2007 marked the 75th anniversary of the Southbury Volunteer Firemen’s Association. To say the least, it has been a very interesting three-quarter’s century of service to the town.

Prior to 1932, fire protection in Southbury was spotty at best and nonexistent at worst. Whatever organized fire protection that was available was provided by from the Woodbury Volunteer Fire Department (est. 1895). They charged up to fifty dollars per call for trips to Southbury - a considerable amount in that era. In more remote areas of town, bucket brigades and timely rainfall were the best that could be hoped for in most situations.

 

A visual reminder of this unfortunate state of affairs, “cellar holes” from burned out buildings, too often dotted the landscape. The largest such hole is still visible today at Southford Falls State Park, a remnant of the disastrous Diamond Match fire of 1923. The author was told some years ago by the late David Stiles that this particular fire was visible at his farm on Main Street North, near the Woodbury Town Line, and that it burned for days.

 

To address the growing fire problem, a group of local citizens initiated the formation of a local company of firefighters to service the Town of Southbury. The first meeting of this group was held on October 27, 1932 at the Southbury Community Hall, on Community House Road. This structure, also home to the Grange, still stands today. The meeting was called to order at 8:45 p.m. and was presided over by Milton Coer. During this meeting, the newly formed organization took the name “Southbury Voluntary Fireman’s Association” establishing October 27, 1932 as the founding date of the S.V.F.A. As recorded, the original slate of elected officers included Arza Bennett, Fire Chief; John Reynolds, Foreman; Walter (Bud) Harrison, Secretary; and Carleton Tyler, Treasurer.

 

Noteworthy assistance was rendered to the new SVFA by our neighbors at the Woodbury Fire Department. Chief Tuttle of Woodbury was of great assistance in advising the new department in such matters as standard operating procedures and administrative by-laws.

 

The above history was excerpted from the Association’s original minutes, written in a clear hand and forthright style by past-chief Bud Harrison. A review of these minutes highlights the birth pangs typical to virtually any new organization. Much discussion was given to rules and by-laws and several ideas regarding membership requirements were considered. Discussions were held concerning whether or not members could be from Southford, South Britain, or from out of town. Regrettably, the list of charter members has not survived the ages.

 

 

Due to lack of firefighting equipment, early Association activities consisted mainly of fund raising activities such as card parties and turkey raffles. Such events raised sums of $2.75 and $3.75, amounts not considered low during that era; the 1932-33 winter, the absolute depth of the Great Depression. Later fundraisers included suppers and dances which were held at the Community Hall. These events cleared profits up to $50.00, and net income for the first year was recorded as $417.61.

 

The earliest equipment owned by the Association was purchased in November of 1933 when an Evinrude pump was bought for $175 along with 500-feet of hose - purchased for 55-cents per foot. During this period, early interest by the membership was shown for the purchase of a new truck. This interest became reality on March 15, 1934, when a 1924 Dodge was purchased from Edward Hinman of Main Street North. The cost of the truck was $40, negotiated down from an asking price of $50. Added to the cost of the truck were another five dollars for hose and sixty cents for a siren, for a total cost of $45.60.

 

The truck was put into service after renovations and alterations by the members of the Association. Alterations included the installation of equipment like the pump and the 500 feet of hose, 2 axes, a ladder, 2 shovels, various hose couplings, and a shutoff nozzle. The truck was housed in a garage owned by the St. Pierre family on Main Street North (the site of the present Shell filling station). The first large fire the new truck attended was a call in Oxford, an area without a fire department until 1941. A bill for $50.00 was presented to the homeowner; a common practice during that era. As the Association grew in number and in reputation, considerably more money began coming into the treasury, and by 1934 there was already discussion about the purchase of more apparatus.

 

In late 1934, Chief Bennett was succeeded by Joseph Kamerzel, under whom, the subject of incorporation was first considered. A special meeting was held on June 6, 1935, where using the positive recommendations of an attorney, and the wishes of the membership, the recommendation for incorporation was approved. At this special meeting, all financial assets and equipment belonging to the Southbury Voluntary Firemens’ Association were transferred to the newly created entity, the Southbury Volunteer Firemens’ Association. The original group was dissolved, and all members of the original group were carried into the new one, thereby maintaining its continuity.

 

The first order of business for the new S.V.F.A. was to purchase a new piece of firefighting apparatus. A committee headed by Bud Harrison negotiated the purchase of a 1935 REO truck, which was outfitted by Sanford apparatus of Syracuse, N.Y. This truck, known as Engine 2, cost $3000 when delivered in 1936 and is still owned and maintained by the Association today.

 

Although sketchy, Association records at this time serve to highlight some of the fire activity. For example, the 1938 report records that the Association was called into service a total of twenty times. The call breakdown reads as follows: car fires -10; structure fire-1; brush fires-9. Apparently, many of the brush fires were caused by burning coal cinders from the smoke stacks from the steam powered locomotives of the day. In those days the railroad ran through Southbury along the route of today’s State Bridle path. During periods of dry weather, large lengths of the railroad right-of-way would burn.

 

 

A number of men served as Chief during the Association’s early years. Chiefs Kamerzel, Walker, Walter (Bud) Harrison, and Herbert Sears would succeed Chief Bennett during the period of 1934-45. Chief Sears led the department during the difficult World War II years when military call-ups kept the ranks of active firefighters lower than normal.

