By Vicky Taylor
The Public Opinion
CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. — Chambersburg’s Friendship Engine and Hose Company is the oldest volunteer fire company in Chambersburg, and one of the oldest in the nation.
It was established in 1780 as United Fire Company.
Those first volunteers used a bucket-and-bag operation until about 1800, when they got a hand-carried button engine. In 1820, the company bought a green gallery suction engine.
The company’s name was changed from United to Friendship Fire Company during a meeting in 1830, when during a hot debate over the selection of a new name, member P.R. Hazlett extended his hand to member W. Reilly and said, “I extend my hand in friendship to all.”
The name was immediately adopted.
The company has had several homes in its long history. They include a building at South Main and West Liberty streets; a fire house next to borough hall on South Second Street (the location of today’s police department); East Point Station; the McKinley Street Station; and, most recently, a location on Wolf Avenue.
The Friendships were the first of what would eventually become five borough fire companies, one for each of the town’s five wards.
Over the years other borough volunteer fire companies included:
- Junior Hose and Truck Company No. 2, housed on North Second Street;
- Goodwill Steam, Fire, Engine and Hose Company No. 3, stationed on East Catherine Street;
- Franklin Fire Company No. 4 on North Franklin Street (now located on the corner of King and North Franklin streets);
- And Cumberland Valley Hose Company No. 5 on Broad Street.
In 1959, the borough built a new station on East McKinley Street to house the Goodwills, who had to vacate their East Catherine Street station because it had been condemned.
The station was expanded and the Friendships were moved in with the Goodwills in the mid-1970s. That was after the borough consolidated its firefighting operations and hired a full-time paid chief to manage the new department.
According to the Friendship website, the changes caused “tremendous turmoil” among the volunteer companies as the stations were consolidated. “The effect of these changes still have some animosity present today,” according to the history on the company’s website.
A few years ago, the company bought an engine tanker with hopes of building some excitement among volunteers who, with that piece of equipment, could run fire calls outside the borough.
Volunteers insisted they were not breaking away from the borough, just expanding operations and the mission.
Last year, the borough asked Friendship volunteers to move the tanker, since it was of no use in a borough where hydrants are readily available.
Meanwhile, one volunteer has met borough standards for certification to run calls on borough equipment, and works alongside the borough’s paid staff and other certified volunteers.
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