History of Bedford Road FD

FIRST KNOWN PICTURE OF BRFD, CIRCA 1945. ORIGINAL SECTION OF FIRE HOUSE, AND HOME-MADE ENGINE.

EARLY IN THE FALL ON 1943, SERVERAL MEN OF THE BEDFORD ROAD AREA MET IN VARIOUS HOMES TO DISCUSS THE IMPORTANCE AND POSSABILITIES OF A FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THE AREA. 

ON NOVEMBER 1, 1943 THE BEDFORD ROAD FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS OFFICIALLY ORGANIZED AT THE HOME OF SHERIDAN TEWELL WITH 19 CHARTER MEMBERS.

WITH CIVIL DEFENSE EQUIPMENT FUNISHED BY THE CITY OF CUMBERLAND AND A GMC TRUCK PURCHASED FROM W.C. LIGHT FOR $100, IN MARCH OF 1944 WORK WAS STARTED ON TRUCK #1 IN THE BASEMENT OF ALBERT BLAMBLES HOME. TRENCHES WERE DUG IN THE BASEMENT FLOOR SO THEY COULD GET THE TRUCK IN BECAUSE IT WAS TOO HIGH. JUNE 1944 BROUGHT COMPLETION OF THE TRUCK AND BEDFORD ROAD BECAME AN AUXILIARY FIRE COMPANY TO THE CITY OF CUMBERLAND. 

BEFORE OBTAINING A BUILDING, MEETINGS, AND CARD PARTIES WERE HELD IN MEMEBRS HOMES, FESTIVALS AND SUPPERS AT TWO LOCAL CHURCHES CENTENARY & ZION. LOCAL MERCHANTS WERE GENEROUS WITH DONATIONS TO BE USED, SOLD CHANCED OFF OR GIVEN AS PRIZES. 

REALIZING THE NEED FOR A FIRE HOUSE, IN MARCH OF 1944, A $50 DOWN PAYMENT WAS MADE TO MRS. ADALINE MAUK FOR LOT #10 IN MAUKS ADDITION. THE PURCHASE PRICE WAS $550. THE BUILDING WAS TO BE A 2 STORY, 30X30 WITHOUT A BASEMENT. THE WORK WAS DONE BY THE FIREMEN AND THE FIRST MEETING IN THE NEW HALL WAS HELD JANUARY 5, 1945, WITH NEW OFFICERS BEING INSTALLED THAT NIGHT. THE BUILDING WAS RENTED FOR $5 FOR BOTH FLOORS.

BEDFORD ROAD JOINED THE STATE ASSOCIATION IN JUNE OF 1944, AND WAS HOST TO THEIR FIRST COUNTY ASSOCIATION MEETING IN JULY 1945.

DURING THE WINTER, RED CROSS INSTRCUTIONS WERE GIVEN TO THE FIREMEN AND SEVERAL MEN ENROLLED IN BASIC FIRE TRAINIG COURSES. 

THE FIRST NEW FIRE TRUCK WAS PURCHASED IN 1947 FROM HEISKELL MOTORS IN FROSTBURG. THE 1947 HEAVY DUTY FORD CHASSIS WAS TAKEN TO OREN FIRE EQUIPMENT IN ROANOKE, VA FOR BODY WORK. THE TRUCK WAS PAID FOR MOSTLY BY DONATIONS FROM PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. THE FIREMEN USE TO TAKE UP DONATIONS AMONG THEMSELVES TO BUY PROTECTIVE RUNNING GEAR AND SOME EQUIPMENT FOR THE TRUCK. 

BY THE FALL OF 1948 THE NEW FIRE TRUCK WAS PROUDLY PLACED IN SERVICE BY CHIEF FRED PURNELL AND HIS FELLOW MEN. THE DREAM OF A YOUNG FIRE DEPARTMENT AND ITS COMMUNITY HAD BEEN REALIZED. 

IN 1952 A 30X30 ADDITION WAS CONSTRUCTED BY FRED ZEMBOWER, AND WAS DEDICATED IN NOVEMBER. THE ADDITION MADE ROOM FOR A KITCHEN, FURNACE ROOM, REST ROOMS AND A LARGER DINING ARE ON THE SECOND FLOOR. 

A MACK TRUCK WAS PURCHASED FROM COCA COLA IN 1953 AND THE MEN REBUILT IT INTO A TANKER. BECAUSE MANY HOMES IN THE AREA HAD WELLS OR CISTERNS THAT WENT DRY DURING DRY WEATHER, REQUIRING WATER TO BE HAULED TO THEM, THE DEPARTMENT COATED THE INSIDE OF THE TRUCK TO HAUL CITY WATER TO THEM.

IN 1958 THEY BOUGHT A 1954 FORD FIRE TRUCK FROM FORESTVILLE FD IN PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY, MD & ADDED A THIRD BAY TO THE ENGINE ROOM TO HOUSE IT.

IN 1959 THE DEPARTMENT STARTED HOLDING THEIR ANNUAL INSTALLATION DINNER.

IN 1960, CIVIL DEFENSE OFFERED THE DEPARTMENT A TRUCK FOR RESCUE WORK IF THE MEN WOULD TAKE A 15 WEEK COURSE. THEY DID THIS AN ACQUIRED THE TRUCK WHICH THEN BECAME PROPERTY OF BEDFORD ROAD.

IT BECAME NECESSARY TO REPLACE THE MACK SO THEY BOUGHT A 1961 FORD. CARL TWIGG DREW PLANS FOR THE TANK BED AND THE MEN BUILT THEMSELVES ANOTHER TANKER, WITH A COATED INSIDE. 

