History : Mountainside, NJ Fire Department
The Mountainside Volunteer Fire Department was first organized in August, 1910. The first department meetings were held at Borough Hall. A bucket brigade was operated until a chemical engine was bought from Westfield for $35. It was housed at the 1st firehouse located next to then Borough Hall. The building still stands today and is now called the Lord Building.
In 1918 the Fire Department bought their first truck. A "Flying Thomas" was purchased from Rahway in 1921. This engine was equipped with chemical tanks. It was a good engine once it got started. After a few years of hard cranking, the department bought a Reo. This was replaced by a Mack Pumper in 1940. In 1944, the Fire Department purchased a used Ford Chassis and rebuilt it into an A-1 Fire Truck. It was put into service 6 months later, after working 865 hours to put it into service.
The 2nd Firehouse was a converted wagon shed near Borough Hall, which housed both the Fire Department and The Mountainside Rescue Squad, which the Fire Department founded in 1939, but today is an independant organization.
The 3rd Firehouse was located on Springfield Rd. (Present-day Rt. 22) at Mountain Avenue, next to the Bliwise General Store. It had two bays for apparatus and a meeting room. Today, the old Firehouse still stands, and is currently used by Overlook Hospital's MICU Medic-1 unit, providing ALS service to towns south and east of the hospital.
As the town grew in the 60's and a need for more fire apparatus became apparent, the borough bought an acre site on New Providence Rd. and began construction on a larger building April 6th, 1974. The building was completed and possesion was taken on April 5th, 1975 and the building was dedicated June 7th, 1975.
The present day firehouse is located at 210 New Providence Road - Mountainside, NJ, one block north of U.S. Route 22. It has three large bays for apparatus, offices for the Fire Dept. Chief and Fire Company President, and a Radio/Alarm Room. The 2nd floor has a meeting room and a kitchen. The basement has a small recreation/exercise room and storage space. The firehouse was recently renovated in 1999.
