Alert Hook and Ladder Co. No. 1
Foreman: Benjamin Nadeau
1st Asst. Foreman: Michael Nenna 2nd Asst. Foreman: Peter Fusaro
The decision to form a ladder company for the Westerly Fire Department occurred after a fire in the P.S. Barber's Soap Works on Mechanic Street in Pawcatuck, CT. This fire demonstrated the need for ladders. Three wealthy families , the Cottrells, the Mosses, and the Wells respectively donated $500.00, $500.00, and $250.00 to purchase a ladder truck.
The Ladder Truck was ordered from the Silsby Mfg. Co. of Seneca Falls, New York. The truck was delivered by boat to Stonington, CT and then pulled by hand to Westerly. With the ladder truck's arrival the Alert Hook & Ladder Company No. 1 was created. The company was chartered on March 19, 1884 under the auspices of the Westerly Fire District. The founders included Winthrop Barber, Samuel Cottrell (who was the first foreman), and C.B. Bliven. This wagon carried a variety of ladders with the longest being a 45 footer.
The Alert Hook & Ladder Co. entered the motorized era when they were assigned a 1915 Maxim city service ladder truck. This truck would serve for the next twenty-four years. It would be replaced by Westerly's first aerial ladder truck in January of 1939. This vehicle was manufactured by Seagrave and had a 65 foot steel aerial ladder. The Seagrave would serve the "Hooks" until it was replaced in May of 1971 by a 100 foot Maxim F-model mid-mount ladder truck. Initially this vehicle was all red but in the late seventies it was repainted white over red.
Currently the Alert Hook & Ladder Co. operates a 1994 Simon-Duplex 110 foot rear-mount aerial. The company currently has 29 active members.
Past
Foremen of the Alert Hook and Ladder Company
|
