THE HISTORY OF BOWLEYS QUARTERS VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT 1945 TO 2007
Before the end of World War II, our waterfront communities were made up of mostly summer cottages with few full time residents. From this small group can the "community volunteer" that had the most to gain from adequate fire protection and rescue service. They also had the most to lose without it. As the war drew to a close and the Civilian Defense group was about to disband, several interested citizens decided that our community should not be without fire protection. This auxiliary fire group became the Community Volunteer Fire Department of Bowleys Quarter and Vicinity in September of 1945.
The first piece of equipment was a 1929 Packard and Trailer Pump (equipped with buckets, brooms, rakes, stirrup pumps, Indian tanks and very little hose), which served the community until August 1947. Mr. Peltzer and his wife Dorothy provided us with a meeting place a site for the first firehouse and answered emergency calls for many years, day and night. A special phone was in the corner of their store, where the call would be taken, and instructions concerning the location and nature of the emergency would be "hollered" out the door to the firemen after they arrived at the sound of the siren. The first fireman to get to the station was the "driver".
The fire company joined the Maryland State Firemen's Association and the Baltimore County Firemen's Association in 1945 and have been members ever since. In 1947 the ladies voted to join the Ladies Auxiliary to the Baltimore County Volunteer Firemen's Association and the Ladies Auxiliary to the Maryland State Firemen's Association. Our Ladies Auxiliary has been privileged to have members elected to office in both the Baltimore County and the Maryland State Ladies Auxiliaries.
The Fire Company purchased a new pumper from Mack Motor Truck Corporation in August 1947. This truck came fully equipped and was capable of pumping 500 gallons per minute, had 2500 feet of hose lines, was highly mobile and light weight, and would be used to draft water from tidal rivers which surround this area. Also, a Boyer Jeep with a large capacity pump mounted on the chassis was purchased and delivered in late July 1947, putting into service two "modern" pieces of equipment.
Mr. Ewald Schlagg and the Bowleys Quarters Community donated two joining parcels of property, where our station now stands, for a new fire station in 1946. We spent $5,675 for clearing and filling the property.
In July of 1951 a contract was signed with Anchor Construction Company to erect a building 111'x65' at a cost of $43,719, carrying a mortgage of $30,056, payable at $100 per week for ten years. On November 4, 1951 this building was dedicated with an appropriate ceremony and only five years later in August of 1956 the mortgage was paid in full and celebrated with a mortgage burning ceremony with the Ladies Auxiliary contributing $14,275 towards the debt. We built and equipped a coatroom, kitchen, pantry and bar, with storerooms and office overhead, and have added many other improvements to our building including a meeting room in the rear of the kitchen.
Many additions have made our building what it is today. On January 17, 1958 our new four bay fire station in the front of the hall was dedicated, costing $42,895.67. It was equipped with a radio room, bathrooms and shower, shop area and recreation room. In 1986 the recreation room was divided in half to provide a bunkroom. New storage facilities and a captain's office were added in 1991 and the new hall entrance and bridal party room was constructed in 1994.
Continuing to upgrade the equipment, in September of 1956 a one and a half-ton Panel Body Chevrolet Truck was purchased and equipped for rescue work. It became affectionately known as the "Pie Wagon". A 16-foot rowboat, specially equipped, was donated by the Maryland Marine Boat Company and a trailer, outboard and dragging equipment were purchased. This Rescue Unit was replaced in 1959 by a White Truck converted for rescue work with floodlights.
On November 5, 1961 a new Mack Pumper (cab forward) was purchased for $28,000, unequipped. It was capable of pumping 750 GPM.
In 1964 a Jeep C14 Brush Unit, for field and brush fires, was purchased. This unit was later sold to Galloway Creek Marina. In 1965, a Dodge Heavy Rescue Truck, with floodlights, replaced the '59 White Truck. In 1972 a new Mack Pumper (1000 GPM) was purchased to replace the '47 Mack. In 1981 the Dodge Utility unit was purchased to carry additional personnel to the emergency scene. It also carried hand tools and medical assist items. In 1979 another Mack Pumper, a twin to the '72, replaced the '61 Pumper. Capable of pumping 1000 GPM, it also carried two twenty-gallon tanks of foam.
In January of 1982, a quick response, Heavy Duty Mack Rescue and Floodlight Squad was dedicated into service, replacing the '65 Dodge. Costing a total of $145,000, it was equipped with 8,000 watts of light, several exhaust fans, "jaws of life", etc. and was assigned to cover response to the entire eastern end of Baltimore County, greatly increasing the number of calls. This unit was sold to Boring Volunteer Fire Department in 1992 and is still in service there. The '72 Mack Pumper was refurbished in 1985 to bring it up to county specifications. It is still in service today!
A Chevrolet Utility Unit was purchased in 1986 and outfitted for a Medical Assist and Marine Support Unit. Also acquired in 1986, was a 17-foot Boston Whaler for water rescue and boat fires. It has a 90 HP outboard motor and a pump capable of flowing 350 GPM. Zodiak inflatable boats were acquired in 1986; one 8 footer for 2 men and used inland water rescue only.
Capable of pumping 1250 GPM, the Spartan Pumper was purchased in 1990, replacing the '79 Mack. The Mack Rescue was sold in '91 since it was not designed for the upgrading that was needed. A 25-foot Parker Boat with a 250 HP motor, with pump capable of flowing 500 GPM, was purchased in 1991. It carriers various water rescue equipment and basic life support systems.
Our newest piece of equipment, added to the company in 1995, is the Simon-Duplex Heavy Rescue Unit with floodlights and the capability of refilling breathing air bottles. Costing $220,000, unequipped, it has an aluminum body that will never rust, a 400 HP engine, seats 6 in an enclosed cab and is fully air-conditioned.
In October 1997 we signed a contract for the construction of our new five bay fire station across the street from our old one. It was equipped with radio room, line officers room, TV room, and shop and storage room at the cost of $260,000.00.
Our Building Committee is now working on the addition for our new fire station that will add bathrooms, bunkroom, classroom, recreation room, captain's office, storage room and a kitchen area.
We hope that construction will start in the near future, and will complete our new fire station.
Fund raising has always been a major function of our organization, providing the necessary funds to purchase and maintain our emergency equipment and buildings. With the help of our Ladies Auxiliary, we hope that our organization may for many years still be able to keep our community up to date with the best fire and rescue service possible.
Our equipment that we have in service today:
Boat 210 Inland Water Rescue (8' Zodiak 1988)
