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HISTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT |
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The Dover Township Volunteer Fire Department has seen many changes since its inception.
Fourteen concerned citizens began the fire department on April 23, 1945. A charter was
granted under Pennsylvania’s Statue for Articles of Incorporation. The fire department was originally called the Weiglestown Volunteer Fire Company. It started in an old school house located on Carlisle Road. The location of the house is the current site of the Advance Auto Parts store. The department started to raise funds at this location to build an apparatus building to house future purchases of fire fighting equipment. A plot of land was purchased on Alta Vista Road where Robin’s Nest Day Care is located. It was purchased for the amount of $1,200.00 sometime in 1954. The engine house was built in 1956 and the first engine, a 1929 Ford Model A Chemical Truck had a home. Much of the volunteers’ time was spent raising funds as opposed to running calls. The fire department had its beginnings. Notification of calls was a slow process as 911 and other means of alerting were not available. Many of the members own phone numbers were listed as emergency numbers. When an emergency occurred, the called member would rush to the firehouse and sound a crank siren alerting the other members of the emergency. The department purchased its first engine with a pump ing 1957. It was a 1945 Buffalo Engine. In 1960 the department purchased a Ward/La France fire engine. The deparment paid $14,000.00 for its new engine. It had a 750 gallon-per-minute pump, 500 gallon water tank and seating for four firefighters. This engine would be the first new engine purchased by the department. In 1965 the Buffalo engine’s body was fitted onto a Chevrolet chassis. A new pump and tank were added giving the department it’s first Tanker. As the township grew, so did the fire department. In 1972 this growth brought about the need for a new engine house. The property of Clair and Dorothy Wagner at 3131 Carlisle Road was acquired for $10,000.00. A new engine house was constructed on this site. The building was built to allow direct access to Route 74. It was a 3 bay, 42 by 84 foot building. It was able to hold 6 pieces of apparatus as well as a lounge and storage areas. It was completed at a cost of $48,000.00. 1976 was a big year of growth for the department as it added 2 new pieces. The department bought a Ford/Seagrave engine for the cost of $65,000.00. The engine had a 1,000 gallon-per-minute pump and a 750-gallon water tank. This engine remained in service until its replacement in 1990. It also placed into service a Rescue Vehicle. It was a 1970 GMC cargo van with rescue and medical related equipment in place. It also carried the first hydraulic Hurst Rescue tool for the department. 1981 brought the first brush truck to the department. The members assembled this vehicle from a 1960 Jeep. It was outfitted with a roll cage and various tools used to fight brush fires. This vehicle remained with the department until it’s replacement in 1994. In 1982, another new engine was added to replace the 1960 engine. A Pierce/Arrow engine was delivered to the department. It had a 750-gallon tank with a 1000 gallon-per-minute pump. This engine remained in service until its replacement in 2001. 1986 brought a new rescue unit to the department. The department took delivery of a Pierce/Dash rescue vehicle. It carried 6 personnel with medical and other rescue related equipment. This vehicle served the department until its replacement in 1997. The Dover Township area was expanding rapidly, as was the fire department. Alarms, equipment, maintenance, insurance and utilities were all taking more money and more time to raise that money. In 1981 the department entered into an agreement with Dover Township to receive tax money to assist its operation. With this agreement came the change of the department from Weiglestown Volunteer Fire Company to the Dover Township Volunteer Fire Department. 1990 brought about yet another change for the department. In October, the department gave the township the deeds to its three properties in exchange for a 50-year lease on a new state of the art station built on Davidsburg Road, its current site. Paul Lehr donated the land that the station and Community Building sits. In December 1990, the department took delivery of another new piece of apparatus. A Pierce/Dash Engine/Tanker was delivered. It has a 1500-gallon tank and a 1250-gallon per minute pump. This new piece replaced the 1976 Seagrave engine. The brush truck was replaced in 1994 by an AM/General hummer. The department outfitted it with a 200-gallon tank with a 500 gallon-per-minute pump. It holds 4 firefighters with an ample complement of brush firefighting tools. A new rescue unit was purchased in 1997 to replace the current vehicle. The new vehicle is a Pierce/Saber. It cost $128,500.00 when delivered. This new vehicle has a light tower, enclosed seating for 6 personnel, an air-conditioned crew area as well as new hydraulic rescue tools. This is the current vehicle the department uses for rescue services. The 1982 engine was replaced in 2001 with a new Pierce/Dash 2000 engine. It was ordered to have a 2000 gallon-per-minute pump with a 750-gallon water tank to meet the needs of the township in the future. It has a thermal image camera used to detect fires as well as a complement of firefighting tools. The department has seen much growth and change since its beginnings. While the times change, the needs do not. The goal of the department has always been to serve and protect the residents of Dover Township and the surrounding areas. The department has grown and added equipment to meet the needs and will continue to do so into the future. |
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PAST CHIEF'S |
PAST PRESIDENT'S |
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1956-1958: Arthur Weigel, Jr 1959-1960: Lloyd Walton 1960-1975: Arthur Weigel, Jr 1976-1978: Dennis Raber 1979-1982: Barry Emig 1983-1985: Gary Shearer 1986-1991: Barry Emig 1992-1995: Russ Shive 1996-1997: Jeff Wolf 1997-1998: Glenn Jansen 1999-2002: Tom Baldwin 2003-2006: Wayne Latchaw 2007-2007: Glenn Jansen 2008-Present: Wayne Latchaw |
1945-?: Ernest Albaugh
1st President, time of service not known 1950’s-: Furmen Sowers and Herbert Dahlmyer, Exact times are unknown 1959-1960: Ted Ausherman 1961-1964: Larry Eash 1965-1971: Bill Mackinson 1972-1973: Unknown 1973-1974: William Weaver 1975-1977: Russ Shive 1978-1979: Albert Loeper 1979-1984: Arthur Weigel, Jr 1985-1986: Russ Shive 1987-1988: Richard Peters 1988-1989: Russ Shive 1990-1995: Gary Shearer 1996-1998: Russ Shive 1999-2001: Phil Blazosky 2002-2003: Russ Shive 2004-2005: Brad Kraft 2005-2006: Chuck Delauter 2007-2007: Alan Wallace 2008-Present: David Faust |
