Tales From the Station

Way back in the formative years of the fire department there was little in the way of capital purchases. The department just didn’t have any money because very few people in the community had any money. Trickle down economics meant that an organization existing on donations couldn’t be picky when it came to equipment.

The late Mary Martin had a store in the White Plains area and saw a fire engine for sale. She actually bought it with her own money and contacted the fire department to come and get it. Two eager members found a way down there and brought the fire truck home. Again, beggars can’t be choosers and the engine given to the department by Mary was a convertible, or open top if you didn’t have the cover (which our heroes didn’t).

It was a beautiful day in Downstate New York as the newly designated Engine 91 headed north towards Akwesasne. That didn’t last long as our two intrepid equipment scroungers found out, the hard way. They encountered a thunderstorm on the Northway that blasted them in their open cab fire truck. The driver had to concentrate fully as the water hit the windshield and him. The passenger had to wipe the window from the inside since the wipers were only clearing the outside and an open cab truck allowed rain to hit both sides of the windshield.

The sky cleared and surviving this they continued on towards home. Only to be met with another thunderstorm a little further north. Same conditions as before with rain beating the two mercilessly inside and out. With that out of the way they continued on and before reaching home drove through yet another thunderstorm. Driving through three thunderstorms in an open cab truck they could only wonder what they had ever done to deserve this punishment.

A canvas top was purchased and the engine served the department well for many years before being retired and replaced by another Engine 91. During that time it attended many fires, trainings and parades. It was in the latter that the open nature of the cab was again brought into question. In our collection of trophies there is one that doesn’t say the usual first, second, third or best. It simply says “Traveled the Farthest” Kahnawá:ke Firemen’s Field Day.

The Fire Chief and another firefighter were at the station polishing up the engine and getting ready for the parade. They decided that it was such a nice day they would take the top off so the public could see them going down the road in uniform. They participated in the parade and won the “Traveled the Farthest” trophy.

With trophy in hand they headed home rather proud of themselves and feeling pretty good. That feeling went away quickly when they drove right into a thunderstorm. Firefighters should always be prepared but this time things weren’t thought through. The canvas top was not stored in any of the compartments in the truck. The top was stored at the station and was not of much use to them somewhere between Kahnawá:ke and home. It was the same routine, driver concentrating hard through the pouring rain and the passenger wiping the inside of the windshield until the storm passed.

It is quite a different department these days with the equipment now being the best available and our newer trucks even have air conditioning. To think, some of the old rigs didn’t even have heaters! The only thing that remains constant is the quality of the people that make up this amazing organization. We know we’re lucky and we have it much easier than those old timers who did such great things with so little. We stand on the shoulders of those firefighters who started this department with nothing but hope, determination and commitment.

Special thanks to Former Chief Jack Treptow for sharing these stories.