History - Friendship Fire Co.
A meeting was called to order in the spring of 1925 by a group of men from the Englewood section of Butler Township to discuss the formation of a fire company for the expanding area. Attorney Roy P. Hicks was instructed to prepare a charter for this company to be known as the Friendship Fire Company #1 of Englewood. The Company received its charter on April 20th, 1925.
The first elected officers of the Company were:
President: William F. Selgrath
Vice President: Peter Sankus
Secretary: Stanley Yesalusky
Assistant Secretary: John Krushana, Sr.
Treasurer: Walter Kulchinsky
Fire Marshal: Cyrus Kline
Assistant Fire Marshal: Joe Borce
As with any new organization, there were problems. The new Fire Company had neither a fire truck, a building to house a truck, nor land to build upon.
The original meeting place was the Butler Township school building located at 9th and Pine Streets, which still stands to this day. Meetings were held at this site for four years until a new building was erected in 1929 on land donated to the Company at 7th and Pine Streets by the Kehler estate.
It was another two years, April 1931, before the Company’s first fire truck, a 1930 Ford from the Howe Fire Apparatus Company, was delivered.
A Women’s Auxiliary was organized in 1933, disbanded in 1939, and reorganized in 1942. The Women’s Auxiliary has actively supported the Company since that time.
In 1938, with a total membership of 15, the Company had paid for both its building and truck and decided to buy more land to the rear of the fire house for future expansion. In 1945, two more sections of land were purchased to the east of the fire house.
In 1947, a Seagraves fire truck was purchased. However, the Company was unable to fulfill its obligation, and the truck was returned in 1949.
The following eight years were a period of inactivity for the Company until 1957 when a membership drive was started, and interest was renewed.
Within the next two years, funds were raised to enable the Company to purchase a 1948 Hahn fire truck. The 1930 Ford truck was then sold to the Wilburton Fire Company in Columbia County, which still has the truck today.
In 1963, Mr. and Mrs. Angelo DiMiceli donated land to the Fire Company in memory of their son Paul, upon which a picnic shed was built.
A building committee was formed in 1964 to develop plans for the present building. Ground was broken in September 1965, and the Company occupied the building in April 1966 with the mortgage burning ceremonies held in October 1969. The original Fire Company building was dismantled in 1970 and the lumber was used from it to build a picnic shed.
Fund raising efforts continued and in December 1971 bids were opened for a new fire truck. In September 1972, a new Mack 1,000 gallon per minute pumper was delivered.
In the fall of 1975, the Fire Company celebrated its 50th Anniversary with a banquet at the Ace Catering Hall. The following summer the Company co-hosted the Schuylkill County Fireman’s Convention with the Good Will Hose Company and Altamont Fire Company, celebrating the Centennial of the Borough of Frackville.
In August 1979, plans were made for an addition to the building to provide a modern engine room. The new two bay engine room was finished in the summer. The engine room addition was dedicated in memory of James Roberts, who lost his life serving others.
In the early 1980’s more building improvements were made including new exterior doors and windows, electrical service upgrades, a kitchen remodel, and a fire detection system upgrade with heat detectors.
In the fall of 1982, the Company put a bid on a 1939 Hahn 500 gallon per minute pumper from the Altamont Fire Company of West Mahanoy Township. The bid was accepted and the Hahn saw a few years of service providing fire truck rides at the annual block party and other parades. The Hahn was eventually sold to a collector and is now part of the Schuylkill Fire Historical Society collection.
In December 1984, the Company decided to purchase a used 1972 Mack 1000 gallon per minute pumper from the FDNY. The engine was picked up on December 27, 1984. The membership put countless hours into refurbishing this engine. This second due engine was fondly known as Engine 366 or the “New Yorker” and was known throughout the area for its unique covered wagon style hose bed. This engine was later sold to Alsace Manor Fire Company in Berks County.
In April of 1986, in anticipation of the need of a new truck a new truck fund was started with a seed of $2,000. During 1986 various improvements were also made to Engine 369 including safety bars on the jump seat area, a new cascade system, and a computer in the cab.
In 1986, the tradition of hosting the Turkey Ball the night before Thanksgiving was started and continued until 1997.
A Chevy suburban was purchased to be used for bush fires and as a command vehicle and put into service as Squad 366 in 1987.
In October 1989, a new truck committee consisting of Edward Probition, Wayne Frantz, Peter Damiter, Larry Domalakes, George Ansbach, David Malloy, Robert Parrish, Michael Bolinsky, Bruce Damiter, Joseph Achenbach, and Joseph Vebrosky was formed. After exploring many different apparatus manufacturers, Pierce Manufacturing of Appleton Wisconsin was chosen. A banquet was held on April 28, 1990, to kick off fundraising efforts for the new engine which would cost an estimated $250,000. The contract for the new engine was also signed at the banquet.
Also in 1990, another Chevy Suburban was purchased to replace the previous unit. The 1939 Hahn was sold to a collector and its proceeds were put into the new truck fund.
