The Aristes Fire Company #1 was originally organized by residents of the village of Aristes in 1923. Since this time a lot has changed within the department. There have been several moves of the firehouse and lots of different apparatus. The Company suffered a lull in operation coming through the early 1970's and was re-organized in 1975. Since then the company has seen large amounts of growth both in call volume and in apparatus. Services offered by the fire company now include engine company, tanker company, vehicle rescue, limited rope and trench rescue, Haz-Mat operations level, fire police and wildfire suppression as well as Pennsylvania Department of Health Quick Response Service (QRS) recognition.
The first vehicle to respond for the company after the re-organization was a Diamond "T" 500 gpm engine that was acquired from the then Fernville Fire Company just outside Bloomsburg (PA) in Hemlock Twp (since merged with Buckhorn Fire Company). A 1950's Hahn was then acquired to accompany the previous vehicle. During the re-organization the department moved its quarters to land that was formerly the Conyngham Twp. High School located at 500 Columbia Ave or the corner of Columbia Ave. and 5th St. A quanset hut was acquired from a local coal company for no cost as long as the company members could get it from its location to the fire company lot. This was accomplished using some ingenuity and was set onto a concrete pad. Inside, both vehicles were stored as well as all the company's supplies, gear, stoves, tables, chairs and anything else you can imagine that would be needed for a fire company to exist. The small quarters required the vehicles to be parked outside during events. The company then was able to receive what amounts to a great gift. They were given a 1947 Maxim 750gpm/500gwt, diesel powered engine by the Harmonville Fire Company (Plymouth Twp, Plymouth Meeting, PA). We cannot say thank you enough for their donation and generosity, in addition to the vehicle and equipment Harmonville also donated a check in the amount of $1000 for the purchase of additional equipment for the Maxim. This vehicle replaced the original Hahn. After a couple of years the company replaced the Diamond T as it reached a point of disrepair. A 1956 GMC/Pirsch 750gpm/500gwt engine was purchased from the Shamokin Fire Bureau (Rescue Fire Company, Shamokin, PA). Rapidly this vehicle became the companies pride and joy having brass intakes and discharges as well as jump seats. In late 1979 the company acquired its first tanker, which was a Department of Forestry former U.S. military GMC 6x6. This vehicle was modified with a 2000 gallon tank from a fuel truck and thus began our time as a tanker company in addition to our engine company duties. In 1980 the department signed on with the Columbia County Communications Center for dispatching purposes and were assigned the county designator of Station 350.
Insurance Services Organization performed our first ISO rating evaluation. ISO rates fire departments on their abilities to reduce property loss from structural fires. This rating takes into account manpower/staffing, training, water supply, apparatus, equipment, 911/dispatch centers and much more. The initial rating for the department at that time was as a 7 in Aristes with a 9 throughout the remainder of the township.. An ISO rating of 1 is the best possible number with a 10 being basically that there is no fire department. During a more recent ISO audit the rating was improved to a 4/4R for in town as well as more rural areas of the coverage area.
Our new truck room was constructed in 1980-81 with the dedication being held in 1981. Prior to this the tanker had sat outside or was stored in a members garage during inclement weather. A different tanker was purchased from the Cedar Top (Cumru Twp., Berks County, PA) Fire Company after the GMC tanker suffered some serious mechanical problems. This 1951 REO had a fire body on it that allowed more equipment to be stored. In 1992, the company replaced this vehicle with a 1969 Dodge 250gpm/2200gwt purchased from Centralia Fire Company (Centralia, PA).
The early 1990's found the company designing plans for a new social hall. This was constructed in 1993 and has served as the location for our breakfasts as well as many other fund-raisers since its inception. It was built on the same lot and attaches to the truck room. The social hall has a seating capacity of just over 300 people with a full commercial kitchen. Our hall is available for rentals including wedding, parties, graduations and any other event. This building is also used for township meetings and many other public meetings since it has been constructed.
