Chester Volunteer Fire Department

Horse and Wagon (old firetruck) with sign “pretty well dilapitated

Chester Fire Department booklet, 1937

In 1935, when Forman and Eva’s house on Queen Street caught fire, there was nothing they could do but watch as it burned to the ground. The house burned for two days before it was reduced to ashes.

First fire truck 1937

It took a year, but on May 1, 1936 Forman and others had the Chester Volunteer Fire Department up and running. Members held their meetings on the second floor of Eugene Publicover’s store until a Fire Hall on Central Street was completed later the same year. There were twenty-seven Charter Members; Murray Mills was selected as the Department’s first Chief and Scott Rutherford served as the Deputy Chief.

Ironically, the Fire Hall was destroyed by fire in 1959 and the first truck was also demolished. A new hall was built at the same location the following year.

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“Foreman was a community minded man. After his own house burnt down in 1935 he realized village needed a fire department, so together with some other businessmen formed the Chester Volunteer Fire Dept. in 1936.”
Brad Armstrong Grandson