History
Spafford Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. :
660 Rt. 41 Homer, NY 13077 :
phone: 607.749.4422 :
e-mail us
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History
The Spafford Fire District was formed in 1947. It was pursued by the Town of Spafford Town board to meet the needs of fire protection for the town. Upon a voting resolution by the town board in May of 1947 the Town of Spafford became a fire district. A board of Fire Commissioners was appointed by the town board in July of 1947. Spafford Fire Department was formed in 1948 with two fire companies created. During that period two stations were constructed. One in the hamlet of Spafford and one in the hamlet of Borodino. These two stations housed the apparatus for the district and the department was led by one Chief, George Fesko. About five years after the department was formed the Borodino firefighters split from Spafford Fire Department, and the Borodino Fire Department was formed.Over the following years Spafford Fire Department began to grow. Through the sixties the department had three apparatus, a Ford Pumper, a Ford Tanker, and a Maxim Pumper. In the late sixties the members of the department realized that they needed to acquire an up to date piece of equipment. A fund drive began, and in the spring of 1970 a new Chevy/Saulsbury Tanker was purchased. This truck was primary piece of equipment for many years. The truck was taken out of service in 2005. In 1974 a used Seagrave Pumper was purchased from the Waterloo Fire Department. This truck replaced the 30’s Maxim Pumper. In 1976 the fire district commissioners, who owned the Spafford Fire Station, saw the need to increase the size of the station. A new steel building was added on to the original building to house the fire apparatus. In the mid to late seventies rescue calls were becoming more and more frequent. The department embarked on a whole new endeavor of a Rescue Squad. A used Dodge Van was purchased by the department and converted into a Rescue. A group of members became EMT certified. In the early eighties the squad became a EMT level II provider. In the early eighties the department also realized that they were not going to be able to provide fire protection without a class A pumper. The Seagrave, which was purchased used, was breaking down more frequently, and costing the department money to keep it running. The cost of new apparatus was becoming out of reach for a small department to purchase especially by doing chicken barbecues and dinners. The department approached the Spafford Fire District Commissioners regarding this problem, and the district came through by purchasing the first fire truck owned by the town. This truck was a 1983 GMC/FMC Tanker Pumper. In 1988, with help of then Senator Tarky Lombardi, the department was able to purchase a new Chevy/ American Eagle walk in heavy rescue. It replaced the Dodge Van. The cost of the rescue was covered by a grant from Senator Lombardi’s office and the departments famous fish dinners.As the department entered into the nineties they found themselves with good equipment, up to date apparatus and increasing numbers of alarms. In 1993 a GMC/US Tank Tanker Pumper was purchased by the district. This truck became the fourth truck purchased by the district. As the nineties progressed the one thing that was not anticipated was the declining enrollment. Increased requirements in training, attendance, and changing lifestyles began to take a toll on recruiting and retaining members. In 2001 the department began a new venture to raise funds. The Spafford Fire Department Harley Raffle was created. This fund raiser primarily supported the rescue function of the fire department. The raffle was a huge success and is still going strong today. In 2003 the 1983 FMC TP was replaced by a Saulsbury built Engine with a CAFS foam system. A year later in 2004 the 1988 Rescue went through a refurb and a new Freightliner four door chassis was put under the rescue body. In 2020 a brand new Heavy Rescue was purchased and put in service by the fire district. This replaced the 2004 refurb of the departments Freightliner Rescue. This ended the departments owner ship of Fire/Rescue apparatus. A significant change came in 2011. The Board of Fire Commissioners in an effort to consolidate the two departments, and to have a more stability and continuity among the fire chiefs, passed a resolution to have a District Fire Chief similar to when the district was first formed. That resolution was effective in 2012 and a District Chief was appointed to oversee Spafford and Borodino Fire departments. Today Spafford is holding steady with 17 members. We are actively seeking new members all the time. We run together with our sister station Borodino on all calls in the Town of Spafford. |