The West Friendship Volunteer Fire Department, Inc.
As World War II was drawing to a close the Minutemen of Company 769 of the Third District of Howard County, a group of civilians organized to protect the citizens from acts of sabotage including fires, were holding their final assembly on September 4, 1944. During this assembly, a meeting was held and the 17 members present voted in favor of organizing a volunteer fire department. Officers were elected and they passed a hat around to take up a collection amongst themselves. In the finest tradition of the fire service and with only $17.40, these men started us on the journey that led us to what is now the West Friendship Volunteer Fire Department.
Meetings were held in Albert Ridgely's garage at the corner of Route 32 and 144 and a siren was mounted on a pole. The men voted to buy a 1928 Buick sedan from Herbert Cross for $100.00 with the understanding that they would pay for it within one year; this became the WFVFD's first fire engine. The 1928 Buick was outfitted by the members with a 500 GPM pump and a 100 gallon tank mounted on the back and was kept in the unheated garage. Only four training drills were held the first year due to the condition of the tires on the fire truck. During the first year they responded to 16 fire calls, including a barn fire that took ten days to finally extinguish. Things were a bit rough in those first few years. While responding to a barn fire one day in 1945 the Buick got a flat tire. After changing the tire and arriving at the fire they soon discovered that they didn't have enough hose to reach the fire so they had to wait for someone to go back to Albert's garage to get more. During heavy snows there were times when the Buick couldn't make it to the fire at all. During the first year however, they did manage to save three barns and two houses.
By the end of 1945 the men had almost $2,000 in the treasury and an order was placed for a new International K-6 chassis to be converted into a fire engine. During the winter of 1946 a heating system was added to Albert's garage to keep the fire engine from freezing up. Back in those days most fire trucks weren't equipped with radios and communicating with each other was a challenge. A blackboard was hung on the door of the garage and the driver had to write the location of the fire on it so others would know where to go.
On January 21, 1946 a group of fireman's wives organized the West Friendship Ladies Auxiliary. Through their fund raising efforts they raised total $113.92 in their first six months and promptly donated $100 to the men. The new truck chassis arrived in February of 1946 and was fitted with the 500 GPM pump and 100 gallon tank from the Buick. The men custom built a fire engine body on the chassis and, with the help of the Ladies, had it paid for by September of 1946.
In December of 1946 the department responded to two tragic fires, one of which claimed the lives of two small children. On December 13, fire destroyed "Kalorama," one of Sykesville's historic homes. A week later an oil stove exploded at a home in Glenelg trapping two small children inside.The house was fully involved upon arrival of the fire department and the children could not be saved.
Winter was the most difficult time for the new fire department and 1947 was one of the worst. During a February blizzard snow drifted across roads as deep as 15 feet in some places. A call came in for a barn fire and the men and their new engine tried desperately to get there. Despite their best efforts they could not make it through the deep snow and the barn containing 1400 chickens was completely destroyed.
On July 15, 1948 there was an auto accident on Route 40 one mile east of West Friendship. The West Friendship Volunteers arrived on the scene to find the auto fully involved in flames. Four people lost their lives and two more were injured, one of whom was not located until the following day when he was found in a daze, wandering around on a nearby farm.
In 1949 three acres of land were acquired on Frederick Road near Albert Ridgely's garage. In 1950 a one story cement block building was constructed with two bays, a meeting room, and kitchen. The Ladies purchased the lumber for kitchen cabinets, a sink, pots and pans, dishes, and all the utensils. The new fire department finally had a home.
In the early 1950’s fire calls were received by the Chief's wife who operated a hand crank that energized the siren. The members that lived outside of hearing distance were called by telephone.
The 1950’s saw some major improvements in communications. In 1951 the first two way radio was installed in the fire engine. At last there was a direct link from the fireground back to the fire station. In 1955 a telephone relay system was installed which allowed the siren to be activated from the Chief’s house or the fire station.
In 1954 the department purchased a new International 500 GPM pumper at the price of $15,000. This was the first factory-built fire engine for the department. The engine was a class A pumper which gave the department a higher rating and helped to lower the fire tax in the Third District. It had plenty of bright chrome. The men were really proud and now they were competing with the “big boys" in Howard County.
