Leominster Firefighting

By Roger H. LaPointe

In 1820, a group of Leominster volunteers formed Engine Company No. 1 "in the interests of protecting the rights of the settlers in case of fire." Since then, more than 1,400 individuals have served as firefighters for the citizens of Leominster, each of them leaving behind a legacy that will never be forgotten. Leominster Firefighting features images, memorabilia, and photographs from the early days of the hand tubs and horse-drawn hose carts of the 1800s to the 20th century when motorized apparatus arrived. It provides a glimpse into the many traditions that have been passed from one generation to the next and a look into how fire has changed Leominster.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
• Release date: Sep 18, 2012
• ISBN: 9781439623510

Roger H. LaPointe

Roger H. LaPointe, a lifelong resident of Leominster, has been a career firefighter since 1982 and is a member of the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 1841. In 1986, he began his research into the history of the department and has shared his findings in numerous publications and lectures.

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INTRODUCTION

It was in 1820 when the townspeople of Leominster took up a subscription in the interests of protecting the rights of the settlers in case of fire. In that year, two hand engines were purchased and designated simply Engine Company 1 and Engine Company 2. These first companies set 15 rules, which included that each member must have two fire buckets with the first letter and surname on it and it must be kept in a handy place at home. At the sounding of church bells, the men would grab their engines and race to the scene. Bucket brigades would be formed to carry water to these engines, and the machines would be pumped to put a stream of water onto the fire.

In July 1846, the town purchased of the W. C. Hunneman Company of Boston its first water engine, which was named Torrent Engine Company 1. Another engine, designated the Union 2, was purchased for the North Village in 1848. These hand engines required that each company have 60 men to operate them efficiently. Four shifts of 12 men, 6 men on each side of the machine, four rows deep, pumping furiously in 15 to 20 seconds and in a split second, the next 6 men would take over. They would have to wait until 1866, when rubber coats were first purchased for the use of the firefighters.

It would not be until May 1868 that the town created a board of engineers to formally organize a fire department. The firefighters were paid $5 per year for their services. Leominster purchased a steam fire engine in 1870, which helped greatly in aiding the firefighters in getting water onto the fire quickly. With the addition of fire hydrants, used for the first time in November 1873, the old hand tubs were disbanded, and four hose companies created in their place: the Monoosnoc, Always Ready, George J. King, and Torrent. As time passed, there came the Washington, Combination, and Franklin.

As the town continued to grow, a ladder company also became necessary, and in 1867, the men of the department, most being tradesmen, built their own hook and ladder wagon, christened the Junior. As the years went by and new ladder wagons were purchased, they would change their name to the Babcock, Young Americans, Wachusett, Independent, Hardscrabble, Excelsior, and Clipper.

The first alarm on the new Stevens Electric Fire Alarm was received on September 12, 1891. Prior to the installation of this system, firefighters relied on the sounding of an alarm on the town bell. If in a northerly direction from the Town Hall, two strokes will be given, a pause and then repeated. If in a southerly direction, three strokes; if east, four strokes and if west five strokes. To call the Fire Department of the North Village a second general alarm will be given.

By the 20th century, there was a need for a more permanent department, and in June 1904, they appointed their first permanent firefighter. In 1912, the first motorized apparatus arrived, motor hose 5, and thus the end of the horse-drawn era began. By 1920, Leominster had grown into a city and formed a permanent department with two platoons working an 84-hour workweek. Leominster firefighters were given their first instructions in rendering first aid on March 8, 1928, when Dr. Grant F. Hartzell of John Hopkins Hospital of Baltimore visited. But it was not until 1946 that the department paid the Ellis Fire Appliance Company $175 for one Scott Air-pak with mask. When it arrived, the members greeted this new technology that would allow them to enter smoke-filled atmospheres safely.

There have been more than 1,400 individuals who have served as members of the Leominster Fire Department since its beginning in 1820, and in nearly every memorable moment in history, they have left their mark. During the influenza epidemic of 1918, which took the lives of more than a half million people in this country, a young firefighter by the name of Paul Corey of Hose Company 3 died from that tragic illness.

These firefighters were war veterans who served their country nobly. They were part of nearly every memorable battle in time, seeing battle at Fredericksburg, Normandy, the Battle of the Bulge, Okinawa, Korea, and Vietnam. They were heroes, receiving the Bronze Star, the Silver Star, the Purple Heart, and numerous battle stars and presidential citations. And there was a young man, firefighter Clifton LeDuc of Hose Company 4, who answered the call to duty in World War I and died as a result of injuries he received while in Europe.

They rode on horseback with the Vermont Mounted Volunteers; they were Seabees; they were members of the Parachute Infantry; there are those who served aboard the USS Wabash, the USS Yorktown, and USS Lexington; and there were tank commanders, air force pilots, and the chosen few. These firefighters have served in every war: the Civil War, Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II, the Korean War, Vietnam, and Iraq. They were members of the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marines, U.S. Coast Guard, and state and national guards.

These firefighters also shared a commitment to serve Leominster, joining fraternal organizations such as the Eagles, the Elks, the Knights of Columbus, and the St. Jean de Baptiste. They were Masons, Odd Fellows, and Rotarians. And in 1954, they began a partnership with the Muscular Dystrophy Association to bring aid and relief to children fighting that disease.

The Leominster firefighters are proud of the history and traditions that have been given to them. I have learned of their deeds and heroism and in doing so have gained a great deal of respect and admiration for these firefighters and their families. In Leominster Firefighting, I hope to share with you these acts, and in that way, their legacy will live on.

One

THE EARLY YEARS