Brandywine Hundred Fire Company - New Castle County, Delaware

In 1923 residents of the Brandywine Hundred area became alarmed over the increasing number of fires and the lack of fire fighting equipment. After a series of meetings called to discuss organization of a volunteer company, Martin Ainscow, Deputy Chief of the Wilmington Bureau of Fire, was invited to Bellefonte to outline plans for the organization of such a group. The meeting was attended by about a hundred people who contributed a dollar each to get the company started. Organization of the Brandywine Hundred Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 occurred on March 19, 1924, shortly after the City of Wilmington firemen became a paid group and the various Wilmington volunteer fire fighting organizations were disbanded. Several of the “runners” of the former Reliance Fire Company No. 2, the Brandywine Company No. 10 and the Fame Hose Company No. 6, all of Wilmington, were residents of Bellefonte and the Brandywine Hundred Area and seeking a volunteer company to serve with.

At the special meeting of March 19, 1924, Joshua Kelley, last President of Reliance Company, was elected temporary President. John Wigglesworth, of Bellefonte, was elected temporary Vice President and Harry Draper, also of Bellefonte, was elected temporary Chief Engineer (Chief). Other officers elected to serve until January 1925 were Harry Carson, Secretary, Frank Heaton, Jr., Treasurer, Charles Honey, Sr., First Assistant Chief, and Burton Heal, Second Assistant Chief.

In 1925 the first chief elected was John Wigglesworth and the first president elected was Joshua Kelley. These elected offices replaced the temporary positions of 1924.

1932 First Asst. Chief C. Honey, Sr., Chief Wigglesworth and 2nd Asst Chief W. Billingsley.

Incorporation papers were filed in September and “Brandywine Hundred Fire Company No. 1” became incorporated on September 29, 1924. Until the formation of Claymont and Talleyville Fire Companies in 1928, we were the only volunteer fire company north and west of Wilmington to the Pennsylvania line.

The new company originally met each week, and the first motorized piece of apparatus owned was built by U. S. Fire Apparatus Company in Kirkwood Park, Wilmington. It was on a 1924 Reo Speedwagon Chassis supplied by the fire company. The cost was $4,500. This apparatus was housed in a garage on Rosedale Avenue, rented from Chief Wigglesworth.

Ground was purchased along Brandywine Boulevard and Rosedale Avenue and a building was constructed by residents of Bellefonte. It became the Bellefonte Community Hall. Later, the fire company purchased the community hall and added two engine bays to the building. Apparatus was moved out of Chief Wiggleworth’s garage, into this building and it was the first permanent housing. This addition was dedicated in 1930.

At first the main source of revenue was proceeds from carnivals held on the sight of present Villa Monterey. We had the biggest carnivals in the state and on the east coast for many years, chancing off a new car every evening for all ten evenings of each carnival. Professional acts were hired to add to the entertainment, and carnivals became the social event of the summer months. When carnivals began to fade out in the middle thirties, minstrel shows became popular through the forties as a fund raiser. Events were also held on the Wilson Line ships with a cruise on the Delaware.

During World War II, Ladies Auxiliary members, who volunteered, were brought into membership of the fire company. They were trained and helped perform usual fire fighting tasks of the men who became in short supply due to the war effort.

WWII Lady firefighters with Chif Charles Honey, Sr and driver H. Bentz Hurst

By 1948 the company had three pumpers. They were a 1930, 1931 and 1948 Hahn. In 1953 we bought our first Mack apparatus and continued as a Mack company until they went out of business. Our last Mack chassis was bought in 1990 and was a CF model.

In 1954 we were given a Reo rescue truck by Civil Defense starting a rescue division. This service is still carried out today

Because of population growth and public demand, in 1955 an Ambulance Division was formed, members were trained and first purchase of an ambulance was carried out. It was a used 1948 Pontiac that cost $1,500. Teen age dances were held with earnings paying for this first ambulance. This service continues today with two first-rate ambulances which cost approximately $125,000 each.

It became apparent that we were running out of room and plans were started in 1955 for a replacement building. A new two-story fire house was built in 1956 and 1957 and it was dedicated April 26, 1958. The cost was $200,000. The new fire house was built behind the old one, and the old community hall and fire house was torn down.

In 1959 the Fireboard (Central Emergency Reporting Center) opened. This finally eliminated the need for our fire phones being located in the Chief and Assistant Chief’s homes. At least one of these phones had to be manned 24 hours a day until the fireboard and new fire number was formed.

In 1962 the fire company organized and held the 42nd Annual Delaware Firemen’s Convention. The parade which was one of the longest on record was held in downtown Wilmington.

In 1971, trying to meet the needs of a growing community with new high rise buildings, the fire company ventured into the aerial truck business with the purchase of a Mack/Baker 75’ aerialscope. The cost was $86,000.

In 1972 we purchased our first box-type ambulance from Swab on a Chevy. chassis. This allowed transfer of the box section to another chassis in the future for a good cost savings.

In 1974 we celebrated our 50th anniversary with a homemade huge artificial birthday cake, built by members and a special banquet held at Claymont Fire Company. The cake was pulled in the Smyrna DVFA parade by our pick-up field fire truck,

50th anniversary cake we made. Smyrna parade 1974

In September of 1976 we were honored by being able to host the DVFA bicentennial convention and parade. Most meetings were held at the Claymont Hilton and the large parade was held in downtown Bellefonte, Delaware.

