TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—It has been a busy time for Township of Washington firefighters. Beyond their usual job of keeping us safe, there have been fire truck escorts for Santa Claus, and Christmas tree sales at Memorial Field. And, on Washington Avenue, a major milestone: after moving into that big brand-new firehouse, this week brought the demolition of the old one next door that had served them for nearly 70 years.
The old headquarters stood for so long that it’s all most people in town can remember when it comes to a firehouse. However, it was not the township’s first. The original fire station was a small wooden building that stood across Washington Avenue from the present one. It can be seen behind the men in the photo above dated to 1938.
When our lead photograph was taken, the Township of Washington Fire Department was just four years old—and these men had witnessed a tumultuous beginning.
Up until the 1930s the township had no fire department, and instead relied on Westwood for protection. It made sense at the time; by 1930 the township still had only about 400 residents, compared to Westwood’s 4,900. Westwood received $400 per year to provide fire service to the township, plus $25 extra each time a response was required.
In March 1934 all of that changed very quickly. Suddenly the township had not one fire department, but two, and they were each fighting for recognition.
With the taxpayers tired of paying Westwood for fire service, a group of men met at the home of John Ruddell early in 1934 with the intention of forming a volunteer group to fight fires. Ruddell, who had previously served as mayor, police chief, police commissioner, and held just about every other important job there was in the workings of the township, wanted to be the first fire chief. When that didn’t happen, Ruddell got angry and walked out of the meeting. He and several followers started their own fire company.
In short order, the township had gone from zero to two fire departments. Hall’s group was called the Township of Washington Volunteer Fire Department; Ruddell’s was the Washington Township Volunteer Fire Company Number 1.
It was up to the mayor and council to select an official department for the town, and this brought about a heated controversy. What ensued was a firefighting arms race. The two factions each held membership drives and raised money to be better equipped than the other, with the idea that whichever could purchase a fire truck first would be the superior group. With just 400 residents, everybody knew someone who was involved. Neighbors chose sides and the newspapers called it a civil war.
Both opponents came to the March 7, 1934 council meeting with incorporation papers in hand, insisting on their rights.
“Now,” said Mayor Peter Dykstra, “we come to a problem. Three months ago we didn’t have a fire department. Now we have two. Why don’t you deliver the goods to the township before you are recognized?”
Hall’s Township of Washington Fire Department proved to be much more successful. By August 1934 they had already purchased a chemical truck and hose truck. These were acquired from other towns, then overhauled and repainted. One of them was purchased from Westwood for $15. They had 26 men, a 13-member auxiliary, and had already saved the township $225 by fighting fires in-house as opposed to using Westwood at $25 per call.
Eventually Ruddell’s group disbanded and in 1938 the Township of Washington Fire Department became the official firefighting entity, with the township budgeting $500 a year for equipment. The department members, along with a cute little mascot, can be seen in the photograph above, taken that same year. They are in front of the original firehouse, which was on Washington Avenue across the street from the present one.
This setup served until 1951, when the second firehouse was built. Originally a single-story building with three truck bays, a second floor and two additional truck bays were added in 1965.
The original wooden firehouse, which newspapers described as a “vacant barn,” was targeted twice by arsonists in one month in the summer of 1963. The fires were put out each time. The old structure was later torn down.
— Kristin Beuscher is president of the Pascack Historical Society.