Vigilant Hose Company No. 1

This is the Vigilant Hose Company No. 1 of Shippensburg, PA. Organized in February of 1843 they are the oldest active fire department in Shippensburg. With the installation of water lines in the borough the Vigilants re-chartered as the Vigilant Hose Company No. 1 in 1899. In 1932 rural fire service began and M. Garfield Barbour was elected the first rural Fire Chief. A position he held until 1958. The Viggies currently respond to an average of 700 calls per year

The first picture is the current station, built in 1927, it was known as the Municipal Building, sharing it's space with the Borough offices and the Police station. The Borough moved out in 1965 and the Police moved out in 1994. The addition to the west (left) was added by the members in 1969. The Vigilants are currently making plans to build a new station, due to the fact that we have run out of room. The engines barely fit through the doorways and storage and maintenance areas are almost nonexistent.

The second photo is the last fleet picture taken in 2003. In April of last year we replaced Engine 252 with a 2005 E-one pumper.