LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 150th Anniversary of the Nanuet
Fire Engine Company No. 1 to be celebrated on February 20, 2010

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is proud to commemorate the 150th Anni-
versary of the Nanuet Fire Engine Company No. 1 and to honor its past
and present firefighting members for 150 years of fire protection to the
citizens of Nanuet, New York, and its surrounding communities; and
WHEREAS, Early on in Nanuet's history as a town with a permanent name,
several men formed a fire company in 1860; today, it is the sixth oldest
company in Rockland County; and
WHEREAS, On December 18, 1860, nine men banded together to form the
Torrent Engine Company No. 1; the original members were: C.S. Ackerman,
S. Blauvelt, John Brower, J.W. Demarest, D.F. Demarest, J.W. Hutton,
H.V. Hutton, Charles E. Smith and N.H. Snyder; and
WHEREAS, The company purchased its first hand pumper in March of 1861;
realizing the first pumper was more of a hindrance than help, the compa-
ny purchased a new pumper in March of 1862; the pumper was a hand-drawn
variety complete with its own wagon; and
WHEREAS, Even in those bygone days, the engines carried a portrait in
a prominent position of Indian Chief Nannewitt; today, the Chief is
still honored on the department's entire fleet with a portrait on each
cab door; and
WHEREAS, In 1862, Nanuet Fire Engine Company No. 1 received its char-
ter; on April 5, 1862, an act was passed in the state legislature incor-
porating the Nanuet Fire Engine Company, in Nanuet, Town of Clarkston,
in the County of Rockland; not only had the company become official, it
had undergone a name change; the company was now known as the Nanuet
Fire Engine Company; and
WHEREAS, By the time the charter was granted, the Company had grown
from a small token number of nine to a firm nucleus of 16; at the time
of the charter, the members were: C.S. Ackerman (original), Nicholas L.
Blauvelt, Samuel Blauvelt (original), John Brower (original), Abraham D.
Clark (DeClark), John Cooper, Cornelius G. Demarest, Joseph G. Demarest,
J.W. Demarest (original), Henry Ferdon, George Cross, Jacob Gross,
Jacob Haring, George Hinton, Lucas D. Isham and John Wood; and
WHEREAS, The start of the new century also saw the beginning of the
modernization of Nanuet Fire Engine Company No. 1; within the first few
months of 1900, electricity came to Nanuet but the firehouse did not
receive it until the following year; and
WHEREAS, On July 4, 1904, Nanuet Fire Engine Company No. 1 was
accepted into the Hudson Valley Firemen's Association; in August of the
same year, the Nanuet Fire Department Women's Auxiliary was formed; and
WHEREAS, In 1906, a new engine was purchased, the American LaFrance;
when the new engine arrived, it was decided to use teams of horses to
transport it; as a result, the Company was able to respond quicker to a
fire and have more strength and energy to combat it; and
WHEREAS, By 1908, Nanuet Fire Engine Company No. 1 felt in need of a
new firehouse; it bought a piece of property located just south of where
the 1868 firehouse stood; and
WHEREAS, After World War I was over and the firemen who served in the
military returned home, the Department bought a motorized unit; even
though the department was able to get to a fire more efficiently and
faster, it did not abandon the old steam engine; instead it was kept for
emergency use; this began the practice of always having a backup unit;
and

