In the fall of 1903, Charles Wickenhaver’s barn, situated on the property where St. Mark’s Episcopal Church now stands, burned to the ground in a spectacular fire. The blaze claimed four horses and all the barn’s contents. For the residents of Basking Ridge, this was a call to action. In response to this fire, and out of concern for the town’s new school building, the Basking Ridge Fire Company was formed on June 24, 1904.
ABOUT US / HISTORY
A Legacy of Service, A Commitment to Community.
The First Firehouse: A Community Effort
Residents and civic groups contributed equipment, money, materials and labor. On July 4, 1904, the Basking Ridge Improvement Society presented the company with a “jumper” hose cart. In 1905, members of the company donated their skills and materials to build a horse-drawn hook and ladder wagon. When a new firehouse was needed, funds were solicited from residents and time, service, and land were donated to the cause. The firehouse was completed at a cost of $600, exclusive of 24 days of labor and donated materials.
The Maple Avenue School Fire
By October 1905, Basking Ridge had a well-equipped firehouse and a team of volunteers. Fire records indicate that the first major fire the newly organized company responded to was on April 30, 1906. A fire broke out in the Maple Avenue School, just across the street, where the library now stands. Twenty-two men battled the fire for one hour. The damage was estimated at $1000, but the building was saved.
Annual Carnival Event
In the early years, Basking Ridge Fire Company No. 1 hosted an annual carnival, “an event of refined recreation and popular pleasure, never failing in excellent entertainment.” This picture postcard was used to advertise the event in 1915. The Moline fire engine, shown here in front of the old Maple Avenue school (now Bernards Township Library), was purchased in 1911.
Formation of a First Aid & Rescue Squad
On April 13, 1934, six members organized the First Aid and Rescue Squad of the Basking Ridge Fire Company No. 1. Two weeks later, a special meeting was held, and the members voted to purchase a secondhand Meteor funeral car from Garrabrant & Son for $350. The squad then purchased a stretcher and blankets, and the members did the necessary work of converting the car into an ambulance. This was the first ambulance owned by a first aid squad in the Somerset Hills area. Early records indicate that on two occasions of serious accidents in Far Hills and Stirling, the ambulance had to make multiple trips with patients to Memorial Hospital in Morristown because there was no other ambulance available in the area.
The Volunteer Tradition Continues
Today, our company is equipped with the best and most modern equipment around. We have a ladder truck, a fire engine, a rescue truck, two ambulances, a utility truck, and a rescue boat. But what hasn’t changed is the spirit of community, sharing, and volunteering that founded our company. Over the last 120+ years, many women and men in our community have served our 100% volunteer company with courage, honor, and distinction. We are your neighbors, friends, and colleagues here in Basking Ridge, and we invite you to become a part of who we are and what we do.
