Our history begins in a small farming town north of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with about 1000 people. The year was 1911. A group of men decided to organize a fire company because the closest one at that time was about six miles away. The first meeting was on June 9, 1911, and was held in the Old Fellows Hall, a local meeting place in the center of town. The speaker of the evening was Chief Meyers from the Southampton Volunteer Fire Company. After the meeting with Chief Meyers, the decision was made to start a volunteer fire company.

The first thing that they needed was some firefighting equipment. They would need coats, boots, helmets, apparatus and a place to keep it all. They also needed a way of sounding the alarm. A resident, Mr. C.G. Hoffman, heard about the situation and gave permission to house the new equipment in his barn. Today the barn is standing, just up the street from the present firehouse. To help with the startup of a new-sprung fire company, it was decided to have carnivals, ministerial shows and dances. During this time the Midvale Steel Company donated an old locomotive tire to the company. The tire was used to sound the alarm by hammering it with a sledgehammer. This locomotive tire still hangs on supports in front of the firehouse.

The first piece of apparatus was purchased on October 11, 1911 at a cost of $550. This two-wheeled cart, which was pulled by two to four men, had two chemical tanks and 500 feet of hose. It did not take long to figure out that pulling the hose cart up some of the hills around town was very taxing on the people pulling it. They learned quickly that after pulling some of the hills, the men had nothing left with which to fight a fire. On January 22, 1912, the cart was remodeled into a four wheeled horse drawn wagon at a cost of $200. Now when the fire alarm was sounded, the pair of horses nearest the barn were unhooked from their wagon and taken to the "firehouse" to be harnessed to the fire wagon. The horses most often used were from the local lumberyard or Erwin?s general store. Now that the cart had been remodeled, the barn was too small. The members then set out to find a new location for the horse-drawn wagon. This new location was a garage in the back of the general store, which happened to be near the fire alarm locomotive tire.

The first alarm was at the residence of Mrs. Hallowell on June 29, 1912.

On November 25, 1912, plans for the new firehouse were approved. The 20x28 foot building with terra cotta walls and slate roof would cost $1,556. The first meeting was held in the new firehouse on April 13, 1913. More hose, helmets and rubber coats were purchased. The cost of each new helmet was $3.60 and the rubber coats cost $4.75 each.

On June 9, 1913, after two years of work, a charter was documented with 15 members signing. The official name of the company would be The Huntingdon Valley Volunteer Fire Company #1.

On December 9, 1915 a decision was reached to purchase a motorized fire truck for $475 to replace the horse-drawn wagon. The new fire truck will be an Oldsmobile Chemical chassis with soda/acid tanks. It was put into service on April 20, 1916.

On February 10, 1920 a Pierce Arrow Chassis was purchased at a cost of $650. The chassis was then built into a fire truck and used as a pumper at a cost of $4,000. The Fire Company also purchased an additional 1000? of 2 ?" hose, ($1.00 per foot), one electric siren ($500), 12 rubber coats ($100), 12 pairs of boots ($75), six gas masks ($60) and one 2 ?" "Y" hose adapter ($35).

On March 12, 1926 an addition was added to the firehouse to make room for the second engine. The addition was built and paid for by the members of the Fire Company.

The growth of the community in 1928 was such that there was a need for a modern piece of apparatus. Again, the residents were solicited for funds and on April 22, 1928 the decision was made to purchase a new, 1929 Hahn Chemical truck at a cost of $3,600. The 1929 Hahn replaced the 1915 Oldsmobile. Now with the new Hahn chemical truck in place, the idea was to replace the 1920 Pierce Arrow. And on July II, 1929, a new 1929 Hahn 500 GPM pumper was delivered at a cost of $5,750. The advantages of the Hahn Pumper quickly came to light. So on March 14, 1935 the chemical truck was refitted with a 500 -gallon booster tank and a 500 GPM Hale pump at a cost of $875.

The Township was growing rapidly and so was vehicular traffic. The members saw the need for traffic direction around the fire apparatus. On May 9, 1946, the first fire police group was organized.

The Hahn (chemical) pumper was replaced with a 1947 Brockway 500 GPM pumper that was delivered on July 10, 1947 at a cost of $7,263.

With the primary income for the Fire Company being carnivals, ministerial shows and dances, the Fire Company approached the township supervisors and requested the levy of a 3% fire tax. The understanding was that the holding of carnivals and such would be discontinued. The question was placed on the ballot for the township electors to decide. Most of the township residents were members of the Fire Company, so the decision was favorable to add the fire tax on April 10, 1948.

The age of the other 1929 Hahn pumper was of some concern to the Fire Company. On July 20, 1948 the decision was made to purchase a new fire truck from the Mack Fire Truck Division. The new 1948 Mack 750 GPM two-stage pumper was delivered on November 18, 1949 at a cost of $15,000. The Fire Company now has two modern fire trucks, but no way to communicate with the Firehouse or the other truck. The addition of two-way radios in each truck and the firehouse was done on August 17, 1948. This also enabled the Fire Company to communicate with other fire companies in the surrounding area.

