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ABOUT US Then and Now
Then The Wendelville Volunteer Fire Company (WVFC) was founded in 1921 with the original Incorporation papers listing 29 members. At a meeting held in August 1922, “Mr Albert Leffler promised to give the ground for a fire hall, furnish the hall and lights for meetings, etc…” The fire company served the community in all types of emergency situations and also provided a social aspect to the community with many dances, fundraisers, and the annual field days.Meeting minutes show that the first piece of apparatus was purchased for $2600 with a payment of $1000 on delivery and 3 years to pay the balance.
The first officers were listed as follows: Albert Zeisz – President, Albert Hemmerling – Vice President, Jacob Babel – Treasurer, WilliamKlingelschmidt – Financial Secretary, Norman Smith – Recording Secretary, Albert Boyer – Chief and Jacob Wagner, Jacob Garff and Henry Smith – Directors On “Saturday Evening, June Thirteenth, Nineteen Hundred Thirty-Six” a dedication ceremony was held for the “New Wendelville Fire Hall” located almost directly across the street from the original hall on what is now “Old” Tonawanda Creek Road. The next fire hall was built in 1960 at the current location of the “Main Hall” on the corner of Campbell Boulevard and Tonawanda Creek Road.
After over 40 years of service and pressure from neighboring companies to move into the fire district, a decision was made to expand services and coverage. In the late 1960's a parcel of property was purchased on Main Rd in order to build a substation. Wendelville Hall 2 was dedicated March 2, 1969. Ambulance service was also started in 1969.
THEN NOW Hall #3 was refurbished from an old School House to a Fire Hall in 1971 and is located on East Canal Rd.
Today WVFC maintains all three fire halls, which all house modern firefighting and rescue equipment. The Company also maintains and uses the first building they purchased, (second they occupied). That building is now the “Social Hall” used for housing a gym for members to use for physical fitness and for meeting and training purposes. The “Grove” area is also located here and is still used for the Annual Field Days. The last major building project was done was in 1977 when the main hall was expanded to include a large meeting/banquet hall, a members room and offices.
The current equipment consist of 3 Class “A” pumpers/engines, an ambulance, a brush fire truck, a cold water rescue trailer which carries an all terrain vehicles, 2 small boats with cold water rescue suits, A mule for off road rescue and a fire prevention trailer to educate, serve and protect the Town of Pendleton. Emergency Medical Service now accounts for around 75% of all calls. We are a NYS certified ambulance that provides a BLS level of care. We also utilize paramedic services form local companies. We also provide mutual aid assistance to the neighboring fire companies when needed. Today the WVFC provides emergency services for the Town of Pendleton, which encompasses approx. 27 square miles, and maintains the status of being the only local emergency service provider for the town, creating our slogan “One Town, One Company”.
Last Updated 3/5/13
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