Our History

On February 9th, 1920, the citizens of the Village of Rheems met in Grove’s Machine Shop to discuss the issue of Fire Protection. Many residents attended and a committee was assembled to raise funds to purchase a chemical apparatus. A.S Bard, B. Frank Shank, and S. S. Shearer were appointed to that committee. On February 17th, the citizens of the Village of Rheems again met, this time at the home of H. K. Landis, to hear the report from the committee. It was at this time that the citizens of Rheems decided to form the Rheems Fire and Improvement Association. B. H. Greider was appointed to the position of President, B. Frank Shank appointed as Secretary, and S. S. Kraybill was appointed as Treasurer.

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On March 4th, 1920, the Rheems Fire and Improvement Association met with a representative from the Buffalo Chemical Company of Buffalo N.Y. After much discussion, they voted to purchase a Buffalo #80 sixty-gallon Chemical Engine with full supplies for $500.00.

On March 9th, 1920 the Rheems Fire and Improvement Association met for the purpose of electing a Fire Chief. They nominated Phares Grove, N. N. Greiner and B. Frank Shank for the position. Each received a total of six votes and it was moved by the body that they should decide among themselves who the Fire Chief, First Assistant Chief, and Second Assistant Chief were to be. They decided that Phares Grove would be the First Fire Chief, B. Frank Shank the First Assistant Chief, and N. N. Greiner the Second Assistant Chief.

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The next topic at the meeting pertained to the formation of the Rheems Water Company. Members questioned if the citizens would be interested in buying stock of the water company. At the next meeting, a report was read that 39 citizens wished to purchase stock in the Rheems Water Company.

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On April 3rd, the Buffalo Chemical Engine was delivered and was housed in a building owned by B. Frank Shank. The Pennsylvania Rail Road donated steel for the first fire gong to be constructed to alert citizens to a fire.

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On April 22nd, 1920 the Association voted to purchase a 16ft straight ladder and a 32ft extension ladder from Horst Bros. of Philadelphia. On this date, a motion was made for the President to form a code of by-laws within which to operate.

On November 18th, 1920, the first system of rings was developed to alert citizens of a fire. A general alarm followed by two rings signaled for the East end of town. A general alarm followed by three rings signaled the West end of town.

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On Wednesday, August 17th, 1921 at 5:00 PM, the fire gong sounded for a fire in one of John Hipple’s wheat stacks. Ten minutes later the chemical engine was on scene and held the fire. Twenty minutes later, the volunteers from Mount Joy arrived and assisted until 11:00 PM. Rheems members stayed on the scene until 4:00 AM. In total, four 60 gallon tanks of fluid were used on the fire.

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In 1927, the Rheems Fire and Improvement Association deemed it necessary to construct and Engine House to house the 1920 Buffalo Chemical Engine. The original firehouse was located on Lime Street in the village of Rheems. It is still standing today and is the centerpiece of our official Department Patch.

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In 1928, the Rheems Fire and Improvement Association was chartered as the Rheems Fire Company.

In 1940, the 1920 Buffalo Chemical Engine was sold to purchase a 1940 Seagrave Pumper. This unit is currently owned by Past Chief Frank Hoover.

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In 1957, the Company built a new building on Harrisburg Avenue, which housed not only the fire apparatus but the local Post Office. The Post Office relocated to its current position on Lime Street in 1985, and the space was then turned into Administrative Offices. Continuing to grow, it wasn’t long until a larger facility was needed. In 1993, the members voted to purchase the parcel of land where the station currently sits. However, it wasn’t until November of 2000 that the new facility would be completed.

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In 1962, a 1951 Studeabaker Squad Truck was purchased for the purpose of moving equipment. Also in 1962, a 1959 Ford Tank Truck (the first tanker) was built to hold 1220 gallons of water.

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In 1965, another Seagrave Pumper was purchased. It had a canopy cab with seating for 4 firefighters, a 750-gallon pump and a 500-gallon water tank. In 1977, the gasoline motor was replaced by a diesel engine. In 1990, the engine was raffled off to raise money for a new engine.

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In 1967 a Ford F-350 Tank Truck was purchased to replace the 1959 Tanker. It had a 300 gpm pump and had a Steel Elliptical Tank with a capacity of 3000 gallons.

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In 1972 a 1965 Chevrolet/Howe Pumper was purchased. It had a 750 gpm pump and a capacity of 750 gallons of water. The pump was replaced in 1979. This unit was involved in two rollover accidents, one in the early 1980’s and a second in 1986. This unit was sold to Keith Murphy of Elizabethtown who repaired it and sold it to a dealer in Wisconsin. It changed hands a few times and then was seen in the television show “Rescue 911” in one of their 1991 episodes.

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When the Rheems Fire Company joined Zone 7, we were designated as Station 7-11. The 1972 Chevrolet was designated Engine 7-11-1, the 1965 Seagrave designated Engine 7-11-2 and the 1967 Tanker designated as Tanker 7-11.

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In 1982, the fire department purchased a GMC Brigadeer/4-Guys 3000-gallon stainless steel elliptical tanker with a 350 gpm pump. It replaced the 1967 Tanker. In 1989 it was refurbished by 4-Guys and the pump was rebuilt in 2003. It was sold to a fire department in rural Tennessee in 2006.

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In 1987, the 1972 Chevrolet was totaled in a rollover accident on Route 283. The unit was replaced by a 1987 Pierce Dash top-mount 1250 gpm pumper with seating for five and a 1000-gallon tank. This replaced the 1972 Chevrolet and was designated Engine 7-11-1. It served as the primary attack piece for structure fires in Rheems and for mutual aid. In the 1990s, the bench seat in the front was removed and two fold-down seats were installed on the front of the pump panel, increasing the seating capacity to six.

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In 1991, the department purchased a Pierce Lance, four-door enclosed cab with seating for six. It utilized a 1500 gpm top-mount pump and a 1000-gallon water tank. This unit was designated as Engine 7-11-2. With the purchase of our first set of Amkus Hydraulic Rescue Tools, this unit was multitasked as a Rescue/Engine. It responded first to all vehicle accidents and incidents of a rescue nature.

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In 1994, West Donegal Township Police donated a 1988 Chevrolet Suburban 4×4 to use as a Squad. This unit was sold in 2006 to the Levels Fire Department in West Virginia.

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In 2004, a Mack Granite/S&S Tanker was purchased to replace the ailing 1982 GMC. It utilized a 3258-gallon stainless steel tank and a 1500 gpm side-mount pump. Within weeks of delivery, the tank broke away from the frame and needed major repairs. It was placed in service in November of 2005.

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In 2005, the members voted to do business as Rheems Fire Department and received the necessary legal approval to do so. All new apparatus is now emblazoned with the Fire Department logo.

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In 2006, a Ford F-350 with a Reading body was purchased to serve as a Squad.

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In 2009, two KME Predator XLFD Engines were purchased to replace the Pierce Engines. They featured 1500 gpm pumps, 1000-gallon tanks and 20-gallon foam cells. Each had a seating capacity for six firefighters. Both utilize Caterpillar C-9 425 hp motors with Caterpillar CX-28 Automatic Transmissions and 9000 Watt Light Towers. Engine 7-11-1 was designated as an Engine while Engine 7-11-2 was designated as a Rescue/Engine.