On May 14, 1957 the firemen had a close call that could have been a real tragedy for the department. While responding to a report of a fire at Brendel Manor Park (the present Terra Maria housing development) at 9:45 pm, they came upon a tree across the road with wires down. The driver did not see the tree in time, crashed into it, and was slightly injured. Chief Molesworth was pinned in the cab for over an hour and a half but was not injured. Laurel Rescue Squad was called to help with the extrication while men with chain saws worked to cut up the tree.
One of the biggest fires in 1957 was the Sykesville High School fire which resulted in a $375,000 loss. West Friendship responded to the fire with ten men and one engine to assist Sykesville. Another big fire was in July of 1957 at the Millard Justice Farm.
1958 was the beginning of a new era in the Howard County Fire Service with the start of Central Alarm. Fire calls were received at one central location which then alerted the proper station via radio communications. The first radio monitors used by the members were converted taxi-cab radios that were modified to receive fire calls.
As the 1950’s drew to a close the need for more equipment was beginning to be realized and plans were being made to enlarge the fire station to include another bay and a second floor.
In 1961 the fire station was expanded to include another bay and a second floor. On Sunday, October 22, 1961 the building was formally dedicated at an open house ceremony. The building was completely furnished at an additional cost of $16,000. The completion of this addition was greatly appreciated as the need for more equipment to serve the 3rd district was beginning to be felt. Also in 1961, the Ladies Auxiliary began a long standing tradition of serving dinner to Glenwood Lions at the Lions Club meetings that were held at the fire station twice a month.
The only major airlines disaster in Howard County occurred in the Third District on November 23, 1962. A four engine United Airlines Viscount airliner with 17 people aboard had a mid-air collision with a large bird believed to be a whistling swan. The stabilizer was torn off of the rear of the plane and the aircraft crashed on the Gaither farm near the intersection of Homewood Road and Route 108. Fire and rescue equipment responding from West Friendship, Clarksville, Ellicott City, and Elkridge found the center of the wreckage burning fiercely from the white hot magnesium. Debris was scattered over a wide area and the search for survivors was futile. All 17 souls aboard died in the crash.
On the morning of April 17, 1963 a brush fire started near Gorsuch Switch Road in Carroll County. Pushed by dry winds, the fire traveled along the Patapsco River Valley and into Howard County. At 11:30 a.m. the West Friendship Volunteer Fire Department joined other departments already engaged in the battle. They were met head on by a raging fire that traveled through brush, fields, and across the tops of pine trees becoming a crown fire. Hoses had little effect and the firefighters could do no more than stand and watch as the fire consumed anything that got in its way.
The fire jumped across roads and back and forth across the Patapsco River as the firefighters tried to gain control of the flames. Fire departments responded from Howard, Carroll, and Baltimore counties with mutual aid companies called in from as far away as Pennsylvania and Virginia. They were joined by bulldozers and heavy equipment from the forest service and the U.S. Army stationed at Fort Meade. The fire burned for most of the day into the night before being brought under control. When the fire finally was stopped, it reached all the way to Henryton and had blackened several hundred acres. Several houses and barns were destroyed.
In 1965 a second International chassis Class A rated 750 GPM pumper was purchased at a cost of $25,000. During this time the department also purchased a Jeep from Liberty Road Volunteer Fire Department for $2,000.
Another major aircraft incident occurred in 1967 when an Army C-47 cargo plane made an emergency landing on the Mercer Farm on Route 144 near Triadelphia Road. The aircraft was enroute to Aberdeen on November 21 when its right engine caught fire. The pilot made an emergency landing in a field at 09:49 a.m. The right landing gear failed to operate and the plane skidded about a quarter mile before coming to a stop. Firefighters from West Friendship were the first to arrive on the scene and were confronted with the right wing and fuselage in flames. Hampered in their efforts by lack of water, they managed to contain the blaze until help arrived to extinguish the fire. The three crew members on the aircraft were not injured. The fire departments involved, West Friendship, Lisbon, Clarksville, Ellicott City, and Elkridge were later commended by the U.S. Army for their efforts in containing the fire.