On April 12, 1952, plans were discussed with the township commissioners to build a new firehouse at a cost of approximately $60,000. The new firehouse will have one large bay door. The width of the door could accommodate three fire engines abreast. There was also a tower for drying and storing fire hose and a large meeting room. The contract was awarded to Fred Herwig of Huntingdon Valley and the building was complete by May 20, 1953.

With the township continuing to grow, the Fire Company came to the realization that an equipment truck was needed. On December 9, 1954, A 1950 International Delivery pedestal seat panel truck was purchased for $200. The truck belonged to a diaper service so some improvements needed to be made.

As the Fire Company grew, so too did the need for a larger equipment truck. On March 12, 1959 the Fire Company purchased a 1959 Dodge truck. The Ladies' Auxiliary paid for this truck at a cost of $3,300 for the chassis and $3,101 for the body.

As the community grew during the 1960's the Fire Company decided that it was time for another new truck. On May 24, 1960, the order was placed for a new 1961 Maxim, to replace the Brockway. The new Maxim would have a 1,000 GPM, two-stage pump and a price tag of $26,248. The dedication of the new 1961 Maxim fire truck was held on May 13, 1961. This was also the 50th Anniversary parade and celebration of the Fire Company.

There was also an increase in field fires around this time. On December 14, 1961 The Ladies' Auxiliary purchased a 1961 3 quater ton Jeep field truck for $3,000. The fire company members installed a four cylinder Wisconsin engine to power the high pressure John Bean pump and a 150 gallon booster tank.

On June 8,1967 a new 1967 Hahn 1000 GPM single-stage pumper was purchased for $34,952. This pumper had a prototype high-side compartment body style and the ladders were carried in-board. This truck was an addition to the other trucks and brought the total number of pumpers to three.

Our fire police unit then found itself in need of a vehicle. On January 9, 1968, a 1957 Chevrolet panel truck was purchased for $1,300 from the Bryn Athyn Fire Company.

As 1970 rolled around, there were still many field fires, so The Ladies' Auxiliary purchased a new 1970 GMC one-ton pickup truck for $8,572. The truck was equipped with ground sprayers, 150 gallon booster tank, PTO and booster hose reel. This truck served the Fire Company until 1980.

Also during this time, the township witnessed the construction of its first multi-story residential buildings. The Fire Company was now in need of equipment to reach the upper floors of these buildings. The new truck, which was delivered January 10, 1974, was a 1974 Snorkel rear mounted 85? aerial platform that cost $99,400. This truck was much larger than any other that they had at the time and an addition to the firehouse was needed to house it. The addition was completed on April 12, 1973.

In 1976 the Fire Company saw the need for a fourth fire truck pumper. On July 31, 1976 the Company took delivery of a new 1976 Maxim, 1500 GPM two-stage pumper. The cost of this truck was $79,923. This brought the total number of vehicles to eight.

On May 12, 1978, the 1958 Dodge rescue truck was replaced. A 1975 Ford F-600 chassis was purchased for $7,665.82. The body from the 1958 Dodge rescue was reused and mounted on the Ford chassis for $4,093.

On September 27, 1978, a 1978 Ford F-350 crew cab Fire Police truck was purchased for $8,728 to replace the 1957 Chevrolet panel truck.

Due to the development in the township in the late seventies, there were no longer enough fields to justify the need for a special field truck. On June 23, 1980 the GMC field truck was sold. A truck committee was formed to discuss the purchase of a new engine. The decision by the truck committee was to purchase two identical 1981 Mack MC series trucks from the Mack Motor Company. To make way for the twins, the 1961 Maxim and the 1967 Hahn fire trucks were sold. On June 22, 1981 the two Mack fire trucks were delivered at the cost of $197,250.

With the addition of "The Jaws of Life" as well as other rescue equipment in the early eighties, the 1977 Ford rescue truck was too light to carry the load. The new 1988 Mack Rescue truck was received on August 11, 1988 and cost $193,566.

On June 29, 1992 the Fire Company received its first Chief's Car. The Township gave us a 1989 Chevrolet Caprice, previously used by the Lower Moreland Police Department.

By 1995 our 1976 Maxim pumper needed to be replaced. On November 23, 1995 a new 1995 KME 1500 GPM pumper was purchased at a cost of $317,000.

With the turn of the century came the purchase of a new aerial truck. The truck committee decided to purchase a 2001 KME "Aerialcat", 95? mid-mount tower ladder. The new truck, complete with a 1500 GPM pump and 300 gallon booster tank, would come with a hefty $660,000 bill. In an effort to help offset the cost of this new truck, both the 1974 Snorkel and one of the twin Macks were sold.

On June 25, 2001 a local resident donated a 1993 Ford Explorer Sport, 4-wheel drive SUV to the Fire Company. This vehicle was repainted and was placed into service as a chief's car. The 1989 Chevrolet Caprice then became the Deputy Chief's car.

Also in 2001, the Fire Company decided to have trading cards made of all of the trucks that the Fire Company has owned since 1911. The 24 truck trading cards are now available by contacting the firehouse at 215-947-2454 or by E-Mail to info@hvfire.org.

On June 17, 2002 the Fire Company purchased a 2002 Ford Excursion to be utilized by the Fire Police Unit. The vehicle was purchased largely from funds donated by the residents of Lower Moreland Township. The old Fire Police truck was retained by the company and went into service as Utility 8.