August 11, 1909 A meeting was called for the purpose of organizing a volunteer fire company. Homes and farms were widely scattered, and although friends and neighbors were willing to help in an emergency, by the time help could arrive pails and brooms were of little avail against a fire raging out of control. Therefore, on August 11, 1909 a number of men met at the Good Templar’s Hall and after selecting temporary officers, the group called themselves the “East Setauket Hook and Ladder Company”.
The charter members of the new fire company not only volunteered their time to help their neighbors, but paid for the privilege. The members charged themselves dues and worked hard to raise money with dances and carnivals. The first fund raiser was held in October of 1909 and after all expenses were paid the fire company had made a profit of $53.25 A newsworthy mention of the East Setauket Hook and Ladder Company was found in “The Port Jefferson Echo” on February 6, 1910. The article read “The recent purchase of ladders by the East Setauket Hook and Ladder Company is evidence that they mean to be equipped for emergency, even though their funds will not as yet purchase larger apparatus”.
In 1911, the fire company purchased its first main piece of fire apparatus for $725.00 It was a combination hook and ladder, which could be either pulled by manpower or by horse. A truck house was built prior to 1922 and was originally located on Shore Road and had been a blacksmith shop at one point. Records do not show the exact date, but it does show that during the year 1922 the local court held sessions in the truck house.
In 1928 a petition was sent to the Town Board requesting the assignment of a fire district. The East Setauket Hook and Ladder Co. was an unofficial, private venture and had no boundaries to which it could limit its services.
As the fire company grew, the need for a firehouse became urgent, and various means of raising money were used. The site for the present firehouse was purchased in 1929, and a building fund was started in 1930. The Village of Old Field agreed to pay $200 per year for fire protection, and their check was first deposit in the building fund. A contract was signed in January of 1935 for building the firehouse, and work got underway at once. In March of 1935, the East Setauket Fire District contracted for fire protection at $1,200 annually for three years. The grand opening of the new firehouse was held in July of 1935. Money was still needed and in September the Setauket School District made arrangements to rent the firehouse at $60 per month for 10 months.
As the efficiency of the fire company’s equipment started to decline, the Setauket Fire Commissioners decided to make some changes by asking for three brand new pieces of apparatus. In September of 1938 a bond issue was authorized by the district for the trucks and construction of an addition on the firehouse. The bond was approved and the district purchased a booster truck, a Pumper and a hook and ladder truck from Ward LaFrance Company in Elmire, NY. After some careful figuring and refiguring of the budget, enough money was left over to purchase a fourth vehicle. The fourth vehicle was called a Rescue Truck and was fitted with special equipment.
The fire company changed its name to Setauket Hook and Ladder Company # 1 in March of 1939 and in May of that year split into four companies: James H. Barr Company, Engine and Hose Company, Hook and Ladder Company, Police and Rescue Company. The name Setauket Hook and Ladder Company # 1 was changed to Setauket Fire Department in July of 1949.
As the area continued to grow, additional companies and fire stations were added. The Rescue Company was organized on January 1, 1961. When the south end of the district started to grow with the Heatherwood Homes, a bond issue was passed by the voters of the district in 1964 for the purchase of a second fire station a truck. Engine Company Nine was organized on July 1, 1965 and moved into their new quarters on Arrowhead Lane. The fire district continued its growth. Levitt and Sons started their Strathmore development, so it was decided to look for a parcel in the Southwest end of the district. Mr. Ward Melville donated a four acre plot on Nicholls Road to the district residents. A bond issue went to voters for their approval in 1969 to build a firehouse on that site. It was approved and is now our Station 3 which was dedicated in May 1971.
With the increased building of homes and the expansion of the south end of the district the station 2 members soon found their quarters too cramped to fit all the equipment needed to protect the area. With this in mind a new larger substation was built and dedicated on August 15, 1982.
On December 31, 1989 Engine and Hose Company, James H. Barr Company and the Rescue Company were dissolved. The members of these companies joined together and formed Engine Company 1, which was established on January 1, 1990.
Today the Setauket Fire Department operates with three companies, Engine Company 1 based out of the Main Street firehouse, Engine Company 9 based of the Arrowhead Lane firehouse and Hook & Ladder Company 1 based out of the Nicholls Road firehouse. This Proud Department that has served our community since 1909 has grown from one firehouse with a horse drawn piece of equipment, to a modern Fire Department with three firehouses, four ambulances, three brush trucks, two rescue boats, five attack pumpers, two rescue trucks and two Ladder trucks all manned by dedicated volunteers.
Story from the Setauket Fire Department website.
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