About Us...
History of Knox Fire District (Adapted from Sesquicentennial Publication)
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Prior to the establishment of a fire district in the Town of Knox, fire protection was provided by neighboring districts. A need for local protection was realized and after years of petitioning, planning, and fundraising, in April 1949, the Town Board resolved and approved acceptance of the fire districting petition and that an estimated $1500 was budgeted for the purchase of fire apparatus and fire hose. The fire district would have the following boundaries: All that property in the Town of Knox, County of Albany, State of New York described as follows: Bounded on the North by the Town of Duanesburg, County of Schenectady; on the East by the Town of Guilderland, County of Albany; on the South by the Berne Fire District as enlarged in 1936 and on the West by the Town of Wright, County of Schoharie. Nearly a year later, on February 1, 1950, notification was received from the Comptroller of the State of New York to establish a fire district in the Town of Knox to be known as the Knox Fire District.
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During all the legal proceedings were taking place, leading up the districting, potential firemen were moving forward. The membership held its organizational meeting on November 1, 1948 and founded the Knox Volunteer Fire Company. There were 40 men present. The election results were as follows:
Fire Chief-Hebert Quay
First Assistant Chief-Ernest Saddlemire
Second Assistant Chief-Marshall Stevens
Secretary-Marshall Barber
Treasurer-Frank Wood Sr.
Legal Advisor-Lyman Brandon
At the May 16, 1949 meeting the following were elected:
President-Patrick Nicholson
Vice-President-Frank Sand
First Captain-Brooks Anderson
Assistant Captain-Herbert Wolford
The first fire house, the one-room school building from School District No. 6 was purchased for one dollar in May 1950. The renovation from school house to fire house was completed with work being done by the firemen. It was dedicated on December 1, 1950.
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The first fire apparatus was purchased in the summer of 1951 from the Scotia Fried Department for the sum of $595. It was a 1922 American-LaFrance chain drive with a 750 gallon per minute pump, a 350 gallon booster tank and a portable pump with a capacity of 100 gallons per minute. It included 700 ft of 2.5 inch house and 200 feet of 1.5 inch hose, a 22 ft. extension ladder was built by Marvin Traux.
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The company incorporated and became known as the Knox Volunteer Fire Company Inc. on August 19, 1953.
