by Alex Brooks
The Petersburgh Fire Department celebrated 70 years of service at its Annual Installation Dinner on April 30. The Fire Department was first organized in 1921 soon after fire hydrants were installed in the hamlet of Petersburgh, but it had limited equipment and only covered the water district where the hydrants were. In 1941 it was expanded to cover the whole town, and it bought a truck and built a firehouse. The first Chief of the expanded Fire Department in 1941 was Lloyd Hewitt.
A beautiful cake in honor of the Department’s 70th birthday was on display at the Veterans
Memorial Hall when firefighters and guests arrived for the banquet.
After a delicious dinner of roast beef and turkey catered by Fresco’s, Rensselaer County Battalion 5-0 Commander Cyril Grant swore in the officers of the Fire Department. Bill Seel continues as Chief and Nathan Michaels as Assistant Chief. Earl Brock, James Morgan and Mike Lindsey are Captains, and Randy Harrison and Richard Snyder are Safety Officers. Charlie Carr is Captain of the Fire Police, and Siegfried Krahforst is Lt. Fire Police. Katie Fiske is the Secretary, and Martin Conboy is the Treasurer. Fire Auxiliary officers are Maureen Seel, President, Karina Michaels, Vice President, Shannon Morgan, Secretary, and Autumn Hammond, Treasurer.
Former Chief Terry Neaton was honored because he attended the most drills and the most calls (among non-officers). Neaton also serves as Chairman of the Board of Fire Commissioners.
Seel handed out awards for years of service. Five year members were Tracy New and Jonathan Mabee. Ten year members
were Katie Fiske and Sebastian Krahforst. Fifteen year veterans were Shawn Babcock, Martin Conboy, Jason Crandall, Mario DiDomenicantonio and James Morgan. Twenty year veterans were Mike Harrison and Randy Harrison, and the longest serving member of the Fire Department, former Chief Earl Brock, was in line for a pin this year, with 45 years of service.
While the 70th Anniversary brought a lot of looks backward at the Department’s illustrious past, there were also some looks forward. In his remarks, Chief Seel mentioned that the Department is forming a truck committee to look into replacing the Department’s 1956 Maxim pumper truck.
After a benediction from Fire Department Chaplain Walt Knightes, firemen and guests went to socializing and dancing the night away to music supplied by D.J. John McEnerney.
