BOGOTA VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT
Volunteers, Proudly Serving the Community Since 1901
Our History
Engine Company No. 1
Engine Company 1, originally known as Hose Co. 1, was organized on January 22,1901 with 23 members at a historic meeting held at the Bogota Boat Club. Their first piece of equipment was a hand drawn hose carriage with 450 feet of hose and 2 nozzles. This equipment was kept in Munns Barn, and later in Kriegers Stable on River Road for an annual rental fee of $15.00 until 1906 when he Main Street Firehouse was built. In 1914 they secured their first piece of motorized equipment. It was a Hartford Pope passenger car, converted to a truck to carry hose.
Engine Company 1, originally known as Hose Co. 1, was organized on January 22,1901 with 23 members at a historic meeting held at the Bogota Boat Club. Their first piece of equipment was a hand drawn hose carriage with 450 feet of hose and 2 nozzles. This equipment was kept in Munns Barn, and later in Kriegers Stable on River Road for an annual rental fee of $15.00 until 1906 when he Main Street Firehouse was built. In 1914 they secured their first piece of motorized equipment.
It was a Hartford Pope passenger car, converted to a truck to carry hose.
At this point Hose Co. 1 became Engine Co. 1. In 1923 Engine 1 purchased a 1923 Maxim Pumper, followed by a 1943 Maxim Pumper, followed by a 1960 Mack Pumper. A 1981 American LaFrance pumper replaced the 1960 Mack. Currently Engine Co. 1 operates a 2008 Pierce Pumper
In 1904 Engine 1 member Harlan P. Ross was named the first fire chief of Bogota. The 50th anniversary of the founding of our department was enhanced by the coincidence that William Ross, son of Harlon Ross would be chief in 1951. Engine 1 James Mitchell, chief in 1997 & 2001 is the first chief to serve two terms.
Hook and Ladder Company No. 1
Hook and Ladder Company 1 was organized on October 7, 1907. At that time they had no apparatus so it is presumed they helped Engine Co.#1 in pulling it's hose cart. In 1908 a hand down apparatus was purchased for $350.00.
It was replaced in 1917 with a Maxim hook and ladder.
In 1931 a more modern Maxim was purchased.
In 1952 a Seagrave 75 foot aerial ladder was purchased.
In 1973 two major events occurred for Hook and Ladder Co.#1. Bogota purchased a Seagrave 100 foot aerial ladder for $68,000.00, equipped with new and modern life-saving, fire-fighting, and rescue equipment for them. They also moved from their Main St. quarters to their new and present quarters on West Broad St. behind Borough Hall.
In 1993 a E-One 100 foot rear mount aerial ladder was purchased.
2013 the E-One 100 foot rear mount aerial ladder was refurbished by E-One.
In 2024, Hook and Ladder Company 1 took delivery of a new E-One 100 foot rear mounted aerial ladder truck.
Hose Company # 2, known as Bogota Heights Hose Company # 2, was founded on October 26, 1910, at a meeting in the dining room of Henry Wehrmaker. Their first home was Mr. Wehrmakers's barn and their first apparatus was Engine Co.#1's old Hose Reel. On October 14, 1911, the Central Avenue Firehouse was built by Mr. Wehrmaker at a cost of $3,448.00 and Hose #2 still occupies it to this date.
The apparatus was a four wheeled hose wagon pulled by two horses, Teddy and Dynamite, whose owner Charles Sniffen, was a member of Hose Co. #2.
On January 13, 1917 the company received its first piece of motorized equipment, a Brockway chemical and hose truck, replaced in 1931 by a Maxim hose and booster truck.In 1952 an American LaFrance Pumper replaced the Maxim. In 1972 a custom built Great Eastern pumper was purchased. It had a self contained foam system.
Hose Company No. 2
Engine Company No. 3
As Bogota's population increased, fire protection had to be expanded. On March 8, 1923 Hose Co. #3 was organized with ten members to protect the southern part of Bogota, known as the "Hill". The company used the hose tender of Engine Co. #1 (the latter having its first Maxim) and stored it in Mr. Bubbles double garage on Fairview Avenue. In 1927 this was replaced by a Maxim combination pumper and hose truck.
Hose Co. #3 shared the Central Ave. firehouse from 1927 to 1951 when they moved into their present quarters.