In 1992 we purchased a Fire Safety Learning Center (smoke house). This was used for public education and many members dedicated time for training and to help teach fire safety in the home to adults and children in our fire district and others.

Smoke House

In 1994 we repurchased our 1930 Hahn pumper. It served as an active truck from 1931 through 1965 but was gone for a period of 29 years after we traded it into Hahn. Our antique is now a permanent engine room showpiece when not taking part in parades and other activities. Youngsters who drop by with their families or school classes to tour the station (this is encouraged) enjoy sitting in the front and ringing the bell.

Antique 2005 photo

Other recent apparatus purchases in the 1990’s worth mentioning are:

* A 1993 Simon Duplex/Baker 95-foot aerialscope at a cost of $590,000. This replaced our 1971 aerialscope.

* A heavy duty 1997 Simon/Duplex-Saulsbury Rescue truck at a cost of $473,000.

* A new 1,250 GPM Spartan Gladiator/Saulsbury pumper was delivered in October of 1998 and cost $350,000.

* In 1998 we also purchased a new Chevy van and a new Chief’s vehicle, a Chevy Tahoe.

A new building renovation committee was formed, and in 1997-1998 major renovations to our building occurred. They were completed in the spring of 1998. A whole new front was put on the building and a 26-foot-addition, created by extending engine bays forward, including the second floor space, and a large addition to the hall area was added. A new entrance way was built which included an elevator for the first time. A new radio room faces the front in the middle of the building. New office space for fire and rescue officers was incorporated into a new mezzanine area in the middle of the building. This building project has allowed space for the most modern equipment needs required to serve the community well into the next century. Cost of this project was $1,700, 000.

Toping off steel work new additon November 10, 1997

First rental New expanded hall

On March 5, 2005 U. S. Representative Mike Castle presented us with a check for $316,026 at a ceremony held in our engine bay which was a grant from the U. S. Department of Homeland Security for which we had applied. The grant was from a package to improve the effectiveness of firefighting operations, firefighter health and safety programs and to establish or expand fire prevention programs nationwide

Other more recent purchases:

* 2006, received a new Emergency One/Saulsbury fire pumper, engine 11-5 cost $515,787.

* 2007, a new Ford Expedition Chief’s vehicle. (This was replaced with a new Chevy Tahoe in October 2013.) The Ford will become a utility vehicle replacing the van.

* New Osage ambulances in July of 2008 and July of 2009 to allow us to provide the best ambulance service possible.

* December of 2009 Rosenbauer/DPC brush truck on a Ford F550 chassis unit (11-1).

* On March 22, 2013 we received delivery of our Rosenbauer/Spartan/DPC refurbished heavy-duty Rescue 11. This unit has a Saulsbury body, new cab, chassis and engine. Approximate cost - $600,000.

* 2014 Ambulance-Took delivery refurblished Ford Super Duty 350 chassis demo unit-Osage/J. Yurick C-11 cost $97,912.

* 2015 Amblances-Took delivery of two Osage/J. Yurick refurbished units. Traded in our our chassis on each. Both are Ford Super Duty 350 trucks. A-11 (on a 2016 chassis) cost $77,346 and B-11 cost $69,070.

On July 24, 2017 we took delivery of a Seagrave Marander II 95' Aerialscope. The cost fully equiped and lettered was $1,447,390. It replaced our 1993 Simon Duplex/Baker 95' Aerialscope that was in service for 24 years.

We are now running three ambulances for the first time in our history. This will help provide even better service to our community.

Since its formation 92 years ago, the Brandywine Hundred Fire Company’s equipment has grown from the initial chemical tank to our present equipment consisting of two pumpers, a 95-foot aerialscope, a heavy-duty rescue, a brush fire truck, three first line ambulances delivered 2014 and 2015. A Chief's vehicle, and one utility vehicle. The first pumper in 1924 was $4,500 and our last pumper in 2006 was $515,000.

The Brandywine Hundred district encompasses 6.6 square miles and measures 13.5 miles around. From our station to the farthest point is 2.3 miles (intersection of Wilson and Shipley roads).

In 2021 the men and women volunteers, who are residents of the community, responded to 1052 fire callaand rescue alarms. In addition, the company answered 2505 ambulance calls. For comparison, in 1964 we answered 220 fire calls and 725 ambulance calls.

Our President Richard T. Perillo served his 19th year in 2020 and our Chief Tom Finocchiaro served his 15th year. They both retired the end of 2020. A motion on the company floor made them President Emeritus and Chief Emeritus based on their dedication . Our Chief Engineer C. Frank Peterson was also voted into Emeritus position.

A new ambulance was delivered on November 4, 2020 at a cost of $200,062 fully equiped. It has a Ford Super Duty 450 Chassis and was sold by Osage/Yurick. May 2021. Another new ambulance has been ordered for delivery in 2022

On May 5, 2021 a special company election was held to fill in vacancies. Results are Chief Tom Finocchiaro, Deputy Chief Gordy Edwards III and Steve Russo, Board of Director. A New Truck Committee has been formed to study replacing our 2006 pumper in service for 16 years.

The Brandywine Hundred Fire Co. No.1, celebrating our 98th year in 2022, continues to be ready and able to respond as we go into the future providing fire and ambulance service.

Revised 01- 22-22