On June 29, 1991, the new engine, a Pierce 2000 gallon per minute pumper traveled through town and up Seventh Street to its new home at approximately 6:30 in the morning. The engine arrived in much fanfare in the neighborhood with balloons on the homes and a crowd of about fifty people. The members were treated to a hearty breakfast of steak and eggs that morning. Throughout the day members took turns driving the new engine around town.
On August 3, 1991, the new Pierce engine was housed. The honor of driving the new engine through the parade was given to Acting Fire Chief Bruce Damiter, Michael Bolinsky in the officer’s seat, Ladies Auxiliary President Cindy Damiter, and Ladies Auxiliary Vice-President Dorene Achenbach as passengers. Engine 369 as we know it today was now officially at its new home and ready for service.
In June of 1992, the Mack was sold to the East End Fire Company of Palo Alto at a cost of $15,000 were it saw service until November of 2004, when the “Mack” came back to Englewood for another tour of duty as Engine 366 until the Summer of 2006.
In 1993, a 1986 Chevy Suburban was purchased and put into service as Squad 366.
In 1996, the Company expanded its footprint in Englewood, by purchasing the lot (101 E Seventh Street) adjacent to the shed to the east. This lot was purchased from Judith Daley and had previously been part of the Peter DiMeceli estate.
In March of 1998, the Company changed meetings from two times a month to once on the first Tuesday of the month. Various building improvements were made including remodeling the bathrooms and lettering of the exterior of the building.
Throughout the late 1990’s the Company made various improvements to the building including the roofing project with a trussed roof, dormers, and stained-glass window with the bulldog above the engine room. All the work was done by the membership, who donated their time and talents to complete the project.
In 2001, the Company again expanded its footprint in Englewood, by purchasing the property at 138 N 6th Street. This property, which included a house, was purchased from Judith Daley and had previously been part of the Peter DiMeceli estate. The house was razed resulting in the now vacant lot.
Once again in the winter of 2002, the membership came together to improve the hall area with the removal of the meeting room wall to enlarge the hall area. A newly remodeled office was also part of this project.
In October of 2003, a 2003 Ford Expedition was placed into service as Squad 363, replacing the 1986 Chevy Suburban.
In the early summer of 2006, the kitchen remodeling project was started and completed in September. This project consisted of replacing all food service equipment, enlargement of the kitchen area, and utility improvements to continue the Company’s fundraising efforts.
In August 2010, the fire company collaborated with the Goodwill Hose Company of Frackville, to co-host the 56th Annual Schuylkill County Firefighters Convention.
In 2012, work began on remodeling the bar area of the building. The work consisted of tiling the floor in the bar area, painting and wainscoting the hall, installation of new televisions and LED lighting.
On April 1, 2013, a 2013 Pierce Velocity engine was purchased. The truck arrived at the fire company on April 15, 2013, after being driven home from Glick Fire Equipment in Bird in Hand, Pennsylvania by Ed Beneshunas, Bryan Yesalusky, Chad Chaklos, Doug Beecroft, Steve Oravitz, and Chris Kuzio.
The new Engine 369 was housed on August 3, 2013. Chief Engineer Bryan Yesalusky drove the truck through the parade and President William Blickley finished the route by driving the truck up the Seventh Street Hill.
In the summer of 2015, the asphalt apron in front of the engine room was replaced with concrete and the parking lot was regraded and repaved.
After years of being dispatched and known as Engine 369, 2018 would bring change. County officials directed all Schuylkill County Fire Companies to switch to a county-wide unified numbering system. Beginning on July 1, 2018, our engine would be dispatched as and referred to as Engine 4-19, by the Schuylkill County Communications center. To us, it will always be Engine 369.
as the FriendshipA committee was formed, in February of 2019, to begin the process of replacing our aging Ford Expedition squad, with a more functional piece of apparatus. The committee consisted of Edward Beneshunas, Chad Chaklos, Bryan Yesalusky, David Malloy, Ron James, Jason Blozousky, Zack Chernewski, and Chris Kuzio. The product of this committee’s work is a new unit, built on a 2019 Ford F550 Super Duty 5-man chassis, with a Knapheide utility body. The unit is 4-wheel drive and carries a 300 gallon per minute pump with 300 gallons of water. The members of the committee managed the work associated with vehicle with Black Rock truck and Equipment performing much of the assembly and outfitting work.
The year 2020 brought the COVID-19 pandemic. By March of 2020, much of the state was shut down, including all aspects of company operations, with the exception of emergency services. All in-person fundraising events were suspended including the traditional block party held over Memorial Weekend. As they have done in the past, the members of the Friendship fire Co. and Friendship Fire Co. Ladies Auxiliary demonstrated resilience and resourcefulness in overcoming the challenges presented by the pandemic. The now famous Friendship fire Co. online raffles were born, a drive through food sale replaced our traditional block party, and take-out food sales replaced our monthly breakfasts.
In 2022, the leadership of the American Fire Co. recognized an opportunity to partner with the Friendship Fire Co. of Englewood Butler Township to strengthen emergency responses to residents of the Fountain Springs section of Butler Township. A merger between the American Fire Co. and Friendship Fire Co, was completed in 2023.
Together, we continue to provide dedicated emergency services to the residents of Butler Township as the Friendship Fire Co.
History of American Fire Co., Fountain Springs