History of the West End Fire Company No.3

 The 3rd Fire Company was formed to Protect Phoenixville’s West End Area  

              The disastrous Perseverance Knitting Mill fire of 1906 was what prompted the men of the West End section of Phoenixville to form a fire company to better protect their area.  As they gathered around the smoldering mill’s remains, the men agreed that although the fire department had done its best, the distribution of fire protection in the borough was inadequate.  Consequently, they called a meeting the following Sunday in the Taney Building, 556 West Bridge Street, however, bad weather caused poor attendance.  To secure a more representative group another meeting was called the following week and the West End Fire Company was formed on October 16, 1906.

The organization was chartered April 3, 1907, as the West End Fire Company No. 3 of Phoenixville and the following men were elected as West End’s first officers:

Clarence Epright, President

Archie Hoyle, Vice President

William M. Davis, Secretary

Charles F. Bader, Treasurer

Maurice Reber, John W. Cullen and Harry Biehl, Trustees

Mahlon S. Smith, Foreman.

The use of a barn on Pennsylvania Avenue as a permanent meeting place was soon granted to the new company by a Mr. Stull and a hand pulled hose cart was donated by the Phoenix Hose, Hook and Ladder Company No.1 as West End’s first piece of apparatus.  Hauling the hose cart to and from fires by hand was a long hard job, but the hauling was faithfully done until the Doebling brothers began to utilize the horse from their bakery wagon as a quicker means to transport the hose cart, thus saving the men’s energy for their firefighting duties.

At the Company’s first meeting, the new firemen decided that West End would become a first rate unit with its own quarters and equipment.  To attain these goals, determined members organized money making ventures including chancing off a $2.50 gold piece, collecting and bailing paper, selling ice cream, and sponsoring festivals, fairs, carnivals and movie benefits. 

Only 8 months after their organization, West End was able to purchase a lot at the corner of West Bridge Street and Pennsylvania Avenue for $325. The date was June 1, 1907. In two years, ground was broken for a new fire house that was built with Chester County limestone at a total cost of $9,000.

Struggle after struggle presented itself to the young Company in the form of financial difficulties but determined to clear them selves of debt, the firefighters worked very hard and were able to pay off their mortgage by October 16, 1915.

Updating their equipment to match its modern surroundings, West End purchased a new American La France pumper for $6,500 in 1917.  Phoenixville’s first ambulance was purchased by Phoenixville Hospital in the same year and was housed in West End’s building at the Hospital’s request.  In assuming another obligation to the surrounding area, West End agreed by contract to furnish a full time ambulance driver at a pay rate of $20 per month.  John Goodman became the first driver, followed by Clarence D. Holman in 1918.

Looking to the future and a possible need for expansion, in 1930 the members bought two lots adjoining the firehouse on the West Bridge Street side for $825.

It was determined in 1935 that another ambulance was needed to support the needs of the community.  A committee to raise the necessary funds was established and consisted of William Davis, Howard Dewees and Homer H. Werner.  The committee organized two fundraising events, with the first event being a concert by the Ringgold Band of Reading and entertainment by the Pickard Family, at Memorial Junior High School.  Later in the summer the committee held a carnival as its second event to raise the funds required to purchase the ambulance.  With the proceeds of the fund raising events totaling $1,630, the West End covered the balance and purchased the new ambulance from the A.J. Miller Body Company for $2,296.64.

Three years later on October 28, 1938 West End took delivery of a new 750gpm Mack Fire Truck.  This new truck cost the company $9,000 and arrived just in time to participate in its first fire on November 5,1938.

Cornerstone ceremonies for a new apparatus room took place on August 6, 1938, and by the following October 29, the construction was completed at a cost of $15,000.  Joint dedication and housing ceremonies for the new apparatus room occurred on September 16, 1939.  With the growth of the Company, both in membership and in equipment soon necessitated even more room. In the fall of 1941 the social quarters were moved to the first floor of the main building.

