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History of The Ellwood Volunteer Fire Company No. 1
Nestled at 1000 Englewood Avenue in the Town of Tonawanda, the department's lone fire hall stands as a beacon of safety and preparedness. Housing a formidable fleet of eight fire apparatus, comprising a squad/rescue, two engines, a ladder, a utility vehicle, two chief's vehicles, and an antique fire engine, the department is equipped to tackle various emergency scenarios. These apparatus are meticulously maintained and can be admired on the department's dedicated Apparatus Page.
Driving the department's operations forward are its 40 dedicated active members. These individuals undergo rigorous local and state training, ensuring they stay at the forefront of firefighting tactics. Their collective expertise and commitment to continual improvement are pivotal in upholding the department's esteemed reputation.
The Ellwood Volunteer Fire Company's jurisdiction spans across the Ellwood Fire District No. 1 of the Town of Tonawanda, New York. Encompassing the area from Kenmore Avenue to Sheridan Drive, between Klauder Avenue, Midland Avenue, and Parker to Delaware Road, their protective reach extends far and wide. This area, once home to around thirty-one families in 1918, sought fire protection as a paramount concern for their safety. In a remarkable display of community spirit, three individuals championed this cause by attending a Town of Tonawanda board meeting, subsequently leading to the formation of the first Board of Commissioners.
The journey to establish the first fire hall was not without its challenges. Determined to see their vision realized, these visionary individuals courageously mortgaged their houses and farms for $1000 each to secure a loan for the construction of the inaugural fire hall. Their selfless dedication laid the foundation for what would become the cornerstone of fire protection in the region, with the first Volunteer Fire Company officially organized in 1921.
The initial Volunteer Fire Company established in 1921 consisted of the subsequent individuals:
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Founding Members |
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President: Edward Bauman
Vice President: H. Vernon Werner
Treasurer: William Henel
Secretary: Arthur Doell
Warden: John Deering
Chief: Fred Zuege
Captain: Clarence Hirschbeck
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T. Whitney Belcher
John Mueller
George Conover
Charles Rogers
Patrick Darragh
Edward Schaefer
William Gilchrist
Richard Smith
Burt Heath
Charles Zuege
Merle Heath
Emil Zuege
Albert Kagelmacher
Wilhelm Zuege
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Past Chiefs
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Past Presidents
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Fred Zuege 1922-27
Joe Henel 1928-29
G. Willis 1930-31
P.C Andrews 1932-33
William Mehl 1934-35
Bob Schaefer 1936-37
George Mason 1938-39
Norman Felger 1940-41
Hugh Friedl 1942-43
Fred Beck 1944-45
Peter Weber 1946-47
J.G. Wetherill 1948-50,56
William Zuege 1951-52
Jim Reidy 1953-54
Ted Wurster,Jr. 1955
Mike Hagen 1957-58
Flody Frey 1959-60
Fred Pope 1961-62
Roger Pfeiffer 1963-64
Al Padegomis 1965-66
Robert Paschka 1967-68
Jack Stuff 1969-70
Joe Benintende 1971-72
Bob Carncross 1973-74
Dick Quattrini 1975-76
Ken Olson 1977-78
Benny Polizzi 1979-80
Rip Prem 1981-82
Homer McGill 1983-84
Gerald Sekuterski 1985
Robert Schaller 1986-88
Robert Pohlman 1989-90
Thomas Smith 1991-92
Paul Prautzsch 1993-94
John Lauck 1995-96
Roger Restorff 1997-98
Edward Rick 1999-2000
Patrick Stillwell 2001-02
Jerry Lattin 2003
Roger Restorff 2004
Kenneth Olson 2005-06
David Van Dewater, Sr.2007-08
Michael Iannello 2009-10
Jamie Olson 2011-12
Gary Stuff 2013-14
John Lauck 2015-16
Brian Nigro 2017-18
Robert Schaller 2019
Daniel Prem 2020-21
Brian Nigro 2022-2023
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E. Bauman 1921
T.W. Belcher 1922-24
B.L. Heath 1925
A. Doell 1926
J. Brady 1927-28
A. Kagelmacher 1929-31
