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Health & Fitness

Blog: A History of Heroes in Westminster's Fire Department

The 2012 Westminster Fire Department officers were sworn into office at the Jan. 5, 2012 meeting. These officers become a part of a history in Westminster of volunteers protecting lives and property.

The 2012 slate of officers for the Westminster Fire Engine and Hose Co. No.1 were sworn into office by Steve Wantz, the president of the Carroll County Volunteer Emergency Services Association, at the January 5, 2012 monthly company meeting in John Street Quarters at the firehall.

According to the Westminster Fire Engine and Hose Co. No.1 website, the administrative officers for 2012 are: President - Robert Cumberland, 1st V.P. - Daniel Plunkert, 2nd V.P. - Matt Crise, Treasurer - Robert Ruby, Asst. Treasurer – Caroline Babylon, Secretary - Matt Davis, Asst. Secretary - Todd Leppert, Members at Large - Marvin Hollinger and James Eckard, Historian - Joe Ebaugh, Asst. Historian - Jim Brown, and Chaplain – Kevin Dayhoff.

The fire suppression operations officers sworn into office are: Chief - James Bangerd III, Asst. Chief - James Starry, Captain - Bryan VanFossen, LT 3-1 Jon Haddad, LT 3-2 Nick Krionderis, LT 3-3 Jason Tyler, LT 3-4 Kevin Utz, LT 3-5 Jason Bangerd, Sergeant 3-1 Brian Garbutt, Sergeant 3-2 John Bangerd, EMS Officers Captain- Jared Davis, Lieutenants- Laura Tyler, and Lieutenant- Hugh Hynes

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These officers become a part of an historic legacy in Westminster of volunteers in the community selflessly coming together to take time away from their families to help protect lives and property.

According to research by the Westminster fire department historian, Joe Ebaugh, the minutes from the “Wednesday evening January 15, 1879” noted the first slate of officers under the newly reconstituted volunteer fire company in Westminster.

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“The meeting then proceeded to the election of Officers by ballot for the ensuing year; the following gentlemen were elected; President - Dr. William H. Rippard, lst Vice President - Charles V. Wantz, 2d Vice President - Edwin J. Lawyer, (and) Secretary and Treasurer - Denton S. Gehr(.)”

On the fire suppression side of the department, “Chief Foreman - Frank D. Herr, Assistant Foreman - J. Clarence Mobly, Foreman of the Hook and Ladder Truck - William H. Shaeffer, Foreman of the Chemical Engine - Patrick Callaghan, Assistant Foreman to Hook and Ladder Truck - A. W. Warner, Assistant Foreman to the Chemical Engine - Edward L. Smith …”

Of course, since the first mention of a fire department in the city of Westminster occurred in 1808; why is the slate of officers sworn-in in 1879 part of the ‘first’ officer corps of the department?

In 1808, the Maryland General Assembly “passed an act authorizing the raising of money by lottery to pay for a fire engine…” The Act of the Maryland General Assembly named several “commissioners” who were charged with conducting the lottery.

Even in those early days, they were also some of Westminster’s prominent community leaders. Several were among the first elected officials of the town after the town’s first election in April 1819: James MaHaffee, Jacob Sherman, Daniel Zacharias, John Fisher (the first Burgess of Westminster) and Jacob Yingling.

It took another fifteen years before the fire company was formed. The name of the first fire company in Westminster, formed in 1823, was, the “Union Fire Company of the Town of Westminster.” The first firehouse was on Church Street. 

Another little known tidbit of history is when the “firehouse” was moved from its beginning location on Church Street, to near the intersection of Court Street and Main Street, around 1834, it was also used as a “drunk tank.” 

When a town drunk was picked up, the local authorities would move the firefighting apparatus out of the “firehouse” and lock up the offender inside. Remember, although Westminster had first incorporated in 1818 - 1819; at this time, it was still in Frederick County and there was no “county jail” in Westminster.

In spite of the fact that much of the early leadership of the Fire Company was also the leadership of Westminster city government, in 1851 the Westminster Burgess and Commissioners became so annoyed with the Union Fire Company that it ordered the company disbanded and the equipment sold.

The fire company balked and the dispute raged until 1857 when Westminster city government prevailed, seized the equipment and sold it for scrap. 

After a series of particularly disastrous fires between 1868 and 1879, the newly formed Westminster Fire Engine and Hose Company No. 1 was incorporated in February 1879, in the face of enormous contention.

The Westminster volunteer fire department looks forward to a safe year for you and your friends, neighbors and family – with no contention.

Be safe out there.

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