ABOUT US
Erskine Lakes Volunteer Fire Department’s history all started on one winter night in 1945 when a group of men decided that a volunteer fire department was needed to protect the picturesque area from forest fires and to protect the many summer homes which were starting to populate the Erskine Lakes area. Included in this meeting where William O. Kircher, Charles Bailey, A.H. VanDenHeuvel, John Aemisegger, and Frank Thygeson. After many months of research work with other fire departments, the first organizational meeting was held at the “Old Hilltop” Community House on July 30, 1946 with seventeen men in attendance. This meeting was chaired by William Kircher. Fred Geier Jr. was appointed recording secretary. Others present were Charles bailey, A.H. VanDenHeuvel, Elesworth VanDenHeuvel, William Lindsay Sr., August Nickles, Emil Muller, Fred Brewster, Dwight Dickinson, Elmer Van Voorhis, Max Schmidt, Charles J. Geier, John Nilson, Frank Thygeson, and Frank Holmburg. On August 18, 1946, the group meet at the “little” community house at Erskine Lakes and the ground work was started to purchase a fire truck. In May of 1947, a 1934 Ahrens-Fox 500 gallon per minute pumper was purchased from the Pearl River, NY firehouse and was temporarily housed in a garage at Cupsaw Avenue and Delaware Trail. The present firehouse, located on Mohawk Trail, was built on property donated to the Ringwood Company on March 6, 1947 and work on the new build was started by the fire fighters in the spring of 1947 and completed in 1948. A second pumper, a 1936 American LaFrance 500 GPM was purchased from Bound Brook, NJ and was fitted with a 500 gallon water tank. With two trucks and a new building, the firehouse was dedicated at the corner stone ceremony on July 3, 1949. The fire company grew in size and was ready to “incorporate”. Mr. Spencer H. Dixon drew up and filed the incorporation papers on December 4 1946 for “Erskine Lakes Volunteer Fire Company #1 Inc. of Ringwood Borough, County of Passaic, New Jersey”. The first new engine, a 1953 GMC 500 GPM was purchased and the LaFrance was sold. Increase demands for fire protection led to the purchase of another new fire truck in November 11, 1957. This apparatus, an Oren 500 GPM pumper with a 600 gallon booster tank replaced the Ahrens-Fox. As the Erskine Lakes community grew, so did the fire department and on June 13, 1962, ground was broken for the new addition to the lower bay. Again the firemen worked hard to build their own firehouse and the generosity of the residents provided the needed funds. The two story addition would house two additional trucks and a meeting hall. On April 24, 1962 the Pittsburg-Pacific Company of Ringwood passed title on a 1941 Ford Tank Truck which was reconditioned by the firemen and put into service to carry water. Engine #4, a 1946 Ford with a 500 gallon tank, was purchased from Lincoln Park on December 31, 1964. This emergency truck was equipped with flood lights and rescue equipment. This truck was rebuilt and painted white. The chassis was replaced with a new 1967 Ford and the body was rebuilt and painted. In 1967, the water tank truck was disposed of and a new 1,000 GPM Ward-LaFrance tendem pumper that carries 1,000 gallons of water was purchased and delivered in April 1970. Today the department has 46 active members, houses 4 trucks ( two engines, a rescue, and Ringwood’s Underwater Dive Team Truck and Boat ), and a firehouse with four bays which has a meeting hall, a rental hall with kitchen, and a recreational room. ELFD is an independent fire department which relies fully on donations from residents and is maintained solely by the fire fighters themselves. The first ever Fire Chief was Dwight Dickinson. Succeeding chiefs were Phil Levinson, Charles Geier, Gus Mangelsdorf, Vincent Pisani, Charles Hill, Joseph Kunert, Alexis Dolinoff, Dave Hopper, Richard Cutney, Ray Nebiker, Gregg Bertsch, John Jonker Sr, John Jonker Jr, Pete Watley, Sam Costa, Scott Conley, Tim Bautz, Mike Brennan and present Chief Rich Clarke. (others are not mentioned. More history to come)