 

 

The return to peacetime in 1945 also marked the first-ever S.V.F.A. Clambake. It was held and would be continue to be held for many years at charter member Pete Fleming’s farm on Main Street South, at the rear of the present post office. As an example of how different things were in 1945, the cost of a bushel of clams for this event was $6.00.

 

Kenneth Baldwin became the Association’s sixth Fire Chief in 1945, ushering in an era of long-serving holders of that office. Ken held the office until 1954, resigning his post to become Southbury’s First Selectman. In 1950, during his tenure, the South Britain firehouse was built by the members on land donated by the Mitchell family. It is still in use today and is on the National Registry of Historic Places.

 

Chief Kenneth Baldwin was succeeded by George Stone, Sr., who served until 1965, when he stepped down to assume the post of Fire Marshal; a post which he would hold for the next twenty-seven years. In 1961, during George’s tenure, the original sections of the Center Fire House on Main Street South were completed. Construction also began on Interstate 84 during this time.

 

In 1965, Frank Bradley was elected Chief, and was eventually succeeded in 1967 by Robert Harrison Sr. Chief Harrison, the son of past-Chief Bud Harrison, would remain in office for a remarkable 17-years, leaving the helm in 1984. For perspective, when he assumed the reins of office there was no Heritage Village, no Southbury Plaza, no Pomperaug High School, very little commercial development on Main Street South, and the Center Fire House was half its present size. Southbury was still a small farming community, and the Firemen’s Associationresponded to just over 50 emergencies during his initial year as Chief. By the time he retired from his post in 1984, tremendous development had occurred in Southbury. The town had more than doubled its population with many farms giving way to residential and commercial development. This resulted in the Association answering more than 200 calls a year. To keep up with the growth, a satellite fire station was built in Southford -dedicated to the memory of founding Chief Arza Bennett. Prior to the construction of this station, a tanker had been housed in the Chapel building, owned by past-Chief Kenneth Baldwin, next to the Southford Garage in order to afford fire protection to that area of town. Under Chief Harrison the fleet was also expanded. An 85-foot LTI ladder truck was delivered in 1977, requiring an addition to the Center Fire House to accommodate this new large vehicle.

 

In 1984,Chief Harrison was succeeded by his longtime assistant, Leroy Baldwin, the son of past-Chief Kenneth Baldwin. Chief Baldwin held the post until 1985, eventually succeeded by Joseph Dilley, Jr.

 

Also in 1984, a series of administrative changes took place that shaped the organization to what it is today. Administrative and line officers positions were separated and a Board of Directors was created. The office of Chief Administrative Officer, a 2-year position, was created to relieve the Fire Chief of ever-increasing amounts of paperwork. Arthur Von Holtz held this office, eventually renamed President of the Association in 1987, for four years. He was succeeded by Richard Szanto, who held office until 1992, and then James Haman, who was followed by Art Von Holtz, elected to a second term in 1996. James Haman resumed the Presidency in 1998, followed in 2002 by Carl Butzbach. In 2004, and again in 2006, the association elected James Demetrius, the current President of the Association.

 

Eventually, Chief Dilley was succeeded by R. Allen Brinley Jr., Noble Allen Jr., and Timothy Baldwin. Chief Baldwin, who assumed the post in 1990, is the son and grandson of past Association Chiefs. In 1992, Joseph Dilley once again assumed the office of Fire Chief and eventually was succeeded by Vincent Soares, Robert Bedard, John Stanko, and again by Tim Baldwin. Lyman Gilbert, the current Chief, took office in June of 2006.

 

In September 1986 there occurred the worst fire in the Association’s history when the one-acre horse barn on Roxbury Road - property owned by Steve McAllister -burned to the ground. A general alarm call went out to fight the blaze which killed eighteen prize horses and resulted in over two million dollars worth of property damage. Eight neighboring departments assisted through mutual aid agreements in the containment and extinguishment of the blaze. Recollections of the moment from your writer, who arrived on the first truck to the scene, were of the entire building being engulfed in fire, with pieces of roofing and siding flying all over the area. News coverage of this fire gained national attention as it aired on the primary television networks. 

 

In 1989, a fourth station, on Spruce Brook Road, was constructed to provide protection for the Purchase section of Southbury. It was named in honor of past Chief Kenneth Baldwin and adds considerably to the protection of residents of the Purchase.

 

Now in our 75th year, the S.V.F.A. is a fully equipped, fully trained, modern fire department from which, the community may take great pride. We maintain a fleet of five pumpers, three water tankers, a 102-foot tall aerial tower-ladder, a Heavy Rescue vehicle, a brush truck, a HazMat vehicle, two command cars, and a utility van. We are still 100% volunteer, on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We number over 70 active members and total more than 100 members in all.

 

The SVFA has come a long way with training our membership in recent years because the days of “on-the-job” training are long gone. All incoming members must now pass the Connecticut state Fire Fighter I course within the one-year apprenticeship period. We also conduct regular recurrent training of all active members as mandated by the State of Connecticut and by OSHA. In addition, many of our volunteers seek and maintain advanced qualifications in medical response, Hazardous material response, and specialized rescue. As a result, the town is afforded fire protection in a manner comparable to any major city at a fraction of the cost of maintaining a full-time fire department. To support these capabilities our apparatus, turnout gear, and other equipment are maintained and upgraded regularly using the latest and safest technologies. 

 

The Southbury Volunteer Fireman’s Association has come a long way since October 27, 1932, but one thing has never changed; our willingness and desire to serve the Southbury community…