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Chester Volunteer Fire Department

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Horse and Wagon (old firetruck) with sign “pretty well dilapitated

 

A small booklet cover in light brown with black lettering saying Constitution and Bylaws of Chester Fire Department. This was the original constitution and bylaws circa 1937.

Chester Fire Department booklet, 1937

In 1935, when Forman and Eva’s house on Queen Street caught fire, there was nothing they could do but watch as it burned to the ground. The house burned for two days before it was reduced to ashes.

 

 

 

Une photo en couleur montrant, vers 1937, le premier camion de pompiers rouge avec les pompiers se tenant devant lui. Le camion a une échelle sur le toit et une pompe à eau sur le pare-choc avant.

First fire truck 1937

It took a year, but on May 1, 1936 Forman and others had the Chester Volunteer Fire Department up and running. Members held their meetings on the second floor of Eugene Publicover’s store until a Fire Hall on Central Street was completed later the same year. There were twenty-seven Charter Members; Murray Mills was selected as the Department’s first Chief and Scott Rutherford served as the Deputy Chief.

Ironically, the Fire Hall was destroyed by fire in 1959 and the first truck was also demolished. A new hall was built at the same location the following year.

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“Foreman was a community minded man. After his own house burnt down in 1935 he realized village needed a fire department, so together with some other businessmen formed the Chester Volunteer Fire Dept. in 1936.”
Brad Armstrong Grandson

Chester Municipal Heritage Society