“The origin of the department dates back to the burning of a barn in the lower part of the village on the property of George E. DeNoyelles on January 24, 1854. This event demonstrated the necessity of some sort of an equipped. And organized department, in order that the citizens of those days would be better able to guard their homes and property against the ravages of fire. The DeNoyelles fire occurred on a Sunday evening just as the late reverend A. S. Freeman was about to deliver his sermon. One of the congregation sitting near the door and hearing the alarm became so excited that he arose in his pew and shouted, “We are all on fire!” To tell it as the doctor afterwards described the incident: “There was a sudden vision of coat tails flying out behind and a precipitous retreat of men, women and children, and finding myself standing in the pulpit facing empty seats 1 concluded to suspend the services with the benediction.” Although the good people never said so, it can be safely assumed that he joined the rest of his congregation in fighting the fire and organizing the first company of the department. So, the days following the DeNoyelles fire striking posters in the biggest type then in vogue were distributed throughout the village. These posters or dodgers read: “FIRE, FIRE, FIRE ”!! ■‘Citizens of Haverstraw, will you meet with us on Saturday evening next, January the twenty-eighth, at the ball-room of the American Hotel, and assist in raising .an amount of money sufficient to purchase the necessary apparatus for a hook and ladder company “Signed: James Creney, Samuel Cosgrove, Samson Marks, John Begg, John Felter. C. I. Holliman, J. D. Bostwick, Jacob Allison, Alfred Hazzard and Robert Smith.’ This meeting was largely attended, fully one-half of the male population of the village attending. Owing to the failure to arrange the preliminaries the meeting was adjourned to the evening of February 18, 1854. The organization perfected of Rescue Hook and Ladder Company No. 1, with the following charter members: Asbury DeNoylles, James King, William Felter, John Jones, Daniel C. Springsteen, John Begg, J.W. Edwards, John Gains, Theodore Polhemus, Edgar Freeman, Edward Peck, Matthew Rose, A.E. Milburn, Jackson Rose, Jacob Allison, Lewis Mackey, Stephen Fields, Matthew Cooper, Denton Fowler, Bradley Keesler, James Creney, Samuel A. VerValen, Harmon Felter, John Felter, William R. Lane, Edward Felter, Isaiah Milburn, William Bedell, W.B. McLaren, George E. DeNovelles, Lewis Whittaker, Silas Mackay, Garrett Storms, Fred Glassing, Joseph Hazard, John p. Jersey, Theodore Fredrick, Abram D. Ver Valen, John Cosgrove, Philip Schoonmaker, Matthew Gurnee, Samson Marks
A meeting of the company was immediately called and the following officers elected: Asbury Denoylles foreman; James Creney, assistant forman; James King. Secretary, J. W. Edwards, treasurer. and Lewis R. Mackey, Steward. A truck was purchased shortly afterwards. From 1854 to 1867 the truck was kept in an old shed located where the Methodist church now has its wagon sheds. It was afterwards moved to all old shed in Division Street, where it had its home until 1870. Then it was kept for about six months in an old shed on West Front street, next to John D. Treadway’s present stable, and then moved to a long one-storied shed on the location of its present home, where it has remained ever since. Up to 1880 the company had had no permanent meeting rooms, holding its meetings here and there, wherever it could hire or beg a room. In 1880 the village erected the building it now occupies. From June 1853, to April 1864, no meetings were held on account of inability to get rooms. Its first fire service was on September 5, 1854, at the burning of a barn near (Garnerville where it performed excellent service as a bucket brigade. Up to 1859 it had been an independent company owning its apparatus and accouterments. In that year the village fire department was formed and finding itself irretrievably in debt the company transferred everything it owned to the village and the village authorities assuming their debts fully initiating the company as a member of the fire department.
On account of internal troubles, the company was reorganized with Alexander Goldsmith as foreman and adopted their first uniform, consisting of blue shirt trimmed with red braid, white belt with red letters “Rescue” on the back, glazed cap and dark breeches, Previous to this time the only portion of a uniform worn was a heavy fire helmet.
In the year I887 the old truck was sold to Grassy Point and a new one purchased. The new one was in service until 1899, when it was traded off and the present one obtained. In 1899 the rooms were redecorated and furnished, the old furniture being sold as relics to the members and new furniture purchased".