1998 found the 1956 GMC in need of major repairs as it was beginning to show its age. After much looking and leg work the company purchased a 1979 Ward LaFrance 1000gpm/500gwt engine from Summit Station Fire Company (Summit Station, PA). The GMC was sold to a private collector form the North Carolina area. In 1999 a Federal Surplus 1987 Chevy pick-up truck was acquired. The 1947 Maxim was then sold to a separate private collector from the Cherry Hill N.J. area. The Chevy truck box was removed and a former NYPD ESU box was placed on the vehicle. It now acted as Squad 351 and carried the bulk of our QRS equipment, extra vehicle rescue tools, extra cribbing, brush fire equipment, haz-mat supplies, portable pump, traffic control items and more until its replacement in 2014. 2001 found the company getting another vehicle donated. This one, a 1971 Ford/Hahn 1000gpm/720gwt engine from the Trumbauersville Fire Company (Trumbauersville, PA). This vehicle was modified by members into a pumper/tanker and went in service as Tanker 353 replacing the Dodge that was sold to a local farmer. A 1250 gallon fiberglass tank was added w/ a dump valve along with porta-pond storage to accompany all of the engine company equipment. Thanks again to Trumbauersville for this donation and their support which included other portable equipment and personal protective gear. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Pennsylvania State Fire Commissioners Office allowed our department to make upgrades to our equipment in the end of 2004 and the early part of 2005 including new Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Self-contained-breathing-apparatus (SCBA) and an automated external defibrilator (AED). The spring of 2005 found the company needing to make apparatus changes again. While returning from a mutual aid structure fire the Ward LaFrance suffered a serious engine failure. After searching and acquiring funds a 1982 Hahn 1250gpm/750gwt engine was purchased from Sheppton-Onieda Volunteer Fire Company (Sheppton, PA). This vehicle was placed in service as Engine 352 and replaced the 1979 Ward.
Through the 2006 FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program we were able to obtain funding for the purchase of a new pumper/tanker to replace the '71 Ford. After much time and thought as well as hard work this vehicle was ordered from Kovatch Mobile Equipment (KME). During construction, members made many trips to Nesquehoning,PA to see it under production. Finally it arrived in November 2007 (Happy Thanksgiving/Early Christmas present). This marked the first ever brand NEW firetruck for us. Our new pumper-tanker is now in service as Pumper/Tanker 353, and ready to respond to emergencies in our area as well as mutual aid with a 1500gwt and 1500gpm pump. We want to thank all of those who have helped us obtain this vehicle and to those who have worked so hard for us to get it into service. Since this vehicle went in service we have continued to add to its capabilities including vehicle rescue equipment and most recently a Rapid Intervention (RIT) pack and Thermal Imaging Camera (TIC). In 2007 we added 2 low band radios and 2 high band radios and now in 2021 digital radio equipment. Currently the equipment list includes: 1550 feet of 5" supply hose, 600 feet of 3" hose, 1000+ feet of 1.75" hose, 600' of 1" hose, 350 feet of 2.5" hose, stokes basket, AED, 6Kw generator, 28', 16' 14' 10' ladders, 2 chainsaws, a cut-off saw, 7 SCBA, 7 spare cylinders, a RIT pack, TIC, hydraulic Combi-tool and cutter, cribbing, deck gun, step gun, dash cam, GPS, porta-pond, a 4 gas monitor and much more.
In 2009 the company also added new pagers and enough portable radios to allow for each riding position to be assigned a portable radio in all 3 vehicles. With Espy Fire Company taking the lead in the 2009 AFG Grant for updated county wide radio equipment, we were able to obtain all new high band pagers and portables as well as mobile radios for each vehicle. The high band system has been put into affect for our dispatching purposes. Currently all of the company's operations when inside the current East Central Emergency Network takes place on a VHF system with 154.055 being the primary dispatch frequency and all talk back to the county being on a P25 digital system. We can be followed online through Broadcastify or on your smartphone the Scanner Radio App and find Columbia County or search East Central Emergency Network.
After a very rough start to the summer of 2013 with the loss of Lt. George Mensch and Fire Chief Scott Yeager within 20 days of each other, the company found some good in the world. We were able to obtain both attack and supply hose from the LaMott (Elkins Park, PA) Fire Company. This hose was much needed as a large portion of the hose on E352 (Hahn) was not going to pass another year of hose testing. Since that time LaMott has offered their help to us by donating a gas meter and many other items that we would not have been able to obtain easily on our own, This is just one example of the Brotherhood that exists still today in the fire service. The kindness we received from them was out of this world. In addition they have invited us down for multiple trips which have included doing live fire training with them and some of their mutual aid companies. Any of what was now our old hose that passed hose testing was then donated to the Ringtown Valley Fire and Rescue and was placed on their Engine 30-10.
