CLIFTON SPRINGS FIRE DEPARTMENT
Serving Clifton Springs and its surrounding area for 125 Years

The first fire department in the village of Clifton Springs was Foster Hose CO. It was located at the Water Cure of DR. Henry Foster. As his first buildings were constructed of wood, it was a necessity for him to do everything in his power to protect his investment, and above all, look after the safety of his patrons.

  In July, 1883, it was decided to organize a fire company on account of several fires in our village, with very little fire protection. At that time, we did not have a village water works, and the Sanitarium depended on a pump in the laundry room and water from the pond in the park. Which, at certain times of the year, was not a large supply. At this time, the Sanitarium had about 300 ft. of leather hose, which hung on a peg in the carpenter shop, and only three hydrants surrounding the buildings. This constituted all the protection the Sanitarium had. Fire was one of the great worries of DR. Foster. He had been seen on many times patrolling the halls of buildings, fearing that someone might carelessly leave a gas jet lighted near a door or anything else might have accidentally started a fire.
     
 On July 26, 1883, a meeting of the employees was called in the smoking room, which is now a part of the machine shop. Foster Hose Company was formed including the following officers: Patrick O'Sullivan, President; Frank Van Dyne, SR. Vice President; Charles M. Redfield, Secretary; Leonard D. Fischer, Foreman; John Hanlon, Assistant Foreman and W. P. O'Neil, Drill Masters. The trustees were DR. Henry Foster, C. L. Judd and C. B. Linton.
     
DR. Foster presented the company with a hose cart and the hose was taken off its peg and put on the hose cart. When the first firemen's parade in Clifton Springs was held the following September, thirty men were drawing the two wheel cart with Abe Cook and the feather duster bringing up the rear.(The feather duster must have been to make sure that everything looked in A1 shape!)

Three years later (1886), DR. Foster purchased a very fine parade carriage for the Foster Hose CO. in which the company prized very highly. It was used in all our parades until our 1st motor truck was purchased in 1920 by popular subscription, and the Sanitarium CO. paid the balance of the cost. In a few years more it will most likely be replaced with more modern equipment, as the Foster Hose Company, like the Sanitariuim, have a progressive attitude in keeping with the times."

DR. Foster stepped forward in 1883 and gathered his valued employees around him organizing the first official fire department in Clifton Springs. There have been several fire units in the village following the installation of village water lines in 1896. Among these were the Hook & Ladder CO., The Protectives and Winona Hose. In 1954, all of the fire departments were united and the
Clifton Springs Fire Department was born.

Our Fire Department has evolved even more since 1954, with the addition of a second station in our non-hydranted area of Orleans, to the constant upgrades and replacements of current Fire Equipment. The Clifton Springs Fire District now encompasses all of the Village of Clifton Springs along with portions of the Towns of Phelps, Manchester and Hopewell.

Officers and Members of the Clifton Springs Fire Department are fully committed to providing safety to our community through
Fire / Rescue & EMS protection for another 125 YEARS