| The
Clymer Volunteer Fire Company had it's humble beginnings in
1905 as a "Bucket Brigade" whereas all residents
were required to have a bucket and to respond to all
fires. This was a loose-knit organization with little
leadership. One serious event would transform this
Bucket Brigade into the fire company it is today.
Clymer's
worst fire was located on Franklin Street across from the
American Legion building in a building once stood a building known as the
"Opera House". On December 18, 1908, a
basketball game had been played in the multi-purpose
facility. About 10:30 PM the teams left the building and
shortly before midnight the building was discovered in flames.
The flames,
growing in intensity, soon spread to the adjoining buildings
of John Spasko and Dr. C. W. Park. Although there were
fire hydrants in town, there was no hose. The towns
people resorted to the "bucket brigades" method of
firefighting. The flames shot higher and the wells from
which the water was being drawn began to run low.
The Neely
Hotel, which stood across the corner of the American Legion
lot began to scorch and blister along with Dr. H. N.
Prothero's house, which adjoined the hotel. The heat was
so intense that the windows began to crack and shatter and Dr.
Prothero's house caught fire several times but the townspeople
managed to extinguish it. It seemed for a time that the
entire town might burn.
Fifteen
Indiana Firemen left Indiana and answered their first mutual
aid call to Clymer on a special trolley car, bringing with
then fire hose, by this time it was Sunday morning. With
their arrival and their hose combined with a steady stream of
water from the fire hydrants, the inferno was finally brought
under control.
As a result
of public dismay over the disaster, the Clymer Volunteer Fire Company
was reorganized due to the insufficient plan and lack of
leadership from the bucket brigade. The Clymer Borough Council came under
severe criticism for having neglected to buy much needed fire
hose.
Shortly after
the Opera House disaster, as group of fifteen men met in a
small house on Morris Street and organized this volunteer fire
company. The first officers of the Clymer Fire
Department were elected at this meeting with I. A. Dearoloph
serving as president; E. D. Reed, secretary; and H. D. Smith
as Clymer's first Fire Chief.
The first
equipment purchased by the department were two hand-drawn hose
carts, each containing 500 feet of hose.
The original
Morris Street building soon proved to be inadequate. So,
in 1915 the borough municipal building was erected and the
fire department took up residence in this building.
 In 1923,
Clymer took delivery of its first motorized fire truck.
A 750 gallon sheen-gray Seagrave Pumper was purchased by
Borough Council at a cost of $9,875. At the same time
the firemen took delivery of 2000 feet of additional
hose. It is interesting to note that, when the new
equipment was obtained the insurance rate in Clymer dropped 40
percent.
On February
2, 1925, the Clymer Volunteer Fire Company, No. 1 was
chartered by the general Assembly of the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania.
The Clymer
Volunteer Fire Department was host to the Tenth Annual
Convention of the Cambria County and Vicinity Firemen's
Association, held August 19 and 20, 1931. In 1946,
Clymer once again played host to this convention. A
crowd estimated at seven to ten thousand persons witnessed the
1 1/2 hour parade of 50 firefighting units, 16 bands, and 30
marching units. Clymer has also acted as host in 1956,
1966, and again in 1998.
On October 2,
1934, the Clymer Volunteer Fire Department was referred to in
a Pittsburgh Press news article as "one of the most
efficient firefighting outfits in the state."
Sometime in
the 1900's, the Clearfield Bituminous Coal Corporation gave
the Clymer Volunteer Fire Company a deed for thirteen lots on
Sherman Street. In 1972 a new fire station was erected
on this site, the building is now currently used as a social
hall. In 1982 the current truck room was built.
July 14th
through the 16th, 2005, the Clymer Volunteer Fire Company also
hosted the Inaugural Convention of the Indiana County Fire
Chiefs Association. This year also marked the Clymer
Volunteer Fire Company's 100th year.
The Clymer
Volunteer Fire Company has undergone numerous changes since
the hose cart days of 1909. The 1923, 750 gpm gasoline
Seagrave was replaced in 1964 with a 1964 750 gpm, Seagrave
pumper in an International chassis.
The old respirators and iron lung have been replaced by state
of the art Self Contained Breathing Apparatus. And a
pumper that once cost around $10,000 in 1923 now costs in excess of
$250,000. But some things have not changed; the
firefighters still respond when someone needs help and the
firefighters are still ALL volunteer.
-by
Ron
Cupp with additions by Bob Gerlach and George Misurda |
