Abingdon Fire Company Mission Statement

阿宾登志愿消防公司的任务是尽量减少火灾造成的生命和财产损失, 医疗急救, 环境, 以及其他灾难. We will accomplish our mission in a safe manner through prevention, 教育, 灭火, 医疗服务, 救援技能, and other related emergency and non-emergency activities and operate within the scope of our resources. 这些服务的及时提供使本公司能够对阿宾顿及其周边地区公民的安全作出重大贡献. We will actively participate in our community, 作为榜样, 并努力有效和高效地利用我们所掌握的所有必要资源，以提供我们的公民认为优秀的产品.
Abingdon Fire Company 历史

公司的诞生

在1924年底举行的阿宾顿改善协会会议上，成员们讨论了该村需要更快地应对火灾的问题. 记录表明，该协会关注他们当时面临的广泛问题. 他们讨论的一些话题是我们今天认为理所当然的事情，比如为安全旅行铺设的道路, 电话服务, 和电. In fact, the town did not get electricity until 1927. 1924年晚些时候，消防是人们最关心的问题，因为最近的消防地点是贝莱尔和阿伯丁. There weren’t many fires in those days, mostly field and woods fires, 但当他们的住所或谷仓着火时，这是一个非常令人担忧的问题，因为通信延迟，而且必须经过未经改善的道路才能到达那里, particularly in the winter months when responding often meant traveling on un-cleared roadways.

The original idea was to form a Fire Brigade, a first line of defense until the arrival of the closest fire company. 这个想法很短暂，一个新的建议是“让我们拥有自己的消防车，成为一家消防公司。. 成立一家消防公司的想法是在1925年的一次会议上产生的，当时还是个年轻小伙子的前局长阿诺德·哈伍德描述了这个想法. 这次会面是在阿宾登现在的麦可马斯殡仪馆对面的莱斯特·塔克斯商店举行的, as it was the only public place in town. Some of the people in attendance that night were Lester Tucker, 乔巴布卡蛋糕, 尤金·麦科马斯, Kennard麦科马斯, 诺曼•戴维斯, 哈利Moulsdale, 将哈伍德, 乔治的价格, 罗伊斯蒂夫勒, as well as other local citizens. It was described that as the discussion got somewhat heated, 将哈伍德 stood up and said “Let's not carry buckets, let's get a real fire engine”. That moment was credited as the birth of the Abingdon Fire Company. Will’s enthusiasm continued to play out he later served as Chief seven of the following ten years.

早年

In 1926 a new Dodge chassis was purchased, and a body built in Wilmington, Delaware. It had three forty gallon chemical tanks piped to two booster reels mounted top-side. It carried no water except in the chemical tanks. 水箱里装着五磅苏打水和一瓶四盎司的硫酸, 当破碎的, would charge the tank to about 350 psi. 当发动机接近火源时，用手转动一个四叶桨，均匀地混合在一起. The engine carried enough spare soda and acid to charge the tank three times. Extra water to recharge the tanks, 如果有必要的话, came from the home owners well, or a barrel kept by the owner for fire protection. When that water was depleted the fire had better be out.

The engine was delivered that year and was housed in a wooden lean-to attached to Lester Tuckers' barn. 在那段时间里, 当地电话接线员接到了火警电话，并将信息转发给塔克斯的商店. (这种通知方式一直持续到20世纪50年代中期，后来被第一个消防总部的出现所取代). Tucker would pull the engine out and sound it’s siren to notify the rest of the firemen.

1930年，位于科克斯伯里卫理公会教堂对面的阿宾登路的新消防站建成. It wasn’t until that time until the firemen had access to protective clothing. 购买防护服是因为发生在谷仓火灾时，一个物体从屋顶掉下来，击中了一名消防员的头部. At the next company meeting, they voted to buy four metal helmets, and four rubber boots. Also in that year a new chemical engine was purchased to replace the previous one. The new engine had the latest refinements; it had a 100 gallon per minute rotary pump piped to a 100 gallon water tank and three chemical tanks supporting two 1” booster reels. The fire company progressed through the 1930’s, and the records indicate they answered about thirty five calls per year. In 1940 it was necessary to replace the chemical truck. The company purchased a 1940 Model EH50 Open Cab Mack Pumper.

Changes during the '50's and '60's

In 1950, 公司用两个新的发动机舱扩大了消防站，以容纳安装在1950年雪佛兰底盘上的新的1200加仑油罐车，公司花费了1900美元.00. A member of the company who was a metal smith built the body for the cost of the material.

In the mid 1950’s the local population began to increase, and the company voted to build a second fire station and locate it in Long Bar. The second station was completed in 1958. 1940年的麦克泵被转移到该站，并购买了一辆新的1957年B型麦克封闭驾驶室泵，这成为公司的骄傲. In 1959 the company added a light duty Rescue Truck build on a International Chassis, and a 17 foot aluminum rescue boat the following year. 在1965年，另一个新的麦克水泵被购买，以取代老化的1940开放式驾驶室麦克在长酒吧站.

1968年，公司, 经过一番辩论, voted to purchase its first ambulance; a 1968 coach mounted on a Oldsmobile Chassis. 自10年前购买救援卡车以来，该公司已经对其管辖范围内的所有汽车和卡车事故和救援做出了反应. 该公司当时有大量人员接受了培训，准备开始提供救护车服务. The first year with an ambulance in service the company responded to 325 ambulance calls, much to the relief of Joppa Magnolia, Bel Air and Aberdeen fire companies.

Master Plan for the '70's and '80's

在20世纪70年代，消防公司开始感受到最近新的Harford县总体分区规划的结果，该规划旨在管理未来的工业和住宅发展. 该计划包括从贝尔艾尔向南开始的区域，包括24号公路和152号公路走廊, west to the Baltimore County Line, and east to Havre de Grace. This plan placed Abingdon in the center of the expansion plans for the county. Increasing the resources available to the company became a priority. 20世纪70年代，该公司在威洛比海滩的埃奇伍德地区建立了第三个消防站, the addition of two engine bays and administration area at the Abingdon station, the purchase of two new engines to replace the 1957 and 1965 engines, the replacement of the light duty rescue truck with a heavy duty rescue, and a new tanker with enhanced pumping capabilities.

20世纪80年代，我们地区的人口持续增长，导致紧急呼叫增加. Our EMS calls were approaching 2000 and fire calls nearing the 1000 mark. It was at this time the company added a ladder truck and an additional ambulance.

Evolution of the Company

The 1990’s became a real challenge in terms of adequate resources to replace outdated equipment, recruit additional members, and expand facilities to meet the emergency needs of the community. Meeting these demand was accomplished through the tireless efforts of our members, along with the financial support of the community and Harford County Government. With that extraordinary effort of support, a new fire station was constructed and dedicated in 1995 on Abingdon Road, not too distant from the old one. 2006年，在埃奇伍德的威洛比海滩地区建造了一座新的消防站，取代了70年代建造的旧消防站. 新车站的设计是为了执行应急响应任务，以满足当地社区和哈福德县进入21世纪的需求.

展望未来

阿宾登消防公司一直在努力工作，并将继续努力履行他们的使命，即“保护我们社区和哈福德县公民的生命和财产”。.

我们对社区服务的持续奉献始于1925年威尔·哈伍德启发了阿宾登消防公司的诞生他说

“Let's not carry buckets, let's get a real fire engine”.

This is our proud history; what we accomplish today and next year will become the history for the generations that follows.