After being released from the contract with the hospital, the West End Fire Company developed an innovatively unique and extensive service in September 1946 for Phoenixville families, known as the Ambulance Fund.  The Ambulance Fund offered to local families unlimited ambulance service for $1 a year.  To implement the new service, new ambulances were necessary and the ambulance committee, decided to buy a Sayer-Scoville body on a Cadillac chassis for $7,141. Delivery of the new ambulance took place in February 1947.

In 1947, with the approval of the Company’s membership the women of West End formed an auxiliary to assist firefighters in the area.  Under the direction of President Sadie Dawson the group quickly made a difference by presenting the company a new E. and J. triple combination inhalator, aspirator and resuscitator, one of the most modern of its kind at the time, on August 5, 1947.

In commemoration of Phoenixville’s Centennial and the Fire Department’s 75th Anniversary in 1949, West End decided to purchase another Sayer-Scoville ambulance to replace the old Miller which had been in operation since 1935.

            In 1958 West End continued to keep its apparatus up to date with the purchase of a new Sayer-Scoville ambulance on a Cadillac chassis and a second Mack C Model 750 gpm pumper.  Following in the typical West End fashion the pumper was very innovative for its day in that it contained both jump seats and an automatic transmission.  It is very possible that West End was one of the first fire companies in the area to utilize a pumper of this nature in its operation. 

In the period between 1958 and 1967, the Company had purchased and replaced two ambulances to meet the growing demands of the community, which were both replaced in 1969.  In 1970, the Company housed two fire engines and two ambulances in a rather small apparatus room that was built in 1938.  The room also had sleeping quarters for the paid driver and small rest room with a shower.  Since the Company was becoming hard pressed for more space and looking towards the future, a committee was formed to plan the construction of a larger apparatus room.  On January 8, 1971, the committee chaired by Vince Fennell along with Life Members Randall Buckwalter, Mahlon Miller and Lewis Ullman broke ground for a six bay apparatus room with offices, storage space for equipment, and a larger bedroom and rest room.  The new apparatus room was built to the left of the older buildings and is connected to the apparatus room built in 1938. The new addition was also constructed to have a second floor added to it at a later date if need be.  The members of the company along with the community celebrated the completion of the new addition with a large parade.  The parade and dedication ceremonies were held on September 25, 1971. Members of the West End Fire Company No.3 of Coatesville were on hand as West End of Phoenixville’s “sister” company to assist with the festivities.

Not wasting any time in filling up the new apparatus bay a Mack CF Model 1250 g.p.m. pumper with a 500 gal. tank was purchased in 1972, which was housed in the fall of 1973, along with a new ambulance.  In 1974, the company also purchased a Ford F-350 truck with a Reading utility body, which became West End’s first rescue truck.

During the mid to late 1970’s, the Company’s ambulance call volume for ambulance service rose to the point to where it had placed three ambulances in service, and to this day the ambulances are used so much that they are replaced on a regular basis, about every three to four years.  Also during the late 1970’s purchased a 4-wheel drive Jeep as a brush truck, which served the Company until the late 1980’s.

The next major equipment purchase made by the Company was in 1980.  In 1979, a committee was formed to replace the 1958 C Model Pumper.  The new pumper, a 1980 Mack CF 1250 g.p.m. pumper with a 750 gal tank was delivered during the third week of May in 1980.  On Saturday, September 27, 1980, a joint parade hosted by all three Phoenixville fire companies was held in honor of the housing of West End’s new pumper and the new apparatus being housed by the Phoenix Hose, Hook and Ladder Company, and the Friendship Fire Company No.2.

In the period between 1980 and 1990, the most notable change was the Company started to admit women as members in 1985, after its membership policy was challenged.

In late 1990 and early 1991, a committee was formed to replace the 1974 Ford/Reading rescue truck.  The committee selected and purchased a 1991 Mack MC/4 Guys 18’ walk in rescue that is still in service today.

Today West End continues its tradition of striving to be a first rate fire company.  Current operations consist of two engines, one rescue truck, and five Leader van ambulances.