BOONTON TOWNSHIP — On Monday, June 8, the Mayor and Township Committee presented it Proclamation to the Boonton Township Fire Department on the occasion of its 75th Anniversary. The Proclamation was presented at Firehouse prior to the regular Township Committee meeting.
Before Boonton Township had its own fire department, the Boonton Fire Department answered all calls at a rate of $25 per call. In 1945 increased population made a fire department of our own necessity, and the Township Committee called for volunteers to form a fire company.
On May 22, 1945, twenty-three residents met at the Powerville School, now the Municipal Building, and were sworn in by the Township Clerk. The charter officers were: President, James Cross; Vice President, George Baker; Secretary, Lewis Kyte; Treasurer, Thomas McGarrie; Chief, Franklin Bott; First Assistant Chief, Ray Stickle; Second Assistant Chief, William Morris; Foreman, Ed McCormick; and Assistant Foreman, Cecil Smith.
The Fire Department began operations with two fire trucks. They were military surplus which was purchased fully equipped except for hose and was cleaned and repainted by the members. One truck had a pumping capacity of 300 gallons per minute and a tank capacity of 150 gallons. The other truck had a pumping capacity of 500 gallons per minute and carried 300 gallons of water. The department also owned a Jeep, on which a 65-gallon tank for use in woods was the other trucks could not penetrate. The Jeep carried Indian tanks, floodlights and a gasoline-powered 300-watt generator.
In August 1946 the Fire Department formed a corporation to build a firehouse. A twenty-five-year lease was negotiated with the Equitable Life Assurance Society for the northwest corner lot on Old Denville and Powerville Roads. Then members of the Fire Department offered to furnish the labor to construct the firehouse if the community would furnish the materials. The fund drive proved highly successful and, by Thanksgiving 1946, the building was well underway. On May 27, 1947, the first meeting was held in the new building and the trucks were moved in.
