It all started back in the fall of 1974 when a handful of concerned men and women from the Fallston community met to discuss the need for fire and ambulance services in the area. These men and women had the foresight to see that their community was growing rapidly and would soon need a fire and ambulance company operating in Fallston. Service clubs in the area were asked to assist in this endeavor. The Fallston Lions Club sent Mr. Robert McLewee (owner of Fork Paint and Repair), representing the Fallston Jaycees was Mr. C. Raymond Brownley. Also involved was Mr. Lee A. Hinderhofer, Attorney, who laid the groundwork for the new fire company. Having no success in discussions with the surrounding volunteer fire companies regarding the feasibility of placing a sub-station in the Fallston area, the Fallston Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Company, Inc. (FVFAC) was formed on November 10, 1974.
At this time the Founding Board of Directors of the FVFAC consisted of:
President/Chairman of the Board
Secretary/Treasurer
Board Members
.C. Raymond Brownley
oseph R. Kudrick
Jerry Dallmus
Richard J. Gross
Lee A. Hinderhofer
Robert W. McLewee
Dr. Brendan McNally
Paul E. Murray
Mirtha M. Ward, M.D.
Having only a Board of Directors to plan the initial growth of the new fire company, a notice was sent out to all Fallston residents to attend a general meeting for the purpose of recruiting members. At this first meeting, held January 2, 1975 in the basement of the Commercial Savings Bank (now B B & T Bank, 1911 Bel Air RD.), sixty-five potential members signed up.
As plans were laid to begin emergency response operations by the FVFAC a full slate of Officers and Board of Directors was selected to serve for 1975. They were:
President.............................................................Dr. Brendan McNally
Vice President.....................................................Mirtha M. Ward, M.D.
Secretary............................................................Joseph R. Kudrick
Treasurer............................................................Robert W. McLewee
Board Members..................................................C. Raymond Brownley
.............................................................................J. David Hadley, Jr.
.............................................................................Paul E. Murray
Chief...................................................................Lee A. Hinderhofer
Assistant Chief, Fire..........................................Wayne Melchoir
Assistant Chief, Ambulance..............................George Ward
Auxiliary Chairperson ........................................Eva Hynes
To begin operating as a provider of emergency services to the Fallston community, FVFAC members attended their initial training sessions in firefighting and emergency medical care at the invitation of the established neighboring fire companies. The first piece of emergency equipment owned by FVFAC was Ambulance 1391, 1975 Chevrolet Champion ambulance built by Springfield. It was placed in service on August 14, 1975 and was housed initially in Dr. McNally’s driveway on Fallston Road. The first building used as a station for the FVFAC was a barn on the property of the Fallston Recreation Council where the ambulance was housed. At this time FVFAC Company meetings and Board of Directors meetings were held in the old St. Mark’s Catholic Church Hall. As the new fire company members began providing service to the community these men and women successfully completed their training, and rode with the surrounding companies to gain the skills needed to support their new firehouse.
In 1976 the FVFAC purchased land at 2201 Carrs Mill Road for future station construction. On April 1, 1977 it was necessary to vacate the Fallston Recreation Council property due to federal requirements and local needs. A temporary building was constructed at the Carrs Mill Road site with materials donated by the C & P Telephone Company and Bethlehem Steel Company to house Ambulance 1391, and later Engine 1311. This first piece of fire apparatus, a 1977 Seagrave 1250 gallon per minute pumper, was placed in service in June 1977. Construction of the first permanent station at the Carrs Mill Road site began in the spring of 1977. This was a three bay station with bunkrooms, kitchen, day room, and office space which was dedicated in October 1978. In addition to Ambulance 1391 and Engine 1311 this station would also house Engine 1312 upon its delivery (1978), a brush unit and later, Tanker 1321 (1982).
The delivery of fire protection and emergency medical services in the Upper Crossroads area of the FVFAC district was improved by the construction of the Cross Roads Station in 1989. Property was purchased at 3108 Fallston Road and the station was dedicated May 6, 1990. This property, in addition to open land, also contained a residential structure and a garage. The garage was utilized during construction of the Upper Crossroads Station to house Brush 1341 to allow FVFAC members to begin providing fire suppression and medical first responder service from this location. This station contains three apparatus bays with a bunkroom, kitchen, day room and office. When opened, the Upper Cross Roads station housed Engine 1312 and Brush 1341.
As the FVFAC entered the 1990's, our members once again looked at the future needs of the fire company and the community. It was readily apparent that we had outgrown the Carrs Mill Road station. Also, the rescue equipment carried by FVFAC was limited and divided among units with the hydraulic rescue tools on Engine 1311 and port-a-power, winching equipment, etc. on Brush 1341. Committees were formed and plans were laid to add Rescue 1351 to the fleet of apparatus and to construct an addition to the Carrs Mill Road station. On September 19, 1993 FVFAC members and the community dedicated the new Carrs Mill Station and Rescue 1351. This station, covering over 23,000 square feet has six apparatus bays, of which two are 100' drive through bays. There is also additional bunkroom space, offices, training rooms and a maintenance bay. The construction costs were slightly over $1.5 million. The original station was converted to Board of Directors offices, meeting room, and a social hall.
From 1995 to 1997 the FVFAC saw a period of unprecedented apparatus fleet expansion and replacement take place. During these years the Company replaced the 1978 Seagrave Engine 1312 with a Spartan/Quality pumper, 1982 Autocar/Pierce Tanker 1321 with a Freightliner/New Lexington elliptical tanker, 1977 Seagrave Engine 1313 with Truck (Quint) 1331, Brush 1341 with Special Unit 1381, as well as replacing Ambulance 1391.
2004 saw the replacement of Engine 1311 with a Crimson/Spartan pumper and in 2007 there was further expansion of the FVFAC fleet by the addition of Ambulance 1393.
At the current time, the Carrs Mill Road main station houses Engine 1312, Tanker 1321, Truck 1331, Rescue 1351, Special Unit (Supply) 1381, Utility 1371, Medic 1391, Medic 1393, and ALS Utility 1399. The Upper Cross Roads station houses Engine 1311, Utility 1362, and HCVFEMS Paramedic 13. The Fallston Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Company has grown with its’ community from a handful of dedicated men and women to over one hundred firefighters, EMS personnel and administrative members.
Each year, hundreds of hours are spent on training, maintenance, fund-raising and non-emergency community services, as well as hundreds more hours of emergency service to our community.
Past Presidents :
1974: C. Raymond Brownley
1975: Dr. Brendan I. McNally
1976: J. David Hadley Jr.
1977 & 1978: John C Becker
1979: John C. Behrmann
1980: C. Raymond Brownley
1981: Joseph J. Livingston Jr.
1982 & 1983 Robert P. Wagner
1984: C. Raymond Brownley
1985 & 1986 Joseph J. Livingston Jr.
1987: William H. Reinecke Jr.
1988: Robert T. Colaianni
1989: Joseph J. Livingston Jr.
1990: John W. Coale
1991: William Vanarsdale Sr.
1992 to 1995: Steven J. Scheinin
1996 to 1999: Bruce M. Williams
2000: William Vanarsdale Sr.
2001 to 2004: Matthew E. Barlow
2005 & 2006: Steven J. Scheinin
2007 to 2016: Chris Gibbons
