hose carriage already had "Philadelphia" printed on both sides, that the company should be called Philadelphia. Others in the town argued that the name should be "Good Will" as it meant good will to all. After a long argment, Thomas Clark, an advocate of the Goodwill name took his supporters and founded his own fire company. So in January of 1871, the Goodwill Steam Fire Engine Co. No. 1 and the Philadelphia Steam Fire Engine Co. No. 1 were founded.

In June 1876, a third company was added to Pottstowns fire service. The Empire Hook and Ladder Co. No. 1 was formed due to several new buildings that were too tall for ground hoses to reach.

The fourth and youngest company to be added to the Pottstown fire department is the North End Fire Co. No. 1 formed in 1950 to better serve the growing residential section of the northern end of Pottstown Borough.

Current Day

The modern day Pottstown Fire Department operates the four fire companies as independent entities controlled by a Borough appointed Fire Chief/Fire Marshall. The PFD is designated as Montgomery County station 69 (Pronounced six-nine) with each station receiving a letter designator to differentiate them from each other:

Goodwill Steam Fire Engine Co. No. 1Station 69-A

Philadelphia Steam Fire Engine Co. No. 1Station 69-B

Empire Hook and Ladder Co. No. 1Station 69-C

North End Fire Co. No. 1Station 69-D

Apparatus

The PFD's Apparatus are split between the four companies with each station having a specific specialization:

- Goodwill Steam Fire Engine Co. No. 1 - Heavy Rescue/EMS Company - Heavy Rescue 69, Special Ops 69 (Rescue 69-1), Engine 62, EMS units (SEE EMS)

- Philadelphia Steam Fire Engine Co. No. 1 - Engine and Aerial Company - Engine 10, Engine 11, Ladder 13, Special Service 69-2

- Empire Hook and Ladder Co. No. 1 - Engine Company - Engine 14, Quint 69

- North End Fire Co. No. 1 - Engine and Support Company - Squirt 69, Air 69

EMS

The PFD has also provided ambulance and emergency medical services since 1890 through the Goodwill Ambulance Corps. The Goodwill ambulance provides Advanced Life Support and Basic Life Support services to Pottstown borough, West Pottsgrove Twp., Upper Pottsgrove Twp., Lower Pottsgrove Twp., Douglass Twp. (Montgomery County), Douglass Twp. (Berks County), North Coventry Twp. (Chester County), South Coventry Twp. (Chester County), and East Coventry Twp. (Chester County) with an approximate call volume of over 11,000 calls for service per year.

The Goodwill Ambulance operates as Montgomery County EMS station 329 and maintains 5 ALS ambulances, 2 BLS ambulances, 1 Rehab Ambulance, and 5 wheelchair transport coaches out of the Goodwill Fire Station in Pottstown Borough with a staff of 8 full time Paramedics and EMT's as well as approximately 30 part time staff members.

Links

* [http://www.goodwillpottstown.org] - Goodwill Steam Fire Engine Co. No. 1
* [http://www.philliesfireco.com] - Philadelphia Steam Fire Engine Co. No. 1
* [http://empirefire.org] - Empire Hook and Ladder Co. No. 1
* [http://www.northendfire.com] - North End Fire Co. No. 1
* [http://www.pottstown.org] - Borough of Pottstown Home Page