(below) The Dashwood Fire Hall constructed in 1954.
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“In 1980 I visited 88 year old Ed Stire and asked him about fire protection in the old days. He said there was none. The bell in the tower of Zion Lutheran Church was rung and everyone responded and formed a bucket brigade. About 1918, Thomas Klumpp who owned the planing mill purchased a Model T car and this fitted with a pumper was the fire engine. It was housed in what was known as the fire hall behind the Clayton Pfile shoe store. Mr. Pfile was fire chief for several years. The hall was heated by a stove.
(below) The converted Model T fire vehicle used in the village in the 1920s and 1930s. “Although it lost a tire, the Dashwood fire truck came to the rescue during Grand Bend’s great fire of 1939.” (Muriel Mack pg. 230, photo originally courtesy of Glen C. Phillips)
(below) Irvin Rader (left) and Edwin Miller stand next to a Packard automobile that they converted into a fire engine for use in the village in 1940. (Click on image for larger version)
In 1940, Irvin Rader, who owned a garage and his mechanic, Edwin Miller built a fire engine from an old Packard car. This was a vast improvement and served until 1954. In 1954 a new fire hall was officially opened by the Reeves of Stephen and Hay, Jack Morrissey and Earl Campbell who cut the ribbon. The opening of the cement block hall completed the extensive program which the police village had undertaken to make its fire department the best of its kind in the province. They also bought a new $10,500 fire engine completely equipped with all the modern fire fighting machinery. The brigade was prepared to make runs into both Hay and Stephen townships to fight fires. [Ed. note: the amount mentioned is roughly equivalent to $80,000 in today’s funds.]
Presiding at the banquet were chairman, Jim Hayter and fire chief, Valentine Becker . The turkey meal was served by Hayter and trustees, Cliff Salmon and Harold Weber and was prepared by their wives. Members of the fire brigade besides trustees, Hayter, Salmon and Weber were Chief Becker, Assistant Chief, Mervyn Tieman, Joe Merner, Bob Hayter, Albert Miller, Stuart Wolfe, Irvin Rader, George Sheffbuck, Emil Becker, Harry Zimmer, Charles Steinhagen (police chief of Dashwood for 45 years) and Edwin Miller.
The new 24×40 foot hall is one block south of Highway 83 on Roland Street. The village with a population of 404 issued debentures of $8000 to pay for the new equipment. A surplus of $3000 was used to pay the balance. In 1961, the Fire Department sponsored a School Safety Patrol. They now have a tank truck so they can carry a water supply with them. Much of the work is volunteer but they are paid salary. Emil Becker is fire chief. Now in 1985, there are 14 members in the fire department with Fire Chief Harold Stire. There are 3 fire phones, at Harry Hoffman, Bill Hoffman and Ken Rader.”
extracted from “Friedsburg-Dashwood 1860-1985” by Mary (Patterson) Rader, 1985; pgs. 82-83 ISBN 0-9692115-0-3
(below) Click on image for larger version.