WHEREAS, By 1932, the Department was in need of new equipment and
ordered a four-wheel drive engine; in 1933, it took delivery of a brand
new Peter Pirsch fire truck; and
WHEREAS, Tragedy struck on April 1, 1945, when the Nanuet firehouse
was destroyed by fire; ground was broken for a new firehouse on Septem-
ber 10, 1945; the following year construction was completed and a new
building was opened for business; and
WHEREAS, The year 1950 brought the resurrection of Nanuet's 1868 hand
pumper; Walter Beatty found the old pumper, hardly recognizable in its
poor state of dispair and spent many hours restoring it to its former
beauty; when finished, it was given to the New York City Fire College to
be displayed in the New York City Fire Museum located in Greenwich
Village in New York City; today, the pumper is on display at the Rock-
land County Firemen's Museum in Pomona at the Rockland County Fire
Training Center; and
WHEREAS, In 1960, the Company celebrated its Centennial; monstrous
plans were underway including a huge carnival as well as a parade; most
of the Nanuet firemen celebrated this occasion by growing beards; and
WHEREAS, In addition, Nanuet hosted the NY & NJ Volunteer Firemen's
Association Parade in June of 1960, and more than 100 departments
marched and over 25,000 people watched and participated in this event,
one of the largest NY & NJ parades ever held; however, most importantly,
the 1868 hand pumper was brought back from its honored place in the New
York City Fire Museum and put on display for all to see; and
WHEREAS, The 1960s saw the small hamlet of Nanuet grow; not only had
it gained many residences, but there was tremendous business growth; the
department realized this, and in 1965 took delivery of a new 1000 gpm
Maxim pumper as well as a Maxim Equipment truck; they became known as
the 8-1000 and the 8-EQ; the 8-EQ was the first equipment truck to carry
water and be almost self-sufficient; the addition of these two trucks
necessitated an addition to the firehouse; a bay capable of handling
three trucks was added to the present building on Prospect Street; and
WHEREAS, In 1969, Nanuet Fire Engine Company No. 1 received its first
aerial platform truck, a 75-foot Snorkel truck, known as the 8-75, and
made by the Young Fire Equipment Company and the Snorkel Company; and
WHEREAS, Also in 1976, the Department took delivery of another 1000
gpm pumper manufactured by the Young Fire Equipment Company; this pumper
became known as the 8-1001; with the arrival of this pumper, the 8-751,
the 1955 Ward LaFrance pumper was retired; the Nanuet Fire Department
now had six pieces of apparatus and continued to grow with the communi-
ty; and
WHEREAS, Towards the end of 1976, the Company made the decision to
lower the age limit from 18 years old to 16 years old to apply for
membership; the first junior members as they were called started to join
in the beginning of 1977, and turned out to be a very valuable program
for the Company; and
WHEREAS, In 1985, the Company celebrated its 125th anniversary; just
as was done in 1960, huge plans were made, including anniversary
dinners, a carnival, a huge parade and just as was done in 1960, many of
the men grew beards for the occasion; and
WHEREAS, In 1989, the Bardonia Men's Club, located on the corner of
Bardonia Road and Renee Lane, donated their building and land to the
company; however, legal debate delayed the construction of a firehouse
until January 1999; and
WHEREAS, In 1997, the first Technical Rescue Team in Rockland County
was formed; this team would be able to provide specialized rescue for
rope, trench collapse, confined space rescue and building collapse; and

WHEREAS, In September of 1999, Hurricane Floyd struck Rockland County;
not only did it create devastation and flooding throughout the county,
it struck at the very heart of the department; the firehouse was liter-
ally underwater; and
WHEREAS, Undeterred, during the next three days, the Department
responded to over 100 calls for structure fires, automatic alarms,
rescues, wires down, pump-outs and flooding conditions; and
WHEREAS, Along with the rest of the world, the Company was in shock
when the events of September 11, 2001 unfolded; although the department
was not called directly to New York City to assist, Nanuet, along with
every other department in the county, went on standby in case they were
needed; and
WHEREAS, During the next few days, money was raised throughout the
county to help the families of the FDNY; during the next few months the
company proudly assisted the New York City Fire Department with funeral
and memorial details in Nanuet and surrounding areas; the 8-Tower went
as far as Queens, New York for a flag detail; and
WHEREAS, In the spring of 2002, the fire prevention committee
purchased a 30-foot fire prevention trailer; the addition of this trail-
er was a fantastic enhancement to the fire prevention program; and
WHEREAS, The past few years have brought many changes to the fire
service and the Company; as it moves forward, new apparatus is being
planned for, a new firehouse is on the horizon and its training contin-
ues to progress; today's 100+ members continue to do what so many
members have done before them, serve their community with pride; and
WHEREAS, Fire departments are an integral part of community protection
services in every locality of our State; during the past 150 years, the
courageous and devoted firefighters of Nanuet Fire Engine Company No. 1
have valiantly responded to all types of fire emergencies and have won
the praise and respect of the community which they serve; and
WHEREAS, With a membership of dedicated firefighters, the record of
Nanuet Fire Engine Company No. 1 in public service and fire protection
is one to be envied; for 24 hours a day, for 365 days a year, for 150
years, whenever the alarm sounded, these noble volunteers left their
homes and went to the aid of their neighbors; and
WHEREAS, The brave firefighters of Nanuet Fire Engine Company No. 1
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 150th Anniversary of Nanuet Fire Engine Company
No. 1 to be celebrated on February 20, 2010; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Nanuet Fire Engine Company No. 1.