Millburn, NJ Fire Photos

Millburn, NJ Fire Photos

On April 21, 1876, a bucket brigade was organized by W. E. Whittingham, J. M. Ayres, Robert S. Oliver, Julius Wittkop, W. H. Barnard, William Holme, Theodore Marshall, G. L. Barnard, John Pard, and F. M. Marshall, for the purpose of "protecting life and property." It became known as "Volunteer Fire Company No. 1," and functioned until 1889 when it was reorganized as "Millburn Fire Department" with twenty volunteer members. These members purchased a hose reel carrying 250 feet of two and one-half inch hose. Small as it was, this organization represented a big step forward in municipal progress. Not too many years before that, only those houses receiving aid in case of fire, except for the help of good neighbors, were those carrying fire insurance and displaying the metal tags of their insurers.

In 1894 the Short Hills and Wyoming sections formed companies also and purchased some equipment. A news item of October 4, 1894, states that Short Hills had just contracted with a New York firm for a unique fire department outfit, consisting of ladders, hose reel, portable fire engine, and tools, all mounted together, and "making a handsome and serviceable apparatus for fire protection." It was not until 1912, however, that all companies were organized as one unit under the control of the Township Committee. Thomas A. Douglas, my great-great grandfather was Chief at that time.

Following a long line of relatives, I started my fire service career as a paid-on-call member of the Millburn (NJ) Fire Department on February 17th, 1976 and served with them until May of 1980 when I moved to New Mexico to become a career firefighter with the Farmington Fire Department.

Follow these links to my Millburn, NJ Fire Photos section.