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In 1929 a group of gentlemen in the community met to form the Jarrettsville Volunteer Fire Company. The first meeting, held on November 9th, resulted in the purchase of a 1918 Model T Ford chemical engine from the Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company for $600.00. During this meeting the first Board of Directors was also created. E. Leroy Smith - President, Charles German - Vice President, Jesse Butler - Secretary, Harry Daughton - Treasurer, Samuel Galbreath - North Road, C. Marvin Merryman - South Road, Walter Spencer - East Road, and David Kinhart - West Road.
On November 12th a second meeting was held to organize the volunteer firefighters of the new company. Martin G. Kurtz was elected Fire Chief, Fred Fuller was elected Assistant Chief, Charles St. Clair, Captain; Clarence E. Burton, Lieutenant; and Jesse Butler served as Secretary Treasurer.
The first fire call was on the afternoon of November 30, 1929, in response to a serious chimney fire at the Isaac Slade residence. Firemen used salt to extinguish the fire and the chimney was cleaned with a cedar brush. The bell at the Asbury M.E. Church had been used to sound the alarm. In 1933 land was purchased near the intersection of Jarrettsville and the first community firehouse was erected.
In January of 1952, land was purchased at the intersection of Route 23 (Norrisville Road) and Route 165 (Baldwin Mill Road) in the center of Jarrettsville. Construction was begun in the fall of 1953 on a new firehouse.
In September of 1955, the Jarrettsville Lions Club, under the leadership of President Richard A. Henderson, undertook the purchase of an ambulance to be donated to the Jarrettsville Volunteer Fire Company. The ambulance was ordered in late September of 1955 with a delivery date of June 1956. The cost of this ambulance was $12,612.00.
In 1956, the ambulance squad elected its first officers. They were Thomas Galbreath, Captain; Richard Henderson, Lieutenant; John Jimmyer, Secretary Treasurer.
The ambulance was delivered in June 1956, and before it was fully equipped it answered its first call. It responded for a patient who had fallen and broke her hip. The patient was transported to Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore.
In 1978, the Board of Directors had a committee look into the acquisition of land in the Madonna-Shawsville area for the construction of a sub-station. On March 29th, 1979 a community meeting was held at Bethel Church to explain the what the fire company was looking to do and also to hear from area residents. The fire company purchased land in the Black Horse area in 1983 from the farm of Ross Smith at the corner of Route 23 (Norrisville Road) & Old York Road. Sunday October 14th, 1984, the fire company held a ground breaking ceremony for the new sub-station. In September 1985 the new Black Horse sub-station was dedicated. The cost of the station was approximately $200,000.00. It featured two drive through bays, a half bay, and a repair bay.
By the mid to late 1980’s the fire company began realizing that the main station in town was inadequate for the growing membership and also number of apparatus. The fire company began looking around again for property to buy. By 1987, Board of Directors President Thurman Ellis was busy putting together a building committee. The building committee lasted from 1988 to 1991 and consisted of the following members: Donnie Dietz, Len Bostian, Ed “Bunk” Grimmel, Phil Hartline, Ed Dorn, Bill Poole, and Paul Chaney. One of the sites looked at was on the south side of town on Baldwin Mill Rd. However, in 1989, the company chose land that belonged to life long Jarrettsville resident, farmer, and fireman Ed “Bunk” Grimmel and wife Dixie on Federal Hill Rd. In September 1990, a ground breaking ceremony took place and on Sunday October 20th, 1991 the new main station was dedicated. The new fire station featured six bays, two of which were drive through and a repair bay. The building also had numerous offices, bunk rooms, conference & meeting rooms, recreational area, kitchen, radio room, laundry room, and even an event hall was attached. The hall would later be leased to Sterling Caterers.
Over the years many things have changed in the Jarrettsville Volunteer Fire Company. The firehouse siren no longer blows at noon each day, firefighters no longer ride on the rear of the fire engines, fire prevention week is now fire prevention month, and a plethora of other changes have transpired. However, the one thing that has remained a constant since 1929 is that the men and women of the Jarrettsville Volunteer Fire Company are committed and ready to respond to emergencies within the community.
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