* Fire
Department Organization
* Fire Chiefs
* Fire Station History
* Fire Apparatus History
* Major Fires & Incidents
History
* Run Stats History
FIRE DEPARTMENT
ORGANIZATION
There were some references to fire apparatus in
Wellfleet prior to the official acceptance of Ch.48 in 1934. Back in Feb
1875, there is mention of a committee planning specs for Town Hall to procure
all necessary info regarding hooks, ladders, the chemical engine and
extinguishers. Another reference in 1879 mentions procuring such fire apparatus,
ladders, ropes, axes, etc along with a shelter for same. A similar
reference is made in 1882, so perhaps these articles failed in town meetings or
follow-up to same. In 1911, $500 was authorized for purchase of fire
apparatus. In 1912, there was an article for$1000 for the purchase of fire
apparatus - this may have been for the forest fire warden. A fire tower was
built in town in 1928. In 1932, the fire warden's report states the fire
apparatus is now obsolete and should be replaced by modern forest fire fighting
equipment. There was also some reference to the fire station in 1932 with a vote
to extend and enlarge the facilities. That station was on Commercial Street,
opposite Bank Street.
There was a Model T forest fire truck with a small pump and tank prior to the
establishment of the department. A 1929 American LaFrance pumper (Engine
1) was also bought in town before the department was officially organized. It
had a 500 gpm pump and only an 80 gallon tank, but it could pump a stream over
the Congregational Church at draft. It remained in service until about 1959.
The Wellfleet Fire Department was officially established
February 12, 1934 with the acceptance of Ch.48, sections 42, 44, and 45 of
general laws. A Board of Engineers was appointed with Dr. C.J. Bell, Cyril
Downs, Edward B. Lane, Fred Howard, Benjamin Paine, and Clarence Hicks.
From that group, Edward Lane was appointed as Chief, Fred Howard 1st Asst
Deputy, and Cyril Downs 2nd Asst Deputy. The board of Engineers found the
equipment lacking. A siren was donated to the department. In 1935, there
were 19 brush and grass calls, including one 14-1/2 acre fire at which the town
'moth sprayer' was utilized. The report for 1935 reports the pump was overhauled
and now produces 3 streams, where before it only produced one. Of the original
1200' of hose, 200' was condemned. The department had 15 members.
A tank truck was bought in 1935. It had about a
1000 gallon tank on a Ford chassis.
The separate forest fire department retired its Model T in 1939 and bought a
1939 forest fire truck that served until the forest fire department and fire
department merged in 1950. The fire station was expanded to 3 bays in
1938-39.
A 1946 Chevy (engine 2) was bought and became the first due engine with a 500
gpm pump and a water tank. Truck later known as 92. A 1955 Dodge pumper was
bought as Engine 3 (93) with 1000 gallons. In 1958, a Ford/Maxim 750 gpm pumper
was bought for Engine 4 (94). In 1974, another Ford/Maxim was bought for
Engine 5 (95).
The
Wellfleet rescue squad was established in the 1950s. Lower Cape Ambulance served
Wellfleet as well from about 1954 to 1960. The LCA was in Truro. Wellfleet
got its first ambulance, a retired military Cadillac from Fort Drum, NY. A "good
body" from another 1953 Cadillac was refitted onto the military chassis by
members of the department.
A Panel Truck rescue truck was purchased from CD in 1957-58 and carried some
equipment.
Wellfleet moved out of the cramped, waterfront station on Commercial Street into
a modern Fire-Police facility on Lawrence Road, just off Route 6 in 1982.
The new station, featured the fire station in the lower level and the police
above facing another road. The station had 4 bays, double deep and able to
hold more modern equipment
New Fire Headquarters 10 Lawrence Road opened March
2009..
March 2012 - Barnstable Sheriff's Office begins
dispatching for Wellfleet Fire, taking
over from Wellfleet Police.