The first Emergency Medical Services in the West Friendship area was a result of the combined efforts of the Glenwood Lions Club and the West Friendship Volunteer Fire Department. The very first ambulance, a 1964 Cadillac, was purchased by the fire department in January of 1969. The firemen were assisted in their endeavor by a generous donation from the Glenwood Lions Club.
To operate the ambulance 36 people took advanced first aid training. Six of these members were women who were members of the Ladies Auxiliary and were among the first women in Howard County to ride as ambulance attendants. During the first year of operation the ambulance responded to 210 calls. The following year a 1970 Swab ambulance was placed in service.
During the same time period the department purchased a 300 GPM four-wheel drive International brush truck.
On October 26, 1977 the West Friendship Junior Fire Department was organized with seven members, all 13 years old. The Juniors were invited to all regular and training meetings of the general membership. This included CPR training, house burning drills, and air mask training. In addition the Juniors were very active cleaning the firehouse and equipment, working at the suppers and county fair, and attending parades. They conducted their own fundraising and by the end of 1978 they had a total of $214 in their treasury which was used to purchase their own uniforms and a volleyball net to be used at the firehouse.
In 1978, the department purchased a Chevrolet utility van for $10,000 and replaced the Ford ambulance with a Chevrolet with a Springfield body at a cost of $32,000. The department also placed a new 2,000 gallon tanker in service that was provided by the county.
Due to the increasing need for more equipment and manpower, the members voted on constructing an addition onto the existing building which would be utilized for more equipment and a bunk room for the volunteers which would enable more personnel to be more readily available to respond. This $70,000 addition was completed in 1979 along with the purchase of a $14,000 Jeep, called Brush 38, and a new 1,000 gallon engine called Engine 31.
In 1983 the need for a Medic Unit for cardiac patients evolved and at this time, part time paid Cardiac Rescue Technicians were hired by Station 3, responding on "Medic 35" which was equipped for advanced life support.
As the computerization age dawned it was time for the department to begin keeping records on a computer of its own, so in 1985 an IBM personal computer was purchased and used for ease of record keeping. Also the need for Cardiac Rescue Technicians grew from a position that was 8 hours a day, five days a week to one that was 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
A four wheel drive Chevrolet Suburban replaced the old Utility 3 in 1986. The purchase price was $15,000.
1987 was a busy year with the purchase of a new one ton four-wheel drive Ford Special Unit at the price of $57,000 to replace old Brush 37. A new air cascade unit was installed in the station for the purpose of filling our own self contained breathing apparatus. An upgrade to the computer system was also completed in 1987 with the purchase of new software, a telephone line, and a modem so that we could, in the future, be connected to the county network.
When 1988 came so did the need for a Medic Unit, and for $56,000 a Ford Econoline diesel was purchased.
In 1989 the Junior Fire Department was reorganized as the Cadet Firefighter program. Membership was open to anyone 12 through 16 years old and they continued with Fire and EMS training and fundraising. Between 1989 and 1995 thirty young people participated as cadet members of the department.
In 1990 renovations to the old firehouse began at an approximate cost of $500,000. The new addition included a new engine bay, more bunk rooms, a bigger meeting room, and offices. A water tank to hold 10,000 gallons was also installed to the rear of the new addition. In 1991 a new piece of apparatus, Engine Tanker 3 (later designated Engine 34) was placed in service. On April 14, 1991 an open house was held and both the new tanker and the new firehouse addition were dedicated to former Chief Earl Molesworth and his wife Mrs. Mildred Molesworth.
On April 19, 1991 the Ladies Auxiliary voted to change their name to the “Auxiliary of the West Friendship Volunteer Fire Department.” to better represent the auxiliary which now included men as members. Also in 1991, the Howard County Volunteer Fireman’s Association purchased a canteen unit designated as Canteen 1. The new canteen provided support to firefighters on incident scenes and was staffed by members of the participating volunteer fire departments and auxiliaries. This unit was later replaced in 2009 by a piece of apparatus known as Rehab 1, provided by the county and staffed by the volunteers.
On August 28, 1992, an F1 tornado touched down in West Friendship starting on Walt Ann Drive, destroying one home, damaging dozens more, injuring two people, and continuing on a path to Route 32, destroying over 1000 trees before ending up at the Howard County Fairgrounds on Route 144 where it damaged several trailers. The West Friendship VFD was first on the scene at Walt Ann drive where it was necessary to extricate the injured from a home destroyed by the storm. Fire department personnel went door to door along the tornado’s path checking for injured persons, assisting homeowners and assessing damages. The department remained on the scene until the next day providing assistance to the neighborhood.