IN THE EARLY 1960S THE CHIEFS OF BEDFORD ROAD & BEDFORD, PA CONFERRED ABOUT FIRE PROTECTION FOR THE CENTERVILLE AREA AND DECIDED THAT SINCE BEDFORD ROAD WAS CLOSER & KNEW THE AREA BETTER THEY WOULD GIVE THESE RESIDENTS THEIR SERVICES, WHICH STILL STANDS TRUE TO THIS DAY. 

IN 1970, THE DEPARTMENT APPLIED FOR AND APPROVED A FIRE TAX IN THE BEDFORD ROAD AREA, WHICH STILL HOLDS TO THIS DAY. 

THE YEARS FOLLWOING THIS ARTICLE THAT WAS FOUND IN A 1976 CONVENTION BOOK, THE DEPARTMENT PURCHASED NUMEROUS NEW PIECES OF APPARATUS. A 1978 FMC ENGINE THAT WAS KNOWN AS ENGINE 3-12, A 1988 FMC ENGINE TANKER KNOWN AS 3-20. ET3-20, A HALF CLOSED CAB 1500 GALLON ENGINE TANKER REMAINED IN SERVICE UNIT 2016, WHEN THE CURRENT ENGINE TANKER RELPACED IT.

IN 1985, THE FINAL ADDITION TO THE FIRE HOUSE WAS STARTED, ADDING AN ADDITIONAL 2 BAYS FOR A TOTAL OF 5. THIS WORK WAS DONE BY HAND, JUST AS THE ADDITIONS BEFORE. 

IN 1995 THE DEPARTMENT CONSTRUCTED THE CURRENT COMMUNITY HALL. THE HALL, ONE OF THE LARGEST AND MOST UP TO DATE OF ITS TIME HELD BINGO 3 TIMES A WEEK FOR NEARLY 2 DECADES. IT NOW CURRENTLY HOLDS BINGO 2 NIGHTS A WEEK, PLUS NUMEROUS FUND RAISING EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. 

IN 1997 THE COMPANY PURCHASED A NEW RESCUE TRUCK, KNOWN THEN AS 3-40, LATER RE-NAMED SQUAD 3. THIS PIECE OF APPARATUS REMAINED IN SERVICE UNITL 2018 WHEN IT WAS TOTALED WHILE PROVIDING BARRIER PROTECTION DURING AN ACCIDENT ON I68.

IN 2003 THE DEPARTMENT PURCHASED A KME ENGINE, KNOWN AS 3-11, IT REPLACED THEN ENGINE 3-12. THIS ENGINE WAS SOLD IN 2020 AND WAS REPLACED WITH THE CURRENT LADDER TRUCK.

2005 THE DEPARTMENT STARTED A LIVE-IN PROGRAM. AT THE TIME, OUR DEPARTMENT WAS STRUGGLING, NOT FINACIALLY, BUT WITH MEMBERSHIP. THE DAYTIME RESPONSE RATE DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY AND IN AN EFFORT TO HELP OUR RESPONSE RATE WE TURNED THE OLD HALL IN THE 2ND FLOOR INTO A DORMATORY. A KITCHEN, BATHROOM, AND 4 PRIVATE BEDROOMS BECAME ALL OCCUPIED WITHIN JUST 2 YEARS. THIS HELPED IMPROVE OUR REPSONSES WHICH WERE A STAGGERING 64% FAIL RATE. 

THE LIVE IN PROGRAM STILL STANDS STRONG TODAY, WITH HAVING ATLEAST 1 LIVE-IN EVERY YEAR FOR THE LAST 16 YEARS. 

IN JUNE OF 2020, OUR DEPARTMENT WENT FROM A 100% VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENT TO A COMBINATION DEPARTMENT WHEN WE HIRED OUR FIRST PART TIME DAY-TIME DRIVER. OUR PART TIME DRIVERS COVER SHIFTS THAT USUALLY ARE 6-8 DAYS A MONTH & ARE PAID FOR 100% BY OUR DEPARTMENT. 

AUGUST 2021 IN AN EFFORT TO PROVIDE A FASTER MORE EFFECIENT EMS SERVICE, OUR DEPARTMENT IN CONJUNTION WITH THE LOCAL HOSPITAL AND ALLEGANY COUNTY DES FORMED OUR ALS CHASE VEHICLE. SINCE THE EXISTANCE OF THE DEPARTMENT, WE PROVIDED BASIC LIFE SUPPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY, WE NOW PROVIDE ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT WHICH IS VITAL TO OUR COMMUNITY AND ITS PROXIMITY TO OTHER ALS RESOURCES. OUR 9 FIREFIGHTER/PARAMEDICS REPSOND TO OVER 90% OF OUR YEARLY CALLS.

IN JULY OF 2022, OUR DEPARTMENT SUFFERED THIER FIRST FAILED RESPONSE IN OVER 2 YEARS. OUR DEPARTMENT, WHO JUST A SHORT 15 YEARS PRIOR THAT WAS FAILING TO GET OUT THE DOOR, HAD GONE NEARLY 1200 RUNS SINCE A FAILED CALL. OVER THE LAST 5 YEARS, AT THE TIME OF THIS ARTICLE, THE DEPARTMENT HAD BEEN DISPATCHED ON 2,224 CALLS, REPSONDING 2,209 OF THEM. OUR RESPONSE RATE HAS HELD TRUE AT OVER A 99% RESPONSE RATE. 

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