Earl Gates 1932-35
A. Kagelmacher 1936-42
George Butler 1943
Norman Felger 1943-45
A. Kagelmacher 1946
Ed Bogold 1947-48
Clarence Granger 1949-51-52
Ralph Howe 1950
William Daley 1953-54
Kermit Howard 1955-56
Cyril Thorpe 1957
Ray Rasbach 1958-59
Al Lesko 1960-61
Tom Cocker 1962-63
Richard Gibney 1964-65
Joe Benintende 1966-67
Ed Litwin 1968-69
Robert Restorff 1970-71
John Drozynski 1971
Ray Howard 1972-73
Paul Keefe 1974-75
Brett Hennessy 1976-77
Homer McGill 1978-79
Robert Carncross 1980-81
Paul Murphy 1982-83
Bob Adamek 1984-85
Gary Magaris 1986-87
Jim Mertz 1988-89
Darryl VanLear 1990-91
Daniel Griffin 1992-93
Dean Leaderstorf 1994-95
Kelly Blount 1996-97
Larry Ienco 1998-99
Greg Kapodistria 2000-01
John E. Donnelly 2002-03
DJ Van Dewater Jr.2004-05
Eric Fitscher 2006-2007
Kelly Blount 2008-09
Pat Van Dewater 2010-11
Brian Ienco 2012-13
Mike Wyzykiewicz 2014-15
Brad Bauman 2016-17
Mike Pucser 2018-19
Jeff McGill 2020-2021
John Bresnock 2022-2023
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Ellwood Exempt officers
Past Presidents
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Ellwood Fire District Officers
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W.C. Gilchrist 1930-31
A.F. Kagelmacher 1932-35
C. Zuege 1936-39
J.S. Mueller 1940-41
H. Ernst 1942-43
E. Bauman 1944-45
T. Wurster, Sr. 1946-47
G.E. Mason 1948
J. Carncross 1949-50
W. Stuff, Sr. 1951-52
P.G. Weber 1953-54
C.J. Granger 1955-56
R.F. Howe 1957-58
Robert Meidel 1959-60
Ed Sallis 1961-62
E.M. Bogold 1963-64
Mike Hagen 1965-66
Carl Yotter 1967
Jack Stuff 1968-69
William Fischer 1970-71
J.G. Wetherill 1972-73
Leon Jacobs 1974-75
Jack Human 1976-77
Robert Paschka 1978-79
William Zuege 1980-81
John Drozynski 1982-83
Ray Howard 1984-85
Russel Gentner 1986-87
Robert Blount 1988-89
Howard Bagley 1990-91
Dennis Howard 1992-93
Jim Mertz 1994-95
Paul Murphy 1996-97
Thomas Smith 1998-99
Paul Prautzsch 2000-01
Homer McGill 2002-03
Richard Quattrini 2004-05
Roy Starkey 2006-07
Gary Magaris 2008-09
Tom Smith 2010-11
Robert Pohlman 2012-13
David Van Dewater Sr.2014-15
Greg Kapodistria 2016-17
Kelly Blount 2018-19
John Donnelly 2020-21
Robert Carncross 2022
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Edward Whitham 1934-39 Commissioner
Pearly Andrews 1934-50 Commissioner
Charles Zuege 1934-42 Commissioner
Edward Yotter 1934-37 Comm/ Sec’y
Gerald Willis 1934-35 Commissioner
Joseph McNamara 1934-36 Treasurer
Thomas Ray 1936 Secretary
John Mueller 1936-63 Commissioner
Edward Bauman 1937 Treasurer
Norman Felger 1937-51 Sec’y/Treas
Motiford Schrader 1938-47 Commissioner
Theodore Wurster 1940-56 Commissioner
Fred Zuege 1943-55 Commissioner
Joseph Sich 1948-52 Commissioner
George Butler 1951-61 Commissioner
George Mason 1952-67 Sec’y/Treas
Raymond Pfeiffer 1953-75 Commissioner
Ralph Howe 1956-66 Commissioner
J.G. Wetherill 1957-74 Commissioner
Floyd Frey 1962-65 Commissioner
Paul Keefe 1964-68 Commissioner
Fred Pope 1966-90 Commissioner
Fred Pope 1966-90 Commissioner
Michael Cullinan 1967-86, 92-95 Commissioner
Russell Gentner 1967–75 Treasurer
Leon Jacobs 1968-83 Secretary
Roger Pfeiffer 1969-82 Commissioner
George Myers 1975-81 Treasurer
Russell Gentner 1974-93 Commissioner
Richard Quattrini 1976-2012 Commissioner
John Drozynski 1982-84, 89-93 Treasurer
Richard Prem 1983-89 Commissioner
Raymond Howard 1984-2004 Secretary
Robert Restorff 1985-88 Treasurer
Homer McGill 1987-91 Commissioner
Robert Schaller 1989-2003 Commissioner
Robert Blount 1991-2019 Commissioner
Homer McGill 1994-2004 Commissioner
Roy Starkey 1994-Present Treasurer
Mark Werwinski 1995-2001 Commissioner
Raymond Howard 2001-2006 Commissioner
John Hennessy 2004-Present Commissioner
Homer McGill 2004-06 Secretary
Larry Ienco 2005-20 Commissioner
Daniel Griffin 2007-11 Commissioner
John Donnelly 2007-Present Secretary
David Van Dewater Sr. 2012-21 Commissioner
Kelly Blount 2013-Present Commissioner
Michael Iannello 2020-Present Commissioner
Michael Pucser 2021-2024 Commissioner
Gary Stuff 2022-Present Commissioner
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