The present duty crew system has its beginnings in 1992 when members were requested to provide overnight coverage by sleeping in at the station between the hours of 7:00 PM and 7:00 AM, seven days a week. Crews were assigned and the membership was successful in staffing these duty crews so that we now had a system whereby it was assured that someone would be available to answer the call during the overnight hours. Our By-Laws were later amended to make it mandatory that all new members are now required to serve on a duty crew.
To enhance communications within the membership the department started its own monthly newsletter in 1993. “The Flashover” contained information from the Chief, the President, and various officers and members of the department. The newsletter was mailed out to each member of the department. Articles focused on safety, training, duty crew news and items of general interest. “The Flashover” publication continued until 2006, although later versions were posted on our new website.
In 1993 the department made its farthest mutual aid response in history when Engine 34 was requested at the scene of a fire at the Associated Tire Distributors in Inwood, West Virginia. E34 joined 130 fire departments and over 200 firefighters from four states along with units from the US Army and Air National Guard in battling a 10 acre fire involving over 250,000 used tires. Other units from Howard County included Tanker 5 (Fifth District VFD) and members of the Savage VFC. Units remained on the scene for over 36 hours.
The department celebrated its 50th Anniversary on November 12, 1994 at the Turf Valley Country Club. All members past and present were invited to attend. Music was provided by the “Hub Caps” rock and roll band and awards were presented. Each member had their photos taken and all were included in a “50th Anniversary History Book” which was later presented to each member.
In the fall of 2003 the department purchased a new piece of apparatus know as a quint, which could perform five functions. The 95 foot aerial tower was designated as Tower 3 and gave the department a new fireground capability as a ladder company. The unit remained in service until January of 2012 when it was replaced with a new tower.
In 2005 the membership voted to allow the Howard County Department Of Fire and Rescue Services to begin staffing the department with career firefighters to supplement the volunteers and part time personnel. This decision was made in order to better serve the community with enhanced staffing capabilities.
Through the generosity of the family of one of our charter members, the WFVFD acquired a parcel of land at the intersection of Rt. 32 and Old Frederick Road. In 2006 the department entered into an agreement with Howard County for the purpose of building a new, modern, state of the art fire station. A ground breaking ceremony was held on October 15, 2006. On April 5, 2009 the old fire station at 12460 Frederick Road was closed. The flag was taken down for the last time and the membership marched together to the new station and hoisted the flag over our new building.
A dedication ceremony and open house for the new station was held on April 19, 2009. The two story L-shaped building has a drive-through engine bay in one wing and an EMS bay in the other wing. The building has 21 individual bunk rooms, meeting rooms, office space for both volunteer and career personnel, an executive conference room, an exercise/weight training room, a TV room with theater seating, a large kitchen and dining area, a four bedroom dormitory for live-in members, a modern watch office and lobby, and many other amenities too numerous to mention.
The Department continues to update its fleet, taking delivery of a 2011 Rosenbauer Spartan Gladiator engine in July 2011 (Engine 32) and a 2012 Rosenbauer Spartan Gladiator Cobra 104' tower in March 2013 (Tower 3). A Kawasaki Mule utility vehicle (known as ATV 3) and trailer were purchased in 2014 followed by a 3400 gallon US Tanker International tanker (Tanker 34) in 2016 and a second ATV and trailer in 2019. These equipment purchases were made possible by the generosity of the West Friendship community and our ongoing fundraising efforts including booths at the Howard County Fair.
In 2019 the department celebrated its 75th Anniversary with a banquet at the Ten Oaks Ballroom. Each member was given a digital copy of the 75th Anniversary video that the department commissioned and which is linked to above.
Our new facility and modern apparatus represents a quantum leap from the hand built 1928 Buick fire truck kept in Albert Ridgely’s garage in 1944. The Company, as a whole, has grown steadily over the years and there is always room for more members. Come and help us as we continue to grow and learn with us as we look to the future to serve our community in the best possible way.
