History of the Surf City Volunteer Fire Company No.1 & Emergency Medical Services

In Early 1948, the residents of the Borough of Surf City felt they needed for better fire protection for the town. 5 volunteer residents subsequently raised funds and incorporated the Surf City Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 on April 1, 1948 with a main goal, to save lives and protect property.

The first fire apparatus purchased was a 1948 Ford/Hahn Engine, with the pump mounted on the front bumper.  This truck was housed in the original concrete block firehouse built in 1948 on the corner of 8th Street and Long Beach Boulevard. The original firehouse consisted only of what is now the main hall, kitchen and bathrooms of our present day building. 2 garage doors faced out towards Long Beach Boulevard, and a foldable wall separated the Engine room and the hall. The track for the foldable wall can still be seen in the present day hall, and the concrete pad on the North East side of the Firehouse still remains, showing where the 2 garage doors once were. Later in the early 1950’s a used 1930’s era Packard fire truck was purchased and housed next to the 1948 Ford/ Hahn. This unit carried very large spotlights for night time fires, and transported other essential equipment along with personnel.

 In around 1954 and 1955 it was decided that the fire suppression needs of the community demanded better fire equipment and along with that an expansion to the Firehouse. A massive addition was built to the Firehouse, nearly doubling its size. This addition closed up numerous windows and the 2 east facing garage bays, and this created the present day Firehouse we know, with 4 garage bays, a member’s room, and a large hall. In May of 1955 plans were made for a purchase of a new Engine, one being a state of the art, “Cadillac” fire engine of its day. In July 1955 we made payment of just over 19,500 dollars to Allentown Mack for a 1956 Mack Model B-85 triple combination pumper with 750 Gallon Per Minute (GPM) pump, and a 500 gallon water tank. This truck proudly serves the community to this day as a reserve engine, yet it is mostly used for parades and special community events. In May of 1956 a large parade and housing ceremony commemorated purchase the new 1956 Engine, as well as dedication the new addition to the firehouse.

Around the time of the early 1960’s the Barnegat Light First Aid Squad rented an open garage bay to house one of its Cadillac ambulances, to provide better first aid protection to our town. This agreement continued until the early 1980’s when the Barnegat Light First Aid Squad moved its south operations to 2 bay garage facility that was donated to the town on 13th street.  

In 1963 a new Mack Model C fire engine arrived to replace the aging Ford/ Hahn Engine and Packard truck. This truck was the first modern “cab forward” unit as seen today. In 1967 another Mack Model C style fire engine was purchased to keep pace with the growing community. Noted in The Beachcomber newspaper was that this was combination pumper and heavy rescue truck, and was unique because it was on of the few pieces of heavy rescue equipment in Ocean County and being the only one in Southern Ocean County. On June 8th, 1967 a large parade and housing ceremony commemorated the event. The High Point Volunteer Fire Company of Harvey Cedars was the “housing company”, and they preformed the honors of breaking champagne and “pushed” the new truck into the Firehouse, under the direction of Chief William Molineaux Jr. Although Surf City Chief Harry Smyth was not on hand for the event, Assistant Chief Emil Tum Suden accepted congratulations from High Point.

In 1983 there came a need to replace the sometimes unreliable 1963 Mack, so the company purchased a 1983 Mack model MC engine, with a 500 gallon water tank and 1000 GPM pump. The 1963 Mack was then sold shortly after the new truck’s arrival. Around the same time, a new 1984 Mack MK chassis was bought by the company, to create the companies first sole rescue extrication truck. A 1950’s era body was purchased from West Long Branch Rescue Squad, and was mounted to the new chassis by the members, under the direction of Chief Emil Tum Suden, in a much needed successfully effort to save thousands of dollars. This unit provided some the sole rescue extrication tools in Southern Ocean County, and Air Cascade to most of Southern Ocean County.

1990 came a year of great change to our organization.  A group of Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT’s) that ran the southern division of the Barnegat Light First Aid Squad all ceased their memberships with the Barnegat Light First Aid Squad after irresolvable disagreements. A plan was made to charter a new Surf City First Aid Squad to serve the community. After initial implications were made, the Borough of Surf City vetoed the creation of this new First Aid Squad, as they felt they were not finically able to fund the needs of a new organization. Agreements were then made for the Fire Company to take over the Emergency Medical Service needs of the Borough of Surf City. 2 Ambulances were purchased, and the group of former Barnegat Light EMT’s joined the fire company to provide the new EMS service, which continues to operate into present day. This is when the name of organization changed to the Surf City Volunteer Fire Company No.1 & Emergency Medical Services.

In 1991 there came a need to replace the now 24 year old 1967 Mack, so a new 1991 state-of-the-art Peirce 1250 GPM Engine was purchased, and continues to serve us today as our second due engine. This unit has been to all the major structure fires on Long Beach Island since its purchase and all the major forest fires as well. The 1967 Mack was sold to the Coaling Volunteer Fire Department in Alabama. In 1992 we replaced one of the 2 original Ambulances with new Ford/Horton.

1998 celebrated the 50th Anniversary of our organization. Major cosmetic renovations were made to the Firehouse. A large parade and party commemorated the event. In 1999 we replaced our other original Ambulance with new Ford/Horton. In 2003 a replacement was badly needed for the unreliable 1984 rescue truck. After much research, a 2003 International quad cab heavy duty truck chassis was purchased along a Knappmeade body as a replacement. In order to save tens of thousands of dollars, the members of the company assembled the air cascade, hydraulic extrication units, and all other components all onto the truck under the directions of Chief Brian Fullerton. This proved a successful replacement, and the 1984 Mack was sold to a commercial sign painter in Tuckerton, New Jersey.

In 2004 a new state-of-the-art Peirce 1500 GPM Engine replaced the outdated 1983 Mack. This unit came complete with all new firefighting tools, and a Compressed Air Foam System, one of the first in Ocean County. This unit currently serves as our first due unit. The 1983 Mack was sold to a used fire apparatus dealer, and now sees service in West Virginia. This now brings us Present day, 2007. We have recently purchased a new Ford/Horton Ambulance to replace the 1992 model.  

We are still an all volunteer department to this day. Our members come from all walks of life. What we all have in common is a desire to help others in times of need. While all of the members of the Surf City Volunteer Fire Company No.1 & Emergency Medical Services come from all walks of life, when the pager is activated, and the siren wails, alerting us of a call, we all become one unit with one objective at hand: To save lives and protect property.  

Written by Michael P. Wolfschmidt, Assistant Chief, December 13, 2007