West End Hose Co. #6


Roster

ID# Name Rank Yrs. of Service
601 D. Adamberger President
602 N. Mendez
Captain
603 J. Buczek Company Recording Secretary
604 P. Herr Firefighter
605 R. Brossard Safety Officer
606 J. Herr Lieutenant
611 A. Wojciechowicz Assistant Chief
612 E. Metzger Firefighter
614 M. Hehir Past Chief
615 J. Reese Firefighter
616 D. Konkle Firefighter
617 G. Lichtenberger Firefighter
618 C. Peterson Firefighter
619 Z. Amborski
Firefighter
620 D. Anderson Firefighter
621 J. Mayer Firefighter
622 K. Peterson Department Secretary
623 B. Sypniewski Lieutenant
625 J. Mather Firefighter
629 H. Ahmed Firefighter
630 C. Reed Firefighter
633 R. Murawski
Treasurer
635 A. Schuldes Firefighter
638 P. Coyne Firefighter
639 T. Nurmi Firefighter
641 B. Walters Firefighter
642 E. Ziemba Firefighter

Apparatus



Photos



History

Arthur J. Domino, chairman of the expansion committee, opened the meeting on December 17, 1967 and served as chairman pro temp. He stated that the purpose of the meeting was to organize an engine company for the Depew Fire Department and that the first order of business was to elect a slate of officers. The following were the first elected officers: Lynn Bradley, President; Donald J. Rogers, Vice-president; Lyman R. Josker, Secretary; and Conrad J. Jurek, Treasurer. Frederick B. Furminger and Joseph R. Sorrentino were named as delegates to the Board of Wardens of the Depew Fire Department.

A motion was made and seconded that hereafter this company would be named Depew West End Hose Company Number Six and that the company meetings would be held at the north side fire station until permanent quarters could be built.

A committee was appointed to draw up a set of by-laws for the new organization and was provided with copies of existing by-laws from several of the established companies in the fire department to serve as a model for the organization.

After a public hearing, which was held on May 6, 1968, the village board of trustees by resolution authorized the incorporation of the West End Hose Company Number Six.

The Directors of the Corporation signing the Certificate of Incorporation were the following; Ronald F. Moore, Frederick B. Furminger, Thaddeus J. Wagner, Lyman R. Josker and Robert O’Shaughnessy.

The Certificate of Incorporation was signed by Alfred M. Kramer, a Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York of the Eight Judicial District, on May 24, 1968

DEPEW LADDER & RESCUE COMPANY NUMBER SEVEN

The organizational meeting of the second proposed fire company to serve the north west section of the Village of Depew was also held on Sunday December 17, 1967 in the parlors of the Depew Hook and Ladder Company Number One in the south side fire station. Richard Dombrowski, a member of the recruiting committee, chaired the meeting.

The following were the first officers elected by the new company. President, Michael B. Guari; Vice-President, Charles A. Cichon; Secretary, Leonard E. Grzybowski and Treasurer, Robert J. Fugle.

The newly organized company chose no name at this time but would be assigned the Emergency Truck, which had recently been purchased for fire department use.

The company would meet temporarily in the Hook and Ladder parlor until such time as both the new company and the West End Hose Company Number Six would prepare the middle room in the north side fire station for use.

A committee was appointed to prepare a set of by-laws and was provided several sets from the existing companies to be used to model their own by-laws.

On May 6, 1968, the Depew Village Board of Trustees held a public hearing to consider incorporation of Hook and Ladder Rescue Company Number Seven under Section 11 of the Membership Corporation Law of the State of New York.

The incorporators signing the certificate of incorporation for the Hook And Ladder Rescue Company Number Seven were; President, Michael B. Guari; Vice-President, Charles A. Cichon; Secretary, Leonard Grzybowski and Treasurer, Sylvester Dobrowolski.

It was proposed that this fire company to be incorporated would protect the entire boundaries of the Village of Depew.

No person appeared to voice his or her opinion for or against the incorporation and Trustee Bernard Elmore, seconded by Trustee Henry Wienckowski, made a motion that permission is granted to incorporate Depew Ladder and Rescue Company Number Seven.

The Directors of the corporation at the time of incorporation were; Albert C. Engel, Jr., Michael B. Guari, Charles A. Cichon, Leonard E. Grzybowski and Sylvester Dobrowolski.

The Certificate of Incorporation was approved by Alfred M. Kramer, a Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York on May 24, 1968.

The Ladder and Rescue Company Number Seven continued to operate within the Village of Depew but was in a continuing political battle revolving around the type of fire apparatus for the company. On December 30, 1972, Fire Chief Frank Capan recommending the merger of Ladder and Rescue Company Number Seven into the West End Hose Company Number Six submitted a letter to the village board, which was placed on the meeting agenda on January 22, 1973.

Trustee Charles Pempsell offered the following resolution and moved its adoption:

WHEREAS, On September 21, 1972, the Depew West End Hose Company Number Six agreed to absorb the members of Depew Ladder and Rescue Company Number Seven, in the event that their company was dissolved, and

WHEREAS, on September 26, 1972, at a special meeting held on said date, the members of Depew Ladder and Rescue Company Number Seven, voted to dissolve and agreed to be transferred into West End Hose Company Number Six, and

WHEREAS, on October 5, 1972, Fire Chief Frank J.Capan, wrote to the Board of Trustees that it was in the best interests of the Depew Fire Department that the Ladder and Rescue Company Number Seven be dissolved and its members transferred to West End Hose Company Number Six; and Chief Capan has discussed this matter with the four assistant chiefs who are in one accord with this plan and the merger will increase the efficiency of the Fire Department and result in tax savings to the people, and

WHEREAS, on December 13, 1972, Harry Hamernik, Secretary of the West End Hose Company Number Six, advised Chief Capan that their company by-laws have been amended so that their active membership shall not exceed sixty-five members so that they can absorb the members of Depew Ladder and Rescue Company Number Seven, who wish to transfer into their company and after the merger their company roster shall automatically reduce itself to forty members by attrition, and

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of the Village of Depew under Section 211 of the New York State Village Law is authorized to dissolve all or any part of its fire department, and

WHEREAS, it appears in the best interests of all of the residents of the Village of Depew that Ladder and Rescue Company Number Seven be dissolved,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that all active members of Depew Ladder and Rescue Number Seven are hereby transferred to Depew West End Hose Company Number Six, and it is further

RESOLVED, that such transfer is being made without any break in the length of service of each man transferred hereby and it is further

RESOLVED, and understood that all the Depew Fire Department equipment that is presently in the possession of the Depew Ladder and Rescue Company Number Seven shall likewise be transferred, and it is further,

RESOLVED, that Depew Ladder and Rescue Company Number Seven is hereby dissolved and terminated as a company in the Depew Fire Department, effective immediately.

The foregoing resolution was seconded by Trustee Leroy Arber and duly put to a vote on roll call, which resulted in a unanimous vote, by the members of the village board.

Thus came to an end the chapter in the history of the Depew Fire Department, which began in late 1967 and ended in January 1973.