Vigilant Hose Company No. 1, Shippensburg, Pa., former station

Vigilant Hose Company, No. 1, former station, 129 East King Street, Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. Cumberland County Company 52. Organized February 22, 1843 as the Vigilant Fire Company and re-chartered as the Vigilant Hose Company No. 1 of Shippensburg in 1899. Originally housed at this location in the old Council House located at this same location. The Council House was replaced by the Municipal Building that opened on September 20, 1928. Both the Council House an the Municipal Building were shared with the borough administration and the police department. On June 16, 2012 the Vigilants moved their operation to the newly built Shippensburg Emergency Services Building, along with Shippensburg EMS, at 20 Walnut Bottom Road. The First Church of God purchased the building from the VHC and following major renovations reopened the building for multiple purposes.

Vigilant Hose Company, No. 1, circa 1972

Vigilant Hose Company, No. 1

Shippensburg, Pa.

Circa 1972

Vigilante Engine Company

Vigilante Engine Company, 958 Main Street, Rome, Pa. Bradford County Department 11. (NO information was found while searching the innerwebs. If you have any information please comment) (Found some news articles that show they existed in the mid 1950's)

Clear Creek Fire Authority, Station 4

Clear Creek Fire Authority, Station 4, 750 Brownell Street, Georgetown, Colorado. Clear Creek County. The Georgetown Fire Department  was established in 1868. By the mid 1870's there were four firehouses in Georgetown. In 1970 the Georgetown Fire Department Vigilant #5 was organized and in April of 1972 ground was broken for the new fire station. In 1989 GFD signed an agreement with the Clear Creek Emergency Services General Improvement District to help consolidate the fire services of Clear Creek County. In 1998 they became part of the Clear Creek Fire Authority. The Vigilant #5 station is the only remaining active station in town.

Pictures from the Ramp

To nearly end my week of scans let's visit the firehouse. I joined here in 1980 and actually was around a few years before that. These are some of the apparatus from back in the day. Our 1981 Seagrave, Engine 252. Loved this engine, it's the one I grew up on. Lots of memories. The brush truck and the rescue. 1973 International Tanker (newly refurbished) and 1976 International/Bruco Engine 152. Engine 352 (later to be E152) a 1969 Seagrave (new to us and newly refurbished). The '69 hold a lot of memories as well. And finally our 1963 Seagrave engine. Seen here in it's last year of service. It is an honor to say I've ridden that tail step. Truly a legend.

Line Up

Helmet line up on Engine 152 after the structural burn class at the Franklin County Public Safety Center in Chambersburg, Pa.

Vigilant Fire Company

Vigilant Fire Company, 666 Main Street, West Seneca, NY, Erie County. The Vigilants' are one of six companies making up the West Seneca Fire District. The VFC was established in 1893 and incorporated in 1896. They sponsor the Vigilant Explorer Post #34, an organization for 14 to 20 year olds to learn the basics of fire prevention and protection, similar to a Junior Member program.

Lowes Safety Day 2013

The Vigilant Hose Company along with the rest of the Shippensburg Fire Department and fire companies from around the area showed up for the annual Lowes Safety Day at Lowes in Shippensburg, Pa. Medevac helicopters from Life Lion of Penn State Hershey and LifeNet were also there for public view.

Homes for Our Troops Ride for USMC Sgt. Stinson

Saturday morning the Vigilant Hose Company and other units from the Shippensburg Fire department lined the road leaving the high school to show support to USMC Sgt Zach Stinson. The ride from Shippensburg to Chambersburg was to raise funds and break ground for a new home for Sgt. Stinson and his family being built with help from Homes for our Troops. Sgt. Stinson lost both legs in Afghanistan to an I.E.D. in 2010, his new home will be more accessible to him. Read more in the Sentinel.

Structural Burn Class

Last Sunday I went to get pictures of the structural burn class our department was having. A nice morning turned to rain and wind as soon as lunch was over. But nonetheless these volunteers pressed forward. SBC isn't just a chance to learn but it can be fun. I remember those days. Average age of these firefighters you see here? 20.

129

Picture taken in the final days of the Vigilant Hose Co. No. 1's 129 East King Street Station.

Vigilant Hose Company No. 1, Shippensburg, Pa

Vigilant Hose Company No. 1, Cumberland County Company 52. 20 Walnut Bottom Road, Shippensburg, Pa. Organized on February 22, 1843, Shippensburg Emergency Services Building dedicated June 16, 2012. The building was built jointly with Shippensburg Area EMS (next week). The Vigilant Hose Company was housed in the Council House, at 129 East King Street from 1843 through 1928 when it was replaced by the Municipal Building which was shared with borough council and the police department. Ground was broken at the former site of the Best Western University Lodge in June of 2011. To see the building being constructed visit the SESB blog.

Build it and They Will Come

The day was a success. The celebration brought out our members. Our older members. Members who rode with us back when they were at the university. Family. Friends. Neighbors. And many of our mutual aid companies. I don't think anyone counted or could have guessed. I would say there were a lot of people.

The Push

It is fire department tradition to push the apparatus into a new station. This crowd of testosterone thought they could do it on their own. God bless them for trying.

The March to Our Future

Following the closing ceremonies the members and apparatus started a five block walk to the new station. two blocks into the march the members and apparatus from Shippensburg EMS fell in behind and as a whole we continued through to the Shippensburg Emergency Services Building. Along the way there got to be more and more support from the community and from our fellow firefighters from neighboring companies. Finally arriving home.