Bantam Fire Company

Bantam Fire Company
92 YEARS OF SERVICE

HISTORY

February 3, 1916	A group of 17 men received permission from the warden and Board of Burgesses of the Borough of Bantam to establish the Bantam Fire Department. The first chief was Robert Currie who held the office for 9 years.
October 13, 1916	Bantam Fire Dept. joined the Connecticut State Firemen's Association. The first president was Wilbur Anderson.
April 3, 1917	The first firehouse was a converted storage shed owned by St. Paul's Episcopal Church. It was repaired and painted by members of the fire department. The total cost was $47.00, plus $3.50 for locks and keys for the doors. The first articles of apparatus were on 30 ft. extension ladder, three buckets, and two fire axes.
June 28, 1918	A decision was made to purchase hats to wear as a type of uniform for parades and other functions.

1st Fire Apparatus
Hand-drawn
Pictures taken 07/04/1918 (Parade at Litchfield)

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April 15, 1921	Upon incorporating, Bantam Fire Department became Bantam Fire Company Inc.
July 1921	The first Bantam Fire Company "Fair" was held with a profit of $1,100.00.

3rd Fire Truck
circa 1921

Chief Robert Currie in driver's seat
Charles Deno in passenger seat
Harry N. Kilbourn standing

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Bantam Fire Company
circa 1921

(click to enlarge)

July 2, 1940	Instruction in fire fighting at the State Fire Fighting School was made mandatory for all members of the company.
January 13, 1942	First Aid instruction was given by members of the American Red Cross.
January 6, 1953	Borough and town officials met with members of the fire company to discuss the possibility of obtaining the right of way through the property of the Bantam Fire Company for the proposed school to be built in the rear of the firehouse.
February 5, 1963	It was voted to hold a parade with the Bantam Fire Company Carnival running July 31, 1963 to August 3, 1963.
May 4, 1966	It was voted to dissolve the carnival and parade. A raffle took its place.
August 19, 1975	A special meeting was held to discuss and act upon a proposal to host a carnival and parade in the summer of 1976. The motion was passed, and the first carnival committee was created: Chas. Alteri, Robert Baker, Dick Dauphinais, Doc Edwards, Ted Schafer, and Robert Usher.
October 5, 1976	Treasurer, Chas. Alteri, reports a profit of $7,302.59 made from the carnival. It exceeded the set goal of $5,000.00. It was voted to hold an annual carnival and parade, rather than a bi-annual event that was discussed in the meeting of 1975.