On July 1, 1930, a fire was discovered in the kitchen of J. The Braswell housefire was one such occasion. On a few rare occasions, the shiny new addition left a little to be desired. It wouldn’t be long before the truck was called into action. Locals gasped at the exorbitant price, but the town council assured citizens that “it will be paid for in yearly installments.” The truck was provided with 1,600 feet of hose and had ample room to carry the entire volunteer fire department. The truck was put through several tests and, as an article in the Monticello News reported, the truck “seems to be O.K.” The article continued, “It is guaranteed to pump 300 gallons a minute, but in a test at Two Mile Branch, it pumped 435 gallons per minute.” The fire truck-top of the line and from a prestigious national firm-cost $6,250.00. The town council ordered it in May of 1924, and an excited crowd gathered to welcome its arrival that September. Not to be outdone by its sister city, Monticello soon purchased a truck of its own, the American LaFrance Triple Combination pumping truck. Red, shiny, and impressively up to date, the vehicle carried 1,200 feet of hose, was equipped with a warning bell, and could travel at the breath-taking speed of fifty miles per hour. In April of 1918 the neighboring town of Perry excitedly welcomed the arrival of a brand-new hook and ladder truck purchased from the American LaFrance Company. Monticello wasn’t the only community seeking to increase their fire protection. Both 500-foot hoses were still in good condition, and a 150-foot hose had been purchased and was kept in reserve for emergency use. These recent additions provided Monticello with more fire protection than any previous time in the town’s history, though in May of 1903, it was sadly noted that the fire department still lacked a “hook and ladder truck.”īy 1909, the number of fire department volunteers had dwindled to only ten men, but the town hoped to shortly have ten more. The department boasted a total of fifteen members and had resources consisting of two 500-foot hoses. By 1903, the town had acquired two hose carts, and a volunteer fire department had been established. The turn of the century at last brought a whisper of change to the little community. Nearly ten years later, in August of 1884, the town still possessed no hand engines or hose carts to assist in checking any future conflagrations, and the water facilities available to extinguish any future blaze were described as “not good.” As late as 1895, Monticello’s position regarding fires remained the same. The shock of the devastating fire and the extent of the loss to the little town was immense, but it wasn’t enough to spur Monticello into action. Residents stood by helplessly as block after block of local businesses and residences burned to the ground. When a fire roared through the downtown district in April of 1875, little could be done to check the blaze. Let the bell ring.For a town of its size, young Monticello had invested in few public safety resources to meet an emergency. On this day, with the ringing of the bell, let us remember the importance of liberty, freedom, our United States service personnel, and all First Responders who rush to assist those in need. The bell has a very special significance in the history of our company. The American LaFrance bell is now mounted on the wall of the engine room in our new station.
When we moved to our new station in June 2015, the bell was carefully removed and sent out once again to be re-chromed. The bell was then mounted on the wall of the engine room at the firehouse on Planebrook Road. The bell was salvaged and sent out to be re-chromed, then mounted on the 1954 Autocar fire engine. Six months later the Autocar was destroyed in a wildland fire. In 1962 the company purchased a new Autocar fire engine and the American LaFrance bell was mounted on the Autocar. It was a 1947 American LaFrance with a chrome bell mounted on the front of the engine. In 1958, the East Whiteland Fire Company purchased a second pumper engine. The bell is a symbol of America and those who valiantly fight for freedom or to save lives from peril. The bell is also known for sounding a fire alarm or a warning on a fire engine on the way to a fire. As we celebrate Independence Day on July 4th, the sound of a ringing bell reminds us of liberty and freedom, which has been accomplished through the personal sacrifice of many.
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