FIRE CHIEFS
2024-Present - Joseph
Cappello Jr
2013-2024 - Richard
Pauley Jr
2006-2013 - Daniel
Silverman
-
- Alan Hight
-
- Roger Henson
-
- William Berrio
1934-
- Edward B Lane
DEPUTY CHIEFS
2023-2024 - Joseph
Cappello Jr
FIRE STATIONS
HISTORY
1934
Commercial Street & Bank St, Wellfleet (expanded 1938)
1975 Route 6 & Old Kings
Hwy, South Wellfleet (closed 2002)
1982 35 Lawrence Rd
(Police/Fire station)
2009 10 Lawrence Rd
(new HQ)
FIRE APPARATUS HISTORY
1995 Apparatus Roster
Station 1 - Wellfleet
80 Service 80
- 1993 Ford F350/Omaha Utility Pickup
81 Car 81
- 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee Fire Chief Roger Henson
88 Boat 88
- 1980 Sea Ox 20' / Johnson 90hp Boat
90 Forestry 90
- 1970 Dodge PW 4x4 120/200 Forestry Truck
91 Car 91
- Chief POV
91B Car 91B
- Deputy John Jentz
94 Engine 94
- 1990 Pierce Dash tm 1250/1000 Pumper JAWS
95 Engine 95
- 1975 Ford F750/Maynard 750/500 Pumper
95C Car 95C
- Lt Wayne DeForest
96 Tanker 96
- 1987 Ford L8000/Firovac 1500/3000 Tanker
97 Ladder 97
- 1962 ('90) Ford C350/Maxim ms 75' Aerial Ladder (old Nantucket)
98 Rescue 98
- 1990 Ford E350/Wheeled Coach Ambulance (EMS 368)
99 Rescue 99
- 1990 Ford E350/Wheeled Coach Ambulance (EMS 369)
Boat
- 1958 Aluminum 16' /Johnson 10hp Boat
98A Car 98A
- Lt/Medic Tom Ferrara
98B Car 98B
- Lt/Medic George White
98C Car 98C
- Medic Alan Hight
99A Car 99A
- Medic Tim Rowell
99B Car 99B
- Medic Jim Willis
99C Car 99C
- Medic Jeff Francis
Station 2 - South Wellfleet
92 Forestry 92
- 1946 Chevy 250/600 Forestry Engine
93 Engine 93
- 1979 Ford F950/Pierce 1000/1000 Pumper
93A Car 93A
- Lt Dan Silverman
--------------------------------------------------
1992 Apparatus Roster
Station 1 - Wellfleet
80 Service 80
- 1974 Dodge PW 4x4/Omaha Utility Pickup Truck
81 Car 81
- 1986 Ford LTD Fire Chief Roger Henson
90 Forestry 90
- 1970 Dodge PW300 4x4 250/300 Forestry Truck
91 Car 91
- Chief Henson
91A Car 91A
- Deputy Irving Bronston
91B Car 91B
- Deputy George Malloy
94 Engine 94
- 1990 Pierce Dash cf tm 1250/1000 Pumper JAWS
94A Car 94A
- Lt Frazier
95 Engine 95
- 1975 Ford F750/Maynard 750/500 Pumper
95A Car 95A
- Lt Deforest
96 Tanker 96
- 1987 Ford L8000/Firovac 1500/3000 Tanker
97 Ladder 97
- 1962 Ford C950/Maxim 75' Ladder Truck (was Nantucket)
98 Rescue 98
- 1990 Ford E350/Wheeled Coach Type III Ambulance (EMS 368)
99 Rescue 99
- 1990 Ford E350/Wheeled Coach Type III Ambulance (EMS 369)
Boat
- 1980 Sea Ox 20' /Johnson 90hp Boat
Boat
- 1958 Aluminum 16' boat
98A Car 98A
- Lt/Medic Tom Ferrara
98B Car 98B
- Lt/Medic Alan Hight
98C Car 98C
- Medic
Station 2 - South Wellfleet
92 Forestry 92
- 1946 Chevy 250/600 Forestry Engine
93 Engine 93
- 1979 Ford F950/Pierce 1000/1000 Pumper
93A Car 93A
- Lt Jentz
--------------------------------------------------
1992 Apparatus Roster
Station 1 - 35 Lawrence Road, Wellfleet
Ser 80 - 1974 Dodge PW Utility Body Pickup Truck
Car 81 - 1986 Ford LTD Chief Car
For 90 - 1970 Dodge PW 250/300 Forestry
Eng 94 - 1990 Pierce Dash TM1250/1000 Pumper
Eng 95 - 1975 Ford/Maynard 750/500 Pumper
Tank 96 - 1987 Ford/Firovac 3000 gallon Tanker
Lad 97 - 1962 Ford/Maxim 75' Aerial Ladder
Res 98 - 1990 Ford/Wheeled Coach Type III Ambulance
Res 99 - 1990 Ford/Wheeled Coach Type III Ambulance
Station 2 - Route 6, South Wellfleet
For 92 - 1946 Chevy 250/600 Forestry
