LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Hy-View
Fire Company, Depew, New York

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is proud to commemorate the 50th Anniver-
sary of Hy-View Fire Company, and to honor its past and present fire-
fighting members for 50 years of fire protection to the citizens of
Depew, New York, and its surrounding communities; and
WHEREAS, Fire departments are an integral part of community protection
services in every locality of our State; during the past 50 years, the
courageous and devoted firefighters of Hy-View Fire Company have vali-
antly responded to all types of fire emergencies and have won the praise
and respect of the community which they serve; and
WHEREAS, In the spring of 1959, Fire District No. 8 had no fire
protection at all; previously, the former Urban Hose Company protected
the district; and it was one of the older fire companies in the Town of
Cheektowaga; and
WHEREAS, In 1957, a new subdivision was being built called Homeworth
Estates; this was a great opportunity to get new members; so, two
gentlemen from the defunct Urban Hose Company, Larry Story and Leo
Wagner, started to canvas the new homes, and recruited a third man,
Roman Gawronski, to help start a new fire company; and
WHEREAS, The Hy-View Hose Company No. 8 was chartered on October 29,
1959, with 20 members; that was the beginning of a fire company that
started with nothing but an old fire truck, an old building, and no
money; the organization appointed its first Fire Chief, Jesse Hyde, and
its first Company President, Charles Bickert; and
WHEREAS, The first fire hall was an old cinderblock garage on Hyland
Road; initially, Hy-View had only one truck, a 1949 Dodge, formerly a
Town of Cheektowaga sanitation truck that was retrofitted to be a 500
gallon per minute pumper, by the Young Fire Equipment Company; the fire-
men nicknamed the '49 Dodge, "Old Betsy"; and
WHEREAS, In 1961, Old Betsy started to show her age, and needed a
little help for the increasing first-aid calls; the district purchased a
1949 Divco milk truck that served as a first-aid rig; and
WHEREAS, During the early days of Hy-View, the fire company purchased
needed equipment through raffles, lawn fetes and various parties; in the
fall of 1960, the Hy-View board of fire commissioners asked the wives
and mothers of the firefighters to form a Ladies Auxiliary to help the
fire company run their social functions; the first Ladies Auxiliary
President was Helen Kerl; the Ladies Auxiliary ran their own raffles,
Chinese auctions, and card parties, which funded various needed social
equipment for the fire company; and
WHEREAS, Slowly, more homes were being built, and the fire district's
assessment also rose to where the district could start purchasing much
needed fire equipment; and
WHEREAS, In the growing years of Hy-View, many firemen gave their time
and talents to make it an excellent fire company; Hy-View was also
helped greatly by their brother firemen from the Cleveland Hill and
Forks Fire Districts who shared organizational information and training
help; and
WHEREAS, In 1965, to aid in firematic training for town firemen,
Hy-View joined a drive to have a training tower located in the Town of
Cheektowaga; the town was unable to build a tower, due to lack of funds,
but agreed to donate two acres of land near the Cheektowaga Town Hall if
the County would erect the tower; the idea was presented to the Cheekto-
waga Fire Chiefs Mutual Association and they agreed that a training site

would be an asset not only to the town fire companies but also the
neighboring communities; and
WHEREAS, John Geck of Pine Hill, and Sage Kamholz and William Arnold
of Cleveland Hill, along with Roman Gawronski of Hy-View, were appointed
members of a committee to contact other towns and fire companies to gain
support for placing the tower in Cheektowaga; and
WHEREAS, The committee, along with the help of Town Supervisor Daniel
Weber and the town board, were successful in convincing the county offi-
cials that Cheektowaga was the best and most centrally located site to
erect the tower; today, the tower is an asset to area volunteer fire
companies, as well as City of Buffalo firefighters, who use the tower
almost daily; and
WHEREAS, As the Hy-View Fire District grew larger each year, a new
building was needed; in 1966, a new three-bay fire hall, which at the
time was state-of-the art, was built at 8 Airport Drive; within 10
years, the fire district paid up the land and building, along with the
purchase of a new Seagraves Pumper, and a new GMC Rescue truck; in 1972,
a second Seagraves Pumper was purchased, and in 1974, a 75-foot Telesq-
uirt Ladder was delivered; and
WHEREAS, In 1984, to better designate the fire company's function, the
company's name was changed to Hy-View Fire Company; Cheektowaga Fire
District No. 8 also changed their name to Hy-View Fire District No. 8;
and
WHEREAS, In 1985, the firemen donated an extension to the fire hall to
be used as a day room; later that same year, Truck No. 1, Old Betsy, was
retired and a new Pierce-Dash Pumper was purchased to replace it; in
1986, the old first aid rig was retired and replaced with a Ford Heavy
Rescue/First Aid Unit and a second Pierce-Dash Pumper was purchased in
1990; and
WHEREAS, In 1994, the Telesquirt Ladder was refurbished to update the
unit's equipment and add an enclosed cab for the safety of the firemen;
in 1996, the fire company tracked down and repurchased the organiza-
tion's original 1949 Dodge Pumper and restored it for use as a parade
vehicle; and
WHEREAS, In 1998, the fire district purchased a Chevrolet extended cab
pickup through New York State bid and equipped it for use as a Light
Rescue Vehicle; in 2002, Hy-View added a Pierce Heavy Rescue Pumper; the
latest truck purchase by the district was another Pierce Pumper in 2006;
to date, the fire company has a fleet of one first-aid vehicle, three
pumpers, one ladder truck, and a boat for emergency water rescue; and
WHEREAS, After 40 years, the Hy-View Fire District needed to expand
the original three bay fire hall and moved to complete a two-phase reno-
vation; phase one expanded the company to a six bay structure, and added
a weight/exercise room, as well as firematic training facility; phase
two concentrated on the renovation of the company's existing meeting
hall; and
WHEREAS, In 50 years, the Hy-View Fire District has grown from very
meager beginnings such as not having a table or chair to sit on, bare
bones equipment, and a handful of committed volunteers; through a commu-
nity of caring people, it has built an excellent fire company and a
strong district; and
WHEREAS, The brave firefighters of Hy-View Fire Company are prepared
to risk their lives every day to help save the lives of others and to
protect homes and property from the destruction caused by fire; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body cannot express sufficient gratitude to
those devoted individuals who recognize that the preservation of life
and property is a sacred responsibility and who make that responsibility
their own by serving as firefighters; and

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that we should give
special recognition to those who work so assiduously for the betterment
of their communities, and acknowledge publicly the heroic good works
performed by the volunteer fire departments of this great Empire State,
their officers and auxiliaries; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
proudly commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Hy-View Fire Company; and be
it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Hy-View Fire Company, Depew, New York.