2014 was not any different with the company again adding to its dedication to the community. We were able to complete a merger with the former Centralia Community Ambulance. This merger was being worked on for a long time and with the ambulance having limited personnel and us having the willingness to do our part, it was a perfect fit. This merger completed a project that had been talked about by members for 15+ years. In the spring of 2014 after many years of slowly obtaining equipment and members receiving training, and now the merger, our company was able to obtain a Pennsylvania Department of Health (PADOH) Quick Response Service (QRS) license. For the first time the company was now responding as a primary entity for medical and traumatic emergencies throughout our coverage area. Through this merger we were also able to obtain a Kubota RTV900, which has a skid unit to be used for patient transport from remote locations. The Kubota also included a trailer which allows the Kubota to be transported over longer distances to assist mutual aid companies. Since then the Kubota has been fitted with a snow plow to assist with moving snow around the lot and when needed making pathways for apparatus to respond. In the late summer another opportunity presented itself to the company that we felt we could not pass up. The Kubota is now in service with ECEN as UTV354 and can be transported to another location via a trailer.
With the '82 Hahn having served us well, the manual transmission was not being received well by newer drivers and its open jump seat design with only lap belts for occupants was becoming an increasing safety concern. The Espy Fire Company #1 (Espy, PA) was selling their '97 Pierce rescue/engine. An offer was made on this unit and it was accepted by Espy. We had a '97 Pierce Engine/Rescue in Aristes in November of 2014. Since then, the rescue has been equipped with a wide array of rescue company, engine company and QRS equipment and was placed in service at Rescue/Engine 352. Its compliment includes: Hurst High Pressure cutter, combi-tool, spreader and telescoping ram with 2- 100' cord reel, 2 30' extension hoses, 1 Hurst E-Draulic Cutter, 1 Hurst E-Draulic Spreader, 20Kw generator, 1550 feet of 5" supply line, 1000 feet of 3" hose, 350 feet or 2.5" hose, 800+ feet of 1.75" hose, 20 gallons of class A foam, over 150 tons of airbag lifting capacity, cribbing, a Res-Q-Jack strut system, 4 gas meter, exhaust fan, Gator Tool, porta-power, cut-off saws, a chainsaw, stokes basket, long back board, AED, rope rescue equipment and more.
The fire company was reassessed by ISO in 2015 and the numbers improved. The Officers and Members are proud that ISO has seen what we have accomplished over the years and have upgraded our ISO rating to a 4 in Aristes and a 4Y in the remainder of the Township. While we have overcome great hurdles along the way to make this a reality by improving apparatus, getting training and adding equipment, the efforts of all of our mutual aid companies goes into that as well. With their continuing efforts to improve as well this number decreased which will save residents money through their home/fire insurance rates.
Currently our department provides first due coverage for fire, haz-mat, rescue, QRS and more to over 30 square miles in Conyngham Township, as well as approximately 1 square mile of Roaring Creek Township within Columbia County. We are automatic aid/dual dispatch for the remainder of Conyngham Twp (except Locustdale) as well as the Borough of Centralia. 1st alarm coverage includes all of Conyngham Twp, Centralia Borough, Locust Twp, Roaring Creek Twp and approximately half of Cleveland Twp in Columbia County. All of Ringtown Borough and Union Twp, as well as small parts of Butler Twp, and Ashland Borough in Schuylkill County are covered by our volunteers on a first alarm basis. In Northumberland County our apparatus respond as part of the 1st alarm to parts of Mt Carmel Twp . We offer a multitude of services to our residents including structure fire suppression, wildfire suppression, vehicle rescue, hazardous materials operations and the QRS. 2nd alarm responses have us covering an area in excess of 300 square miles. and this area continues to grow.
We continue to look to improve our company and provide more and better services to the residents we serve. Training and teamwork continue to push us forward. A famous person once said that "there is no "I" in TEAM" and we like to use that to describe our operations. We all need to work together in order to provide the service we do to our citizens. Thank you for all of your support and interest in our company. We are always looking for new members to help us in any of our endeavors from fund raising to call taking and much more. If you are interested in becoming a member let us know. All that is needed is to fill out an application, pay the membership dues and application fee along with providing your Child Clearances from the the Commonwealth and a Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Background Check. You can find the application and information on how to obtain the other needed items in the Contact section of this site.