Eng 93 - 1979 Ford/Pierce 1000/1000 Pumper
1979 Apparatus Roster
Station 1 - Commercial Street
90 Engine 1 1970 Dodge PW 250/300
Brush Truck
91 Car 91 Fire
Chief Warren Dyer
94 Engine 4 1958 Ford/Maxim 750/500
Pumper
95 Engine 5 1975 Ford/Maynard 750/600
Pumper
98 Rescue 1977 Dodge Van
Class I Ambulance (EMS 368)
99 Rescue 1974
Dodge/Providence Body Modulance Class V - Heavy Rescue, Jaws
Station 2 - South Wellfleet
92 Engine 2 1946 Chevy 500/600
Pumper
93 Engine 3 1955 Dodge 500/1000
Pumper
99 Rescue 1960s
Cadillac Class II Ambulance
1975 Apparatus Roster
90 - 1970 Dodge Power Wagon brush truck 300 gals
91
92 - 1946 Chevy 4x4 250/600 fire truck
93 - 1955 Chevy 500 gpm pumper
94 - 1958 Ford F800 / Maxim 750/500 pumper
95 - 1975 Ford F750 / Maynard 750/500 Pumper
96
97 - 1974 Dodge / Providence Body Rescue Truck
98
99
--------------------------------------------------
1920s - Model T forest fire truck prior to fire dept
established
1929 - Eng 1 - 1929 American LaFrance 500 gpm/80 gals (until 1959)
1935 - Tanker - 1000 gallon tanker
1939 - Forest fire truck (forestr fire dept, merged with FD in 1950)
1946 - Eng 2 (92) - 1946 Chevy 4x4 500/600 Pumper
1955 - Eng 3 (93) - 1953 Dodge 500/1000 Pumper
1958 - Eng 4 (94) - 1958 Ford/Maxim 750/500 Pumper
1970 - Eng 1 (90) - 1970 Dodge PW 4x4 250/300 Brush
1974 - Sqd 80 - 1974 Dodge PW Utili Pickup Truck
1975 - Res 97 - 1975 Dodge/Providence Body Rescue Truck
1975 - Eng 5 (95) - 1975 Ford/Maynard 750/600 Pumper
1970s - Hose - 1953 Dodge PW Mil 4x4 Hose Wagon 2200' 4" LDH
1977 - Res 99 - 1977 Dodge van/Yanee Coach Type II Ambulance
1979 - Eng 3 (93) - 1979 Ford/Pierce 1000/1000 Pumper
1982 - Res 98 - 1982 Ford/Yankee Coach Type III Ambulance
1986 - Tanker 96 - 1986 Ford/Firovac 1500/3000 Tanker
1980s - Ladder 97 - 1962 Ford/Maxim 75' Aerial (former Nantucket)
1990 - Eng 94 - 1990 Pierce Dash 1250TM/1000 Pumper (1958 replaced)
1990 - Res 98 - 1990 Ford/Wheeled Coach Type III Ambulance
1998 - Eng 95 - 1998 HME / General 1500TM/750/22A/44B CAFS Pumper (1975)
2001 - Ladder 93 - 1986 Duplex/LTI 1500/400 75' Quint Aerial Ladder
(1979 replaced)
2002 - Car 81 - 2002 Chevy Tahoe Chief Car
2002 - Boat 92 - 2002 Zodiac Boat
2007 - Forestry 90 - 2007 Chevy 4x4 / Local build 250/200/20 Forestry Truck
2009 - Amb 99 - 2009 Ford/Osage Type III Ambulance
2013 - Car 81 - 2013 Chevy Tahoe Chief Car
2015 - Tanker 96 - 2015 International/EOne 500/2000 Tanker
2015 - Amb 97 - 2015 Chevy/Horton Type III Ambulance
2015 - Amb 98 - 2015 Chevy/Horton Type III Ambulance
2015 - Sqd 80 - 2015 FordF250 Pickup
2018 - Amb 99 - 2018 Ford F550/Horton Type I Ambulance
MAJOR FIRES &
INCIDENTS HISTORY
Major Fires & Emergencies
1934 - July 19 - Chequesett Inn Fire.
1960 - March - Wellfleet Town Hall Fire during a
blizzard.
INCIDENT HISTORY -
RUN STATS
Incident History
Year
Fire
EMS Total
1950
1960
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1992 183
497 673
1993 184
548 733
1994 183
631 814
!995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
1,034
2001
1,362
2002 349
967 1,316
2003
1,068
2004
1,488
2005
1,212
2006 288
906 1,194
2007
1,163
2008
1,093
2009
1,115
2010
1,032
2011
2012
1,080
2013
1,138
2014
1,073
2015
1,171
2016
1,181
2017
1,264
2018
1,281
2019
1,351
2020
1,152
2021
1,406
2022
1,311
2023
1,371
Updated January 13, 2024 |
