How Columbia Began Our History 1898-1998

The northwest area of the Village of Mamaroneck back in the late 1800's was known as both Cottake Park and Harris Park. The people who lived in this area at that time felt a need for protection against fire. Therefore, a community group formed an organization of men who were willing to go out at all hours of the day and night in case of a fire or other disaster, and to come to the aid of their neighbor. So it was that on October 16, 1898 that the fire company, Columbia, was formed. The company name came from the yacht, Columbia, which had just won the America's Cup Race, when it outraced the yacht, Shamrock. The yacht was owned by a gentleman by the name of Mr. C. O'Donnell Iselin who was well known in the area. When Mr. Iselin learned of this honor he presented the newly formed Company with the Pennant flag from the winning yacht.

The Village gave the company its first hose carriage, which was probably no more than an old wagon. The men used the hose carriage to carry hose and other equipment, like fire brigade buckets, that could be filled with water and relayed up to the fire. Even though a water supply was available from a reservoir as early as 1890, there were times when the bucket brigade was the only way water reached the fire. Now that the company had equipment, it needed a place to keep it, and the building across Jefferson Avenue (directly to the right of its' present location) housed St. Andrew's Mission, which the members aptly named Columbia Hall and were allowed to store their hose carriage. In order to get this carriage to the fire the men would use a horse named Blackie, which belonged to the local hotel across Barry Avenue. If Blackie was not available the men would have to pull the carriage themselves. The company continued in this fashion until 1911 when the Village purchased a new Meyers Hose Cart for Columbia. The new cart was built in Mamaroneck at a Blacksmith shop on Mamaroneck Ave, across from where Hook and Ladder stands today. This 1911 hose cart served the company until 1916.

During this period the company was not only instrumental in fighting fires, but Columbia found itself in the movie business. When David Wark Griffith built his movie studio on Edgewater Point in 1919, the Company was hired to help with two of his movies. Honorary Chief Harry Sullivan, who at that time was a fireman from Columbia, was employed by Griffith to help produce a rain storm in Orphans of the Storm. "To achieve the storm effect, the firefighters laid two fire hoses opposing each other, and then airplane propellers blew the water from the hoses creating the storm effect," said Ex-Captain Jimmy Holton Sr. For suspense in the movie during the storm scene, trees were to fall narrowly missing the actors as they passed, this was accomplished by having the tree already cut and a thin wire connected to it. As soon as the actors passed, the wire was cut allowing the tree to fall. For their services the firemen were paid tell dollars a day and fed dinner.

The year of 1916 saw the emergence of mechanized fire apparatus. A 1916 American Lafrance Chemical Hosewagon was purchased, and therefore, tile need for new quarters was required. So it was, on May 27, 1922, that ground breaking was held for this new home for Columbia E &H, at its' present location, just across Jefferson Avenue from Columbia Hall. This new building would cost the Village twenty-three thousand dollars, where the company is still housed today. During this time, the 1916 American Lafrance was used in another of D. W. Griffith movies, Way Down East. The fire engine was used up in White River Junction in Vermont to move artificial cakes of ice down a stream and over a waterfall. On the way back to Mamaroneck, the main bearing in the relatively new fire engine burned out. Griffith paid for the repair, but many residents in the Village questioned the use of the fire engine for the movie. The company continued to use the 1916 American Lafrance to provide fire protection to the Village and the Rye Neck section during the 1920's and through the early 1930's, until the arrival of a 1935 Mack Fire Engine / Pumper.

When the 1935 Mack arrived, it was considered to be the finest piece of equipment that the Village owned. The engine had an illustrious history of fighting fires, along with the members who drove, pumped, and maintained her. One fire where the 1935 Mack probably saw the most action was on June 20, 1943, when fire wiped out an entire industrial block on Hoyt Avenue. The fire, fed by lumber and chemicals, started in a small pile of sawdust and destroyed three industrial plants. Some twenty firefighters were hurt, fortunately not serious, and most suffered from exposure and heat exhaustion. It remained in service until 1952 when the Village purchased another new Mack to take its' place. During the 1940's some of Columbia's members enlisted in the military and went off to fight in World War Two, and with the grace of God returned home to their families and to resume their service with the fire department. The same held true for those who left to fight in the Korean War.

With the arrival of the 1952 Mack fire engine, the Company was at an all time high with members. The roll call was full and there was a waiting list to join the company. A lot of this was due to the fact that the country was finished with the war and the sense of volunteerism itself was at an all time high. During its service the 1952 Mack saw its share of working fires. To name a few there was the Italian Village fire, and the Mamaroneck Beach and Cabana fire, which lingered on for days. The 1952 Mack remained in service until 1973 when the Village purchased a new Mack for the company. This new engine, just like its predecessors, saw a great deal of service. It was not only used as an engine and pumper, but it, also, was outfitted with the Jaws of Life in 1991. Columbia's Engine 41, along with Volunteers' Engine 42, respond to all rescue calls that require a Hurst Tool. Members now take courses on Accident and Vehicle Extrication, and some members even went on to become qualified as Emergency Medical Technicians.

In the early 1970's, members of Columbia beard that the 1911 Myers Hose Cart was discovered abandoned in an old barn that belonged to Mr. Ed Moody in Saratoga county. Mr. Moody, who was a life long resident of Mamaroneck, and seven firemen borrowed a trailer and made the trip up to Greenfield Center, which is about 5 miles from Saratoga Springs, to bring the Hose Cart home to Mamaroneck, where it had originally began its career. The Hose Cart Restoration Committee included Ed Shaw, Bob Smith, Lee Lyon, Sal Pollaro, Henry Gruse, and Mike Valentine restored the Hose Cart to its original condition. Needless to say the undertaking took a lot of work, but it was 3 huge success. After it was restored, the hose cart was brought to parades and won many trophies. Unfortunately, due to the amount of work needed to keep it in this condition, it was decided by the company and the committee to donate the hose cart to the Firemen's Museum in Hudson, NY, and to this day it is still there on display. At Columbia's Centennial Block Party on October 4, 1998, with the help of Bill Fraser of Halstead Manor E&H, the Company tried to bring the hose cart down for display, all was a "GO" until plans for a trailer' fell through at the last minute.

The 1973 Mack remained in service until a new 1997 RD Murray was purchased and put into service. As of now, it is the newest piece of firefighting equipment in the Village today, and it is state of the art in its features and technology. Throughout the years Columbia has fostered many family combinations, like father / sons, and sibling combinations. Some of our older family names that have been on the company rolls are: Sullivans, Graingers, Harriotts, and Holtons. More recently we have the Torpeys, Debournos, Stillers, and Byrnes. As in the past, Columbia stands ready to serve the Village of Mamaroneck with a membership of 47 men.

The Village of Mamaroneck Fire Department consists of five companies for the protection of the village. The members of the department including the Chief and his two assistants are all volunteers. The village pays for the equipment and expenses involved with maintaining the apparatus and fire houses, but additional funds are raised by the volunteers mainly from the annual Fireman's Parade and Carnival. "The designation of 'Volunteer' outside of war, belongs to the fire fighters. In no other department of state or municipal government will be found service without pay for it," stated Dennis O'Connor at the 1925 firemen's Convention, which was held in Mamaroneck.