A Legacy of Service, A Commitment to Community.

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 Bernards Township Library now stands. Twenty-two men battled the fire for one hour. The damage was estimated at $1000, but the building was saved.

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. This Moline “First Aid Fire Auto” (fire truck), shown here in front of the Maple Avenue School , was purchased in 1911. The annual carnival was the financial backbone of the company from 1910 through 1941.

In 1915, Basking Ridge Fire Company No. 1 was able to build a handsome two story Mediterranean style brick fire house at the corner of East Lewis and South Maple. The cornerstone was laid on June 24, 1915, the 11th anniversary of the company’s founding. Monies earned from the carnivals, plus individual contributions, covered the $10,000 cost. This photograph, circa 1940, shows the 1915 fire house at left and the original 1905 fire house at right. The fire engine at left is a 1938 Peter Pirsch built on a Diamond T chassis. The fire engine on the right is a 1931 American LaFrance, known as, “Old No. 1”.  This engine is still in the BRFCO fleet, and sees occasional parade duty.

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.

From 1932 to 1982, the Somerset Hills Airport operated on the property where Lord Stirling Village townhomes are now standing. It was a busy grass field that hosted a flying school, many private planes, and its share of aviation accidents. The intersection of Lord Stirling Road and South Maple Avenue was known to area pilots as, “Crash Corner”, due to the tricky approach to the runway. Through those years, The Company was there to aid those in aviation accidents. This photo shows members of The Company with a 1941 Piper Flitfire. The plane was donated as a raffle prize for the 1941 carnival by the Piper Aircraft Corporation. The current owner of the plane has restored it to like-new condition.

In 1926, the owners of Cerino’s Grocery Store on South Finley donated a small piece of land in front of their store to be used as a Village Green. In 1927,  the local Chevrolet dealer, Ray Moffet, organized a collection for a community Christmas tree to be installed at that spot. Almost every year since then, Basking Ridge Fire Co. No. 1 has located, harvested, installed, and decorated Basking Ridge’s Christmas tree. Members of the company enjoy this holiday tradition and making our town ready for the annual Basking Ridge Community Sing, held on the green every December 24. The Company needs a new tree every year, so anyone with a tree to donate is invited to contact us here.

As Basking Ridge grew, so did the needs of the Fire Company. In 1962, the original 1905 firehouse was torn down to make way for a two bay expansion. In 1965, as Basking Ridge expanded southward, The Company donated an ambulance to help establish the independent Liberty Corner First Aid Squad. In 1975, AT&T opened its world headquarters in Basking Ridge, placing new demands on the Company. By 1976, it was obvious that the firehouse property did not have enough room for more expansion or adequate parking and training grounds. A search for a new location began that year. In this photo, from 1981, the two bay expansion is partly visible on the right side of the photo. At bottom center, the company’s first alarm is featured–a steam locomotive tire that was donated by the Lackawanna Railroad in October 1906. This alarm still stands in front of our current station.

After an extended search, The Company was able to move to its current location at 30 Washington Avenue. The 4.3 acre site provides The Company with room for expansion, training, parking, and entertainment. It has six large bays, meeting rooms, a recreation room, tool rooms, supply rooms, a pole barn, picnic area, and a sports field. The site also has a gate which gives our vehicles direct access to I-287. The photo at left is from 1985, when the headquarters complex was near completion. On that particular day, volunteers were there to help with installing equipment and landscaping.

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.